What is your teaching philosophy?

I tutor subjects which interest me greatly, and pulling the student into the fascination of the material is my first approach when teaching. Depending on what the student is ready for, I either provide structure and tools for learning basic concepts, or ask many questions in order to raise the level of the student's independent work.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

When starting with a student, small victories lay the groundwork for a productive relationship. The student needs to experience overcoming an obstacle or learning a new skill with the tutor early on; this builds the trust, which is integral to longer-term work.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

By any means necessary!

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

Repeated quizzing, alternating between harder and easier questions about it; asking the student to explain a concept to me as if I was learning it for the first time.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

Honest positive reinforcement, and making sure they really do have the tools underpin that confidence.