I have a strong desire and passion to really know my students and understand their goals – to take education up several notches and personalize it while maintaining assignment and course objectives. By knowing what drives my students and what their goals are, I can tailor the work to their needs, and also help them see how their writing skills apply to their everyday lives.

I like to begin my sessions with a brief conversation 'icebreaker'--what are your interests, for example, and from there we would move on to what you are looking for from the sessions. We will review the assignments and rubrics and what you've done so far. From there we can come up with a plan together for further development.

Students become independent learners when first they create environments for themselves that feel comfortable and pleasant. I would encourage students to share where they do most of their work, and then we can talk about options. The second thing that's important for developing independence is creating a step-by-step plan for completing an assignment. This involves writing down the steps and including a time frame for completing the steps. These elements are all-important at the beginning stages of assignments, and will reduce the stress (and procrastination) that comes with ambiguity about what needs to be done, and when.

I help my students stay motivated by regular encouragement about any setbacks, and with outreach.

If a student has difficulty with a skill or concept, I use a technique known as 'scaffolding', which involves beginning with something the students knows, and building on that knowledge to the next conceptual level. I also encourage a student's open expression of what he or she feels is missing from their understanding.

My approach with reading comprehension would begin with asking my student to identify the particular area that's difficult, and then to rephrase what he or she thinks the author is saying. I encourage students with comprehension issues to express their thoughts openly without fear of making mistakes.

Creating a comfortable and safe environment while remaining focused on the assignment goal is my overall strategy for successful teaching.

I help students get engaged with a subject they're struggling with by discussing the potential they're showing for success and how completing an assignment, especially a difficult one, creates a sense of accomplishment and freedom.

To be sure students understand the material, I stop frequently to see if they have any questions. I also ask them to keep a journal and write down what was covered in the class or session, which we then review in the next session.

Scaffolding is the most effective means to build confidence, since it begins with a foundation of what is known. I find it works best to build incrementally and slowly when confidence in a subject is low.

I will have a conversation with students about what they feel their needs are. I will ask what has been accomplished so far, and review all the relevant materials for the assignment. I will also include a parent's or teacher's input if that is appropriate.

Depending on what the needs are, I can approach a subject more slowly or quickly, include more grammar and usage lessons, or more visual learning materials. I believe in differentiated learning practices.

Depending on the needs of the students, I use graphic organizers, English grammar and sentence structure worksheets, computer graphics, links and websites for APA and MLA formatting.