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

My typical first session with a student is to go over the previous homework or tests to see where their strong and weak points are. Once those are determined, my teaching will develop accordingly.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I believe that once a student is comfortable with the basic tools of the subject and how to apply those tools, the student will become more and more independent.

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

When confronted with such a situation, I change the way we look at the problem. Usually I tie the concept of the problem to something in everyday life.

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

To help a student get more engaged about a subject, I show them how to apply the subject to real-world situations.

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

I will create a test off the top of my head for the student to answer. This practice is really helpful as a review before an exam.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that knowing the concepts behind the problems helps the student complete them on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Showing the student the mindset they need to complete the problems keeps them motivated, because they can use that logic and easily apply it to other problems.

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

For math and science word problems, I have my students write out the variables the problem gives them. Being able to visually see what is given and what you need to solve for makes working problems much easier.