What is your teaching philosophy?

When covering difficult subjects, I strive to teach not only the how and the what, but also the why. Learning verb paradigms or memorizing long vocabulary lists can seem like grueling and boring tasks. But when a student understands that completing these tasks is the key to reading amazing and inspiring literature, writing killer essays, and acing their standardized tests, suddenly the assignment doesn't seem so daunting.

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

First, I would try and make the student feel comfortable and relaxed by asking them a bit about themselves and their hobbies, and sharing the same information about myself. Next, I would ask them to explain in their own words why they decided to start meeting with a tutor. What aspects of their classes are they finding most challenging? What topics have they covered in class so far, and what did they have trouble understanding? What do they believe are their strengths and weaknesses as a student? We would then discuss how we would tackle these issues, and I would outline my plans for the next few sessions. We would then spend the rest of the session going over the student's most recent test or homework assignment, discussing what was confusing or hard.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The key characteristics of an independent learner are curiosity, motivation, and holding oneself accountable. I try to help my students develop these traits by encouraging them to ask questions about things that pique their interest, sharing my own excitement about the subjects we are studying, and keeping a detailed record of improvements and setbacks that the student and I discuss.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

In order to help a student stay motivated, I would make clear the connection between the exercises and problems that the student is working on and future successes and achievements. I know that, for example, reviewing vocabulary for the SAT can seem grueling. But if the student is reminded that learning these vocabulary lists is the key to becoming a better writer and achieving a better score, suddenly the task is much more appealing. I would also offer lots of positive encouragement and solid feedback. Furthermore, I also believe that, with older students, encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning can help motivate them.