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

I like to get a sense of what the student's goals are and where they want/need to be academically within a time frame. After the first lesson, we should both have a good idea of what material we need to cover and what benchmarks we need to hit over the course of the semester/school year/other time frame.

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

I try to approach problem-solving and complex concepts from a variety of perspectives when a student is struggling. Not everyone sees things the same way, and I've found that using several examples and exploring alternate ways of looking at the problem can help different students with different learning styles master even complex material. Once we find the best way to convey information, we can improve our lessons' productivity and streamline the learning process.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe in "facilitated learning" as opposed to rote "teaching." I try to guide the student to the answer--using guiding questions and connecting concepts--on their own. Discovering the information rather than simply having it told to them makes it more relevant and helps the lesson "stick" in their minds. It also improves problem-solving, extrapolation, and critical thinking.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching a student to draw conclusions from what they have learned in class, think critically about information, and apply the subject knowledge to relevant problem-solving helps them to become independent thinkers. Paired with training study techniques and time management, these skills form the foundation any student needs to be successful and make the most of their education at any academic level.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I've found that keeping information relevant to the real world and each student's individual interests is usually the best way to motivate reluctant students. Sometimes, however, a student may be completely uninterested in the material or subject. This situation can be trickier and may require motivation to stem from an understanding that even if they absolutely loathe the subject matter, performing well in that class is necessary for whatever future plans they have, even if very indirectly.

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

Evaluating the specifics of why the student is struggling is the first step. After that, training specific techniques for slowing down reading speeds, summarizing information after each paragraph, underlining/highlighting important words, or even reading paragraphs in reverse order can all be used to boost reading comprehension.

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

Looking at information and concepts from different perspectives and using different techniques to solve problems at the start helps me and the student to learn how they assimilate information and solve those problems the best. This allows me to teach to their strengths and find the best approaches for their problem-solving preferences.