What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that every student has the ability to learn - some just need extra time, help, and encouragement to get the job done!

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

In my first session, depending on the length, I meet with the parents to make the transition for the student to be more comfortable. I am a stranger coming into their house. I will also give them an overview of what I want to accomplish. If I am working with students on classwork, I try to get information about their teacher(s) so I can coordinate the tutoring to go along with what the school is doing.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The majority of the time, it is a matter of building the confidence they are lacking. I am a confidence booster and encourager as much as I am a tutor.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

A lot of the students that I have worked with in the past have been students who were unmotivated due to a lack of success in the classroom. One of my responsibilities as a tutor is to build successes to boost confidence. That, in turn, motivates them to become an independent learner.

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

I would simply 'slow it down' or would break it down into smaller chunks of information. I am motivated by my students' successes; sometimes that means to break down the concept or discover together where the student gets stuck. I tell them that 'The best way to eat an elephant is ONE BITE AT A TIME. Don't try to eat the elephant all at once. Take smaller bites.'

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

I attempt to find subject material in which they might be interested. Then I find the appropriate material to help them strengthen their comprehension.

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

I do my own 'assessments' to determine what course of action to take. It typically means taking notes while working with the students. On occasion, I ask the parents where they think the student is struggling. Many times I am able to determine my own course of action. I don't do the work for them, but I help them to 'think through the problem,' making 'course corrections.' Ultimately, I want the student to figure out the solution; otherwise, I am doing their work.

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

The beauty of being a private tutor is that you can find age-appropriate material outside the confines of the home district. For ELA, I am able to suggest material to read, but it might not be a book that the district has on hand. For math, there is a LOT of material out there for homework help. For science, I find that websites can be excellent resources. And for Social Studies, history websites are a great resource!

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

One of the techniques I learned during student teaching was a three-fold process: 1. Introduce the concept 2. Paired or group learning 3. Independent learning When I am confident that the student has gained mastery, I give them work to do on their own. If they 'get it', great. If they don't, we go to where the error was made and work through the problem.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By talking to them, by talking to the parents, and by conducting my own assessments.

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

Each student is different, so I individualize the instruction to accommodate the needs of the particular student. It takes a little extra work on my part, but the kids are worth it.

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

It depends on the work being done. I have some of my own grade-level material. Sometimes I use material that I find online. Sometimes I work with the student on the material that they bring home from school. But it simply is on a case-by-case basis.