Margaret
Certified Tutor
我完成了我的硕士学位英语和工作ed as a Graduate Tutor for the writing center. I wrote my Master's thesis on Rachel Carson, one of the founders of modern environmentalism, and I'm personally interested in environmental science writing and nature writing of all kinds.
In my free time I enjoy hiking, gardening (I'm getting to know the quirks of growing food in the desert), video games, listening to comedy podcasts, and working out. I also worked as a summer camp counselor and program director for six years.
I love working with all kinds of students, particularly EFL learners and new writers who want to improve on their ability to communicate and express their ideas.
I also worked on a minor in Spanish during my undergrad. When I was 17, I graduated early from high school and spent two months in Guatemala at a Spanish language school. In college, I participated in a Spanish language drama club, and I directed a play in Spanish, produced at a local theater. Last spring, I traveled to South America and spent four months in Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina, backpacking, camping, and eating lots of food.
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Undergraduate Degree:Indiana University-Bloomington- Bachelors, English
Graduate Degree: Indiana University - Masters, English
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1560
- SAT Math: 740
- SAT Verbal: 800
- SAT Writing: 770
- GRE Quantitative: 164
- GRE Verbal: 168
- GRE Analytical Writing: 5
Hiking, permaculture, reading, and listening to podcasts
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Writing
- American Literature
- AP Spanish Language & Culture
- AP Spanish Literature and Culture
- British Literature
- Business
- Business Writing
- College Application Essays
- College Business
- College English
- College Essays
- College Level American Literature
- Comparative Literature
- Conversational Spanish
- Creative Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- Expository Writing
- Fiction
- Fiction Writing
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Analytical Writing
- GRE Subject Test in Literature in English
- GRE Subject Tests
- GRE Verbal
- High School Business
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Introduction to Fiction
- Introduction to Poetry
- Languages
- Literature
- Medieval Literature
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- OAT Reading Comprehension
- Other
- Persuasive Writing
- Poetry
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Writing Skills
- SAT Reading
- SAT Subject Test in Spanish with Listening
- SAT Subject Tests Prep
- SAT Verbal
- SAT Writing and Language
- Spanish
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
When I teach, I like to ask lots of questions. Reading and writing requires lots of discussion and thinking out loud, so getting the student to participate in the conversation is very important to me. I also like to use humor, and I joke around a lot. I think most material can be interesting and fun if it's approached with the right attitude.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
First, I would introduce myself and ask about the student's life, what their town is like (if we are online), what their goals in life are, and why they've asked for tutoring. I would then move on to the subject and try to get a feel for the student's background in that particular area. If possible, I would try to look at the student's previous work to ascertain their general skill level. Then, I would work with the student to make a list of short and long term goals for our sessions together.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I strongly believe that the goal of tutoring is to give students the confidence and skills to independently pursue their academic goals. I try to involve the students by having them create their own schedules and timelines. I also strive to make the material personally engaging and interesting by connecting it to their own experiences.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I believe that motivating a student depends upon their own investment in the subject. If they don't want to learn the material, they won't. Part of building this investment is developing a personal relationship with the student so that they want to work with you and feel open to trying new things and getting out of their comfort zone (especially when tutoring writing). Positive feedback and concrete goals also help to keep a student motivated.