Maxwell
Certified Tutor
In my experience every one can understand math. It is only a question of finding the right frame work to view it from. In our sessions I will help you find the right frame work to understand the concepts and show you new ways to approach problems. I prefer to let students guide the sessions as much as possible as they know what they are struggling with better than any one else.
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Undergraduate Degree: Lane Community College - Current Undergrad, Engineering
Video and Tabletop games, Fantasy and science fiction, and following scientific news.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I guide students to answers by helping them organize what they already know, filling in a few gaps where necessary.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I spend most of the first session learning how the student thinks and what their strengths and weaknesses are while we work over any questions they have.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I help them to understand the logic behind math and frame things in a way that they can build on.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would remind them of what they are doing well and advise them to scheduled a block of time that is reserved for relaxation to avoid burning out.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would find another approach to explain that concept that makes more intuitive sense to the student.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I start every session with new students by asking them what they are struggling with and what specific facet of the problem they do not understand.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I approach this in two ways. First, I try to find ways to view the subject that make sense to the student. Secondly, I explain real world applications to the student to reduce the air of abstraction that often makes subjects like math seem nonsensical and boring. These two approaches often interweave with each other.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I ask them if they understand it and prompt them to explain it back to me.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I remind them of what they are doing well and help them eliminate gaps in their understanding.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask them what they are struggling with and watch them as they work to see where confusions arrive.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I observe what works best with that student and focus on that type of approach. The student and their needs drive the entire process.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Pencil, scratch paper, calculator, and, when possible, a teacher's addition of the student's text book.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I advise that they slow down as they read and reread each section to ensure they understand what is being said.