Julie
Certified Tutor
I am a graduate of one of the top universities in the nation, Vanderbilt in Nashville, TN. My degree is in Elementary Education with an academic specialization in Spanish. I also have my Masters in Middle School English from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Originally from Kentucky, I gained my love for learning when I attended a reputable boarding school in the Northeast. There I learned about different cultures, high academic standards and how to be a good student. I also realized I wanted to teach.
After college in the South, I came up to New York City and worked in a s school as a career coach for college students as well as adults. From there I was asked to come back to the boarding school to teach middle school English and high school Spanish. In addition to teaching, I was a dorm parent for senior girls. As I raised my own children, I took on the role of Head Dorm Parent, which was very rewarding. When my children were in school, I went back to teaching; this time in public education. I have spent the last 16 years as a certified English teacher and love every minute of it. This is what I was born to do.
I believe every person can learn and improve - with support. My educational philosophy is that of the constructivist theory whereby the teacher begins with what the students already know and we go from there.
I am nurturing, creative and a very good teacher/tutor. I can help students understand the material and buy into their work in order to get the most out of learning. I have a strong passion for teaching and learning.
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Undergraduate Degree:Vanderbilt University- Bachelors, Elementary Ed
Graduate Degree:Lesley University- Masters, English - Middle School
Country singer, reading, current events, being outside, hiking/walking
- College English
- Comparative Literature
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- Literature
- Reading
- SAT Prep
- Writing
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In the first session, we will sit down and introduce ourselves. I may ask you about your hobbies and interests. We will discuss your goals and break them down into achievable steps. If we have time, we will get started achieving some of those steps.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
It is important that a student learns strategies that can help him or her throughout life's challenges. We will find out what those specific challenges are and choose our options.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Part of what motivates us as human beings is the feeling of success. If our goals are attainable, the success and celebrations are what will keep us motivated.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student is struggling with a specific concept, there is always another way to learn it. We simply have to try different strategies.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
As a teacher of middle school students, one of my strengths is teaching reading comprehension. There are several strategies that have proven to be effective.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
One strategy I find most helpful with reading comprehension is paraphrasing. This helps the student break down the information so that it is not overwhelming, and it becomes easier to comprehend the main ideas.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Most students have negative feelings towards subjects or materials in which they feel weak. The key is to find success. If needed, we start with the smallest of goals and increase as we master them. This will inevitably lead to a more positive attitude towards the material.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
In order to evaluate a student's needs, we will consider his or her grades, teacher comments, parent/guardian comments, and his or her own observations.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Common materials used in a tutoring session might be a pen or pencil, paper, a computer with Internet and a word processing program, and any applicable books or novels.