As opposed to the way I learned in college, I do not like to spoon-feed a student. Rather, learning of a more long-lasting nature occurs when a student is shown how to obtain the answer, and not simply shown the answer.

I like to use short, achievable goals that foster confidence, assisting in continuing motivation for the student.

We all learn differently; the key with learning-- real learning-- is not simply engaging in an information dump but to be aware enough such that you are able to tailor the learning to what the student needs, which would mean that a concept or a skill would likely have to be explained differently: different examples and visuals for different students. Looking back on our own learning experiences, we can all point to classes, whether they are from grade school, high school or even college, where we connected with the instructor; where we really learned-- not just completed or checked the boxes to get the grade. In all likelihood, that was because the instructor connected with you, and as a result, real, long-term learning occurred.

I would rediscover with the student the reason why they were taking the course, why they were in the learning process, what completion of the course and being successful in the course would do for them in the long run.

The techniques used to determine whether a student is understanding the material could be as simple as asking the student to explain to you a concept that you had just covered. It could be having the student repeat to you the steps in compiling the balance sheet. In the end, the type of temperature check that is used is dependent on the student, but it does vary from student to student in the same manner that we all vary from person to person, our personalities, learning styles, etc.

Confidence in subject matter is built by first determining a student's motivation for taking or studying the subject matter. Then, based off of that, starting with the basic concepts, students can learn that they are capable of being successful in the subject matter, all the while interjecting increasingly difficult subject matter such that eventually, the student not only gains confidence but competence in the subject matter.

A student's needs can be evaluated in a number of ways. Of course, the needs should be understood at the beginning such that learning can be built around the needs. A student's needs, just like our needs, change over time, so it is important to periodically revisit the needs with the student to make sure that the material being discovered and covered is the material that is needed.

The adaptation of tutoring takes place in a continuous fashion such that there should never be a time when the tutor is simply going over information. Rather, tutoring should be tailored to suit the needs of the student, not simply covering subject matter such that one could say that everything was covered but rather covered in a manner that it was learned, so that the student sees real impact in life, and material that can be readily applied.

A variety of materials can and should be used. The type of material used will depend a lot on the needs of the student. For example, if you are speaking with a student that is studying for the CPA exam, you likely would not be using Monopoly Money to assist the student in gaining understanding in needed concepts.

My teaching philosophy is similar to what is found in successful retail establishments, The customer (the student) is always right. Meaning, if we are covering subject matter typically found in an introductory accounting course, we would not plow through material so that we could say we completed everything within the deadline, but it would mean taking the needed time so that the student understood concepts and could apply concepts, even if that meant that we were off schedule.

In the first session with a student, it is important to cover the needs and the expectations of the student. We would want to determine what, if any, deadlines for the material existed. We would want to determine if there had been any previous methods or attempts used to learn the material, and if so, what were they and what type of success was accomplished.