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

A first session will begin with a brief light-hearted conversation to allow the student to share their personal stories as well as goals for tutoring. This is also designed to boost the student's motivation and develop his/her trust in me as a tutor. The session will include some pop quiz questions to assess the student's current understanding. With the remaining time, we will dive into the curriculum that the school or testing board uses or that the student wishes to cover outside of academic requirements.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

My father often told me that the purpose of school is "to learn how to learn." I am a firm believer of this and, as such, I do not spoon feed students during sessions but rather guide them to figure out how to answer their own questions and solve their own problems. Thus, I focus not only on what to do, but how and why to do it. One of the most significant drivers of independent learning is curiosity, and this is one of the primary traits I aim to cultivate in students.

What is your teaching philosophy?

Learning and performing academically are both arts and sciences. As a cognitive science major in college, I studied the hard science of how humans learn: reinforcement, attention, pattern recognition, etc. The "art" is not to be underestimated though: this includes things like motivation, talent, response to pressure and stress, etc. As a tutor, I focus on both these aspects of learning and succeeding both in short-term goals like one assignment or longer-term goals like increasing an SAT score or gaining admission to a selective college.

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

I would relate the concept to one that they already know (i.e. using an analogy) and then point out the similarities and differences. This will help them understand this challenging concept in the context of their other knowledge. Another approach I would use is to combine the big picture with the details. For instance, many concepts that students find confusing can actually be described in one non-technical English sentence. This basic understanding then helps students see how the details fit together rather than just memorizing them. Not to be overlooked, I focus on strengthening students' confidence and motivation throughout the sessions, as these become even more important when students face challenging concepts.