Kenn
Certified Tutor
I just finished Medical School at Saint Louis University this year. I finished my undergraduate studies at Saint Louis University as well, majoring and minoring in Investigative Medical Sciences and Biology, respectively. During my studies, I have tutored in multiple settings. I have volunteered for an organization called UrbanFuture; the majority of my work consisted of preparing middle school students for MAP testing. I have also tutored students with high school homework at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Hospital. Although I am qualified to teach SAT/ACT Writing, my passion lies in the field of mathematics: ACT/SAT geometry, College Algebra, Basic Calculus.
I believe that improvement comes with patience and persistence. By truly communicating with a student and understanding where he/she is struggling, we can insure improvement by teaching from the basics. I try to invoke in my students my passion for education and all of its opportunities.
During my spare time, I like to play pick-up soccer, basketball, and table tennis. I also enjoy drumming, listening to all types of music, and socializing with my friends.
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Undergraduate Degree: Saint Louis University-Main Campus - Bachelor of Science, Investigative Medical Sciences
- ACT English: 34
- ACT Math: 36
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1370
- SAT Math: 710
Soccer, Table Tennis, Playing the Drums, Listening to Music (Alternative Rock, R&B), Pick-up Basketball
- ACT Prep
- ACT English
- ACT Math
- ACT Reading
- ACT Science
- ACT Writing
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- College Algebra
- Geometry
- Math
- Other
- Pre-Algebra
- PSAT Mathematics
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Test Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
Being able to teach from the basics provides students with the proper foundation to learn and excel effectively.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Introduce myself and get to know my student. I will make him or her comfortable with me; tutoring should only start once the student is able to have a conversation with me. Learning should not be business. It should be personal.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
One becomes an independent learner by questioning the material.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Giving students rewards such as breaks or turning studying into a game keeps them motivated. This depends on the age of students one is teaching.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would ask her what she does not understand and go over the concept again until I find out what she is misunderstanding. With enough practice, one can learn any skill.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
There are context clues that students need to be weary of in the text. These clues may help many readers understand material and concepts that are difficult to grasp.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I found that by getting to know my student first is the key for them to be comfortable with me. At the same time, I do not get too comfortable because the student needs to understand that the number one priority in the sessions is to learn and comprehend the material.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Sometimes I would make games up for students who have difficulty. I really want the students to perform well, so I try to give some students some reinforcement such as playing a game with them after a session. Students need to see the learning process as an interactive thoughtful process rather than a tedious task that his/her parents want of them.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I really like letting my students understand that it is ok to ask questions. If a student does not understand a concept, then I try to find the source of the confusion. From the foundation, I will be able to work with the student and any of his or her other misinterpretations of the material.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Students tend to do better when they find that they are perfectly able to do something without the need of a tutor. I work through an example problem with my student and then let my student do the rest. Of course, many students are not able to get the information on his/her first try, so I work with them until they are able to perform the work on their own.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs by asking the student what topics or subjects he or she may have some difficulty with. From there, I am able to figure out the concepts that the student is missing and be able to help in other areas that he or she may be lacking.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I understand that every student performs at a different pace. Patience is key for a tutor to progress with students who may not be able to understand material at the first couple of attempts. However long it may take, I will sit until the student understands. If the tutor does not get frustrated, then the student will be more comfortable.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
If I am tutoring academic subject tests, then I typically use the student's books to help him or her with the material. Usually I do not need material at all to cover academic subject tests, because I am able to teach the students without the need for a book. If the student needs ACT/SAT test prep, then I will recommend the student to get an ACT/SAT book from the library and we will work from there.