What is your teaching philosophy?

"In all things, moderation."

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

Introduce myself, get to know the student, talk about their goals and what difficulties they are aware that they are having.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By sharing my own enthusiasm for learning.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Remind them of the rewards that come from achieving their goals.

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

Go through the topic slowly and carefully, taking nothing for granted, and not pushing harder than the student is ready to be pushed.

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

Reading with them.

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

I try to earn their trust by showing them how I can concretely help them.

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

By helping them find some success with the material.

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

Asking them to explain it to me or demonstrate their knowledge by putting it into use.

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

Reinforcing what they have learned.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I begin by talking to them and their parents.

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

There is no point in spending time on any technique that is not working, so any teacher must always be ready to come at the material from a new angle.

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

That depends greatly on the topic. For test prep, we can take a look at previous tests and go over proven techniques. For English or ESL, I spend time reading together. For math, we work through the problems. I enjoy discussion and want a student to feel confident before we move on from any given section.