How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Give them interesting life lessons, link it to a current topic. Make it exciting and interesting.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Give them a challenge, a "do now," or something unexpected. See how much they learned and how much they can apply. Have them challenge me.

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

I would take several approaches to see what fits best. Sometimes a very difficult subject can be taught in a very simple way, or even through humor. In chemistry, I tell students to make it a game, or with DNA I tell them they have to relay a message using everyday language as the code.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Change the terminology so it is not so overwhelming. Rearrange the sentence or paraphrase. Use different modalities, pictures, diagrams, etc.

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

Learning style is everything. Let them take the lead. Some students cannot sit still, and that is ok. Helping them get organized in a way that makes sense to them. Setting clear, defined goals, and outlining those goals.

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

Find something they are passionate about and relate it to that, or an interesting tidbit and expand on it. Make it personal and engaging.

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

Quick "do now" before each lesson, what do you know, what do we need to work on, informal quizzes and, if possible, previous assessments from their class to see what types of questions they struggle with and how to overcome it.

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

Positive reinforcement. Downplay the negative. Find something they can relate to and work with that. Make it about them, because it is.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Ask both open ended and close ended questions. Look at their previous work and see what their strengths and weaknesses are.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

It is about making the student feel comfortable; that is important. I am there for them. If I am teaching something and they do not get it, then I change up my style and reassess what I need to do to help them.

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

I always try to use the material the student has, if possible. No need to dazzle them with my collection of texts if it is not what they use, as it may confuse them. If they do not have their materials, I do some research and see what the class they are taking or will be taking will be covering, and then find the most appropriate materials.

What is your teaching philosophy?

All students can learn. It is just a matter of finding the best style the works for that student. I see every moment as a teaching moment, and every opportunity as a chance to learn something new.

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

I first and foremost want to get to know the student with some very informal questions. Make them comfortable. Look over their materials they may have, and then assess what their learning style is; are they auditory, visual, tactile…and so on.