What is your teaching philosophy?

My approach is to help with individual comprehension rather than rote memorization. There's more to answering a problem than giving the correct number.

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

Establish the student's level of understanding, figure out the student's needs, and set up a personalized plan for moving forward.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help the student figure out their most effective learning style. Everyone is different, and everyone has different motivations to learn.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I can frame problems in a more relatable way for each student, and I can often give physical applications for abstract concepts.

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

I would change it up. There are almost always multiple ways to think about something, and everyone is different in their understanding.

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

I first establish their understanding, then build a personal plan based on their learning style.

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

I would appeal to their own interests and make the subject more relevant/applicable to what they enjoy.

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

Questions that present the concept in a very different way can test a student's understanding of the material.

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

Never start out with the hardest problem in the chapter. It is almost always best to learn the basics with basic problems.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I ask questions that test their knowledge. I ask students to tell me what they think they need to work on, as well.

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

Every student has a different learning speed, and it is important, as a tutor, to be able to slow down or speed up with the material as necessary.

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

I frequently use a whiteboard to draw pictures, write equations, and emphasize things. If available, I also use objects for demonstrations.

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

Practice, practice, practice. Reading comprehension is an important skill that comes with time and care.