What is your teaching philosophy?

I understand how it feels to be working hard and not seeing results when you take a test or hand in a lab report. My academic success came only after having struggled to figure out the study habits and techniques that work best for me. I encourage students to work hard, but to be relaxed about their learning so that they can walk away actually knowing and understanding valuable information rather than just memorizing a bunch of facts.

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

Find out what their old study habits have been like and what they're hoping to get out of the tutor session/what their goals are, and develop an understanding of how we can work together to tackle the subject.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Help them find out what kind of learner they are and suggest additional online resources to match that.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Find a way to make it fun, get other students in the same subject and encourage them to challenge or quiz each other, use learning tool websites and create mini competitions to earn points.

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

Figure out their learning style, and then explain it in a way that makes sense to them but also requires them to give feedback to make sure they're understanding the explanation at each step

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

Figuring out their learning style and what aspect of learning they are struggling the most with, then working out the basics to build up from there.

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

I would find a way to make the topic relevant to them, and use that to help them understand it better. Also, I'd give small rewards for conquering each step of a new problem!

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

I would have them recap what they've learned from some concept in their own words, and make sure I'm quizzing them throughout the lesson.

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

I like to explain why a student is correct or incorrect when answering a question to help form tools to build up problem-solving skills. I also like to use everyday, common associations with subjects, so they know that what they are learning has meaning.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I discuss their goals and frustrations with them before we start so we can work together to create a solution that works for them.

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

I like to learn what each of my students do for studying and how they learn best and bridge any gaps they have, teaching them new ways to study or work through problems that will help them specifically.

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

I love using the online program, even for in-person sessions, because diagrams, pictures, and colors often help with problem solving. I like using practice problems and flashcards or review games for help after our sessions as well.