Iris K. - Tutor in Seattle, WA (98121)

Hello! If you enjoy a creative, high energy, fun, and logical approach to learning you’ve found the right tutor! I taught all subjects PreK-8th grade for the past 6 years, but can also tutor older and adult students. My strengths are reading, writing, literature, drawing/art, ESL, and TOEFL prep.
During my teaching career I became fully certified in New York State in Elementary Education PreK-6, and in Visual Art PreK-12.
With a dynamic personality and ability to respond according to student’s age and make-up I am able to establish easy rapport and trust that is an essential part of learning.
Through a creative approach to curriculum, and daily tasks, I easily differentiate instruction to reach both gifted and students with special needs.
Having thought some of the toughest students in Philadelphia, and New York City, I perfected my student management skills. I manage based on positive reinforcement and high expectations.
I have a BA from Brown University where I gained invaluable reading and writing skills, wide general knowledge base, and an in-depth art education. While benefiting greatly from the country’s best faculty and extraordinarily diverse student body I learned in an open-minded environment that helped me become an educator that I am. While working toward my Masters in Education at Mercy College in NY, I focused on the teaching skills and up-to-date teaching philosophies, practices, and pedagogy.
As a part of the New York City Teaching Fellows, I thought reading and the 5th Grade Homeroom in the Bronx public school for three years. Then, after moving to Philadelphia, PA, I thought all 5th Grade subjects as a homeroom teacher for one school year. Lastly, I thought Visual Art to grades PreK-8th in a Dual-Language Chinese Magnet school in Chinatown, NYC.
My teaching style is versatile, engaging, fun, and always catered to fit that special young person that I am teaching.

elementary (k-6th)

I started my teaching career in 2003 with the successful completion of a prestigious New York City Teaching Fellows program in NYC. Executing NYCTF requirements, I completed a Masters program at Mercy College, and received an MS with Distinction in Elementary Education and Pedagogy in May of 2005. Upon successfully completing all mandatory tests, and other requirements, I became permanently certified as an Elementary Education teacher in New York State. From September of 2003 to December of 2008 I have taught all PreK-6th Grade subjects in elementary schools in New York City and Philadelphia. I am well versed in the most recent teaching practices, and know and understand the material. Due to my extensive classroom experience, I easily differentiate instruction to create a unique fit for every student. I find this ability exceptionally effective in tutoring one-on-one.

study skills

As an urban elementary school teacher I learned that study skills are one of the most important skills a teacher can teach her students. During my teaching career, I have developed various lesson plans and tools my students can use as they learn to study effectively, and with a deeper understanding of a subject. I have 5+ years of experience as a Homeroom teacher in elementary and middle schools in New York and Pennsylvania. Working with diverse student bodies in New York City and Philadelphia, I excelled at differentiating my instruction on daily basis to access all learning styles and ensure student success. I drastically improved my students’ reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science skills. As an educator, I always first assess student ability and level, and then proceed with an informed and effective instruction designed to reach, and exceed, goals set for the student. In order to maintain a high level of differentiated instruction I kept meticulous records of individual student performance and used them to design future lessons.

ESL/ESOL

I have 5+ years of experience as a Homeroom teacher in elementary and middle schools in New York and Pennsylvania. I believe my dynamic personality, versatility, education, experience and reading, writing, and speaking skills, make me a great ESL tutor. At Brown University, where I obtained my BA in Visual Arts and History of Art, I gained invaluable language skills, and wide general knowledge base. While at Mercy College, I focused on the teaching skills and up-to-date teaching philosophies and practices. Working with diverse student bodies in New York City and Philadelphia, I excelled at differentiating my instruction on daily basis to access all learning styles and ensure student success. About 45% of my student body were English language learners (mostly Chinese or Hispanic), and I am used to utilizing tools that help ELL students learn. I drastically improved my students’ reading, writing, mathematics, social studies and science skills. As an educator, I always first assess student ability and level, and then proceed with an informed and effective instruction designed to reach, and exceed, goals set for the student. In order to maintain a high level of differentiated instruction I kept meticulous records of individual student performance and used them to design future lessons. As a highly skilled, motivated, dependable, independent and versatile individual, I am able to establish easy rapport with students. My education and teaching experience make me a perfect candidate for an ESL tutor.

drawing

Somehow, I always knew that drawing, and visual art, will always be a part of my career, and life. Following that inclination, I studied Visual Art at Brown University, at which I also took classes at RISD (Rhode Island School of Design), a highly accredited art school, through a university exchange program. In addition, I studied abroad for a semester in Florence, Italy, and worked alongside practicing artists in their studios as an apprentice. After receiving my BA in Visual Art from Brown, I worked as an artist in New York City, and have exhibited independently, and as a part of a group, in New York, and the World Bank in Washington DC. I continue to draw and paint daily both from imagination and observation. Charcoal, chalk, and pencil remain my favorite drawing mediums. Throughout my teaching career of 6 years I have thought art to grades PreK-8, and have greatly enjoyed the process. I find Visual Art to be an enriching and limitless outlet for the expression of ideas, feelings, and imagination. In September of 2008 I became permanently certified as a Visual Art teacher for grades PreK-12 in New York State.