Never be afraid to fail, because through failure, we achieve the most meaningful education. Everyone is bound to fail at some point; just don't let it drag you down.

A first session is all about establishing what kinds of needs the student has. Some students need to just vent, some students need to re-go over the basics, and some students are missing just that one piece of information that would complete the puzzle.

I help by empowering the student by teaching them different ways of looking at problems. Most people assume there is only one way to figure out a problem, but in my experience there is always a different way, and maybe that way will make more sense to the student.

I would give them some concept type questions or practice problems. In my experience, motivation is highly correlated with success, so if a student feels like they are making progress, they are more likely going to keep up the good work.

I try to identify what is actually confusing the student. Sometimes, confusion comes around because they didn't fully grasp the material from the last section. If it truly is the new material that is confusing, then I try to work out some practice problems with them so they can see practical uses with the new information.

The most important part is having the student's full attention. Turning off cell phones is a huge boost for success. If a student can't seem to focus because it is too noisy in the room, I would change rooms. Always giving praise when a student figures something out gives them a confidence boost to try working on harder problems.

You have to show them that they have the ability to do the subject material. In my experience, most students struggle in classes because they just don't care to learn the material, which stems from the preconceived idea that they aren't smart enough to understand the material in the first place.

I always give practice problems that students have to work on during my sessions. If they can answer the questions, then they are starting to grasp the material; if they can't, then we go over it again.

The easiest way is to keep on giving them positive reinforcement when they complete a task or problem. If they can't, then I would ask them easier questions that they should be able to answer, show how the two are similar, and help them through the next problem.

First, I ask them what material they are working on is, what they believe the problem is, and what they expect out of me during that particular session. Then, I backtrack a little bit, and ask them questions on the previous chapters (if they are related to the current chapter) to see if they have mastered the basic steps. If they have, we continue; if they haven't, then I know where to start

First, I have to get a pretty good idea on how the student thinks, and then I can help shape the information in a way that's easier for them to process. Sometimes, it's not the information that is given, but how it is given, that affects how the student takes in the information.

I usually just use an old notebook for scrap paper, my TI-83+ calculator, and plenty of pencils and erasers.

I usually try to rephrase the definition if understanding it is the problem. If they can't read the text, then I try to help them out by sounding out the words. If processing the information is the problem, then I usually go over the subject 2 or 3 times before trying a different solution.