What is your teaching philosophy?

I learn by asking myself two questions: how does this work, and how is it connected to things I already understand. In this way, I can retain information and have multiple routes to share it. While tutoring, I have found this method to be enjoyable, and it also helps students own the material.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Becoming an independent learner is all about finding what you are passionate about and then turning that passion into curiosity. Once you become curious about one thing, the connections it has with the rest of the world light up.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

By making whatever progress they can make. Success is not about overtaking the highest scorer in the district but doing better than you did yesterday.

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

I would make it real for them. Whether that means finding applications in everyday life, a relevant story, or an experiment. Additionally, I would provide different paths to the same solution until one clicked.

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

To help with reading comprehension, you need to figure out where the breakdown is. Is attention wandering? Are certain skills missing? Is confidence lacking? Is the book simply too hard? Usually it is some combination of these and other factors, all of which need to be addressed on an individual basis.

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

Learning about their interests and hobbies. In this way, I can make material relatable quickly, while also making the setting more comfortable.