What is your teaching philosophy?

I try to apply principles of adult learning when I teach. Techniques include frequent review, discussion, and real-world application. In addition, respecting the contributions of students is vital.

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

In a first session, I would ask lots of questions to attempt to determine the student's background and current level of understanding. After gaining this information, we would discuss a course of action together.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would attempt to identify the student's areas of natural interest and ability. We would seek to incorporate that information into our program through further research, discussion, reading, etc.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation can be enhanced through communication, feedback, and encouragement. In addition, we would want to ensure that we are including methods and processes that stimulate student interest.

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

I would ask questions to help determine where the difficulty might be coming from. We might then explore alternative ways to tackle the skill or subject.

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

Again, we would need to ask good questions to help determine the source of the problem. We could also explore alternative ways of addressing the assignment, such as breaking the reading into smaller "chunks."

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

When starting to work with a student, it is important to build rapport and gain trust. I like to ask questions, listen well, and then discuss ways that we can work together effectively, so that the student gets the most possible benefit from the experience.

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

I would find new ways to approach the subject that would be more aligned with the student's natural abilities and interests. If one method is not working, then we would want to explore other avenues.

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

I believe frequent review is important. In addition, we would want to include assessments at key milestones to ensure comprehension.

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

I believe giving a student a chance to succeed will help to build confidence. Sometimes success comes in small steps, but anything we can do to encourage the student and show measurable progress could be effective.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

In order to evaluate a student's needs, I would ask a series of questions. In addition, I would administer an assessment that would give us a good idea of the student's present level of understanding.

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

There are any number of ways to adapt tutoring/teaching to student needs, so I would strive to be open and aware as to what would be most effective. I would also ask for the student's input regarding what would stimulate interest.

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

Tutoring materials might include books, Internet/magazine articles, websites, visual aids, and even possibly video/DVD clips, among other things.