Mike
Certified Tutor
I have been a teacher for 5 years. I graduated from Grace College in Winona Lake Indiana. I have experience in special education, math and reading from K-8. I enjoy working with students who present unique challenges. I enjoy building relationships with kids in order for them to find success academically. I also strive to be a role model. I value honesty. I excited to work with students because I love watching students take ownership and begin to enjoy finding success academically... Especially if it's an area that they believe they have struggled.
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Undergraduate Degree:Grace College and Theological Seminary- Bachelors, Special Education
Graduate Degree: Indiana Purdue University Fort Wayne - Masters, Educational Leadership
Hanging out with family, Gardening, Working out, Golf, Soccer
- College English
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- High School English
- Homework Support
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Other
- Phonics
- Pre-Algebra
- Reading
- Special Education
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that students enjoy learning when they find success at it. This means it is my job to help my students truly understand academic concepts so they may learn to enjoy learning and find success academically. I believe in starting very simple and giving students a taste of what real understanding feels like, and continuing to build to higher levels after that. I also believe that each student is incredibly unique, and it takes a relationship between student and teacher to gain any sort of effective results.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would get to know the student. Ask them questions about their life, their family, their likes and dislikes. I would make the student feel like an individual who is unique, smart, and special... I would also like to get a feel for where students present level is in regards to the subject they are being tutored for. We must know where we are before we set goals for where we are going.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Give that student a taste of what truly understanding something feels like. When students get this... they start becoming hungry on their own, for more success.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Find what specific and foundational reading skills they do not know. I also think it's very important to allow students to have a say in what they read. And make sure the text is at the right level for that reader.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Building a relationship. Getting a student to buy into what is happening by allowing them to find academic success FIRST... no matter how simple or small.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Constant quick checks. I am good at figuring out if a student is lost.