What is your teaching philosophy?

Every student will have different circumstances and personalities, and understanding that will be the key to effective communication and teaching.

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

Understand what they expect from our session, inquire about how they like to be taught, explain what I can provide, and discuss how we will achieve our goals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teach them how to fish, so when they are hungry, they can feed themselves. (This is obviously a metaphor for learning.)

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Clearly express the rewards of higher education and what it means in the big picture, beyond the immediate classroom.

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

Explain it in a different way. Students learn in a variety of ways, and switching up a teaching method might help bridge the gap

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

I would require them to read aloud, and I can assist with words they are unfamiliar with so that they can learn first-hand. I will make it very clear that I am not here to judge but to assist and that they should not be afraid of looking silly.

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

They need to feel comfortable with me to feel comfortable with themselves, and I promote an environment where they are open to learning and showing their insecurities revolving around their lack of knowledge and need for tutoring.

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

Relate the topics to what they can use in everyday life.

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

Ask them to reiterate to me the steps behind completing a problem so that the understanding of the concept is clear.

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

Start out slow and gradually build up to tougher problems. Never start with a hard problem. Tell them that this was something that you struggled to understand when you were in their shoes.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Over the time of several sessions, it should be clear where I can be of most value, whether it be by observation or by simply asking the question of what topics they don't understand clearly.

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

Lesson plans are not concrete but dynamic throughout the session. I'm there for the student, not to complete an agenda.

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

Pen and paper in order to develop graphics.