Jacob
Certified Tutor
Hello, my name is Jacob Roan, and I am currently a third year student at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln. I am majoring in Actuarial Science, and minoring in Music, and I am also a Resident Assistant for the university.
I was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, but decided to move to the Midwest for college in order to experience different weather, culture, etc. After I graduate from UNL (hopefully May 2018), I plan to become an actuary, and I will hopefully still have time to continue playing my trumpet.
I was first introduced to tutoring in my junior year of high school, when my AP Calculus teacher asked for a volunteer to help a younger student in math. So, I figured that I would give it a shot. What I found, however, was that I had really been tutoring for most of my life, just through helping out friends when they needed it. In fact, I enjoyed helping others learn so much that I decided to take on more students, and I have been tutoring off and on ever since.
My style of tutoring is very straight forward and direct. I believe that, especially in mathematics, the best way to master a concept is by doing as many problems as possible; there is no proper substitute for hard work. I also like to think I am quite patient, and have experience working with all three types of learning styles.
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Undergraduate Degree:University of Nebraska-Lincoln- Bachelors, Actuarial Science
Playing and listening to music, video games, television, socializing, etc.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that the best way to master a concept is through completing as many problems as possible. There is no substitute for hard work.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I think it is important to get to know a bit about each other first. Also, I think it is important to establish where the student is with the subject, what they are struggling with, and their learning style.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
The more I tutor a student, the less I tend to do. I begin asking more questions and answering less, and I try to teach them how to ask themselves questions in order to think critically.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I think it really helps to give real-life examples. Adding perspective helps keep a student's ultimate goal in mind.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would try explaining it a different way, always beginning with what the student does know.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
The best way to help with reading comprehension is to break it down, go slow, and persevere.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I have found that relations help a lot. I try and create examples that relate to what the student is interested in, like a hobby.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I think that it is important to keep a student's ultimate goal in mind, whether that be an AP test, SAT/ACT, or simply mastering the subject. Keeping that in mind is essential to proper motivation.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
The best way to make sure one understands a topic is to see if they can teach it. So, if a student can teach me a topic, they must understand it.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
It is important to focus on progress and success, rather than failures.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
A student's needs are highly dependent on their learning style and their ultimate goal.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
As I mainly tutor in mathematical subjects, a calculator is usually immensely helpful. Also, a pen/pencil and paper are essential.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I think it is important to establish a student's learning style (visual, auditory, or kinesthetic), and utilize that style in my teaching.