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

First, I reassure the student that he or she is capable of learning the difficult concept. If he or she is struggling, there are many other students who are struggling and have struggled with learning a concept. I would break down the concept into palatable components that the student already knows or can handle. Then, I would incrementally lead up to the goal, which is to understand the big picture and to have a concrete understanding of the concept.

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

Confidence is built by seeing results. If the student knows that he or she can handle any challenge he or she will face in he classroom, the student will be confident in his or her own skills. Therefore, I would drill him or her with practice problems that are representative of the questions he or she are likely to be tested on.

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

I will primarily utilize resources that are representative of a test. For example, if a student is taking a Regents exam in World History, I will use past Regents exams and the student's in-class exams as my primary materials during a tutoring session.