What is your teaching philosophy?

No brain is born the same, and each student deserves individual treatment. Some students love regurgitating textbooks, while I myself enjoy drawing, making connections, and rephrasing concepts in other ways I understand. My goal is to come to mutual understandings with students, so they truly know what they need before building up to more complicated topics.

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

I like to build comfort and mutual respect with students. While I may be a teacher, we are both taking the time to work on certain material. After providing sample questions to determine the student's ability in [topic x] , I would delve into their main problem for the session and seek to dismantle any bad habits or misunderstandings I notice in the student's work.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Everyone makes mistakes. Hard workers accept this and make as many as they need to before they get the job done. Independent thinking doesn't come from giving answers away. I ask students what they think they're being asked when facing a question. I ask them to try solving it on their own, provide their explanation, and determine if there are any other ways to go about solving this problem. Before explaining whether or not they are correct, we simply check. It is VERY important that there isn't any ego bruising when going over questions. Best efforts are given and should be encouraged, as well as praised. If a student becomes comfortable with getting questions wrong, that's perfect, as long as they are willing to keep answering more questions and convert mistakes into consistent correct answers.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Helping them explain concepts on their own, and congratulating them for being inventive, creative, and completely capable of understanding things in their own way.

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

I would try to put the skill or concept in a larger world view by comparing it to concepts they understand, such as a game or comic or show they enjoy. Combining new elements with things they already understand familiarizes them with new concepts.

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

I relate to them - everyone can struggle with reading comprehension. The trick is taking things apart, and making them go hand in hand with bigger picture statements - not tedious detail. I help students identify the big facts in a sea of detail.