Since no two students learn the same, no two tutoring plans will be exactly alike, which is why I require an introductory Strengths Finder Session with students. During our session, students will take an Assessment revealing their gifts. This is my favorite discovery to share with a student! We will utilize these results in setting goals and defining objectives to help them maximize their potential academically and otherwise. Please feel free to click around on the subjects below to learn a little bit about my personal methodology!
Getting back to basics requires that we teach foundational skills within each area, equipping students the ability to achieve at optimal levels. Over time, many subjects have been lumped into single programs, narrowing the focus of development within individual subjects. Based on the premise that teachers typically favor certain subjects while feeling less equipped for others, coupled, in some cases, with master schedule limitations, the lack of time available to teach all that needs to be taught results in inequality across individual subjects and skill sets. On top of that, students learn in various ways and paces, which is why redundant practice, multiple opportunities and high support are essential in forming confident and capable students.
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We don’t speak with only certain parts of speech at a time, so I will never understand why textbooks have chapters on isolated parts of speech. Students need to learn the parts of sentences, becoming proficient and laying foundation to layer skills until they write in more descriptive ways at deeper levels due to the fact they understand the use and effects of various parts of speech. I have been trained in Shurley English and have not met a student in 15 years from any setting who didn’t benefit from this process, delivered with flair and fun. I STILL hear from former students and their parents that they never had better instruction and became good writers because of it!
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Would you believe that only in the past few weeks I have learned the most effective method for notetaking ever? I am taking a writing course through the Institute For Excellence in Writing, and I cannot wait to teach as many students as possible all that I have learned myself!
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Well, when students can’t decode and don’t read for enjoyment due to all the demands their time, when do they have time to cuddle up with a good book? They don’t unless they are naturally avid readers or their school prioritizes setting goals. The introduction of technology in students’ lives seems to creep in earlier and earlier, leaving less and less time for turning to books for pleasure. Reading nonfiction selections is proving a struggle for students all over the state, and exposure to nonfiction reading, or technical reading, is prioritized. The downside to this is that there is less time to expose students to other valued genres such as classical literature. This not only shifts responsibility to the practitioner to make learning and topics engaging, but also to determine ways to accomplish more types of reading.
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Students should be listening for the purpose of learning and understanding as well as for verious purposes every day. Students should be given opportunity to speak and respond in class so often that giving a speech to the entire class from behind a podium is no sweat! Learners will start small and grow the skill. Watch others. Observe and discuss what makes other speakers engaging and easy to listen to. Immerse the students in the practices of listening and speaking purposefully.
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There’s a method to this spelling madness…And I am here to teach it!
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Vocabulary acquisition will be embedded into reading comprehension, writing and grammar focuses. It’s best to learn vocab when legitimate meaning is desired for specific purposes. So I try to provide meaning around the reason to learn new words. If a student is working within a specific vocabulary book, and they struggle to learn the words and complete the assigned pages, I have tactics to assist with that and would be happy to assist.
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If you would like to utilize me to help your child excel in writing, I would apply either the Workshop Method or Structure and Style (Writing 101) to our sessions, depending on what we work out will best benefit your child! That can be decided after a preliminary Consultation and a Strengths Finder Session!
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While English Language Arts (ELA) is my passion and preferred subject area, I have learned MORE about teaching math since it didn’t come as easy for me. The areas I listed are the specific areas in which I have coached teachers and/or created materials to assist in student mastery.
