Have a question?
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What does take 20 mean?
The concept behind the term ‘Take 20’ actually comes from Dungeons & Dragons. I know what you’re thinking—how does this relate to tutoring? Believe it or not, my personal teaching philosophy and the idea of Taking 20 are much more closely aligned that you might think.
For context, the highest roll of the dice you can possibly make is a 20. While the odds of rolling a perfect score on the first attempt are not in your favor; when you have plenty of time and there are no penalties for failure, you can do something called ‘taking 20’.
Taking 20 means you are trying until you get it right, and it assumes that you fail many times before succeeding. Taking 20 takes longer, but your chance of success is absolutely certain.
Most students come to me because they’ve encountered a challenging topic in a certain subject. This is the perfect opportunity for them to practice, with no penalty for failure. By the end of a particular session, I want each student to feel like their chance of success is absolutely certain.
What is your teaching method / Style?
In general, I find that patience coupled with practice are the foundation of effective learning, particularly with subjects like math or science that revolve around equations and formulas. However, every single student is different in personality, learning style, and how they retain information. It’s important to assess this early on and tailor the sessions towards that particular student. Learning is never one size fits all, so teaching shouldn’t be either!
What can I expect from the consultation?
During the consultation, it’s important to determine needs and expectations from both parent and student. I tailor my teaching towards the needs of the student, but it’s important to know everyone is expecting to get out of their sessions. It doesn’t matter if the goal is simply passing a test that particular week, or working towards a big test at the end of the year in an AP course—as long as we communicate together from the beginning, the chances of success are that much higher.
I will also be available to answer any questions about teaching style, myself, or my pricing, during the consultation session. This is your opportunity to tell me anything relevant about your student, their academic needs/experiences, and your concerns as their parent. My goal is to leave you feeling confident that your student is in good hands.
What is the first session with a new student like?
Before the first session, I will usually reach out a day or two ahead of time to see if there are any specific materials or literature relevant to our upcoming session. For example, if there is a test you’d like to go over, a certain lesson you struggled to understand during class, or a general topic you’d like more time going over, letting me know a day or two in advance allows me to prepare and gives the student the most out of a session.
During the first session, I like to take a little extra time to introduce myself and get to know the student before we dive right into the material. I want the student to feel comfortable to speak up if they need me to modify the session in any way (speeding up or slowing down, etc.). If there’s a certain way they prefer being taught, I love to know as soon as possible so I can structure our sessions in a way that fits them best.
Do you offer in-person sessions?
I don’t, but not to worry! My virtual set-up contains a physical whiteboard behind me and is as close to a one on one, in-person session as I can get without Blue Scadooing through the monitor.
What If my student has extra difficulty learning a certain skill or concept?
Communication is absolutely key! If your student is having extra difficultly with a particular skill or concept, I am happy to come up with additional practice problems, tips, etc.—just let me know! I’m always happy to try an alternative approach if a particular teaching method isn’t working. At the end of the day, your student’s success and confidence in their skills are my #1 goal!