Rebecca
Certified Tutor
I have been helping students understand calculus, improve their reading comprehension, and excel on assignments and tests for more than five years. I strive to not only prepare students to exceed academic standards but also to be critical thinkers and curious, well-informed human beings. I recently completed a dual degree at Indiana University and moved to New York to take a gap year before beginning graduate school. As a scholarship student at IU, I majored in economics, cognitive science, and piano performance. Outside of tutoring, you can find me playing or teaching piano, doing jigsaw puzzles, watching TED talks, running, or trying a new food or cooking technique.
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Undergraduate Degree: Indiana University-Bloomington - Bachelors, Economics and Mathematics (interdepartmental), Cognitive Science, Music Performance
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1480
- SAT Math: 770
Classical music and jazz, logic and jigsaw puzzles, food (cooking, trying new things), behavioral economics, organizational psychology, running, soccer,
- 11th Grade Math
- 11th Grade Reading
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Math
- 12th Grade Reading
- 12th Grade Writing
- Adult Literacy
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- AP Music Theory
- Applied Mathematics
- Art
- Biology
- Business
- Business Calculus
- Business Statistics
- Calculus
- CLEP Prep
- CLEP College Algebra
- CLEP College Mathematics
- CLEP Introductory Psychology
- CLEP Precalculus
- College Algebra
- College Biology
- College Business
- College Economics
- College Math
- Conversational French
- MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
- Discrete Math
- Econometrics
- Economics
- English
- Finite Mathematics
- French
- French 2
- GED Prep
- GED Math
- GED Reasoning Through Language Arts
- Geometry
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Quantitative
- High School Biology
- High School Business
- High School Economics
- High School English
- High School Writing
- Homeschool
- Homework Support
- IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
- IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation
- IB Music
- Intermediate Algebra
- Languages
- Latin 1
- Math
- Neuroscience
- Other
- Personal Finance
- Pre-Calculus
- Probability
- PSAT Mathematics
- Quantitative Reasoning
- SAT Prep
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- SAT Writing and Language
- Science
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Test Prep
- Trigonometry
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
A first session will begin with a brief light-hearted conversation to allow the student to share their personal stories as well as goals for tutoring. This is also designed to boost the student's motivation and develop his/her trust in me as a tutor. The session will include some pop quiz questions to assess the student's current understanding. With the remaining time, we will dive into the curriculum that the school or testing board uses or that the student wishes to cover outside of academic requirements.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
My father often told me that the purpose of school is "to learn how to learn." I am a firm believer of this and, as such, I do not spoon feed students during sessions but rather guide them to figure out how to answer their own questions and solve their own problems. Thus, I focus not only on what to do, but how and why to do it. One of the most significant drivers of independent learning is curiosity, and this is one of the primary traits I aim to cultivate in students.
What is your teaching philosophy?
Learning and performing academically are both arts and sciences. As a cognitive science major in college, I studied the hard science of how humans learn: reinforcement, attention, pattern recognition, etc. The "art" is not to be underestimated though: this includes things like motivation, talent, response to pressure and stress, etc. As a tutor, I focus on both these aspects of learning and succeeding both in short-term goals like one assignment or longer-term goals like increasing an SAT score or gaining admission to a selective college.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would relate the concept to one that they already know (i.e. using an analogy) and then point out the similarities and differences. This will help them understand this challenging concept in the context of their other knowledge. Another approach I would use is to combine the big picture with the details. For instance, many concepts that students find confusing can actually be described in one non-technical English sentence. This basic understanding then helps students see how the details fit together rather than just memorizing them. Not to be overlooked, I focus on strengthening students' confidence and motivation throughout the sessions, as these become even more important when students face challenging concepts.