Experience Summary
I have always had a love for working with children and for learning. For the last five years I have worked as a teacher with students ranging from grade 6 through grade 12. My last three years were at a small school that caters to students with special needs (i.e., ADD, ADHD, unbalanced academic skills, minor behavioral problems). Recently, I also had the opportunity to tutor an 8th grade boy in weekly 1-2 hour sessions, and, in just one semester, saw drastic improvements in all of his grades and in his attitude toward school and his parents. In every teaching capacity I have looked to work within a small environment, be it an independent school or a community enrichment program, that would allow and encourage me to assess students individual learning styles and to teach toward that, providing lots of one-on-one time. These environments allowed me to see the impact of my work as children became more confident and interested in material being taught. By engaging students in a cooperative learning situation, I was always able to find success on many levels. My areas of expertise are reading comprehension, writing skills, organizational tools, study skills, test prep and homework assistance.
Teaching Style
My strength as a tutor lies in my determination to work with each student to discover how they learn and process best. In three years of teaching English and Writing at a small, independent school, I found that academic confidence plays a huge factor in a child's overall academic success. I have achieved numerous ways to engage children, from 11 to 18 years of age, in work that they previously found daunting, uninteresting or impenetrable. When working with a particular student, I tailor my approach to his strengths in order to help him to see himself as a viable student. I believe that every child can progress academically when given the support and the tools to do so.