July Tutor of the Month - Katrina Poon

Q. Please introduce yourself.

Hi, I’m Katrina! I graduated from Vanderbilt University in 2022 with a degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and I am currently working towards a Doctor of Physical Therapy at the University of Florida. As a second-generation Chinese American, I lost my ability to speak Chinese early on in life, and through my attempts to relearn the language, I have gained a lot of respect for people like my students who are working to become fluent in a second language. Outside of school and Ringle, I love reading, playing the piano, and my latest hobby is boxing and Muay Thai!

Q. When did you start Ringle and how did you find out about it?

I started Ringle last summer after learning about it from a friend who was a longtime tutor on Ringle. I previously worked as a peer tutor at Vanderbilt, so my friend recommended Ringle thinking it would be a good fit for me. Since I’ve loved the teaching positions I’ve held in the past and I was impressed with what I’d learned about Ringle, I took his recommendation and have been tutoring ever since!

Q. Can you share your most memorable lesson on Ringle?

One of my most memorable lessons was with one of my students who has been a regular for the past few months. The lesson began as a regular discussion on an insightful article about traveling, but soon my student began sharing details about his latest vacation. As he excitedly shared pictures that he took on his trip, our discussion became a lively and personal conversation. It struck me how far we had come together and how comfortable he was with sharing stories and events from his life compared to our first few lessons. This position has given me the opportunity to not only see my students grow and learn but also develop meaningful connections with interesting people a continent away.

Q. What makes your teaching style unique?

I place a lot of importance on asking thought-provoking questions that drive deeper discussions of my students’ ideas. I find that creating engaging conversations is one of the best ways to help students feel more comfortable while also challenging them to communicate about more complex ideas. I also prioritize giving the student space to make mistakes and ask questions. While a student is responding to a question, I give them the time to work through their ideas out loud without any interruptions or corrections. This way, they are often able to correct themselves or find a better way to communicate their ideas independently.

Q. How often do you teach on Ringle and how do you manage your time?

My hours vary between 4-10 hours a week based on how busy I am with school, but I try to teach consistently on the weekends. Having a set time for teaching every weekend has helped me solidify Ringle as part of my weekly routine and form a relationship with regular students. I also try to always teach first thing in the morning or last thing before bed to help prevent unexpected changes in my schedule from interfering with my teaching time.

Q. Any advice for new Ringle tutors?

Be flexible and be ready to improvise! There is no single correct way to conduct a lesson—draw on your own unique strengths and the characteristics of the individual student to figure out a class style that works for both of you. Also, don’t be afraid to have fun conversations! Students are people too, and they have interesting thoughts and stories to share if they are given the space to do so.

Tutor of the Month receives:

• Cash prize of $100
• Recognition on Ringle's web and social media platforms
• An opportunity to record a demo lesson for other tutors

Ringle selects a tutor every month based on their ratings, consistency of lessons, and reviews.