"Hello! My name is Steffanie and I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics. I am one of two recipients in my undergraduate class who was awarded a full, private scholarship at my university due to maintaining academic excellence. My philosophy of education is centered around ensuring that knowledge and academic success are accessible to anyone who demands it. It is not the duty of the student to more...
"Hello! My name is Steffanie and I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in physics. I am one of two recipients in my undergraduate class who was awarded a full, private scholarship at my university due to maintaining academic excellence. My philosophy of education is centered around ensuring that knowledge and academic success are accessible to anyone who demands it. It is not the duty of the student to adapt to an educator’s teaching methods; rather, it is the duty of the educator to adjust their communication style to match the student’s needs and work with them on their level to enhance clarity and understanding. As a tutor, I foster a friendly, creative, and personalized atmosphere that encourages learning. In college, I tutored students individually and led small group study sessions for my peers in physics and mathematics courses. In high school, I tutored individual students ranging from 6th grade to 11th grade in a variety of K-12 subjects – including preparation for standardized tests, like the California Science Test, the Smarter Balanced Assessment, AP exams, and ACT/SAT exams. In high school, I was hired by a counselor to tutor their son on the SAT and helped raise their overall score over 400+ points (with the largest increase being on the math section).
These experiences amplified my adaptability as I realized every student learns differently. In order to successfully help my students reach their goals, I need to actively accommodate each of their personal learning styles. Education is not just adequate instruction, but insightful questioning, an attention to demeanor, and a constant attempt to understand how someone might be thinking or feeling. An instructor must be motivating, gentle, and able to instill confidence with support and feedback. I am not solely an instructive tutor, but an academic coach and mentor. I emphasize concepts, investigation, curiosity, and answering “why” and “how”. I am well versed in numerous digital technologies and tools and integrate them into material when appropriate." less...
