To be reading this, you are a student wishing to boost your study efficiency to give you competency, consistency, and to head you toward mastery of a subject. You want improvement enough to devote time and money to someone to help you accomplish it. My name is Steve L. I possess a 30-day Substitute Credential in California. I have worked as a substitute teacher for six years with LAUSD, and, additionally, I have received 18 semester units of instruction in teaching methods during the last two years.
During my discussions with peers and professors in Eisner Education School at CSUN, we consulted and studied acknowledged experts to define areas of trouble where students have stalled in their progress. The student can overcome errors in understanding the assignment, or overcome their lack of confidence in underlying skills by using research based actions with repeatable good results.
A good study environment and an knowledgeable helper create a team environment where cooperative effort leads to identifying and eliminating misunderstandings. The student learns to see solutions by habit, instead of seeing frustrating disconnects in understanding.
My education includes a B.A. in English from CSUN plus 30 units of post-graduate study in literature from there. My focus of study has been American and English literature beginning with Chaucer and Shakespeare. I am well able to read and understand annotated Middle English for you Chaucer students. If asked to tutor Beowulf I am capable of pinpointing the desired information that the teacher requires for the assignment.
About writing the English essay or the research paper for History or Social Studies class, I can help you get through the beginning, the middle and the end of this process. Writing an "A" paper requires three things: First, understanding the teacher's exact assignment; second, deciding on the topic about which you want to write, and the conclusion that you want to "prove" by the logic of your essay; last, you will create schedule so that you can manage your time while completing the process of gathering materials from research, writing, revising for clarity and final proofreading. Controlling your time investment, and sticking to your schedule, takes away much of the anxiety about writing the school essay.
In regards to the creative writing assignment, I do, again, stress the aspect of maintaining a schedule for the phases of composition. Whether your approach is to write the ending first, or to sketch out all of the sections ahead of time and then flesh-out the story skeleton that you have constructed, I can be helpful in providing guidance toward balance, clarity, language usage, and proofreading. As far as artistic merit, I can only help you to realize your goal.
Regarding personalities- I like people, and believe we are at our best when we work to improve ourselves. I have been lucky to have friends of all descriptions: male, female, young, old, excitable, shy, well-kempt, sloppy, serious, whimsical, opinionated, open minded. My girlfriend and I have been together for more than ten years. I do not try to change people beyond finding the common ground for communication. In a tutorial setting, my purpose is to stimulate, educate, and motivate. All encouragement that I can provide will come from my ability to demonstrate the rules of written communication as I have learned to love them.
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