University student with 2 years' teaching experience gives English and Writing classes for elementary/middle school students

Methodology

I am a university student interested in learning behaviours in young populations, with expertise in English grammar, poetry and prose analysis, reading and creative writing. I am trilingual and currently learning a fourth language, and hold regional as well as national-level achievements in English in my home country.

I primarily teach elementary school children (up to grade 5), though I may occasionally take up middle school students as well.

My lessons are highly individualized, that is, catered to a student's needs, which is why I take on no more than two students at a time. On the first day, I sit down with the student and parents/guardians to discuss the former's strengths/weaknesses, interests, progress so far, and the school's curriculum and expectations. Accordingly, a lesson plan is drawn up.

Every lesson begins with a review of the previous day's material, which may be oral or written, and ends with a wrap up of what we cover on that day (always oral). I generally advise students to not take running notes and give them extra time to jot down points after I have finished speaking. This ensures that attention is not diverted when something is being explained, and also allows the students to write things down in their own words, which results in better retention. Furthermore, it allows me to assess the student's depth of understanding of a particular topic and decide if something needs further explaining.

My methodology is unique because I create a safe space where a student feels motivated and in charge of their own success, which in turn fosters a positive attitude and thirst for knowledge.