I believe that all students can learn. It is the role of the tutor to find what motivates and excites a student. I help to develop their passions and explore their opportunities in becoming independent thinkers and learners. I involve the entire family in building everyday strategies that can assist a student to achieve predetermined goals and measures of success. Learning is a journey that should be inviting, engaging, and personal.

Typically, the first session involves informal assessments in which I will gather information to create a profile with a student. They could either show or tell me their current difficulties, the family can express their concerns and goals for the student, and/or I will use common core standard based assessments to determine where the student is in relation to their grade level expectations. I will survey the tools or resources available for the student and determine what future sessions may look like. I will spend time building rapport with the student and finding out about their hobbies and interests.

I can help a student become independent by letting them know that is the expectation from day one. I will help them build confidence through rigorous practice and interactive note taking and lessons. A student will be equipped with a battery of strategies on how to approach, reason through, and solve problems. My role as your tutor is to be sure they are able to manipulate these strategies and concepts to gain a deeper understanding of content and the process towards learning.

I am a student's personal cheerleader! I dispel any negative theory or thought that may exist before our interaction. We will delight when things are difficult because it is at that time we have the opportunity to learn something new. I will celebrate their breakthroughs and allow for small mental breaks if things seem overwhelming. I will make the learning space open and neutral and remind a student of their progress when they feel like they may have hit a wall. Each session will review how well the student has done prior to and build anticipation for the present day material.

Difficulties come, and that is the joy of learning. When I see a student having trouble I reassure them that it is certainly a part of the process, and we will figure it out together. I acknowledge what the child already may understand about the problem, and then I assist in isolating the problem or skill within the problem that may seem overwhelming. By breaking issues down into achievable goals, a student gains more confidence with the material.

I help students with reading comprehension by introducing them to a variety of strategies that will help them connect and restate the story. We first identify the genre and based on that genre that will have a list of ways to choose on how to focus on that reading. Students sometimes need to be explicitly taught ways to make predictions, sequence events, summarize, and make connections, otherwise the reading happens around them and they do not know how to get involved. I like for students to journal about their reading so they are able to reflect and make connections with other texts.

I found patience and connecting with the student to be most successful. I like to focus on the strengths of the students and help them realize they already are equipped with the building blocks to tackle any concept they have not yet mastered. Repetition, a clear set of expectations, and concentrated learning outcomes help the student and family track progress and anticipate the breadth of concepts that will be covered.

I would help a student become engaged by showing them real-world examples on when the subject will be useful. Even if the student will not have interactions with the material until their adult choices, I will show how and where understanding the concept will help them be a self-sustaining individual. I will also show how the material will often cross other subject areas and how it would be to the student’s benefit to understand the present skill set for future endeavors. As they are successful, I will congratulate their efforts, and as they are yet learning the material, I will patiently reassure them that they are doing well.

I would use pre and post-assessments as dictated by Common Core assessments and standardized testing material according to a child's current grade level. Within the first two sessions, I would send a few timed assessments, and as we progress there would be informal assessments and post-assessments to show a student's growth with particular material. I would also use computer software that will digitally track and record a student's progress.

A student's confidence is built on their achievements. These achievements come from small obtainable goals that lead toward an expected outcome. The student and I together help determine what the long range or end goal may look at, then we work backwards to determine what is it that we need to cover to get there. The goals are very specific, timely, and measurable so that a student and myself can see if the student is on track for that goal, or if adjustments need to be made along the way. As a student learns new things or become more autonomous about their learning, the confidence will inherently grow as well.

I evaluate a student's needs by first analyzing their profile and discussions with the parent or guardian. Then by survey and conversations with the student, I come to learn about how they learn and where they see themselves in relation to certain mastery of skills. From there, within the first or second session I would have assessments and computer programs available for the student to demonstrate their knowledge. In addition to skills tests, I am also paying attention to their level engagement and their ability to explain and reason critically.

I adapt my tutoring to adjust to the needs and learning style of the learner. I have a quick survey that allows me to determine a student's learning style. Also through informal conversations, I start to understand and respond to my student based on their given disposition. If I see that my approach is not producing results. I look to other methods of delivery, videos, songs, programs, or researched based theories on how to reach a student.

I use a variety of materials. For both in face and online scenarios I will use common core assessments and worksheets. I will use standards-based learning tools to give students independent practice outside of our sessions. I will reference videos on for further explanation. I also require students to keep a notebook/journal to log, and track their progress as an independent note-taking tool and evidence to share with any other learning coach in the future. I have basal readers, manipulatives, and learning games for in-face meetings.