Experience Summary
I have extensive experience working with students of all ages, from elementary school through junior college. As a parent volunteer, I tutored K-6 students in math and reading. As a Learning Center and Basic Skills instructor at Trinidad State Junior College, I taught classes in math and English, and I worked individually with students on a variety of subjects including study skills, spelling, history, math, and English. For the past several years, I have owned a small business that employed teenagers. I both developed and administered the training for these first-time employees. I have also taught dance to children and adults. I hold an inactive Texas Teaching Certificate with English and history endorsements, and I am in the process of becoming a certified teacher in Colorado.
Teaching Style
The best teachers (and tutors) are able to diagnose why a student is not understanding his schoolwork. Learning "glitches", different learning styles, and a fear of being wrong often contribute to the problem. I try to discern how the student is thinking about the work, and then I use a variety of techniques to guide him/her to understanding. I might model my own thinking, re-present a concept in an imaginative way, or use another learning style in order to capture the student's interest and encourage them to "risk" in order to learn.