Lena
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Benedictine College - Bachelors, Spanish
Graduate Degree: Creighton University - PHD, Occupational Therapy Doctorate
I love to meet new people, travel, gain new knowledge, cook/bake, sing, hike, kayak, swim, bike, read, run with my two dogs (Stella and Querida), and spend time with loved ones.
Academic Coaching
Adult ESL/ELL
African-American History
American Literature
Anatomy & Physiology
AP English Language and Composition
AP Spanish Literature and Culture
Art
British Literature
CLEP Prep
CLEP German
CLEP Introductory Psychology
CLEP Introductory Sociology
CLEP Spanish
College Application Essays
College Biology
College English
College Level American Literature
Comparative Literature
Composition
Conversational German
Conversational Spanish
COTA / NBCOT - Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
Developmental Biology
Elementary School
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Science
Elementary School Writing
Ethics
Evolutionary Biology
German 1
German 2
German 3
German 4
Handwriting
High School Biology
High School English
High School Geography
High School Level American History
High School Level American Literature
High School World History
High School Writing
Human Development
Latin America History
Law
Life Sciences
Medical Terminology
Medicine
Microsoft Excel
Middle School Reading
Middle School Reading Comprehension
Middle School Science
Middle School Writing
Music
NBCOT - National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy
Neuroscience
Other
OTR / NBCOT - Occupational Therapist - Registered
Plant Biology
Professional Certifications
MCAT Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
Singing
Social Networking
Social Sciences
Spanish 1
Spelling Bee
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
Technology and Coding
World Civilization
World History
World Literature
What is your teaching philosophy?
Efforts will be made to analyze a student's learning style, to adhere to it, and make the lessons as interactive and fun as possible.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I hope to establish rapport, to find out the level the student is at, and what he or she expects to learn during the future sessions.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I will let the student lead the sessions and solely act as a guide and support system. In the beginning, like a child learning to ride a bicycle, I will structure the sessions more. In time, I will slowly take off the training wheels when the student feels comfortable in his or her area of interest.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I believe that my enthusiastic personality, as well as the fact that I myself never give up, will help the student stay motivated. I will give them fun challenges in their level and according to their interests to complete for the next session.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I will have the student choose exciting reading material that he or she is motivated to read. We will then work with the material during the session and test comprehension. I will assign reading homework on another topic the student enjoys for to complete for the next session. Depending on the level, the student will write about what he or she has read, or we will converse about the material to confirm comprehension.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Establishing rapport is one of the most important strategies when one starts working with a student. Additionally, offering a respectful and patient learning haven is vital to success. Education is a two-way street, and I treat it as such.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would help the student find his or her niche within the subject. For example, if a student is at an advanced level of Spanish and he or she is struggling with the grammar, I would have the student watch a Spanish movie of their liking and listen to Spanish music. When we meet for another session, we will converse about the subject and continue to work on Spanish grammar.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
After I have explained a subject matter in a structured manner, and I have given multiple examples, I would have the student explain the material along with their reasoning and answers (if applicable).
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I am very open-minded and I have learned various teaching and learning strategies through my international education. I believe that once I get to know the student and what he or she likes, I can tailor the subject matter to him or her.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Depending on the student's learning style, I may use visuals, audio, etc. Naturally, we will also work on specific homework assignments. For example, if a student is learning German, and can form simple sentences, I would have the student describe various pictures for me.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I would repetitively praise the student in his or her achievements!
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I would ask the student what subject matter he or she is struggling with and what strategies he or she has previously tried. We could then adapt the material to the student's likes, once I find out his or her hobbies and learning style. If comprehensive testing is necessary to examine a certain proficiency, we can supply that as well.