The Marin Homework Coach tutors reading comprehension and composition.
Reading
With 20 years of experience tutoring a wide variety of students here in Marin County and San Francisco, I know that a lot of students do not get as much out of reading as they are capable of.
Reading Together
I had heard that some people graduate from high school without knowing how to read. While tutoring in San Quentin, I tutored men who did not know how to read. By reading for and then together, I was able to teach them to read in a number of days. I think these men did not have parents who read for them and with them when they were young and they were not given the attention that they needed in school.
Through reading together, taking turns reading paragrafh by I identify words that the student does not underderstand and or pronunce properly. Together, we look up these words in the dictionary. We look at the various definitions and discuss how it is used in the passage that we are reading.
While we are reading, I ask the students questions about what we are reading and we discuss the topic.
Note Taking
I teach students how to take notes. I have a system that I developed while in College. I cut out a blank sheet of paper, the size of a page in the book that I am reading. I use this sheet of paper as a bookmark. When I come across passages that I find interesting or have a question about, I write this down on the sheet of paper with a page number. I also write down any words that I do not know and add their definitions. If I am reading with a purpose, If I have questions that I am trying to answer, possibly essay questions, I look for tese while I am reading and write what I find and the opage number. When the sheet fills up, I leave it at that point in the book and start a new sheet. When I am done with the book, I have a number oif these sheets ordered through the book. This technique of close reading and methodical note taking helps me write about the book. They help serve as a guide through the book to help find other passages.