What is your teaching philosophy?

Every individual is unique. How one student learns or works best is particular to him or her. I don't believe in being cruel and piling on unnecessary work and memorization. I believe in giving a student confidence in him or herself, and working through ways in which together we make difficult subjects stimulating to us.

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

The student and I would talk about school, the subjects he or she likes and doesn't like, and why. We'd get to know each other, because it would be hard to work if we weren't comfortable with each other.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The student and I will figure out how best to keep learning simple. The more simple learning is, the more interest and creativity we have. This, of course, depends completely on who the student is and how he or she best learns.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

We would set goals. Setting goals gives a student something to accomplish, to be proud of. Also, we might talk about why education is important, why things like studying and working hard, though often tedious, are important.

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

We would start with the easiest subject matter, and practice our way gradually to more difficult subject matter.

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

The best way to become better at reading comprehension is just to read and remember to breathe. We would practice reading slowly through text, and I would ask that the student reads something he or she enjoys outside of our sessions. And I would remind him or her to breathe and relax.

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

We would find ways to make this subject fun, and we would set a goal together that we would try to reach, with a reward.

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

Practice. Practicing is the only way to get better. We would do practice problems, and we would have discussions with each other about the subject to reach a deep understanding.

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

If a student practices, he or she will improve. I would keep track of the student's improvement, and when one sees improvement, confidence increases.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By doing the difficult work with the student. With me, the student will be free to make mistakes so we can see what the needs are.