What is your teaching philosophy?

Students learn best when what they are learning is relevant to their interests. I try to adapt all concepts to the specific interests of the student. We learn best through play.

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

First sessions are all about getting to know each other, outlining what I expect of the student, and explaining what the student can expect from me. At this point, we are starting to establish trust with each other. From there, it is about assessing where the student is on their learning journey so that I can plan our tutoring curriculum around their needs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Becoming an independent learner starts with identifying the type of learner you are. Once you know what type of learner you are, I can teach learning/ studying skills that are specifically geared towards you.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation is specific to the student. The first step is about discovering what motivates the student and getting the parents involved. The motivation may be as simple as a star chart, a special treat, or an increase in allowance. It may be something more involved or working towards a school they really want to go to. Motivation is centered around picking a goal the student is excited about and making a plan to achieve it.

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

We work on it. Finding a variety of exercises that approach the concept from different angles and evaluating which ones are the most beneficial.

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

Hands-on is usually the most successful route. Using something tangible to demonstrate a concept seems to add clarity to the situation. If you cannot use something tangible, it is generally best to try to relate the concept to something in the child's life.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I start with the basics, then I increase the difficulty. This allows me to assess where the misunderstanding starts. It's crucial to have a strong foundation in any subject so you can build upon it.

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

I start with the basics, from letter recognition to parts of speech. It's important to make sure there is a good foundation. Determining where the problem starts is the first step. From there, we work on the individual concepts they are having difficulty with. In addition, I like to use the last part of the session to actually read together. I try to find reading material that is relevant to their interests. We read it together and discuss what's happening. I find that when a student finds the topic interesting, they are more engaged and motivated.

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

I will do my best to make it relate to their interests and life. If you can relate a concept back to something they experience, it makes it relevant to them. Sometimes seeing the importance of a concept in everyday life can help motivate the child to master the concept.

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

One of the most effective ways I have found to assess a student is to have them teach me. If they can go through the steps to teach me a concept, I feel confident they are mastering the ideas. I also will do oral and written activities to judge the scope of their learning.

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

Encouragement, encouraging words, body language, and activities. First and foremost, I let them know it is okay if they do not know the answer; we cannot be afraid to fail. We learn more from failure than success. I stay away from negative comments, and I always try to use positive reinforcement. I celebrate their success.

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

All students learn in different ways. I assess which tactic seems to work best for the student and then plan our activities accordingly. It is about figuring out their learning language and then speaking it.

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

That varies depending on the subject matter. Books, flashcards, tangible materials.