What is your teaching philosophy?

I help students find their passion. Finding that passion and laying out a road to success is key in achieving goals. I am here to help students master material so that they can succeed and achieve what they want in life. I am a product of great mentorship, so let me help you in your path to success.

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

I like to find out what their goals are in life, and how helping in a particular subject will get a student there. I will, of course, give a brief background about myself, but more importantly try to find common ground so that I can get a better feel for the mentality of the student in a particular subject.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I first like to walk thoroughly through the material step by step to gain an understanding of how the student feels about the subject. I will challenge the student, and little by little, they will find themselves needing less assistance from me.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I am a bigger picture realist. There are some courses that will be challenging and will not come as easy to students as others. However, I'll continually motivate the student that this is just one step in getting to their goals, be it big or small.

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

I am a type of tutor who will be open to trying different approaches. Some students are visual learners; while others understand verbally. It will be a learning experience from my end to see what works and what doesn't. If something is not working, then let's try something else. There is always some way a student will grasp the needed knowledge. It just takes patience and persistence between the both of us.

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

Reading comprehension is a skill that definitely takes time to develop. I will seek to find the most challenging aspect (i.e. word definition, sentence structure, overall subject tone, etc.) and attempt to give easy examples later to move on to more challenging reading. It just takes a continuous effort, and I am open to talk about my own struggles and how I overcame them. It's definitely possible.

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

Being open and real to the student is what I have found to have worked in the past. I am a regular human being who started off in school like them. I consider myself a mentor, not just in the subject but in life in general, and I believe that gives students ease in being willing to learn with me.

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

The key is finding their interests in life and attempting to bridge examples in subjects they are struggling in, with possible scenarios relevant to their interests. Keeping the student engaged gets me excited, and I feel I rub off that excitement to the students.

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

I am one that believes countless examples are vital to being able to comprehend material. Flashcards, multiple choice, fill in the blank, etc., can be used to make sure students fully understand the material.

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

I seek to be a motivator for countless examples. The questions that are asked and an explanation of how they can be asked from all different angles will definitely give the student confidence in tackling a problem. By doing this, the student won't feel bombarded with something new. If they do feel they don't even know where to start, take a deep breath! Write down what you know, what you need to know, and follow what you have learned to get to a solution.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Students have their own perspective on their needs; however, I believe seeking information from parents and teachers is also needed. What type of teacher does the student have, and does the student feel that teaching method works/does not work? What do the parents feel the student needs help in? Most importantly, how does the student overall feel about his/her scholastic performance? Do they care about school? Getting a better picture on how the student thinks and exactly who they are surrounded by will give me a better chance in understanding their needs.

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

Not all students learn the same way. It is up to me to find the best way a student can get the most out of my help and guidance. I'll seek their honesty on how they feel my tutoring is helping them. If they feel I am not helping, we will try something else. If I feel I am not helping, we will trying something else.

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

I use as many tools as possible be it a whiteboard, pen and paper, sharing my computer screen, and even using real life material to explain concepts. It definitely depends on the subject matter, but I do attempt to use as many resources as possible.