Alexa
Certified Tutor
I am a recent graduate of Smith College. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Government and Sociology. While I was at Smith I was a peer advisor at The Lazarus Center for Career Development and had direct experience working with students from a variety of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. I edited, revised, and proofread cover letters and resumes. I also advised students on how to search for employment and internship opportunities. I am passionate about Writing and English as I have dedicated a great deal of my life to reading, researching, and writing, whether it was academic or for my own personal blog. I enjoy teaching the importance of word choice and clarity in successful writing, as well as emphasizing proper research and organizational skills. Since graduation, I have been working at the Women's Bar Association and Foundation of Massachusetts which has been a great fit as I am very involved in women's rights and political activism. On my spare time I enjoy playing field hockey, the outdoors, and health and wellness.
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Undergraduate Degree: Smith College - Bachelor in Arts, Government
Field Hockey, Tennis, Hiking, Women's Advocacy, Politics, Reading, Historical Fiction, Sociology, Tai Chi, Health and Wellness
- 10th Grade Writing
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Writing
- 9th Grade Writing
- American Literature
- College English
- College Essays
- Comparative Literature
- Creative Writing
- English
- Essay Editing
- Expository Writing
- Fiction Writing
- High School English
- High School Writing
- Literature
- Other
- Persuasive Writing
- Reading
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
The key to learning and retaining information is to teach the student to understand the material instead of just answering the questions correctly.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Getting to know each other is important when teaching. I would learn about the student's strengths and weaknesses. I'd ask them about their favorite subjects and what they like to do on their spare time. Then, I would find out what material they are struggling with and try to incorporate what they like when teaching that material.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Similar to my teaching philosophy, teaching is about helping the student understand the material. Once you show and ingrain in a student the best way to look at a problem and then the steps you take to deconstruct it, anything is possible, and they will feel more confident about their school work and ability to tackle anything.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Motivation is absolutely key in success! You must help a student become excited about learning and school work. If a student is having trouble, it is difficult for them to love school, so I help them look at problems differently, honing in on their strengths, proving that anything is solvable. Once they understand problem-solving skills, they become driven to answer more questions correctly, thus staying motivated!
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
There is no right way to learn. Any student can learn a skill or concept if the teacher takes the time to listen to what they need. Throughout my sessions with the students, I note their strengths and what they respond best to. If a student is a visual learner, I would use maps or diagrams. If a student likes pop culture, I would use examples from television or movies. Anything is teachable if the student is engaged in the learning process.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Help the students focus on the words. You can do this by taking turns reading out loud, acting out different scenes, engaging with the material, circling unknown words and looking up definitions.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Getting to know a little bit about each other to create a comfortable learning environment. Learning about the student's favorite and least favorite subjects, among other things, helps me keep the student engaged, while incorporating fun activities into the work that is least preferred.