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

First, I would spend 5-10 minutes getting to know my student. Finding common ground and learning about each other is a great way to establish a tutor-student team that is ready to tackle anything.

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

When a student has a difficult time learning a skill, I like to a) be a cheerleader and b) take a step back and review skills that the student has already mastered and see if we can apply those skills to the difficult content.

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

I find that engaging in a Socratic dialogue is a helpful way to begin. By asking open-ended questions about the content, we are able to identify what area needs our focus.

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

Students are able to build confidence in a subject if they receive clear instruction with a lot of positive reinforcement.

What is your teaching philosophy?

My goal is to equip students with the tools they need to solve problems, think critically, and excel academically.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help students become independent learners by emphasizing study skills: organization, time management, and self-reliance.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I help students stay motivated by discussing their academic and personal goals and following up on their progress. A nice reward is also important to keep focus.

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

One way I can help improve reading comprehension is to read level-appropriate material together with the student and discuss the reading. This way, I am able to identify the specific needs of the student and ways to improve his or her reading comprehension.

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

Once a skill or topic is covered, I like to have the student teach it back to me. I find that if the student can teach something, then they understand it.

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

Often a difficult subject can be mastered by approaching it from a different angle. Perhaps the student understands related subjects, in which case parallels can be drawn to the difficult subject to keep them engaged.