What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that we all possess unlimited potential for learning and understanding. I can help you build your knowledge and understanding so that you can fully utilize your brain's capacity.

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

It is important to assess current skills and knowledge and create goals before tackling problems.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can give you the tools you need to improve your understanding. I will help you build your knowledge base and creatively look at problems in a way that you will understand. Once you possess these skills, you will be able to learn new information; retain it; and improve your grades, test scores, and confidence.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

My goal is to increase your understanding and confidence in the subjects we study together. The best motivator is consistently answering questions correctly, on your own. I will help you get there.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, it's time to take a different approach. I would figure out new ways to explain the subject until we found something that works.

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

The best way to improve reading comprehension is to break it down and take it slow. Often trouble with reading comprehension is a symptom of a more basic problem. Once we break it down, we will be able to find that problem, solve it, and improve the end result.

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

I think each student is different and the best strategy is to find individualized solutions. The first thing I do is get to know the student beyond the subject that we are studying. This way, we can use the student's strengths and interests to improve the areas they are struggling in.

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

I like to find ways to relate subjects we are working on to things that the students are interested in.

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

There are several techniques that can be used depending on the subject we are studying. If the student can teach me the concept, that is a good indication of their understanding.

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

We break down intimidating concepts and tackle them little by little. Then, we build. The more you understand, the more your confidence builds.

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

Each student is different. By learning about their personal strengths and interests, assessing their current skills and knowledge, and formulating individualized goals, we can create productive sessions to meet each student's needs.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I like to ask questions to gauge where the student's confidence level, skills, and knowledge base are. By identifying the student's strengths and weaknesses in a subject, we can start to address the problem areas and conquer them.

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

I like to use my I-Pad, whiteboard, and scratch paper. I also use the student's textbooks and other class materials to be sure we are covering all the course material.