Jessica: La Grange Park tutor
Certified Tutor
My mom, grandmother and all through our family tree-all TEACHERS! I refused to follow this path and went to nursing school....and within 2 years was teaching. I started precepting in the hospitals, then teaching clinical groups, then theory. I was born with the teaching bug, and even when I tried to avoid it...well it's in my genes! I actually started teaching when i was 15 years old. I grew up showing quarter horses and found a love for teaching kids and adults horsemanship skills. I quickly built a business and had over 30 families i worked with in the summer months when home from college. I had a wonderful time teaching and so when my previous teacher came to me and asked if i'd consider teaching nursing i thought, "why not?!". I've loved it and taught year round for over 10 years now. I love to learn as much as i love to teach, and they feed off one another. I have to stay on my toes to teach and so I'm constantly learning new things. When asked what my favorite thing to teach is...that's a hard question! I'd have to say I'm most passionate about kids and teens. I'm also very interested in psychological aspects of growing up. It's challenging! This being said I love working with people of all ages on Nursing and Psychology. I also enjoy teaching kids science. My background....I wasn't sure what I "wanted to do with my life" so I did my first Bachelors degree in "Social Sciences with a minor in Chemistry". The chemistry minor fell into place as i did a pre-medical track with that degree. After working as a Nursing Assistant for two years I decided my heart was in working in Nursing and not Medicine. That led way into my 2nd Bachelors-Nursing. I immediately started a Nurse Practitioner Program in Pediatrics following completion of my Nursing degree. I've worked lots of hours as a registered nurse in many settings as well as a nurse practitioner providing care to children.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington-Seattle Campus - Bachelors, Nursing
Graduate Degree: University of Washington-Seattle Campus - Masters, Nursing
Love to travel and explore new places! Animals. Craft projects. Friends. Foodie. Training a now 2 -year-old service dog named Suna.
- Elementary School English
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Science
- Elementary School Writing
- Emergency Medicine
- English
- Human Development
- Medical Ethics
- Medical Terminology
- Medicine
- NCLEX
- NCLEX-Registed Nurse
- NCLEX-RN Prep Course
- Nursing
- Other
- Pathophysiology
- Pharmacology
- Professional Certifications
- Psychology
- Reading
- Science
- Social Sciences
What is your teaching philosophy?
"Strength Based Learning"! Helping students find what works for them and drawing on their strengths. Then helping them figure out how to best learn through their own unique strengths and past successes.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
This session starts with a discussion about GOALS. Learning a new subject or improving really has to be student driven, and so finding out what their goals are and developing a stepwise plan to get there is a part of that 1st session.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Independent learning happens in steps, and not all at once. I start by being very involved, and then slowly have the student take responsibility for areas in which they are confident. I then "wean them" from needing my support...and hand the "reigns" over to the student.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Motivation has to do with the student really wanting what they are working toward. Sometimes it's finding those reasons they want to learn something, sometimes it's a reminder of those motivating factors, and sometimes it's helping set up a reward system.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student is struggling with a concept, I try different ways of teaching. This may be drawings, videos, textbooks, audio resources, magazines... I work with what works for the student.