What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that the best way to effectively teach students is to present the information in the simplest and most understandable manner possible in order to create a foundation for understanding, then build up from that foundation for more difficult concepts.

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

In a first session, I would preferably spend some time connecting with the student so that I can give them more personalized attention, followed by working with them through the general subject matter to determine where their strengths and weaknesses lie and how to address them appropriately.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would help my students become more independent learners by working with them through the problems, coaching them, and assisting with any mistakes. I would make sure that my attention is focused on improving their understanding of the material as opposed to simply answering the questions for them.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by being motivated myself, as well as giving positive constructive critiques so that they can improve their work by their own merit.

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

If a student is having trouble, I would give specific attention to where the difficulty lies and then teach the material from the ground up to provide a comprehensive understanding of the material.

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

My best advice for students struggling with reading comprehension would come in two parts. First, what I found to be most helpful in reading comprehension questions is identifying the general tone of the passage based off of the connotation of the words the author used. Following that, I found it was very helpful to attempt to find a general answer to the question without looking at the given choices. This is because once anyone taking a reading comprehension test looks at possible answers they will very likely sway their understanding of the passage to fit into the given choices, as opposed to selecting the best answer based on their initial read-through.

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

I have always found the best way to work with a student is to have a professional - but friendly relationship with them. From there it is simply a matter of helping them help themselves learn whatever material is being covered.

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

If a student is struggling, I would attempt to engage them by building their understanding of the subject from the ground up. For example, if a student was struggling with Calculus II concepts, I would first make sure that their comprehension of Calculus I was adequate enough to work through more difficult concepts.

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

To be sure that a student understands material, I would use my own knowledge to coach them through the material. Once they are able to do the work with minimal coaching, I could then assess their understanding and see where their level of comprehension lies.

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

I build a student's confidence in a subject by first helping them solve the related questions in the subject. When the student appears to be making progress, I would then give positive feedback so that they know they are making improvements and can build their confidence in the subject.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would evaluate a student's needs by assessing them using my existing knowledge, and I'd pay attention to whatever areas they may be having difficulty in while they are working.

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

I would adapt my tutoring to my student's needs in a flexible manner. As every student is different, this could be done in a wide variety of ways. It basically boils down to making a judgement of how the student learns, then altering my teaching methods to best fit their learning personality.

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

In a typical tutoring session, I would need to have my laptop and paper, a pencil, a calculator, and the necessary reference materials.