What is your teaching philosophy?

I think it's important to go at the pace of the student. Each student has a different learning style and personality, and, as a tutor, it is important to be aware of those characteristics.

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

During the first session, I would get some basic background information about the student by asking about their favorite subjects and hobbies.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would try to get the student to tell me as much as they know about the subject, which increases the student's confidence. Then I would get the student to work on a topic or problem without intervening.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I think praise is the answer to helping a student stay motivated. Congratulating them on solving a problem and staying energetic, while making the topic interesting, is the best way to keep the student's attention.

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

Go through the problem step by step to figure out where there is a misunderstanding. Also, make sure that the student is relaxed and focused. Students can become overwhelmed and stressed due to the amount of work they are given, but slowly taking a step back can become really helpful.

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

I think it's important to set some time aside to practice reading comprehension. It can be difficult to understand what is being read, especially since there are many different writing styles. Practice will help improve the student's understanding.

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

I find that highlighting a student's strengths is the best way to make the student become more successful. Also, letting the student know that it is absolutely normal to have difficulties with subjects. Not every student is going to understand and comprehend every class or subject. Lastly, I think it's important that the student is comfortable because it leads to better communication between the student and the tutor.

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

One way to help a student become more engaged is to use examples that the student is interested in. When a student can relate to the subject, it becomes easier to understand and comprehend.

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

Once the student has thoroughly practiced the material, I would have the student tell me as much as he or she knows about the topic. If the student is confident enough to explain the subject to another person, then that illustrates that the material is understood. I would also ask questions that are similar to the original problem to make sure that the student is knowledgeable of the material.

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

It's important to acknowledge how far the student has come in terms of learning a subject, and to applaud the student for working so hard. Sometimes a student only looks at what he or she doesn't know instead of looking at how much has been learned throughout the process.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I think it's important to look at the way in which the student goes about studying and practicing a subject. This is one of the easiest ways to address a student's needs. After looking at the different learning styles and techniques that a student uses, changes can be made in certain areas to better assist the student.

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

I would observe the personality of the student. Some students are shyer than others, which may require more motivation and patience from a tutor's perspective. Other students may not know how to communicate their needs, so it's important to find other methods to help the student express a certain issue.