Sarah
Certified Tutor
I believe in living language. Culture, art, history and current events are what I use to enrich my classes and encourage students to take command of the French language for themselves. All of my sessions from beginner to advanced are taught from an immersion principal of learning in order to maximize the student's potential and experience. Language is more than grammar, it's opening the door to learning about and enriching ourselves through culture.
I have over 7 years experience as a tutor and teacher working both in the United States and France. I love teaching French and have experience teaching both standard US curriculums and IB curriculum. I am currently an Adjunct Professor at Berkeley College as well as a high-school tutor through a company. I am also pursuing my 7-12 certification at Hunter College. It is my goal to become a full-time high school teacher in 2016.
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Undergraduate Degree:Butler University- Bachelor in Arts, French
Graduate Degree:University of North Texas- Master of Arts, French
Music, reading, travel, cooking
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that learning should be fun and interactive. Language is more than grammar; it's learning about a whole culture and history outside of our own.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I always start off with a basic conversation in order to assess where the student's level falls. After that, we launch into learning about them and what they like about French!
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By finding a way to connect the student's personal interests to the subject matter. Culture, history, art, music; language touches all of those things.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By challenging them to look beyond the homework and the answers on the page and engaging them in thought-provoking lively discussion.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Go backwards and cover the basic pieces that are missing in order to fill in the blanks.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Break down the text into main ideas, and then analyze those together.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Listening. The student will always be able to tell you what they know and what they don't.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Find a way to connect the student's personal interests to the subject matter.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Summative assessment-- questions that allow the learner to self-assess their capabilities.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
赞扬和支持。
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
A thorough evaluation of a student's reading/writing/speaking/comprehension abilities.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By assessing what kind of learner the student is (visual/aural) and designing curriculum based on their strengths.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Articles, songs, games, books, and anything that speaks to the student's interest.