What is your teaching philosophy?

I think that I bring my social work background into my teaching style, in that I like to meet the student where they are at and tailor each approach to the individual. I think that everyone has potential to succeed, and it is important to see what barriers may be in the way of this and try to overcome those.

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

I usually start by going over any past test scores or grades to see where we are starting from, work on goals, and then come up with a specific plan of attack. Then, we dive right into the work.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I think the most important thing is keeping someone engaged and reminding him or her that this time period of intense learning is temporary and all serves a greater purpose. I try to be honest and acknowledge there probably are a lot of other things he or she would like to be doing in the evenings or on the weekends, but putting this time in now will pay off for all of the future.

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

I find that it is important to keep track of scores and progress and remind the student of how far he has come. Even just answering one or 2 more questions correctly is a step in the right direction.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

If we are doing standardized test prep, I like to use the books that come directly from the test makers.