I aim to maximize the learning of my students in the time that I spend with them. I won't hand you answers, but I'll help lead you to the correct solution with questions.

The first session is all about me learning if our partnership will work and what my student already knows. We'll introduce ourselves to one another and determine whether or not we're a good fit for one another. After getting to know each other for a little bit, we'll get cracking on the tutoring.

Questions, Questions, Questions! You've heard it before: the brain is a muscle, the more and harder you use it, the stronger it gets. If a student is using their own faculties to answer questions then they are becoming more equipped to answer the questions they ask themselves when learning new things.

By keeping track of progress, pointing out the really neat things that students are learning, and providing examples about how the knowledge that they are learning can be used in real life, I hope to instill a sense of ongoing accomplishment that inspires a student to keep on with their studies.

The first thing is always to ask questions. By listening to a student explain their own thought process they might reveal flaws in the underpinnings of their logic that can be addressed. If that doesn't work, maybe presenting the same concept in a different framework might. Explaining a mathematical concept with a picture might make more sense to some students for example.

Ask more questions. If we can identify what precisely is the confusing part of a sentence, or paragraph, or equation, then we can work on the comprehension of each confusing word or concept individually. If we're patient and can work through it, we will eventually achieve understanding.

Always asking questions. My goal is to be able to have a student teach me what they are learning. When a student explains their thought process, I can learn a lot about how they think. If they describe things visually, I can tailor my approach to include more visual aids. If they are analytic, then I won't waste their times by trying to fit concepts into stories that don't help them learn.

Everything is actually fascinating if we let it be. One thing I've found to motivate me is to give myself tangible reasons of why my knowledge is practical and useful. Additionally, making a student not feel bad about struggling with a concept can do a lot for engagement. In the words of Jake the Dog: "Sucking at something is the first step to being kind of good at something!"

I can't rehash the importance of asking pointed questions enough. If I can ask a question, and they can teach me the correct concepts, then they understand.

Start easy. Learning isn't some kind of race. We all have to build up to what we want to do. The change in difficulty can be as gradual as it needs to be. Students that are being asked the questions that make them think, but that they can still answer are going to be the most confident.

Asking a student to explain a concept before I say anything will reveal to me where that student is at in their process of learning. Showing no negativity toward being wrong can give a student trust enough to reveal the fuzzy parts of their knowledge that they might feel self-conscious about.

Do what a student responds to, but don't baby them. If a student learns visually, start by drawing explanatory pictures. If a student learns narratively, tell stories. If a student learns analytically, start with equations.

Good, old fashioned pencil and paper. The Internet can be a good resource for looking stuff up, and there are any number of online resources that can clear up questions we might have. I might ask a student to watch some lectures on a learning tool website on their own time before a session if they want a kick start!