Meagan Barrett English Tutoring
About
I have been tutoring Writing and English for a year and a half now at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and I love it! I thoroughly enjoy making the ins and outs of the English language and literature easy to understand. No matter how long it takes, I am always willing to make sure the information gets through, and makes sense.
I am CRLA Tutoring Certified, and will be graduating with a bachelor's degree in English next fall.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Generally, if the tutoring is supplementing a formal English class, I like to see what the student is learning at the moment and work on the assignment with them. I start by asking what they are stuggling with, but also I like to see what they are enjoying or finding interesting about the subject material.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have been employed by the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, for a year and a half now. I spent four months in a tutoring course, as well as interning under a highly experienced tutor. At the end of my combined course and internship, I was awarded the College Reading and Learning Association Tutoring Certification. Since then, I have been working to perfect my tutoring performance everyday.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Prices are fairly lax, although I don't generally go below 15 or above 20 dollars an hour. Prices will be negotiable.
How did you get started teaching?
Ever since I worked as the Copy Editor of my high school newspaper, I learned that teaching people how to write what they wanted to say was a really rewarding job. My Newspaper advisor encouraged the copy editors to sit down with the authors of the pieces we were editing and discuss with them what they needed to fix, but most importantly why. It was always exciting for me to watch their writing gradually improve, as they figured out how to express themselves through writing over time.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with both high school and college, and I have also worked with traditional English speaking students, as well as English Language learners. I have also worked with some special needs students.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Well in terms of tutoring, I had a really great experience last semester, when one of my regular tutees brought me a gift -- it was a pair of black and green striped gloves with racoons on them! It was very sweet, and it really made the impact I had on people real to me. It wasn't quite tangible until that point. They are some of my favorite gloves!
As for life in general, I just got two cats! One's name is Jyn (yes, as in Jyn Erso, from Rogue One!), and the other's name is Ozymandais (yes, as in the superhero). Jyn loves to chirp, and it's one of my favorite noises.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a tutor in your area of expertise?
The most important part is being able to communicate well, which includes listening. It's fabulous to have a lot of well-honed expertise, but if you can't articulate why a grammar rule exists, or how a theme is expressed in a text, then it does nothing to help the student. Their learning is priority number one.
What questions should students think through before talking to tutors about their needs?
"What do I struggle with?"
This would be the first question I'd encourage students to ask. First of all, it's incredibly important to be self-aware. Reflecting on your performance, and your weaknesses, is the only way to grow as a student.
"What exactly do I need to focus on?"
This will help us attack the problem at hand, so we don't waste any time on things you don't need help with!