
Marla
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Kansas - Bachelors, English
yoga, meditation, gardening, music, exstatic dance,
Adult Literacy
American Literature
AP Computer Science Principles
Art
College English
College Geography
College World History
Comparative Literature
Elementary School Writing
Expository Writing
Handwriting
High School English
High School Level American Literature
High School Writing
Middle School English
Spelling Bee
Technical Writing
Technology and Coding
What is your teaching philosophy?
Seeing the big picture of teaching lets students integrate the knowledge with a greater understanding and a vaster vision of the whole. This way, every student can utilize the knowledge and wisdom of the teaching for not just writing, but also from a larger perspective that can be utilized within life. A good teacher brings skills along with the content.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Writing sessions always begin with brainstorming, thesis writing, and outlining.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can do this by giving students encouragement, permission, and freedom to creatively think outside the box and ask questions from a place of inspiration so they can become inquisitive learners and researchers and seekers of knowledge. From within their own creative process of formulating inquisitive questions, they become independent lifelong learners.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By delving into what genuinely interests the student and by encouraging and directing them in learning from their own perspective so they are excited about learning and building their skills.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would show the student how a skill or concept fits into their understanding of life through their own personal experiences so that they can comprehend the content or skill through their own experience instead of simply a concept. This way, the knowledge or skill becomes an integrated part of their being.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
By bringing awareness to the meaning of the word in a few examples, in addition to the original presentation of the content. This way the student can have a greater comprehension, and they are able to grasp the concept of understanding in various ways and angles rather than simply the original context. This gives them a broader understanding of the knowledge and skill.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like starting with the basics of writing such as thesis forming, web diagrams, and outlines.