Teaching Philosophy

My role as a tutor is to unlock a student’s innate abilities to learn and to invoke the pride that naturally accompanies mastery and new understanding from the time that we are toddlers who first “pull ourselves up” and smile.

As a tutor I’m an honest witness to students' learning processes and an aid when they feel “blocked.”  Just as students can be frustrated by a difficult new concept itself, they can be frustrated by feelings of fear and a negative self-image. My role as a tutor is to confront such frustrations head-on by challenging students' thinking and modeling a more positive way of approaching the problem at hand.  To do this effectively requires a good rapport with the student.

To build good rapport with students, I actively listen and create a safe space for students to be themselves.  I reflect what I see and hear to pinpoint what’s preventing students from moving forward in their learning processes. I point out qualities of their learning in a matter-of-fact way that separates the problem at hand from the value of the student. I build students’ confidence by showing them what they are capable of and what has been accomplished so far. I discuss the real importance (or unimportance) of the task at hand to discover with the student wherein lies the motivation for being successful. I strive to discover what the student values and to align their work with those values.  I believe that the shift from external to internal motivation is an important key to becoming a successful, independent learner.

Only when a student feels safe in asking questions or voicing frustrations can I begin to teach the material in an effective way. For this reason, I begin each session by checking in to see how the student is feeling.  When we are up to the task, and only then, we crack the books as a team and dive in.  Depending on students’ learning styles, I discuss concepts with them, write them down, show them examples, have them practice their own examples, or have them trace a word or concept on paper or in the air. I aim to teach students in the modes through which they learn best.

In any given tutoring session, my goal is to guide the student toward becoming an independent learner.  I look for opportunities to discuss good study strategies, organizational habits, and communication skills. If I reach my goal with students, they will soon not need me as their tutor!

Bio

Diane bring 15 years of experience with one-to-one tutoring and teaching at UW, Seattle University, and University Prep.  Diane earned her BS from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma with honors in Chemistry and a minor in Math, and earned her MS in Chemistry from UW.  Diane challenges her students' thinking by modeling positive ways of approaching a problem before working toward a solution.  She's patient and direct, and works to develop a good rapport with each student.  "In every tutoring session," she says, "my goal is not only to assist the student with immediate needs, but also to guide him or her in becoming an independent learner."  When Diane is not tutoring, she may be found sporting some serious (and original) Seattle Sounders fandom, snowboarding, practicing or teaching yoga, growing food on her Olympia farm, or supporting her favorite public stations, KEXP and KAOS.  She gets a kick out of Found Magazine and often ponders word puzzles with her crossword crushes, Will Shortz and Rex Parker.

Subjects: Math, Chemistry, Grammar, Writing, Study Skills, Test Prep (PSAT/PLAN/SAT/ACT/GRE/GMAT/Praxis/WestB/ACT Explore/MAT/ISEE), PSAT/SAT/ACT Class Instructor, ADD/ADHD (K-Adult)

Diane is also the Owner and Director of University Tutoring.

Resumé

Coming soon!