I love making learning fun. If I, as the teacher, am not having fun, then the students certainly are NOT having fun! I am continually looking for fun and unique ways to teach important concepts to students to help them to enjoy their life-long pursuit of learning.

During a first session, I would take a few moments to get to know the student and learn of their interests and background. It is always more fun to find a common ground for a starting point. Then, I would try to understand the questions or goals of the student so I can focus as a tutor on what exactly they wish to gain and learn by our session.

I would encourage them to be confident in asking questions. Asking questions opens our minds to information and allows us to be teachable, without already assuming we know the answer. It's ok to make a mistake, as long as we learn from that mistake. No one is perfect, and learning is certainly a journey.... NOT just a destination. As an independent learner, you will have questions and you may make mistakes, but what you learn from those actions are invaluable because they happened to you, and no one else, while in pursuit of the answers.

You can do this! Don't worry about "perfection," because that is not your goal. Make "understanding" of the subject your goal, even if you don't particularly LIKE the subject you are studying. The outcome can always be a positive one, if you try and give your best effort.

Sometimes people get hung up on the words or the vocabulary alone. I would try to revisit whatever they are struggling to comprehend and try to break it down into sections of learning, rather than the entire reading assignment, which sometimes can seem overwhelming when the comprehension and understanding is not quite where it needs to be.

Thinking positively first and foremost! If you think you are beaten, then you already are, and no progress can come of that. But, if you are willing to try new tricks or try new ways of thinking through something, it will allow understanding success. Second, you also have to have a clear focus on your goal in mind. What is it you really want to accomplish in the end? If you can't envision your outcome, then how will you know when you are there? Third, you may need to accept that you might not find all the answers right away or all at once. Remember, learning is a journey and not a destination.

I would try to find at least ONE thing that they can relate to in that subject. Once you can find a common ground or something to relate to, then the student can take ownership in their own learning. They will want to make more connections in their everyday life once they start to see it. It's the connections that get them excited to learn more!

I would ask them questions specific to the material. I would even ask them to teach it back to me or teach it to another person. When one teaches something, it helps their own understanding.

I am quick to compliment any student who can teach a concept back to me or who can come up with the answer quicker than myself. I also am amazed at their different perspectives on a subject, and also questions that they might have that I did not think of. I may be the teacher, but I am happy to learn from my students as well. That's what education is all about.

I ask the student if I can help them address any questions or concerns or worries they have about a particular concept or subject. Communication is important, and sometimes helping them to verbalize what those needs are can even help them to see how they can be met and/or addressed. I also try to ask specific questions that will allow us to decide if these needs need to be met right away or if they need some time. There are some needs that just take some time and patience to be met.

Every student has their own way of learning. Once I understand their goal (or need), we can decide how we can achieve success and meet those needs. Some are more visual learners, so case scenarios seem to help adapt a concept. Sometimes drawing or building a model of something helps the learning process. Some are more thinkers and just need time to process what is being taught.