Hello all!
I am an experienced High School English teacher with a degree in Philosophy and interests in Literature.
During my time teaching high school, I've developed a specialty for working with students that have difficulty. In fact, for the past two years I've worked in a special Academy within a public high school which focused on struggling students. I'm comfortable tutoring English Literature, Basic Math, and a variety of computer-based skills. My styles for the different subjects differ somewhat.
Literature:
Literature, in particular, has to be fun. It has to be entertaining. It can also be a particularly frustrating and/or difficult discipline, if it doesn't appeal to you. That's my job, so to speak -- I can make Language Arts make sense. I can also teach you HOW to read (reading isn't an ability, it's a skill; it requires practice; it can be learned; it can be taught. I promise). My literary tutoring philosophy can best be described as dialectical. If "dialectical" doesn't mean anything to you, well -- congratulations, you're probably a lot cooler than I am. Basically, a dialectical method is one in which the tutor/instructor (in this case, yours truly) asks lots of QUESTIONS. We'll talk things out. We'll discuss. When you're right, I'll challenge you until you're sure. When you're wrong, I'll keep prodding until YOU see WHY you're wrong, and then we'll start over. I don't believe in "giving" answers, because you'll forget them the next day, or the day after. Dialectic ensures that you understand not only the material, but understand your own grasp of it: how you came to conclusions, understandings and interpretations. If this seems tedious, well, it can be; usually, however, it's much easier than try to memorize the things "thrown" at you. Dialectic is a conversation.
Math:
I find that most students that struggle with basic mathematics simply have not received the right kind of explanation. That certainly isn't to say that there is a right "way" to teach math: the point is, there are many varieties of explanation. Different students require different types of explanation. I've found that being an English teacher is an advantage in teaching math to struggling students, primarily because they, like myself, do not possess a "math brain." The "number-stuff" doesn't "just make sense" to them, and so it can be difficult for them to communicate with their Mathematics teacher for whom the math concepts seem easy and apparent. For this reason, I've spent quite a bit of time tutoring students during lunchtime and after classes, and with much success. I'm going to give you the layman's math instruction, because that's how I learned it. On the other hand, if you're a math brain in need of help with Calculus or Quantum Mechanics....go ask your Math teacher. The stuff makes me gooey between the ears.
Computer Applications:
Computer Apps are a tricky thing to teach, frankly. Everything I know about computer programs I've learned from playing around/"tinkering" with them. I'll give you direction and supervision, and we'll try out functions to let you see how things work. Computer applications are like bicycles: they just feel funny until you get used to them.
Thanks for your interest, and I look forward to hearing from you,
Joe M.
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