What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe all students can learn, but all students learn differently. I feel a teacher needs to know their student as a person in order to help them reach their goals.

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

Depending on the needs of the student, I would spend the majority of the time getting to know the student. I would talk to them about their interests, feelings about school, what they think is easy and what they think is difficult. Making a connection is the first step to creating a successful learning environment.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

There are multiple strategies to help a student stay motivated. A student's needs will always determine specific motivational strategies, but in general I use a lot of verbal encouragement. I focus on encouraging students for giving their best effort and doing their best, and improving from where they are.

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

I would start by asking the student to explain the concept or demonstrate the skill to the best of their abilities. This will provide me with a baseline of their comprehension and we can improve from there. After evaluating what they know, I would begin re-teaching the concept. I would use as many resources as needed, such as graphic organizers or manipulatives. Before moving on to the next skill or concept, I would make sure the student has a firm grasp of the current skill.

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

I would begin with gathering as much information as I could about the students reading problems. I would speak to the student, and, if applicable, their parents, about where the student feels frustrated and what they feel they struggle with. I would also use some basic grade level assessments to establish the nature of the problems. I would start with phonics and fluency, and progress to evaluating comprehension. I would then use graphic organizers and think-alouds to support students and help them increase their reading skills.

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

The materials I use vary based on the student’s needs. In general, I use personal white boards, graphic organizers, highlighters and sticky notes. The students can keep the graphic organizers and I can provide extras if they find them helpful. Highlighters and sticky notes help when I teach students how to color code and annotate notes. If I think another manipulative or material will be helpful I will usually provide it during following sessions.