Frances
Certified Tutor
Each pinnacle in my life has offered a new perspective, and inspiration to seek higher ground. My journey through the arts, education, and health advocacy has given me a unique skill set that continues to evolve, and has illumined my life's mission- To discover and share insights that are creative, well-rounded, and sustainable, for the greater good of my immediate and world community.
Connect with a tutor like Frances
Undergraduate Degree: CUNY Brooklyn College - Bachelors, Creative Writing
Graduate Degree: CUNY Hunter College - Masters, Education
Read, write, dance, code, yoga, meditate
What is your teaching philosophy?
I'm a firm believer in getting to know the student beyond their strengths and weaknesses in order to understand what approaches can be used. That way, learning becomes accessible, fun, and resonates on a personal level.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I typically start with an ice breaker, or find a silly way to connect with the student on something I can also identify with. Young or old, people want to know they can relate to you, so I think it's important to establish that in first encounters.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
All good ideas come from the learner. My job is to guide them to those skills and strategies in conversation, and to highlight them as an instinctive tool for them to use later on.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Simple acknowledgement of effort or achievement goes a long way. Even if it as simple as self-correcting, I would give a high five or smile broadly. As long as the student knows they're working on it, and they're making progress, they will be motivated to continue.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty with a skill, I like to relate the skill to something they know already. Nobody is a blank slate…we just have to build with what we have, and scrap misunderstandings through trial and error.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Reading comprehension is all about storytelling. If you can visualize a story- who's telling it, why they are sharing- in your mind, then you can use strategies like context clues and monitoring to help your comprehension.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
My strategies adjust to the student. But I find the more personable and relatable I make the material, the easier it is to dissect and learn from it.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would think of the ways those subjects and skills are used in everyday life or in innovative industries. Using videos, as well as looking up notable people who use those skills, helps students get engaged. If worse comes to worst, I'll make a song!
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Pre and post-testing of the skills being addressed is the best way to see progress in retention.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Acknowledgement and opportunities to use their knowledge or skills really builds confidence in students.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs through conversation and exposure to grade level standards.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I come prepared to my tutoring sessions with leveled materials that provide opportunities to mediate misconceptions as well as maximize on concept goals I have for the student.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I have several visual aids that are digital and tangible that help during my tutoring sessions. My years as a teacher have given me a wealth of resources I can access depending on the student's needs.