MYLDTUTOR Services

I have perfected a system that not only caters to the learning differences and idiosyncrasies of each individual, but provides the necessary oversight and communication needed to ensure that each student has the best chance of strengthening areas of academic weakness, executive functioning challenges, overcoming insecurity generated from academic skills or areas of performance that present as arduous, guiding the development and application of a personalized approach for each individual and finally by reinforcing the importance of employing and benefiting from accommodations provided in school and on standardized tests.

I have taken steps to ensure that the professional tutors and educational consultants, who represent my company and philosophy, are in fact doing everything needed to prepare a student, including communicating progress with the families and explaining ways that they can provide additional support. I greatly value and respect the different teaching styles and experience that comes with each tutor, so making sure that they are held to my standards, honor the process of assessing and address each student's learning differences and that the appropriate material is always accessible or created for an individual.

1) COMMUNICATION & SUPPORT: I am spending more time communicating and supporting my tutors and the students they teach by Intimately keeping up with each dynamic and family.

2) REMOTE SESSIONS OPTION: Personally, I am working more remotely, so that I can continue to help students in uniquely challenging situations, without the limiting parameters of traditional in-person, after-school tutoring. Cutting out travel time and widening the area of availability has provided me the needed time and energy to comfortably communicate, monitor and support families, students and tutors; I can more easily prioritize the search for and hiring of new dedicated tutors and most importantly keep up with the progress of the students in active tutoring, through regularly scheduled check-ins with parents/guardians to discuss necessary modifications or to anticipate needed changes to an individual's plan.

3) ENHANCED EXPERIENCE IN REMOTE TUTORING: To ensure that online/remote tutoring is at least as effective as face-to-face sessions, I have taken steps to improve the experience, interface and tools available to me. I have reorganized and updated my database of core and supplementary materials; I use a white-board and a document camera to provide visual aids and on-demand explanations; To customize better for each student, I have diversified homework assignments and study aids. For, example, I use Quizlet to create sets of terms, formulas, concepts, etc.; I use Google docs. to share interactive/ multi-media documents or to monitor projects, research and writing. Effectively monitoring and guiding student work through step-by-step instruction and easy-access Q&A between sessions, has proven very helpful on many levels. Finally, since remote tutoring precludes me from seeing all of the notes that a student takes during a session or how well they are processing important points to take-away, I provide a scanned, hand-written recap of each session, along with detailed homework assignments. Homework tasks are prioritized, strategies/approaches covered are explicated and specific practice problems, definitions or tips are provided to reinforce essential information or concepts/skills that remain challenging. Additionally, I include step-by-step instructions, designed for an individual's learning-style and curve. Since I write-up and send this document after each session, I have found that can put more thought into its creation and as a result, can provide a more effective guide for learning, following each session.

4) IMPROVED TRACKING OF STUDENT PROGRESS: This new system for summarizing and reviewing each remote session, is incredibly helpful in tracking student progress. Improved clarity in terms of what to study, how to study and what to take-away from each session, helps the student, parents/guardians and tutor(me), remain on the same page between each meeting and throughout the process in its entirety. Furthermore, it identifies the need for intervention or change in certain areas without delay and assists in planning and prioritizing the next session. So far, this has only created improved comfort and clarity for the student/family, and a better handle and gauge of efficacy than was ever achieved by following my notes and memory with regard to each session. For example, being able to easily anticipate when I need to intercede with additional short 15-30 minute sessions for monitoring homework, explaining the use of study tools or to call-on parents to play a larger or more specific role in guidance/support of the plan, has been exceptional as it lends more order to the process and substantiates the role of clear, collaborative communication.

As modern education, research, communication and access to knowledge is sustained the interconnectivity of the internet and technology, society is faced with the imminent challenge of finding the best ways to benefit from this rapid shift in culture, without becoming completely dependent on or consumed by the technology themselves. It is this notion that inspired me to revisit my understanding of what constitutes an efficacious learning environment. As I began to incorporate the option of remote tutoring as supplemental to or in-lieu of face-to-face sessions, There was an unmistakable trend of successful and smooth sessions. Since essentially all students in middle school, high school and college have grown up completely immersed in internet culture and a society rapidly comfortable with a human-machine symbiosis, this really should have come as no surprise. These revolutionary technological innovations continue to be integrated into education; applications and complementary tools are introduced and adopted in the classroom more-and-more. Meanwhile, at home it is still commonplace for technology to be a distraction, so huge efforts are undertaken to monitor computer-usage to limit its problematic potential. Navigating this dichotomy of the good and bad use of technology is one that all of us face. The only difference between the generations is that younger people are both more comfortable using technology for both productivity and for relaxation. Therefore, it makes sense that many students are very comfortable working within this technological dynamic.

I aimed to fully understand the evolving trend of incorporating technology into education, and the ways that individual learners and their diverse learning and processing styles, can benefit. I realized that if a system could be carefully constructed to identify and promote all of the beneficial aspects of online tutoring and also thoughtfully compensate for any positive qualities sacrificed by not being in person, remote tutoring would not only be the evolution of individual learning, but the future of one-on-one tutoring at the highest level. I designed a system of one-on-one online tutoring using a platform like FaceTime, GoogleHangouts, or Skype and integrating a variety of supplementary digital tools/applications to eliminate the drawbacks of not being face-to-face. I use a document camera( to present and/or mark-up materials visually or demonstrate processes, such as problem solving in math), whiteboards (to view a students written process), applications such as Quizlet (to create, organize and update customized study sets) and interactive platforms like Google docs (to monitor a student’s process, study habits or to collaborate on planning/scheduling when needed). Online sessions also allow real-time access to my massive database of supplementary material. I did recognize that not being in person can prevent me from seeing exactly what a student is writing down for notes, so I include a write-up of session notes following each meeting. This way, the student can provide their undivided attention to the lesson and practice, and I can spend time after each session to consolidate relevant notes on strategy, concepts in need of further review and reminders or steps for processing or approach. I also create practice problems, crate study sets or guides that target and reinforce important concepts or skills. In terms of managing executive functioning skills and maintaining an effective study schedule, it has been great to have the option to be flexible with scheduling based on student needs, to be able to provide written support/guidance that makes assignments less daunting, so that students are less hesitant to get started on their own. It also creates a structure where a student know that they are ultimately in control of what is reported in the regular check-ins with parents. Somehow, all of this seems to promote efficiency in sessions and to encourage accountability on the part of the student.

It has become a reality in our modern society that nearly all students have become more comfortable communicating and learning using a computer than what we consider more traditional ways. Likewise, its no surprise that young minds are also accustomed to focusing attention when in front of a screen and oftentimes have an easier time processing information and focusing using this assistive technology, than with a traditional paradigm. I have been so impressed by the success and incredible feedback that has come out of all this.