What is your teaching philosophy?

Practice. Practice. Practice!

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

We would get to know each other a little bit, set goals for the near future and the far future, and assess the knowledge and skill level the student has in the subject.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Goals are a very important concept to continue through an educational career in order to succeed. A student should always have something to work towards - whether it be getting a grade higher than the last test or becoming a doctor. Learning calculus seems a bit useless in high school, but if a student wants to be an engineer in the future, having a strong calculus foundation from high school will ease the stress of a physics class in college. If poetry seems to be their thing, a strong calculus grade will show the college of their choice that they are a well-rounded candidate!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Show the student how to use the textbook! Read. Take notes. Do practice problems. If the textbook is not enough, there are so many online resources to use that help students learn independently.

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

There are various ways to go about teaching a concept or skill. I would keep trying until I find the one that clicks for the student!

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

Reading comprehension is tough! I would start light with short paragraphs and work to a longer essay, while constantly asking "what are they trying to say" and "why are they saying this."

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

I am constantly asking questions, because when the students can explain it clearly to me, they know the information!

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

I would set goals and talk about how it is possible to succeed! We would go back to the beginning and I would show how much they have already learned, and hopefully this will motivate them to want to move forward.

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

We can switch roles. They become the teacher and I am the student. If they can explain it to me and answer all my questions then they understand the material.

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

Words of encouragement from a teacher or tutor go far, but I think it is important to show their skills today compared to what they were week ago. They are learning to better themselves, not to gain a tutor's approval.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

To evaluate a student's needs, I ask questions about what they are learning, where they had trouble, what they want to go over. If they do not give me anything to work with, I have them show me past work and present assignments and we go from what went wrong there.

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

This depends on the student's learning style. If a student needs it drawn out, acted out, or spoken out, we do the appropriate task.

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

I use colored flash cards, paper, pens, and highlighters to organize information more. All relevant information should be grouped together so that our brains can make connections easier.