What is your teaching philosophy?

All things can be understood with the application of strong mental work and a variety of teaching strategies.

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

First, talk to them. What does the student like? What do they not like? There's no point relating a problem to a soccer field if they've never been on one. Find out what subjects they like- including all the little subsets we forget about. Do they have an expansive vocabulary, but sometimes need correction on spelling and grammar? Lastly, walk them through what has been troubling them in their assignments. Can the concept be re-explained? Is the student easily frustrated? Answering all of these questions makes future sessions much, much easier. Of course, the more mature the student, the more the procedure can be reduced.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By helping students to develop learning strategies rather than providing answers, students will be able to find answers on their own with greater accuracy in less time. These strategies range from research techniques to deriving equations from provided materials, along with other test-taking methods.

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

I would try a different example, a different way of explaining the steps, a different method - something new! There is nothing worse than being a broken record.

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

Finding out the path the student takes to learn, and what obstacles will likely need to be conquered. Working one-on-one gives tutors the advantage of appealing to specific interests and working around (or working through) difficult work habits.