Bio

I have been teaching for more than 30 years. I know, that makes me old. But as my 17-year-old grandson says, ” But you’re cool old.”
My IB teaching experience was at Seminole High School in Sanford, Florida. I was part of the team that designed and got approval for our IB Program. I taught both SL and HL Psychology and supervised students writing their EEs in Psychology.

Teaching Experience

I have 30+ years of teaching experience, including 8 years of IB Psychology SL/HL.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe all students can learn, perhaps not in the same way, but they can learn, and it is my job to make that happen. I also believe that every student has a story, and I need to be aware of it and teach accordingly.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First, I would find out how I can assist the student with the curriculum. Then, find out what kind of learner the student is. From there, I usually go into an activity or a hook, whichever seems the best approach.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I always encourage students to come to class prepared to question or challenge the assigned reading or research. There is always a good amount of discussion prompted by probing questions – not one-word answers, but more of an essay type.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I cannot stand to be boring! So whatever it takes – a video, diagram, whatever it takes. I have been told that I am quite a motivating teacher, probably because I absolutely love teaching psychology, and it comes across to the students.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

First, I would break it down to its simplest parts. Then we would learn one “bite” at a time until we can put all the bites together in a cogent understanding of the skill or concept.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

First, I would ask a few questions: Is this difficulty limited to psychology, or is it in other subjects as well? How long have you experienced this difficulty? Have you ever had an IEP? If so, what were the recommendations? Then depending on the answers given, I would look further into the student’s records and work. If that fails, there’s always S3QR!

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Getting to know them is first on the list. Then perhaps finding out why they are taking psychology. From there, I’d like to find out what his/her learning style is. After that, I like to start with an activity or a hook.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling with?

If s/he is struggling with psychology, I need to take a hard look at what I have been doing or not cause this struggle and remedy the situation. Do I need to add or delete something? Are the reading assignments too dull? As stated previously, I am a pretty dynamic teacher who has had little experience with students not being excited or engaged.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

Review game, quiz (oral or written)

How do you build a student’s confidence in a subject?

I use lots of praise and humor.

How do you evaluate a student’s needs?

I ask him/her what they are. I also use pre and post quizzes.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student’s needs?

Whatever they need, I try to provide. More time? More review? More examples?

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

The ability to draw charts in color and show occasional video clips.

Teaching Skills