"I am currently an undergraduate student at Northeastern University, majoring in Computer Science. I became a peer tutor at my university through the Knack platform a year ago. Here, I tutor college students ages 17 to 20 in various online one-on-one sessions. My teaching style on Knack is very visual, since most of the tutoring is done online. I learned how to draw diagrams to illustrate concepts and adapt my teaching methods to students' needs and level of understanding. In the past year, I have taken multiple training courses through both Knack and Northeastern, learning about education and CRLA topics. These sessions helped me learn the value of prompting the student with guiding questions and giving them time to work out an answer. Though I struggled with this initially, I would now describe it as the most important aspect of my teaching method.

In September, I was hired to be a Teaching Assistant for my university's College of Computer Sciences, which has expanded my opportunities for teaching. I am a TA for my university's introduction to Computer Science course, so I mainly interact in-person with first-year computer science students. I hold office hours three times a week, where I assist students in understanding material and struggles with coursework. This is the best opportunity for me to practice asking guiding questions rather than telling students an answer. I have also been able to tutor individual students struggling in the course, growing my in-person tutoring skills. I also lead weekly lab sessions, where I teach a class of 18 students, guiding them through concepts and facilitating group work. In lab, I develop many of my communication skills and form more personal bonds with the students. Lastly, I have led exam review sessions, teaching around 100 students and answering their questions in a lecture-like manner, through which I gain confidence and improve my public speaking skills." less...