What is your teaching philosophy?

We've always got to start with the basics. Skipping levels will always lead to trouble down the road, but building a thorough foundation will make everything else easy breezy!

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

It's very important to find out what you already know and also what teaching methods work best for you! That way, we can make the most out of the following sessions! I don't believe in administering tests though -- you can do that on your own and that's not what I'm here for. I'm here to help build your knowledge!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can teach you all the practices that have made me a top student. Everyone's got the potential. And ultimately, I can show you the interesting sides of a project so it is no longer a chore to learn!

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I'd fill lessons with super interesting real-world examples. And we'd have a chuckle the entire time. Learning ought to be fun.

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

I'd stop advancing in other areas and try different methods until he/she's gotten the concept! You can't build a beautiful house on a poor foundation!

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

I've got many different tips and learning strategies I've developed through the years, and we'd go through all of them. Most of the time, the problem is that he/she isn't reading enough! So I'd just suggest a super interesting book.

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

The best lessons are ones that involve multiple parts of the brain. I love giving visuals while I'm speaking (I'm quite the artist). And for extra measure, I'll add some humor in the mix.

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

Show them the non-textbook side of things. Every subject has a crazy application in the real world.

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

Testing can be done on their own time, but while we're together, I'll have them re-explain concepts to me. Once you're able to teach something well, you've mastered it.

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

By showing just how simple the fundamentals are, and how they can figure out everything else just by building on the smaller blocks.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

For testing, we'd first evaluate a sample test result together. Then we'd go into the nitty gritty of what exactly goes on in the brain when they try to solve a problem.

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

I focus on teaching methods the student prefers. You won't be learning well if you don't enjoy the process!

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

Usually I just bring pen/paper/markers. You can't just read off lecture slides; it's important to be physical with active learning.