What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that students should understand the classes that they are taking and the future practically of their classes. I like to work through problems with students and get their perspective on the subject as opposed to using formulas and memorization to achieve understanding.

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

I will first get to know the student and find their interests and hobbies so I can describe the subject in a matter that piques their interests. Nearly every subject has practicality in someone's future endeavors, so it is important to gain understanding through passion.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Confidence is a key component to gaining understanding. A tutor is meant to steer a student in the right direction and not merely answer questions for a student. I use different techniques and approaches so the student can solve problems in various ways that they understand.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I like to remind students of the bigger picture. Sometimes people get caught up in the day-to-day and forget why they are doing something. Education is a timeless technique to improve people's lives and reach their goals. I like to understand what student's future goals are so we can reach them together.

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

I approach the question from a multitude of angles to gain understanding. There is no 'one size fits all' approach to learning. Sometimes we need to break the information down into more understandable parts. Examples help bring practicality back to the questions, and I strive to achieve that with students.

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

I think it is best to break down the reading into sections and produce feedback from every part. Many times, teachers assign chapters as opposed to working through sections. Breaking passages or reading down into smaller sections usually increases understanding and piques the interest of students.

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

I like to build confidence in students. I like to use easier questions at first to build this confidence and show a student that they can solve problems. Confidence then helps the student work through harder problems in this same fashion.

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

I would show the student why they need to learn something. Some subjects disappoint students because they wonder how this will ever be useful. Understanding the student's passions leads to greater interest in the subject. The famous 'why?' question is useful in explaining difficult subjects for students.

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

I would work through problems with students so they feel the confidence that comes with grasping a subject matter. Once a student can tell me why a certain answer is correct, I feel like they understand the concept in a more holistic way.

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

Practice, practice, and practice! I was once told that 'practice does not make perfect,' but rather 'perfect practice makes perfect.' I firmly believe this principle, and I think it is important to take the necessary steps to achieve understanding. Skipping steps and shortcuts are only a temporary fix, but understanding comes through hard work.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I talk to the students and really find out if they understand something. The easy answer is "yes I understand," but sometimes students just say that to move on to the next section. One must answer the tough questions and be curious in the subject matter to achieve a greater understanding. "The more I learn; the less I know."

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

I will take an individual approach and walk through practice problems. I have been trained to adapt with a variety of students and their unique strengths and challenges. It is more important to draw on student's strengths than to amend their challenges.

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

There are a multitude of online references that are specific to a test or subject that I use. I will also use problems from the student's class or create my own problems to instill a subject matter.