Don M.
Lexington, VA
Retired Teacher Helps with Reading, Writing, and Other Skills
University of South Carolina (BFA)
Fine Arts StudioClemson University
MEdAbout Don
I currently reside in Lexington, Virginia. I retired (November 2012) as a full-time professionally certified teacher in South Carolina. My endorsement areas on my teaching certificate are Art HQ (K-12) and special education-emotionally disabled HQ (K-12). I have a master's degree plus thirty hours. My professional license was renewed July 1, 2012
Policies
Cancellation
4 hours notice requiredCharge of 1 hour of lessons for any cancellations without 4-hour notice. $25 is my default rate for in-person lessons and $25 is my default for online lessons.
Travel Radius
Travels within 20 miles of Lexington, VA 24450Don offers online lessons
Don is approved to conduct lessons through Wyzant Online. Wyzant Online allows students and tutors to work remotely via video, audio, and collaborative whiteboard tools. For more information about how online tutoring works, check out Wyzant Online.
If you’re interested in online lessons, message Don to get started.
"Patient, Detailed, and Strategic."
- John, Akron, OH on 5/24/16Don has recently started working with my son, who has a minor case of ADHD, diagnosed by declining grades as he progressed through school.
We contacted Don for his background in working with this type of student, and have been very happy with the progress to this point. Don is very understanding of the difficulties my son is dealing with and has been very detailed in his style of teaching and coaching my son through his current classes. The most important thing is that my son is responding to his class work more positively than we have seen in the last two years. Combining Dons talent with the on-line tutoring approach we believe has made a positive impact on his study habits and willingness to tackle his projects and tests. We have discussed a long term plan for our son with Don and his input has been invaluable, towards that end.
Our sons GPA has increased all most a full point in one semester due to Don's approach and ability.
"Patient tutor"
- Cassandra, Bloomfield, NJ on 6/7/17My granddaughter London was very comfortable with Don. Usually too shy to speak, she went right into the lesson.
We have a long road to go with London, but with patience comes rewards. My sweet girl have to overcome her AD problems and move on.
"Friendly and knowledgeable"
- Jason, Bamberg, SC on 2/23/16Don M started helping my boy today. He seems very excited about his lessons. He is already for his next lesson . Thanks.
"Immediately engaged my son's interest"
- Donna, Lexington, SC on 2/12/16Don got started right away by asking questions that engaged my son and kept him interested. My son REALLY doesn't enjoy school or past tutors, but after his first lesson with Don, he smiled big and said "It was great."
"Great tutor for my 3rd Grader"
- Xavier, Houston, TX on 12/17/15Don is really patient with my daughter and is adapting his pace to suit her needs. He has quickly grasped her strengths and weaknesses and he is spending the right amount of time on both. My daughter is really enjoying her class.
"Knowledgeable and focusing tuter"
- Edyta, Chicago, IL on 11/14/15Don M. taught me a useful reading comprehension test taking strategy that helped me with questions that involved reading comprehension that I didn't hear about before.
"Great so far"
- Brian, Trenton, MI on 10/7/15So far so good. Don was very professional and caring. He spent a great deal of time getting to know how my 12 year daughter thinks and learns so he can really capture her attention during lessons. My daughter felt very comfortable dealing with Don during the online session and she told me she looks forward to her next session.
"Great first session!"
- Eva, Bamberg, SC on 9/17/15Our 9 year old son liked the first session so much, he asked if Mr Don could meet with him every day!
"Very patient and good understanding what student wants"
- Bong Woo, Iowa City, IA on 5/11/15Don is a good teacher who understands what students want to learn and get, and very flexible and is ready to try to help and do his best. I am so satisfied with him. I recommend him for another student!
"Tutor is an amazing help to my daughter!"
- Samantha, Orangeburg, SC on 3/12/15I was hesitant to find a tutor online, but Don has been such a blessing to my daughter and our family. He meets with her twice a week. The assistance alleviates a lot of pressure on my husband and me because she is getting professional assistance with homework. He also helps her prepare for weekly tests. The first nine weeks, she did not make the honor roll. However, since Don has been tutoring her, she has consistently made better grades and has made the honor roll. He is very patient with her and she feels comfortable with him and looks forward to the tutoring.
"Great tutor"
- Jessica, Barnwell, SC on 3/5/15Don is simply great he's so patient and caring with my daughter he has turned her into a proud reader. He is always on time and well prepared and my daughter loves his way of teaching and how he finds out what she is interested in and turns it into her way of learning. He's been a blessing.
Having the opportunity to tutor your daughter to improve her reading ability is a rewarding experience. I hope she continues to show progress. She is a delightful young lady with a positive attitude. I enjoy working with her.
"Structured and encouraging"
- Lisa, Orangeburg, SC on 2/27/14Don has provided the structure, discipline, support and encouragement that my son needs to meet his academic goals. He reviews assignments and papers, offers supplemental materials, and strengthens study skills. He pushes my son when he needs pushing and encourages him when he's frustrated. I am very grateful for the academic support that Don offers my son.
"Quick overall results"
- Tamara, Denmark, SC on 2/25/14Don is simply amazing. I searched long and hard to find someone that would connect with my son, who is a fourth grader. My son needed assistance in math but he is getting so much more.
Don covers every aspect of education while focusing on math concepts. From sentence structure, and punctuation to how to perform multiple steps in word problems. I am very pleased with the progress they are making working together. I would recommend Don to anyone who needs help. He truly has the patience of Job. We will be working with Don for the remainder of the school year and if possible the summer as well.
"Great Tutor"
- Micheal, Orangeburg, SC on 12/22/13Don is the best tutor that I have ever had. He is patient and understanding. Don has vast knowledge of the English subject! He is the best!
The best way I can explain it is that it has been fun working with Micheal. He is eager to learn more about mastering the English language for his own edification.
"Good relating to son with ADHD."
- Carol, Aiken, SC on 12/20/13We have had 4 or 5 tutoring sessions with Don for our 9 year-old son. Don has developed a good rapport with our our son and has come up with some creative ways to keep him engaged in learning despite his ADHD. He has rented books from the library to augment what our son in learning in class, and is working with him to teach him studying techniques. My son enjoys his company enough to sit still for most of the sessions and has already made some gains with several of his school subjects.
Your son is a creative young man with more energy than many boys. He is intelligent and perceptive. He is learning how to become more self controlled. He is learning how to become more focused on his scholastic studies.
"Very Fast Response And Helpful"
- Cecelie, Orangeburg, SC on 12/4/13Mr. Don was very helpful in editing and making suggestions on my college essays. I was under very limited time to work on the essays, but Mr. Don was very patient in my stressful situation. I was able to complete all 7 essay supplements just in time for the deadline with his help!
I was glad I could help this remarkable young woman. She is bound for success with her university studies and will enjoy a budding career as a scientist.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
In most cases, tutors gain approval in a subject by passing a proficiency exam. For some subject areas, like music and art, tutors submit written requests to demonstrate their proficiency to potential students. If a tutor is interested but not yet approved in a subject, the subject will appear in non-bold font. Tutors need to be approved in a subject prior to beginning lessons.
ADHD
My experience in education and mental health provided opportunities to deal with all types of student behavior. I have tutored students diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. I have taught students who are ADD/ADHD in special education classes. The key to helping these students is to keep them on the task. They are easily distracted. They tend to get off task talking about their interests or tangents unrelated to the subject. They require continuous redirection to focus again on the lesson. Providing them with extra time to complete the task is required. Managing their attention requires significant patience. Providing lessons and activities that require them to manipulate items, and to move about is helpful. As a tutor I provide differentiated instruction that meets the needs of the individual. Because of their short attention span, I am constantly challenged to be inventive and flexible in order to help them become more efficient learners.
American History
With the student's history text and the student's current grade and tests results in this class, I will teach him how to study more efficiently to increase comprehension of each chapter. We will preview, survey, and review what needs to be covered. We will work on study and test taking best practices.
Drawing
I have a BFA (Studio) undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC. I am a certified Art Teacher. I have been a public school teacher in South Carolina since 1977. Twenty one of my twenty eight years teaching have been as a full time art teacher at a public school. I have taught drawing as part of all of my art classes.
I am interested in teaching students basic drawing skills that help them compliment their other subjects by learning how to provide illustrations, diagrams, maps, pictures, and other visual enhancements to their projects.
Drawing is making marks to create images. The images can be based from a variety of sources and serve many purposes. A drawing can represent some item from observation, illustrate a dream, express a mood, or be a product of one's imagination.
Teaching drawing is different than teaching core subjects. Drawing is hands-on learning using visual language to communicate. It is a process of recording what you actually see. It is a process of recording what you imagine in the mind's eye. My point of view and instructional approach/style is to teach the elements and principles of art while making the art. Art elements are the tools used to create and design principles are the conceptual guidelines. I challenge students to try numerous styles of drawing. I encourage students to experiment with a variety of art media.
We will approach drawing from two kinds of vantage points. We will use the formal approach of drawing from observation (rendering) with emphasis on developing relative value, positive/negative space and shape, composition, line, volume, form, light and perspective. In addition to this traditional approach we will explore and experiment with developing imaginative, non-representational work with emphasis on abstract and expressive qualities.
I will introduce the student to various drawing media and techniques. We will use a variety of media (charcoal, colored pencils and markers, pastels, pen & ink). Some of the techniques we will explore are shading, cross hatching, smudging, and using ink washes. We will do quick sketching, cartooning, figure drawing, still life drawing, landscapes, and non-representational works. The student will achieve being able to use perspective in the composition, and learn how to draw objects to scale. I will guide the student progressively to become more competent and confident with his/her drawing skill and ability. My goal is to help the student explore what attracts them to drawing. I have very limited experience with portraiture, and don't attempt to teach it.
Elementary (K-6th)
I am a seasoned teacher willing to work with students from various backgrounds and levels. I am adept helping students to learn. As a life-long learner, I try to instill that tenet educating others. No matter what, acquiring more knowledge and improving skills is timeless.
I have been an elementary school art teacher for ten of my twenty eight years teaching in South Carolina. As a related arts teacher, I taught every student in all grades in the school at least once a week in the art class. In addition to teaching art, I was assigned thirteen periods a week to assist core subject teachers in their classrooms. I provided small group and individual tutoring for struggling students. Some of my assignments were in 3rd grade math, 3rd grade social studies, 3rd grade ELA, 3rd grade science, 4th grade ELA, and 4th grade math. These are my most recent experiences during the last four years teaching art at Denmark-Olar elementary school. I am familiar with South Carolina's state standards for all of these subjects on all grade levels. I know firsthand the importance of passing the state tests. I am familiar with MAP scores and their effect on instruction. I have spent hundreds of hours working with small groups of students who needed the extra assistance to master the classroom material.
Most of these classrooms where I assisted included special education students with learning disabilities that were being mainstreamed in this specific core subject on grade level. I worked on an individual basis with many of them.
My emphasis is improving basic skills. I use the methods and techniques that I learned from a career of teaching. I apply the best practices and instructional methods acquired from taking workshops, attending in-service sessions, and from taking additional graduate hours to improve teaching performance and to learn more in specific content areas. I have extensive general knowledge and I am familiar with most subject areas (excluding foreign languages, advanced math and science).
I create tutoring sessions that show the student how to relate the content to his/her life. By pointing out the relevance, I show the student how he can practically apply his improved skills. This is a key to keeping the student interested. I help students develop their process writing skills, including the pre-writing, writing, editing, and revising stages. I help them learn “higher level thinking skills” and demonstrate how they can apply them to improve scholastic achievement.
I offer learning strategies and self-advocacy supports. I teach students to make continuous improvements in organization, time management, test-taking strategies, smart use of references, double-checking sources, good note-taking, completing homework fully and on time, looking up unfamiliar words, speeding up reading while strengthening reading retention, fortifying powers of concentration, and much more, including sound and engaging essay-writing.
I tailor tutoring sessions to each student's needs and abilities. Please contact me with the details of your situation to see if I can help. I want your student to be more successful with his/her school work. I help them become better. I help with any step in scholastic achievement.
English
I am an avid reader and writer. I read fiction by novelists who have won the Noble Prize in Literature. I have worked with students at all grade levels to improve their reading and writing skills.
Geography
I use Dorling Kindersley Publisher’s Atlas A-Z as a pocket reference tool and global guide. This atlas provides detailed maps of every region in the world, profiles of every nation, and essential facts and figures detailing geography, climate, society and economics. I instruct the student how to use an atlas. I introduce students to other references and online sources to assist them completing projects and essays. I help them make the distinctions between political and cultural geography. I assist students with developing techniques for research. Students will learn study and test taking methods. I help them structure and write reports and essays.
Grammar
I drill basics of English grammar. I show students how to detect grammatical flaws in their writing and how to correct them. We review proper punctuation. I point out mistakes involved with subject/verb agreement. I stress teaching students to discover and employ all the tools within the word processing program they use. I emphasize having the students go over their writing for themselves to catch any stray words or thoughts, and bring them in to order. We will look for spelling errors, and run-on sentences. I make suggestions for structural changes, and different word selections. I train students to learn how to correct their own work. My goal is having students become confident speakers and writers that prefer and always use grammar standards. I provide reasons and explain grammar rules that guide all revisions I suggest. I use grammar references and online sources to aid students to learn acceptable, conventional, standard grammar. The McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and the New Oxford American Dictionary are two texts I rely on heavily.
Literature
I engage higher-order thinking skills for exploring the meaning of a work of literature.
I help students write their reflection papers by making sure they understand the rubric and requirements of the assignment. I encourage progress in literacy. I teach how to read for comprehension and analysis. I have read and discussed books and grade level literature text stories with young people. I have assisted undergraduate students with response critiques to poems and other literary works. My goal is to instill in adults and children the habits of mind that characterize self-reliant thinkers, readers, and learners. Benefits derived from my tutoring are students will write more effective expository essays.
Painting
I took art classes in the Department of Visual Studies within the College of Architecture at Clemson University. I took every undergraduate painting class. I took life-drawing and sculpture.
I transferred to the University of South Carolina in Columbia and enrolled into the BFA degree program. I started taking other courses besides painting. Some of these other art classes were challenging and opened some new perspectives for me concerning the functions and purposes for creating art. I started experimenting with resolving requirements with nontraditional mediums, conceptual art tenets, and nontheatrical performances.
I painted primarily during my undergraduate days while a student at Clemson. I built my own stretcher frames out of brick mold, stretched my own frames with canvas, put on the gesso, and relished painting with acrylics.
I was the monitor of the painting studio and assisted the curator of the gallery. I assisted with transporting artworks to juried shows and exhibitions. I assisted with delivery of the traveling collection that circulated on the Arts Truck sponsored by the Arts Commission.
I used the acrylic paint in a watercolor wash technique with lots of puddles and drips to create veils of transparent color fields. It was a version of action painting.
The images emerged after many layers of thin paint. Those images were a blend of ambiguous depictions of landscapes with human figurative forms floating around the composition. The color scheme was primarily pastel. The finished paintings were usually in the 4 foot by 5 foot dimensional range. Then I used lattice strips to frame them. My painting style was abstract/expressionistic.
During the time between being a student at Clemson University and prior to transferring to the University of South Carolina, Columbia for a BFA degree in studio, I had a working studio in downtown Anderson were I painted continously for two years.
I was represented by a gallery in Atlanta. I have several paintings in public and private collections. Even though I was pleased with this meager success, I decided my best interests (including those of my family) would be better served in the long run by finishing my undergraduate studies, earning my degree, and becoming a public school art teacher.
My experiences teaching art in public schools in South Carolina accounts for most of my time spent instructing students in painting, and other art mediums. I have been an elementary, middle, and high school art teacher.
My first art teacher position was at Southwood Middle School (Anderson School District #5).
I was an art teacher at Westside High School (Anderson School District #5), Blue Ridge High School (Greenville County School District), and Mauldin High School (Greenville County School District).
I've spent most of my school terms as a certified, professional art educator teaching art under full contract on a continuing basis at the elementary level. I taught at Due West Elementary School and Antreville Elementary School (Abbeville County School District #60).
My last art teaching experience (before resigning my position and retiring) was at Denmark-Olar Elementary School (Bamberg School District #2). I taught PreK through 5th Grade students for four years total.
In addition to the above, I worked three years as a recreational therapist (occupational therapy technician) where I provided painting activities for theraputic purposes in the Department of Psychiatry at Anderson Memorial Hospital (AnMed) in Anderson, South Carolina. We painted self-portraits, family scenes, etc...
In customized lessons, I teach painting from the following perspectives: painting techniques like "process painting",
indirect techniques involving the slow building of an image in glazed layers, techniques for spontaneous paintings, expressionistic methods, teaching canvas stretching and making your own grounds, water based painting using acrylics,
large scale murals on site, permanent enamels on walls, etc., and mixed media where paint is one of many components.
I do not have experiences teaching painting in any other context than the public schools. I have never taught workshops. I have become interested in teaching weekly classes and local workshops. I want to begin offering painting lessons/tutoring sessions. I will provide private individual sessions, or small group arrangements. I teach with emphasis on the underlying fundamentals of painting. I include teaching about the elements and principles of design. I do not do portrait painting, architectural renderings, or still lifes. I do not specialize in Realism. I do not currently have a home studio.
I can help students with a wide varity of inclinations and goals, each expressing different intentions and dreams through paint. I look forward to sharing my skills and experiences with your child. I have much to offer painting students.
Proofreading
I have taught the fundamentals of Language arts for all grade levels. I proofread and teach basic proofreading skills. My most recent work proofreading involved assisting an elementary school child learn how to structure and write a short story, a high school senior submitting response essays for university admission, and a graduate student completing the final draft of his thesis.
I find and correct writing mistakes. This process is a collaborative effort. The student learns how to proofread his own writing during our session by participating during the editing and revising stages. I suggest word choice changes and have the student refer to thesauri. We improve structural elements, correct punctuation and grammatical errors, and maintain the student’s distinctive voice while strengthening his specific stance or position on the topic. My goal is help students achieve competent writing skills and understand the gradual process of becoming a better writer.
Reading
I will help your student acquire language acquisition, improve communication, and assist them with sharing information and ideas. This will happen by your student becoming a better reader.
I will help them learn how to read on grade level and better comprehend the content of core courses. Reading on grade level is essential for comprehension. I hope to make reading a pleasant experience.
I will teach them that the reading process requires continuous practice, development, and refinement.
I will encourage the student to learn how to appreciate reading as an individual activity. I will encourage the student to read out loud during tutoring sessions so I can benefit by learning more about the student's needs and his developmental level. My hope is that the student will have better comprehension. I will read along with them to instill language and expression, and to promote comprehension of text.
I will help them learn how to track their own understanding. I will help them make sense of the text.
Special Needs
In 1986 I earned a Master of Education degree in Special Education with a major in Emotionally Disabled from Clemson University. Through my work experiences as a certified special education teacher I learned how students’ emotions and mental health affect their learning. I have taught self contained classes with ED students in our public schools. I have firsthand knowledge instructing students with learning disabilities and problem behaviors in a variety of educational settings from an alternative campus in a wilderness environment to being a start up special education teacher on a Child & Adolescent Unit in a state psychiatric hospital. I provided appropriate lessons to teach core subjects based on students’ individual functional level. I used a student’s IEP (Individual Educational Plan) as the basis for evaluating progress in achieving objectives and obtaining goals. I planned and directed all aspects of IEP and other meetings dealing with ED students assigned to me as case manager. I monitored and managed student behaviors. I became adept at adjusting instruction to students’ needs based on their learning styles and preferences. I promoted parental involvement.
As a tutor for students with special needs, I suggest materials and approaches to help students use their learning strengths to compensate for their learning challenges. I emphasize improving reading skills and comprehension. I stress improving writing skills using correct grammar and structural conventions. I have been successful helping students from kindergarten children through adults. I take the initiative to confer with parents, obtain their input and expectations, and listen to their feedback so I can modify and make other appropriate adjustments tutoring their student. My strategy requires maximum parental involvement and support to enhance the student’s learning progress. I teach students how to pinpoint important information, focus on the task, and improve study skills. My goal is to improve students’ confidence so they can become more successful learners.
Spelling
I never won a spelling bee, but I can help a student dissect words, gain confidence with spelling, and implement a strategy for knowing how to spell correctly. My approach is to correct bad spelling habits. I help the student develop a ritual that yields more fruit. This requires ambitious effort and steady practice. My goal is to instill the learner with a broader yet crystallized understanding of the various rules of English spelling. This includes learning the many exceptions to these rules. We practice knowing how long and short vowel sounds influence the spelling of a word. We inspect letter combinations, methods of pluralizing nouns, and the rules for changing the tense of a verb. Understanding derivations of words shines light on their meaning. Learning to pronounce a word correctly is a key to being able to spell it correctly. Syllabication, articulation, and enunciation are foundational stones. Online resources provide many avenues for improving and expanding spelling skill. I encourage students to keep hard copy dictionaries, thesauri, and word books on standby at arms’ length and to refer to them frequently without hesitation. Using ‘spell check’ (along with the grammar and thesaurus checks) while creating a document on a word processor is a helpful tool. Intentionally looking over to verify correct spelling of words is essential for demonstrating a command of the English language. Being able to spell correctly is a sign of an intelligent individual.
Study Skills
The most successful students are the ones that have been taught good study skills.
As a tutor, I show the student how to acquire skills to become a more efficient and effective learner. This requires learning specific strategies, following systematic steps, and continuous practice. The goal is to increase learning performance results. The student will become more confident in his abilities. The student will become more self-motivated. The student will learn more knowledge faster with less frustration. The student will retain more knowledge. Comprehension and recall will improve. The outcome is a better performing student.
I have a master's degree in Special Education (Emotionally Disabled-Secondary School Emphasis). My state teaching license certifies me to teach all core subjects Pre-K through 12th grade to special education students who are emotionally disabled.
As a graduate teaching assistant at Clemson University while I was earning my masters degree, my responsibilities were to instruct three classes per week to undergraduates struggling with academic success. The class was Time Management and Study Skills. This class also involved teaching reading skills and test taking strategies.
I assist students who are disorganized and have poor study habits. I develop methods to ensure that their time spent doing homework and studying is productive. I show them how to compare book notes and class notes to find similarities. I instruct them on how to make a list of questions as they are reading so as to make their reading most productive. I do not assume that students have learned critical thinking skills. I train kids to read with a purpose, organize their thoughts and notes, infer what comes next, and connect what they read to their own lives. I provide tips and skills that are based on each person's interests, attention span, and strengths.
I show how to sift through text to grasp main ideas. The student must learn to navigate between the covers and identify text features, particularly elements of a nonfiction textbook. Time management is also key in developing good study skills so that the student can allot time for every subject without jeopardizing their grades.
Swimming
I have been an avid swimmer for my entire life. I earned my Junior & Senior Red Cross Swimming badges when I was a teenager. Many years a go I worked as a Life Guard during our summer months in New Jersey. I continue to swim today in any body of water available. During the winter season I prefer a heated pool. As a swimming instructor I start with the basics: floating, treading water, dog paddle, practice kicking, etc... Then I will lead into basic strokes: side, back, and breast. The swimming lessons are completed when the student swimmer can complete two lengths of the pool doing the American Crawl. I do not coach competitive swimming. The novice will become confident and comfortable with their skills in the water.
Track & Field
Running was especially good for me during my developmental years. I was a successful middle distance and distance runner in high school. I was a state indoor and outdoor mile champion, a state cross country champion, and a state indoor two mile champion. During the off season I ran many road races. I was a member of record-setting relay teams. Because I also made the grade academically, I was provided a student/athlete full scholarship grant and aid to attend college.
Being competitive as a runner was important because it opened many doors. Being a winner early in track boosted my confidence to work harder at developing other abilities. I worked harder on my academic skills. I was supported, encouraged, and nurtured by my coaches and teachers. They always stressed academics since my class standing, grades, and performance on my SATs would determine what college opportunities would be made available.
While in college I was a member of the cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams. I, also, ran on relay teams at indoor and outdoor track meets. By the time my eligibility was up, I had grown tired of competitive running.
High School sports provide many opportunities for numerous students. Regardless of an individual's ability to excel in any one sport that person becomes more involved by being a member of a team, and recognized for his/her contribution.
After my competitive running days were over I coached distance runners for a few years on the high school level. I was a head cross country coach for both boys and girls. In the spring of each school term, I coached half milers, milers, and two milers on the boys track team.
Since I am recently retired from full time teaching I would like to work with young people who aspire to be distance runners. I am most adept at encouraging and coaching young athletes to become more self disciplined, self directed, and self motivated. The best candidates are individuals determined to achieve their goals. As a Coach/Mentor/Tutor I will provide the rigorous practice it takes to improve times and performances. Likewise, I encourage and stress the importance of academic success. Sleep habits and nutritional concerns are other factors.
My training methods are a mixed bag. I emphasize timed interval training on the track, the Fartlek method for cross country, long easy runs, and numerous cross training techniques. Success in running competitively correlates to effective training.
The student's personal goals determine how much and to what extent I become involved. I provide the training required to improve performance. Should you contract for my services you will be hiring a personal coach for your student/athlete.
Vocabulary
Like a strength coach I boost word power. As a wordsmith I tailor lessons for that distinctive, customized fit. I want to provide my students with tools that enhance their word base. Hopefully they will enjoy an advantage for more success in their academic work. Knowing the meaning of words is important. It can mean the difference in passing or failing a test or a class. Having a good knowledge of word meanings can also make students do well in many different subjects. Every academic and professional specialty has its own vocabulary that requires learning and understanding unique terms. Using advanced vocabulary is a particular skill.
Adding to your vocabulary makes your speech colorful, and your writing come alive. Incorrect usage of vocabulary will reward you a dunce’s cap. When you learn how to rectify your own mistakes you enjoy a satisfying badge for proficiency. Students need to understand how to pronounce the word, learn the part of speech, and know how it's used in the sentence in order to completely grasp the word. The best way to learn vocabulary is contextually, and reading is the best context. One needs to use the word in their speech actively and appropriately to retain it. A typical tutoring session would involve teaching vocabulary expansion and dictionary/thesaurus skills. I help students identify and utilize context clues in passages and sentences. I assist students to learn how to make right word choices. I familiarize students with the many Latin roots, suffixes, and prefixes that construct words (so that unknown vocabulary will become quicker and easier to decipher).
World History
I assist a student to obtain a global perspective of human events. I view history as endless accounts of the diversities and similarities of all nations and cultures. I teach students why past historical stories are valuable today. While growing up I had a personal passion for leafing through the pages of National Geographic magazine fascinated by the photographs and their captions. I enjoy exploring online sources for images that compliment tutoring sessions. I use abundant photographs, illustrations, maps, charts, and other visual representations to help make the historical period easier to understand.
I taught one World History class at a High School (Greenville County School District) where I was the art teacher. When I was a special education teacher, I taught World History within the context of our Social Studies classes. As the elementary school art teacher, I assisted a third grade teacher during Social Studies.
As a tutor, I explain historical concepts. I emphasize understanding difficult words. My goal is to help students know and comprehend their textbook. By explaining the teacher’s requirements I enable students to learn how to be better prepared for classroom discussions, taking tests, and writing essays. I review and check their ability to understand the important concepts in the current school lesson.
Writing
My goal is to provide the student with a means of becoming self-sufficient in his/her academic writing. My approach to tutoring writing is tailored to each student's needs and abilities. As a teacher I have helped with writing skills for the past thirty years. I provide learning activities that are suited to each person's development. I promote self expression. Helping students find their voices and flourish in their words are learning outcomes I focus on to accomplish.
Other Lexington, VA Tutors
Don M.
Lexington, VA
Retired Teacher Helps with Reading, Writing, and Other Skills
Social Studies
As an undergraduate student I took courses in history, philosophy, sociology, and the humanities. As a special educator in the public schools I have experience teaching Social Studies and History at all grade levels. As an art teacher in the public schools I have experience assisting grade level teachers in Social Studies at the elementary level.
I base my tutoring technique on grade level SC state standards, the school's curriculum, and the individual teacher's requirements, comments, and suggestions.
It is important for me to know what the timeline and due dates are for assignments, essays, research papers, and tests.
This is essential so one can plan on writing the research paper before it is due and not waiting to complete the task as a last minute exercise.
Topic:
Each grade level has specific topics outlined in the standards. This is what I cover during a tutoring session. My intention is to teach the student how to stay on time with completing tasks. Students need to build a mental timeline of key names, places, dates, and concepts covered in a given chapter from their text.
Thinking Skills:
I will help students learn how to memorize important dates, people, and events. The most important part will be enabling the tutored student to put it all together. I will help the student learn how to think about the entire process so that they will be more confident in his/her understanding and comprehension of the material covered.
Study Skills:
I will instruct the student on how to add to his/her already learned study skills from previous grades. We will work together to build on this knowledge. I will introduce some new concepts on how to be a more effective learner. We will rehearse using study skills to become a part of the student's routine. I will inspect and check homework calenders and assignment pages. I will read aloud along with the student specific textbook readings and assist the student with being able to summarize the most important ideas in the chapter. When research and a project is due I will assist the student with management skills and learning that must be focused in order to complete the task on time. I will break down assignments, and put benchmark dates on the calendar. We will have conversations about plagiarism. I will show the student how to properly cite sources.