Daria A.

Any individual can learn anything they want or need to learn. I do not think someone is made for only one type of knowledge, such as only science or humanities. If a student does not understand something the first time they hear it, I would much rather them listen to it differently to understand it and see it from different angles.

I would want to get to know the student wholly. Sometimes it is not the easiest for someone to vocalize their specific learning style, so I would rather them talk about learning experiences that they liked and found compelling and those which did not. Further, having prepared the material for the first class, I’d try to approach it in different ways throughout the session and do a short feedback session to know what to adapt to in the future.

Having had to study independently during the pandemic, I would use my experience to attempt to help students do this themselves. I would ensure they see the value in what they learn and how they might link themselves to it. After providing them with the tools to make this link, I will give them the support they need to continue and succeed in their journey.

Due to the difficulty of the IB Programme, I understand how some students can lose motivation and feel demoralized. As I have also gone through the Programme, I would share my experiences and make sure they do not feel alone. Additionally, I would remind them of the larger picture and that this is only a challenge that is inevitable and formative for them to get past.

I would get the student to explain what they have been able to pick up so far as much as they can. Once this has been established, I would try to work through the kinks and the specific confusion they hold until they get it.

Often the most significant problem lies with comprehending what’s requested of a student. I would go through possible trigger words that may appear in a question and what they entail. Further, I would suggest they focus on reading the material as often as possible. First, just read it over without looking at the question. Second, I would suggest they read the question and try to find as many links between what is asked and what they can find - this process would be repeated several times. After a lot of practice doing this, I would start timing students for them to be prepared for testing.

Having an honest conversation about goals and objectives is always the most important beginning for me. I would ensure this at the beginning and after a few sessions as a check-in point. Once these things are established, I also know what approach and attitude to take when teaching them.

The most significant way would be to share my experience, especially if I’ve also struggled with this. I find it’s beneficial for the student to feel comfortable with me, so sharing my experience creates a closer relationship. If I also struggle with it, I can advise on how to overcome it.

I would be sure to cover precisely what IBO requires from a student, and the most accurate way to do that is to use their guidelines and material as a starting point. The most important I see as the subject guidelines, as they contain everything one may need to learn and can be used as a list of what to achieve or learn. I would also use command term exercises and past questions to practice.

First, I would evaluate what they are struggling with and try to address that as much as possible. Learning is gradual, so if a struggle or misconception arises, I will try to address it as soon as possible before moving on. I find it is more important to understand the base than to know the small details about the more complicated things but not the basic mechanisms. Once the basis is established, we can better approach the more complex subjects and avoid misunderstandings.

I often hold feedback sessions while establishing a close relationship with the student, so they feel comfortable bringing up anything they may have. Additionally, I try to use several techniques to see which they respond positively to most and then adapt it personally to them.

After establishing which teaching style works for them the most, I attempt to provide them with as much help and resources as possible. If a student feels lost or struggling, I will provide more detailed support and feedback to overcome this.

I prefer using old IBO material such as old papers to get an idea of what’s requested and how prepared they are for this. I use Google Drive as the drive used as it allows editing and commentating the best. I also am open to students recommending anything they might know as possible materials.