What is your teaching philosophy?

I always hope to engender curiosity within my students. When they are curious, they will seek knowledge for themselves. When they are blocked, that's where I come in.

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

Determine their comfort with the subject matter by getting them to teach me something related.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Periodically scale back to the basics, to never go too long without experiencing success.

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

Approach the concept from different angles of instruction.

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

Slow down and break things down step-by-step.

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

Relatable anecdotes!!!

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

Relatable anecdotes!! Everyone loves good stories.

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

Have them explain and demonstrate. Once you can teach something, you've got it.

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

Never go too long without success. Perhaps that means scaling back every few minutes, and hitting some basic concepts.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Open lines of communication, and rely on seven years of classroom teaching experience.

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

Listen and observe, and then be flexible to change approaches.

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

I draw lots of pictures, even in social sciences, so I'd use lots of paper and pens. Internet access too--for visuals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Do not simply provide answers, but engender curiosity. Make it fun. Tell elaborate stories. Give opportunities for growth, but also successes.