What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that learning happens when we are truly interested in the subject, and I strive to find ways to make writing exciting and accessible to my students by having them write about the things that they care about. The skills and tools obtained from doing so can then be applied to any other writing they need to do, and will be retained because they have positive memories associated with them.

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

First sessions are typically spent getting to know my students not only as students, but also as people. By understanding not only what a student needs to focus on, but also how they learn best and what their individual interests and personalities are, I can better tailor future sessions to their specific needs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Too much of school is spent being told what to think, and not enough is spent on the really important lesson: how to think. As a consequence, students are often frustrated by writing assignments because they are being asked to express their own ideas and opinions rather than simply regurgitate an answer they've been given in class already. This kind of learning does not prepare students for future classes, or for life outside the classroom. By focusing on identifying and understanding the individual student's learning style, not only can I better help them to learn, but I can better help them understand how they learn and equip them with strategies that they can use outside of our sessions to better grasp concepts they struggle with.