FAQs
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Only almost every day! I attend (at minimum) once-weekly webinars on a variety of topics hosted by a great site called EdWeb. I also do frequent reading on a wide range of issues facing students and teachers today, and work collaboratively with my colleagues to create assignments and assessments. We bounce ideas off one another and share teaching philosophies on an almost-daily basis.
- Describe a recent project you are fond of. How long did it take?
I recently worked in the inner city, in a charter high school in the South Bronx. Many of my students were English Language Learners (ELL) or special education (SETTS) students. I was the ELA (English Language Arts) academic coach for students in danger of not meeting state standards. My job was to work with them one-on-one and in small groups to remediate skills while at the same time, covering what was being done in their class. One student, I'll call him Joe, a 9th grader, was a recent immigrant to the US, and his English language skills were at the emerging level. I worked very closely with Joe in order to build the skills necessary to organize, write, and revise a research paper on former President Richard Nixon. As we neared the completion of the assignment, Joe began showing signs of disappointment, the exact opposite of what I had anticipated! He had done such an AMAZING job, could he not see his success?!? When I asked what was troubling him, he responded, "I wish you could teach me ALL the subjects, because I UNDERSTAND when you explain things to me!" After more than 10 hours of dedicated revision, Joe had a product of which he couldn't possibly have been more proud. Nor could I.
- What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a provider in your area of work?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. You're the boss, and you have every right to interview prospective tutors. Don't be intimidated by them just because they have a skill that you don't. If you don't even know where to begin regarding what to ask, do some research online. Also, be honest with the tutor. If you or your child have learning differences, share them. In fact, share any information that you think will help the tutor better serve you. If your child has (or you have!) attention or behavior issues, don't feel that you will scare potential tutors off. Anyone who would be scared by these challenges is not a good fit for you. You are not looking for any old tutor, you're looking for individualized, personal instruction. Shouldn't it fit YOU?!