What The Heck Did I Just Read? - Social Studies, English, And Philosophy Help
About
Have you ever read a book and thought "what the heck did I just read?" or "what does any of this mean?" I would love to help you find and learn the answers to these questions.
Whether it's literature, philosophy, world history, or any other social studies topic, my specialty is taking big ideas and making them small - providing the context and conceptualization which will help you learn and study. I work one-on-one to meet students needs, and aim to form positive relationships which help make learning engaging with discussion based and socratic style tutoring.
I am a graduate of Oxford University with a Masters in Philosophy, and studied philosophy, history, and Biblical studies at John Brown University in Arkansas. I have worked in undergraduate, highschool, and middle school settings and in a variety of roles, from teaching and grading to editing and publishing. For the past year I have been working for the Lewisville ISD helping in an alternate study space and tutoring a variety of topics including math and science, but my true love is philosophy, literature, history, and geography.
If you are stuggling in you education and wish that you had someone who could help explain it to you, I am here to help. If you need help understanding critique or want advice on how to better structure or edit an essay or assignment, I am here to help. Or if you are in over your head with complex, abstract ideas stated in outdated language, I am here to help!
I love sharing my love for these subjects. So many people are turned away from history or literature because they find it difficult, boring, or both. That, however, is just a result of bad teaching. I love history, literature, and philosophy because they are full of stories, and I love helping people find joy in those stories, and delight in something they didn't think they liked. I love that moment of "well when you say it like that..." when understanding danws, and even appreciation for the subject. I also love hearing other people's perspective on the material, as they often teach me so much I never would have thought of myself!
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
My first goal is to get to know the student, what their experience in the subject is, and what their interests are. From there, we find a place to start and get reading. I prefer an active and collaborative reading method, in which the student and I work together to build an understanding of the text and subject matter, and check for understanding often. I also try to encorperate different types of learning, such as visual and kinetic learning - which are just as important for undergraduates as they are in elementary!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have spent my entire life swimming in the world of social studies and literature. I attended a liberal arts focused independant study high school in McKinney, studied philosophy, history, and Biblical studies at John Brown University (where I worked as Intro to Philosophy tutor, a teaching and grading assistant in New Testament studies, and as an editor for Stance, an international undergraduate journal) and I went on to earn my BPhil (Masters) in Philosophy from Oxford University in the UK. Since then I have worked in various middle schools and high schools in Denton county, teaching and tutoring all sorts of subjects, primarily at the 9th-10th grade level.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Generally $25/hour for one-on-one tutoring.
How did you get started teaching?
I got started teaching when I learned that my friends needed help! I was a junior at John Brown University studying philosophy, and several of my friends asked for my help with their philosophy and Biblical studies classes. After that, they told other friends, and my tutoring job was born! After graduation I went on to get my Masters and have worked in various other jobs in educatino since, but I have never loved any as much as one-on-one tutoring - working together towards a common, achievable goal.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked primarily with undergraduate students and high school students, with some experience in middle school history as well.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Look for someone who is interested in your whole educational experience, not just the time you spend with them, and for someone who seeks understanding and not just good grades.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What is it I most want my teacher to know about me? What strategies have other teachers used in the past, and what has been successful/what did I like or dislike? How much time and effort am I willing to spend to get help? What would success look like for me? What is the most difficult aspect of this subject for me? What is one thing about this subject I do like?
Teachers can help students answer these questions, but the students have a lot of history that teachers don't know about going in, so it's best if students have some self-knowledge going in.