Ryan

What is your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy is that knowing an answer is never as important as knowing why an answer is correct.

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

Getting to know the student is key. Understanding their study habits and academic processing when it comes to homework struggles is key to being an effective tutor.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Independence is learned by applying what they learn in tutoring sessions by themselves after the framework has been set.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

As a therapist, finding motivation for positive change is something I have experience with. Processing struggles and gaining confidence is key.

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

I would take a step back and allow the student to temporarily take the reins of the session. This will help me to see where the student goes with the concept, and what aspect is getting them stuck.

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

When it comes to reading comprehension, slow and steady is always better than fast and sloppy. I would take my time with the sessions and allow the student to comprehend the material at their own pace.

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

It's been my experience, both with children and college-aged students, that a positive attitude and light atmosphere helps the student to stay focused and honest. Academic struggles can be personal for students, and having an environment where the student can be honest with what they don't understand is critical.

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

I would brainstorm situations or scenarios where the knowledge being learned would be applied. If the student refuses, or is adamant, I would explain a different opinion. Not everything you learn in your life will directly apply to your future. But you also don't know what will apply. Education, no matter the specific topic, will always have a positive influence on your life and lead to a version of yourself you will be happy to have.

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

Typically with my sessions, I only conclude my student fully comprehends a concept if they are able use the concept AND explain it to me without context. This is why my sessions have a strong back and forth, to make sure that what I am saying is being processed.

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

As a therapist, I know that confidence can be all the change someone needs. I believe a positive outlook, a nonjudgmental atmosphere, and an open environment are all critical to build the student's self-esteem. Being in tutoring, it is easy for a student to lose their self-confidence, convinced that tutoring is "extra help" because they are incapable of doing something themselves. Dispelling this myth is one of the first things a therapist should do, and something I hope to do at the beginning of the first session.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Talking to the student about what they want to get out of tutoring is a great way to establish needs.

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

Pen and paper, a laptop, and necessary tools.