Sarah

Hello! I'm Sarah, and I tutor Biology, Chemistry and general Science for the Alberta curriculum, alongside English for Grades 4–6. I enjoy turning a page of unfamiliar terms into something you can picture and explain. During the teacher education that led to my Alberta Interim Professional Certificate, I became especially interested in how drawings can reveal what a student understands. That's part of why I use diagrams so often: they give us something concrete to discuss and improve together. My general Science support is for Grades 7–10, where we can build a clear picture before getting caught up in terminology. With younger English learners, we might read a short passage, talk about a character or turn a spoken idea into a well-organised paragraph. I enjoy giving students something small and achievable to build on. In our science sessions, expect plenty of diagrams, short questions and a chance to talk an idea through in your own words. We can untangle a biological process, make sense of a reaction or work through a calculation at a comfortable pace. Bring your class notes and tell me which part has been bothering you.

I’ve helped Alberta students with Biology and Chemistry through individual tutoring and the classroom experience that formed part of my teacher education. The work has ranged from catching up with a difficult unit to bringing several topics together during revision. I've also supported Grades 7–10 general Science and Grades 4–6 English, helping younger learners read carefully, explain an idea aloud and put it into a short written response. Quite a few of the students I’ve supported have found a labelled picture easier to begin with than a page of definitions. I’ve used that starting point when helping with biological processes, particle explanations and the interpretation of experiments. I’ve also worked with students who enjoy the science but need more practice setting out calculations. It’s given me a good appreciation of how differently confidence can develop across the same course.