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

To begin, I would need to know where my student was in the subject we are focusing on. I would need to know their reading or math levels, so I would need the student to complete some kind of assessment. I imagine that would take up most of the time. By the next time we meet, I should have a better idea of what the student needs to work on.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching students the strategies they can use to solve problems is key for them to become independent learners. That can be true of any subject matter. Another key to independent learning is knowing how to read for information. That will help students be able to focus in on the most important information in the text.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I believe positive reinforcement and encouragement are the best ways for students to stay motivated. They also need to see success, even if it is just in small steps. As long as the teacher/tutor can make the student feel successful and gives encouragement, the student should stay motivated.

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

It is quite simple. If they didn't grasp the concept after teaching it one way, I would try another way. I would continue to try until they got it. At the very least, repeated exposure will help.

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

There are many things that can be done to help with reading comprehension. The first thing to do is to find a book that is the right level for the student's reading ability. If the book is too hard, they will only get frustrated. If the book is too easy, they aren't expanding their abilities. Once we find the right book, we read it, reread it, and talk about it. We can focus in on the key areas that need work.