What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that the best teachers are patient, kind, and good at asking questions. They guide their students to the answers rather than giving them.

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

In a first session, I like to spend some time getting to know the student and where they're coming from--what specifically do they need help with, where are they struggling, what are they most successful at etc. Then I like to dive into whatever it is that they need the most help with first.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help my students become better learners by teaching them good habits that go beyond a specific assignment or project. I help my students practice good study and organizational skills that will serve them in all aspects of their academic life.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I help students stay motivated by acknowledging their successes when warranted, and (gently) pushing them to do better when they need that extra effort.

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

If a student is struggling with a concept, I try to figure out the root of the lack of understanding. I try to demonstrate the concept or skill in a new way, in a new light, in order to help them gain insight into whatever it is they're struggling with.

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

I've found, historically, that the best way to help students struggling with reading comprehension is to encourage them to read as much as they can. I also work to help them break larger concepts down into smaller ones--I find that most tasks are a lot easier to accomplish if one can break them down into their component parts.

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

I find that it's incredibly important to give students a chance to articulate what they struggle with in their own words. By allowing students to come to grips with whatever their struggle is, I allow them to start to move in the right direction.

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

I try to encourage students to think about the practical application of a subject if it might seem too dry or uninteresting. One of my favorite things to do, particularly for teaching writing, is to have students pick a favorite piece of writing and encourage them to emulate it.

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

I use quizzes and frequent check-ins to make sure my students are understanding my lessons. I encourage them to speak up if they're still struggling. I encourage students to do tasks on their own, with my supervision, rather than my direction, whenever possible.

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

I like to build a student's confidence in a subject by highlighting their successes. I find that discouragement is a huge problem, so I encourage my students to acknowledge the things they are good at about a particular subject--even if they struggle with it in general.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by listening. I think that listening is one of the most important parts of being a good tutor.

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

I use a lot of online questions, especially for test preparation students. I also like to use writing prompts from the SAT/ACT sites. I am adaptable, however, and have worked with all different kinds of material from a broad array of schools.