What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that students learn best and build the most confidence when they reach answers themselves. As a result, my teaching philosophy is to address study skills as well as specific content material by asking questions to develop a student's thought processes and approach to a topic that they can apply to all facets of their studies.

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

In a typical first session, I would attempt to discern the student's unique learning style (visual, auditory, etc.) in order to tailor my teaching approach to that student's needs. I would also try to discern what study skills a student may need to improve before addressing specific subject material.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I believe students become independent learners when they develop a skill set for studying that they can apply to all subjects. It is my goal to not only teach content, but to teach these study skills and thought processes to students in my tutoring sessions.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Students have the most motivation when they feel they are succeeding. I know how difficult and discouraging it can be when you struggle with a subject. To keep a student motivated, I would provide encouragement when they make small steps forward and ask them questions that they will be able to answer before asking more difficult ones to build confidence.

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

I would try to approach a concept from a few different angles. While one or two approaches may not work at first, there is always another direction from which you can approach a subject that may help a student. I would also attempt to target how the student learns best (visual, auditory, etc.) to tailor an approach to their specific needs.

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

I would have students struggling with reading comprehension move through small passages of a work at a time and learn how to pick out both details and greater themes from each smaller section. Reading comprehension skills can be improved by breaking down large amounts of reading into smaller, more manageable sections.