My teaching philosophy is to always build strategy based on the needs of the whole child. I aim to support and provide opportunities for not only academic growth, but personal and emotional growth as well, so that students may sustain their path to success beyond the classroom.

During a first session with a student, I would engage the learner in a few ice-breaking activities so that we can begin to know one another. I would ask the student about their preferences and learning style. If this particular student is unsure about how they like to learn or what works best, I would guide them through several examples to get a feel for what might work for them.

My goal is to always provide strategies and methods that can be implemented without direct supervision and that make sense to the student's learning style so that they can continue to use our methods long after our sessions.

My favorite way to maintain student motivation is to allow students to select their motivators. In the past, my students have done everything from generating a list of favorite candies and treats (for immediate motivation when times get tough) to creating vision boards to help keep the "bigger picture" in focus.

Reading comprehension is a tricky skill to develop, so it takes a good understanding of different methods such as annotating and rewording to really be able to navigate a text. I love to teach students different tips and tricks for understanding a given passage and empowering them to use what they already know to help work through what they are reading.

Open communication between a teacher and student are vital to creating a great learning environment. One strategy in particular that I always incorporate is providing my rationale for my students so that they can understand how everything we do is meant to empower and support their growth.

The easiest way to get engaged in a subject that is challenging is to find a way to relate it to something in which a student has already shown interest. I love to figure out ways to see certain materials from a different perspective and help students understand their challenges from that viewpoint.

I would use both formal and informal assessments in order to make sure a student really understands what we are reviewing. Assessments can also be empowering and show students where they are shining and where they need to focus their efforts.

I build a student's confidence by determining what they know (using assessments, sample tasks, etc.) and finding ways to build on those skills as the foundation for what we need to work on.

Depending on the subject, one of the best ways to evaluate student needs are practice assessments. I especially design assessments so that they are scaffolded and allow students to build their confidence as they work through them. Additionally, I always conference with the student to see what they identify as their area of need.

My tutoring methods are very flexible and therefore adaptable. If a student prefers online resources, I will seek out methods we can use. If the student prefers the classic pen and paper strategies, I will provide those learning opportunities. My biggest goal is to ensure that students feel supported and know that our practices can be altered from session to session.

The types of materials I use are dependent on the subject but I prefer materials that students can also work with between sessions, such as online review programs/games or graphic organizers they can use during school.

There is always a way to ensure that a student can be brought to understanding. If our first attempt to grasp something doesn't work, we need to step back and try looking at the material from a different perspective.