What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe in a more relaxed method of teaching, because frustration can occur easily while learning. By breaking down the material into pieces, I believe the difficulties a student faces become less overwhelming, and he or she can focus on one piece at a time. This allows the student to have that "aha" moment as he or she begins to understand each piece. Then, it motivates the student to continue forward.

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

In the first few minutes, I would ask the student what he or she knows, what he or she wants to know, and then, we will come up with a plan to reach that goal.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teach students self-study methods.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Learning does not have to be boring. Incorporating games and incentives can increase motivation!

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

Identify the barrier, break it down, and have some fun to minimize student frustration.

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

There are many ways to help. The key factor is to identify the main issue(s) causing the student to struggle.

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

Get to know learning style, likes, and dislikes. No student wants to learn anything in a style they find uncomfortable or unfamiliar.

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

Link studying to something they enjoy that is unrelated to academics.

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

One of the best methods is to let the student play teacher/tutor and have them teach a concept back to me as if I've never heard it before. See one, teach one, do one.

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

Positive reinforcement.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Look over previous work in the subject, ask questions, and try to identify if there is a root issue hindering the concepts they are having difficulty understanding.

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

Every student is different. Getting to know their likes and dislikes helps with planning their sessions. Also, what type of learning they identify with most. There is a couple question assessment that is great for identifying what method will likely work best.

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

It depends on the subject, age, and type of learner. My younger students enjoy the learning games most! I found it works well as a reward and confidence booster.