What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe every student should get what they need. That means a teacher should provide each student with the challenge, support, time, and patience that is right for them.

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

I like to get to know students by asking them to share a bit about themselves. Then I get to know the student's needs, and we make a plan to get things done!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help students become independent by assigning tasks outside of the tutoring session, asking students to make choices about their own learning, and teaching them independent learning skills such as study strategies.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I help students stay motivated by asking them about their goals. We talk about how the hard work now can help them get to what they're trying to achieve.

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

If a student has difficulty with a skill or concept, I explain it a different way, break it down, work on a related but simpler skill first, and teach memory techniques such as mnemonics.

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

I start with smaller chunks of text, and teach specific comprehension strategies such as visualizing or looking for the main idea.

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

To check for understanding, I always have a student show what they've learned on a practice test item or passage. If the student can apply the skill independently, I know they've learned it!

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

To build a student's confidence, I start by showing them what they can already do. Then we work through the parts they need to learn, starting with the easier skills so the student can see their progress.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I start by having a student take a practice test or look at previous scores or work. Then we talk about the subject: which areas do you feel most comfortable with? What do YOU think you need to work on most?

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

I adjust my pace, the difficulty of the work, the length of practice items, and the level of my explanations to what the student needs. If a student is having trouble, I readjust.

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

I start with the materials the student already has, such as classwork or a test prep book. Then I pull up additional materials where necessary, and make my own materials if I think that's what we need.