Dawson
Certified Tutor
I graduated from Grand Valley State University, where I received my Bachelor's of Arts in French Language and Culture with a minor in Anthropology. My chosen emphasis was in literature with a focus on the Medieval and Renaissance periods, however, my personal favorites are the 17th and 18th centuries. In high school and college I participated in freshman acclimation programs, to assist students through the transition into the next phase on their educational journey. I believe that with education and the understanding of other cultures, a bright and caring mind will form. While I tutor mainly French, I am currently working towards obtaining a degree in Environmental Science.
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What is your teaching philosophy?
The addressing of social questions, from today and from history, will preserve humanity and all life for future generations.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Asking what they like about French or why they chose to study the language. Followed by reviewing the current lesson, reading materials, in-class notes, and the most previous quiz/exam.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By creating a genuine interest in the lesson, and then providing outside resources for further studying.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Positivity, diverse lesson plans, and fun learning activities!
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Answer any and all questions until the skill or concept is understood. If that does not work, I would look towards exterior resources and create a specialized lesson plan for the particular learning difficulty.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Dissecting sentences to extract key information and explanation of grammatical definitions.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Interactive lessons that include hands on learning and/or music.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Reviewing at the end of the lesson, mini-quizzes, worksheets, homework, and looking over exams and quizzes from class.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Providing a safe, comfortable and healthy environment to learn and ask questions.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
The opinions of the student, the parents and their teachers if need be.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By learning each student’s individual learning style and study habits.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Dictionaries, verb and textbooks, flashcards and songs.