Stephanie

Certified Tutor

I am a recent graduate of Cornell University with a bachelors degree in both English and History and am currently pursuing my Masters degree in History at the University of Pennsylvania. My long-term goals include enrolling in a Phd program in the History department and becoming a form of history or social studies teacher post-graduation. I currently work with Varsity Tutoring as an online tutor and want to expand my tutoring opportunities. During my time at Cornell, I participated in a tutoring program for two years called AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) which is an organization that aims to close the achievement gap between students and prepare them for college and other postsecondary opportunities. Many of the goals that were part of the program, such as teaching students skills and behaviors for academic success, providing intensive support to maintain positive student/teacher relationships and developing a sense of personal achievement through hard work.

Part of AVID meant working with students from historically underrepresented communities. These students often had family problems or were the first person in their family hoping to attend college. I had to work with these students, through their personal problems and insecurities to develop a successful academic plan for success. As a tutor, I am extremely meticulous and keen on time management. I usually tutor in English or History for the regents, SAT subject tests, or Advanced Placement exams.

My course of action involves three main steps:
First, I identify the areas that the student needs the most help in. I prepare a simple and easy to read outline for them on the subject. I also make a few flash cards to get the student started, even if flashcards arent their preferred study method. This way, we have a starting point to work from. A tutor should put in just as much effort as their student is putting in. From my perspective, successful tutoring involves equal input and effort from both parties involved.

Second, I identify the learning style of the student and ask them questions about what learning methods they prefer. This way, I can adjust the way I tutor in accordance to what works the best for the student. I want to be flexible as a teacher to be able to work with a particular students learning style, whether its hands on, visual, auditory, etc. When a student has a problem, I want to be able to work with other teachers to figure out the best way to give the student the support they need.

Lastly, I create a tutor schedule with the student and show them exactly what we will review and how we will review it. This is to create a sense of organization for the student and myself. I want the student to provide feedback on tutoring methods because their input is crucial to the success of the tutoring. Communication between the tutor and student is key because if something is not working or the student is not understanding a particular topic, we need to work together to find a method that will work better for the student.

Whether I tutor in large or small groups, I focus on the learning experience. I want my students to strength their imaginations, foster creativity, and put in the hard work that it takes to become independent as a student. I believe that giving these skills to students will allow them to become prepared for college and leave the world a better place than they found it. I hope that I can help facilitate the students in this rewarding process. I thank you for taking the opportunity to read my application and hope to hear back from you.