Darina L.

My philosophy in tutoring is that teaching should be accustomed to the student's preferred learning styles and specific needs, a lack of which is the main problem in schools. I believe in establishing a solid base first and building on top of that with more knowledge, making sure you are clear and confident in every topic with quizzing in a friendly setting. Additionally, lessons should be interactive and two-way communication rather than a monologue from the tutor.

One of the most critical factors for a good tutoring experience is establishing a connection between the two parties involved. Therefore, the first session would involve us getting to know one another a bit to ensure the student is comfortable with the tutor. It is also vital to establish the student’s goals, what they specifically want help with, their strengths and weaknesses in studying and topic-specific knowledge, and most importantly, how they like to learn. Then we would collaboratively craft a teaching plan that the student is confident in and get started on learning according to it!

My philosophy is that active learning, in contrast to just listening, memorization, and repetition, is the key to becoming an independent learner, which I implement in my teaching strategy. For example, solidifying knowledge by intertwining the presentation of material with questions, ensuring the student has to think about the material, including going over question banks. Furthermore, I encourage students to make up their questions and point out key sources they can use to further their studies and methods that helped me during my IB days. Another critical aspect of my tutoring is that I try to help my students with skills indirectly related to learning that will help them become independent learners, such as time management, stress handling, etc.

Establishing a connection with a student and getting to know them is vital to show them that the IB is not as daunting as it seems, which will help them stay motivated! Additionally, it is essential to cater teaching to the student. For example, for those who would like to go beyond the IB, it would be motivating to include extra fun facts and connect topics to the real world, while for those who just want to get their grades (nothing wrong with that!) more goal-oriented learning would help them stay on track.

The most important in this situation is to reduce stress and maintain a positive, calm environment in which the student is not afraid to ask me questions. It is vital to probe for fundamental knowledge, find the gaps in understanding, and build from there. I like to focus on the positives and what the student already knows, from where we draw comparisons and relate to the unknown concepts, if applicable. I am also happy to share my own experience as an alumnus and any hacks or techniques that helped me when learning these topics, ranging from techniques such as mnemonic devices to building up analytical skills.

I make sure to allocate enough time when reading questions and provide compassion and understanding. When students are struggling, it is also good to have them read the questions out loud and try to break them down into sections, for example, by using mind maps. It is also vital to become familiar with the types of questions and action verbs used in papers to demystify the meaning of questions further.

When starting to work with a new student, the most important thing to do is to get to know them and make a tailored plan for their learning. I like to ask about the student’s current level and goals for the IB, which will help me understand their needs and create a learning plan.

I believe the best motivation for students is seeing their progress and improvement, which leads to excitement/engagement via positive reinforcement. One of the methods of how this will be achieved is by periodically examining the student in a friendly setting, upon which I am happy to give reports.

Apart from constant questioning, opportunities for the students to ask questions and having the student explain the material back to me, quizzes and past papers will be used to assess the student’s understanding.

Most students seeking out tutoring are doing so because they lack proper guidance, which leads to gaps in their fundamental knowledge causing more unknowns to pile up! Therefore, confidence will appear on its own by identifying the lack of confidence, filling these gaps with knowledge, and seeing their improvement in understanding.

The best way to evaluate students' needs is by asking them and listening. However, if they are unsure or do not know, it is beneficial to ask them for their current and goal mark and assess gaps in their knowledge through past papers.

When getting to know the student, I ask and try to assess their learning style (visual, auditory, logical, verbal, kinesthetic, or most commonly blended) so I can adapt my lessons to elements that are helpful for each of these styles. Additionally, I always try to create an environment in which the students are not afraid to point out if they do not understand anything by constantly reminding them of that and periodically asking them if they have any questions, hence training them not to be afraid to question me.

I like to adapt the materials I use to the student and their learning style; however, standardly, I would use an interactive presentation with online drawing tools if relevant to the topic, possibly using helpful extracts from my favorite textbooks. Additionally, past papers and question banks will be used to assess and reinforce understanding of the subject and practice.