My educational philosophy is a combination of Bloom's Taxonomy and the Taxonomy of the Significant learning Experience (SLE); believing that learning must allow for repetition and application of that which was taught so that information moves from mere memorization to actual learning. The role of the educator must go beyond the responsibility of dispensing knowledge and tests, to creating an environment which would inspire and motivate others to learn, which can only occur in an environment of mutual respect and a basic belief that all students are capable of learning. This is what forces the educator to discover the method in which the learner will be the most successful. Overall, education is a balancing act whereby educators provide a positive influence, leading and guiding students down a path of discovery; while at the same time ensuring that learners obtain the knowledge, skills and moral development necessary to positively contribute to society.

The focus of the first session is always to clarify the purpose of the tutoring, and to develop a rapport with the student.

The student is encouraged to become an independent learner to help them to become involved in the process. This can be done by first identifying what skills the student has already mastered, and then to build upon those skills.

To keep the student motivated, it helps to create opportunities for them to demonstrate what they have learned. This also helps to increase their confidence and academic esteem. Educational games are also built into each session as an incentive or reward.

To help a student to learn a difficult skill, it's helpful to break the skill into multiple steps. The student is then given the opportunity to master each skill level with increasing confidence.

Students with reading comprehension issues are encouraged to use a dictionary to increase vocabulary, and then to reread the passages, substituting the definitions in the original passage.

The strategy which has proven to be the most successful is by getting to know the student, and then teaching using subjects and things that they find the most enjoyable.

The best way to get a student excited about a subject that they are struggling in is to first communicate the importance of knowing the content, catering to their learning style, and then to implement a reward system (in conjunction with their parents) for their continued effort to succeed.

To ensure that the student understands the material, it is important to create situations where they can demonstrate competency. Instead of using tests they have come to hate over the years, I have become accustomed to using online educational games.

A student's level of confidence is increased with each demonstrated act of success. Therefore, it is necessary to create more opportunities for the student to demonstrate what they have mastered.

The rapport building session is instrumental in identifying the student's learning style, their likes and their dislikes, and also what their challenges are within a traditional classroom. The answers to those questions determine how the subject content is taught within the session. In the event that the student is still having problems, additional strategies are implemented to make the learning engaging to the individual student.

Based upon the needs of the student, worksheets, videos, games and other online resources may be utilized.

To evaluate a student's needs, it is important to have a parent meeting to determine their concerns, and a student meeting to determine their challenges and struggles. Mini-challenges are implemented throughout the session to determine the student's skill level.