Benjamin
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Bridgeport - Bachelors, International Political Economy and Diplomacy
GRE Quantitative: 153
Gaming, Reading, Archery, Dogs
Adult ESL/ELL
Business
College Level American History
College Political Science
College World History
High School Economics
High School English
High School Level American History
High School Political Science
High School World History
Other
Philosophical Ethics
Political Science
Social Sciences
World History
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is that you can't help someone learn by doing the work for them. The best teaching method is to lead students to answers and corrections, not to dictate.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Getting to know a new student is important. It makes everything more comfortable and gives me indications on how I should adapt my teaching style.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Helping students feel intelligent and confident in that intelligence is most important. Anyone can learn anything if they set their mind to it.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Failure is just a step to success. Learning how to accept your losses and come up with the best strategies to move forward aren't just an important part of school, but an important part of life.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Trying to find something that the student understands already, and relate that to the problem at hand. For example, if I had to explain an abstract concept such as "Diminishing Returns," I might use a simple analogy, such as cookies becoming progressively more revolting the more you eat them.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
There are ways to practice reading all of the time. Read every billboard and every sign. Waiting in an office? Read a magazine. Watching Netflix? Put the subtitles on. Reading comes differently to everyone, but the only way to learn is by practicing.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I need to spend some time getting to know my student and looking at examples of their work to get a general understanding of their strengths, as well as what I should focus my attention on. Tutoring should focus on honing skills to an edge, not trying to reinvent the wheel.