Andrew
Certified Tutor
I'm an educator and writer living in NYC with a broad range of interests (history, animals, literature, travel, cooking....) I have a Masters in Museum Education and I've worked in various museums and schools with kids and adults of all ages, teaching art, history, English, math, you name it! I get genuinely excited when I learn something new and pass it on to other people, and I try to communicate and share some of my own excitement about learning when I work with students. If you think creatively, there are always new ways to approach a problem that has stumped you, or get yourself invested in a subject that doesn't seem interesting at first glance.
Connect with a tutor like Andrew
Undergraduate Degree:Bard College- Bachelors, Classical Studies
Graduate Degree:Bank Street College of Education- Masters, Museum Education
animals/pets, cooking, travel, history, reading and writing fiction
- Adult ESL/ELL
- American Literature
- AP Art History
- AP World History
- Art History
- College Level American Literature
- College World History
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- European History
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- 高中的世界历史
- High School Writing
- IB Extended Essay
- IB Geography
- IB World Religions
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Public Speaking
- Social Studies
- World History
- World Religions
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Not everyone has the same skills and interests, but any subject can be made interesting to any person, if you find the right way of framing it to appeal to that specific learner.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Introduce ourselves, and I would ask them about their favorite and least favorite subjects. Knowing the areas they enjoy or excel in can help me leverage them in the areas in which they struggle. Then I would ask them to do something for practice so that I can assess their ability for myself (solve a problem, read a passage aloud, etc.).
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By encouraging them to voice their opinions and questions. If they want to know more about something, they should develop the habit of seeking knowledge out on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would try to be attentive to their needs (like when they need a break or when they just aren't getting something I'm explaining and I need to try a different approach). I also try to insert a bit of humor and fun into my teaching to make it more enjoyable.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Rethink my strategy for approaching that concept; if it's not working, we'll try something else. And try to appeal to that student's interests (for example, if they are trying to improve their writing, maybe they'll be more inspired if they get to choose the topic they write about).
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Matching and other games are a good way to build comfort with higher-level vocabulary. Teaching common word endings and stems can also equip students to approach a word they've never seen before.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Just listening carefully to the student's needs and adjusting my own strategies as necessary to fit those needs, and trying to have a positive attitude and a good sense of humor in general.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Finding connections with a subject or hobby they enjoy.