What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe in teaching the 'why' and in developing intuitive understanding, rather than hammering home processes and formulas. I guide my students as they walk the path themselves.

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

I dive right into current topics in first sessions, but use this as a means of gauging where a student may have gaps in understanding. By pinpointing these gaps, it provides a plan for future sessions.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I always encourage my students to work out problems themselves, with me there as a guide. I naturally explain new concepts, but becoming independent with new concepts is achieved through practice and building one's own framework around a concept

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I like to remind students of how far they have come in the past, and where they are relative to their current goals.

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

In my experience, this is likely because the concept is framed in a way that is not conducive to the student's learning style. When this occurs, it is time for a new approach to the concept, whether it be through diagrams, analogies, or anything else.

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

Particularly in math and physics, I encourage my students to draw pictures. This is a great opportunity for students who struggle with reading comprehension to work through the text piece by piece, and then have a different reference point when solving the problem.

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

I find it quite important to understand a student's learning style, and to understand where a student's gaps in understanding lie. This allows us to build a complete framework of understanding.