What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe every student knows more than they realize, and it is just a matter of relating to new material through what is familiar that enables new discoveries and breakthroughs.

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

I would ask them about what makes them come alive, and where their interests lie, so that we can build bridges from their existing drive into their studies. For example, if a student is passionate about baseball, we can use it as the basis for studying physics, statistics, anatomy, etc.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By going beyond the rote memorization that standardized tests and teachers often have to rely on, I spark self interest in a subject, and a sense of accomplishment. With that as a basis, independent drive is a natural next step.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would seek to discover what they cared about, and how their studies supported them in getting more of it in their life. Also, to not only give them praise for the wins but to glimpse a bigger picture beyond the "have to."

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

Seek to break it down into the most fundamental elements.

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

We might spend time where I read to them and pause to discuss the story, so they can develop their digestion of concepts and ideas independent of reading skills, and I can assess what their base absorption rate is.

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

Always personalize and discover the student presented before me. Encourage learning by being willing to model learning about them.

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

Find a win together in it. Most struggle is simply feeling helpless and left out.

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

A mixture of dialogue and questions coupled with review. If they can't discuss it at all, at best they've only memorized names; discussion demonstrates grasp.

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

I explore what they already know of it, if anything, and where it may relate to their life. By discovering personal involvement in a subject, a student develops interest naturally. Most avoidance, and fear, is a lack of introduction or context for the subject.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By paying attention to where they are able to focus and where they cannot. Some are visual learners and need to see illustrations and concepts; some are experiential and need to explore and even fail in order to get a feel. Students show us all the time what they need -- just not every class instructor is able to tune in or meet them there, tutors are if they know what to look for. Having a psychological background, I do know.

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

I approach it realizing that I am there to learn about the individual as much as the individual is there to review a subject. We both are there to learn and create.

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

Simplest and most readily available is best in my opinion, smartphone, iPad, pen/pencil, and paper. Info is readily researched and gathered from there as a starting point to anything.