What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe firmly in adapting to the needs of each individual student. Everyone learns differently and responds to different teaching styles in their own way, and thus it's important that we find what works best for them personally. I generally find that my passion for the subject matter, combined with patience and a genuine investment in my students' progresses, is what makes me a great tutor.

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

I would take some time to get to know more about you and discuss your learning style and your goals--how do you learn best? What do you find challenging about the subject? What goals do you have and how can we achieve them? These are all crucial questions in making sure that our time together can be effectively spent. After that, we'd dive right in to whatever subject we're focusing on and go from there!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I think that having strong study skills and being organized are key to being an independent learner. I also provide students with methods and approaches they can use when they get stuck when working on their own. I can help students develop these skills so that even when I'm not there, they can be making progress toward their goals.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Goals! I think that goal-setting can make a huge difference in motivation. It's important to establish a long-term goal, while also creating smaller mini-goals that can be accomplished along the way.

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

I'd figure out where the confusion is coming from--what part of the skill or concept are they not understanding, and how can we pinpoint and tackle that specific issue. I also would try new ways of explaining the concept so that we can perhaps find a more effective approach.

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

I think that when students see the progress they've made, it can help get them excited about the subject. Therefore, I like to give them concrete ways to track their progress. That way, they can see that they're improving. If that approach isn't working to get them engaged, then I try to show them the real-life applications of the subject matter, which can help them understand why it's important and thus make them more willing to engage deeply with the material.

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

I feel that the true test of a deep understanding of a subject is if the student can successfully explain the concept back to me. I'll ask them to explain or illustrate the concept to me as if I were the student--if they can do that well, then I know that the material has really sunk in!

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

I think the best way is through practicing! For example, say a student is struggling with the Math section of the SAT and therefore has little confidence in it. I would start by working on easier level questions with them, and as they improve, we would gradually move on to harder and harder questions. This way, by the time we approach those harder questions, they've learned how to tackle the problems and aren't overwhelmed. I will also build off of the knowledge a student already has (i.e. from their schoolwork) to help them realize that they do in fact have the skills they need to succeed at that subject, even when it comes to more challenging questions.

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

I adapt based on their learning style. Some students work best by having to try to solve a problem on their own first, even if that means getting it wrong or struggling with it, and then having me offer an explanation or support (essentially be asked a question first, then learn the lesson later). Other students learn better by being taught how to solve the problem first and then being asked to replicate the process on their own (essentially being taught the lesson first, then asked the question). Many students also learn better when they are asked to explain the concept back to someone. They are forced to really understand the concept and define it in their own words. I also adapt based on the student's processing style--are they a visual learner? A tactile learner? An auditory learner? Something else? I will teach them in whatever medium proves to be the most effective. I also adapt the homework I give based on the student's needs. Some students benefit from very specific, spelled out homework assignments, while others enjoy the sense of trust and freedom that comes from more self-directed practicing. I'm happy to adjust the amount and type of homework I assign to best suit each individual student and their needs.

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

It depends on the subject I'm tutoring. For most test prep sessions, I like to work from Varsity Tutor's bank of practice questions. I also will work with students out of a prep book, looking at lessons and/or practice problems. If I am tutoring a student for their coursework, our materials are mainly their assignments from school, though I will sometimes supplement with additional reading material, practice problems, etc.