What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy involves the teaching of skills. I believe that most students can master content material as long as they have skills. I focus on skills in my classroom. Last year I was named Lower Hudson Valley Social Studies teacher of the year, partially because of my focus on skills.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

Discuss how the student takes notes. I typically help students organize themselves before dealing with content issues.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching them how to organize and study. Time management is essential to their success in high school and college.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Students who succeed stay motivated. In order for a child to be successful, a teacher must build the child's self-esteem and self-efficacy . By teaching the child organizational skills and time management, their studies do not become overwhelming.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

I approach the concept by breaking it down into its simplest form and working from there. The key is to instruct the student using his or her strengths. It will always depend on each individual student. There is no one size fits all.