
Kristina
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: American Public University System - Bachelors, Psychology
Graduate Degree: Southern New Hampshire University - Current Grad Student, English and Creative Writing
Reading, knitting, crocheting, hiking, tennis
American Literature
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Science
Elementary School Writing
Fiction Writing
High School English
High School Level American Literature
High School Writing
Life Sciences
Microsoft Office
Middle School Reading
Middle School Science
Middle School Writing
PC Basic Computer Skills
Poetry
Technology and Coding
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is all about meeting students where they are. I feel it is important for students to understand their personal learning style (verbal, auditory, kinesthetic), as this will enable them to study the material in the way that best allows them to learn, understand, and retain the material.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In the typical first session, I would ask the student questions to help determine their personal learning style. I would also discuss what areas the student needs help in. We would work together to make a plan that will best enable them to succeed.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Helping a student become an independent learner begins with determining their learning style. Knowing this, a student can approach the material in a way that is most conducive for their learning needs. I would also go over how to read material and take notes on the key information.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Staying motivated is all about making strides toward success. This involves S.M.A.R.T goal setting. Goals should be: S-specific M-measurable A-attainable R-realistic T-time-based
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I would approach the material from a different angle. Very often, this means presenting the material in a way that is most in line with the student's personal learning style.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
When a student struggles with reading comprehension, it is often due to an overload of information. I break down the material into more feasible chunks. For example, I would have the student read a paragraph, and then tell me what happened in it. The student would write this down, and then move to each subsequent paragraph. When finished, I would have the student read the notes they took so that they can gain an overall understanding of the material.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The most successful strategy I have found when working with students is helping them determine their personal learning style. This allows students to approach information in the manner that is most conducive to their success.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would help a student get excited and engaged with a subject that they are struggling in by making it relevant to them.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
When I want to be sure that a student understands the material, I have them explain it to me as if I am new to the material. If they can teach/explain it, then they know and understand it.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I build student confidence in subjects by celebrating small, incremental wins.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
First and foremost, I ask the student. Most students know what they are struggling with. This often means asking which subjects they "like" and which they "don't like."
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
To adapt my tutoring to the student's needs, I determine their learning style, and I meet the student where they are.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I will use whatever materials are necessary to help a student learn. For students who are visual learners, this could mean pictures or diagrams. For auditory learners, this may mean recordings of information pertinent to the material. For kinesthetic learners, this may mean finding a way for them to do some physical activity while they study the material.