Gia S.

Experience Summary

At this moment, I am a volunteer English/English as a Second Language Tutor at our community library. I tutor two elementary students in Reading and Writing two times a week. The younger student has a hard time focusing. I tried variety of things to help her. When we meet, I ask her first how was her day so I would know if she is tired or how long her attention span would be. After I try to ask her to read a small book that she picks. Then as she reads I try to assess her difficulty. I write down words she can’t read. When she is done, I ask her to write sentences or a story with the difficult words. Then she draws about it. I read the story back to her. I try to involve all her senses from visual to verbal in her learning process. The other student has a hard time in comprehension. I try to read the book with her and ask her questions about it. I get her excited. Most of the books she reads are award winning books, Newberry or Nene. They are at the local main library. I borrow and read the assigned book before I see her. We discuss the portion she had read. I love empowering my students with various skills also like proper study habits, time management and test taking skills. Prior to tutoring elementary age students, I was a Hawaii Literacy tutor. I assisted adult learners to read and write. I worked out of their drop-in center. I also taught lower beginning ESL. I had at least 15 students. I used their curriculum with the Laubach method. I planned each meeting with enthusiasm. I had a variety of adult learners from various countries and ages and walk of life. I had students from Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, and Pacific Islanders. Aside from the curriculum given to me, I try to bring in innovative things in the classroom. For example one day, we have to learn about fruits. I brought in plastic bananas, apple, grapes and oranges. I passed them around so they could see. I also derive my lessons from newspaper and the needs of the students. I try to review what we have learned in our previous meeting before we learn a new lesson. I take at least two hours preparation for all my classes. In the past, I was also a Supplemental Instructor for ESL college class in California and an English Tutor. I attend the class and assisted the instructor with the student needs from problems in their writing from grammar, sentence structure, spelling and punctuations. I also worked as an English Tutor in their walk-in Learning Center. I was able to tutor students coming from different continents and countries like Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, China, Japan, Africa, South America and Iraq. I also worked in a community learning center in their computer laboratory collaboratively sponsored by the community and the college as an English Tutor and Instructional Aide. I worked with elementary and high school children and their parents. I enjoyed relating to various ethnicities. I was able to learn from my students on how to learn to communicate with various language speakers and empower them to learn a new and very different language from theirs that could help them better their lives. I tutored also a family from Taiwan on how to learn conversational English. I was able to do that for 4 summers.

Teaching Style

My teaching style is a combination of cooperative and collaborative teaching style. I like to engage my students in various ways of learning. I also instill in my students independent learning by giving them various learning tools to learn on their own.

My Hobbies

I love to read and write. I love creating recycled cards.

Other Comments

I am a lifelong learner. I love to read and write. I am an encourager. I like to encourage others to think outside the box. I love empowering others to do the best they can with what they have. I try to create an atmosphere of respect and trust. I have also learned to be creative in finding various ways of doing things. I am very open-minded. I am a very enthusiastic worker. I am very detailed oriented and organized in my working area. I set goals before the day begins and try my very best to accomplish them. I am a very dedicated, hard-working, honest, and reliable. I love learning things that are new. I persevere in everything I do.

All Subjects I Tutor

• Basic Learning Skills
• Composition
• Continuing Education
• Creative Writing
• Elementary Grammar
• Elementary Phonics
• Elementary Reading

• Elementary Study Skills
• Elementary Vocabulary
• English
• English ESOL
• GED
• Grammar
• Homework Help

• Language Arts
• Literature
• Reading
• Reading Comprehension
• Spelling
• Study Skills
• Test Preparation

• Testing Skills
• Testing Strategies
• Writing
• Writing Skills