Michael
Certified Tutor
My goal is to engage each student in a style of learning that is best suited for them. I strive to help people help themselves. Learning is a creative experience and fostering a passion for learning creates people who will inspire others to do the same.
I enjoy working with all age groups and particularly those students who feel stressed out by the impersonal nature of technology and certain educational environments.
I am an effective mentor for students who have difficulty using the web as a research resource. I am very good at helping students organize their learning strategies around course curriculum and long-term assignments.
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Undergraduate Degree: Bard College - Bachelors, Music
Graduate Degree: New York University - PHD, Music
music, hiking, mtn biking,gardening
- Audition Prep
- Bass Guitar
- Fiddle
- Music
- Music Theory
- Saxophone
- Tuba
- Upright Bass
- Violin
- Xylophone
What is your teaching philosophy?
Each individual learns in their own unique way. As a teacher, my challenge is to understand and teach to the unique learning style of each student.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Talk about what most interests the person in life.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By carefully calibrating challenges so that they are constantly challenged but not overwhelmed.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By insuring that they have integrated each portion of the work before moving ahead.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Break it down into individual steps so we can both understand what is most challenging.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Find out where their comfort zone is, and then gradually push the boundaries.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The student needs to know that I care about their progress.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Find and discuss applications of the subject to their everyday life.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Through critical thinking- applying the concepts to real-world circumstances.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
By focusing on what they DO understand instead of what they don't understand.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Speaking with parents and teachers.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I assess the way each student learns, and teach to their strengths while strengthening their weaknesses.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Any media that may help as a generative metaphor or an arts-based enhancement.