I believe that every individual has the ability to achieve the results they want. Nobody is "unteachable;" it's just that different people require things to be explained in different ways. All it comes down to is work ethic and the willingness to do well.

In a first session with a student, I would try to find out what concepts they were having trouble with, so I can begin to plan on how to address them. I would also get to know them a little bit so they felt more comfortable around me. It's hard to teach a student something when they feel stressed out or that they're not allowed to make mistakes.

Becoming an independent learner is all about being able to explain things in your own terms. If you can teach a concept to someone else, it means you understand it well enough for yourself. So, after a student and I had found the correct answer to a problem, I would give them a similar problem and have them teach me how to do it, as if I had never done the type of problem before.

Motivation in 90% internal. Sometimes it takes a person (or two) to help motivate a student, but a large majority of it comes from within the student.

In order to motivate a student, you have to get to know them and find out where their priorities lie. Why are they getting tutoring? What are their personal education goals? What would they like to see themselves improve on? That kind of thing.

Sometimes when a student doesn't understand a certain concept, it helps to explain it in terms they understand.

For example, if a football player is having a hard time understanding the structures of a cell, it may help to explain it by using the different positions of a football team as a metaphor.

Some of the problems most students have with reading comprehension is either reading too fast or trying to process too much information at the same time.

In order to develop an efficient reading pace, it helps to read out loud. If the student is stumbling or skipping over words, it is an indicator that they are reading too fast.

As far as processing the information, it helps to write tiny summaries for each paragraph that note the important information in each paragraph.

Humor always goes a long way when you first start off with a student. It helps them feel more comfortable and less like they're in a "school environment."

Additionally, it helps to get to know the student. In my experience, students are much more willing to work with you and push themselves around you if you make it clear that you care about their future from the beginning.

I would have them teach me how to do a problem or explain a concept from start to finish. If you can teach someone else a concept, it shows that you fully understand the concept yourself. I would steer them away from simply memorizing material, and have them explain why certain concepts are related to one another.

Confidence comes from preparation. If a student has put the work in, they will begin to see results, and in turn become more confident.

One of the ways you can evaluate a student's needs is to simply ask them what they are/are not comfortable with. They need to be able to be honest with themselves about what they need to improve on.

Every student learns a different way. As a tutor, it is my responsibility to find a method to relay information in a way that makes sense to the student. Whether that involves using metaphors, mnemonic devices, or just repetition, it is my responsibility to push them to get the results they want.