What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe strongly in open communication, empathy, and understanding between teacher and student. I will always try to understand each student's individual abilities and needs, and attempt to shape our sessions based on that information. However, I cannot do that fully unless a student is willing to tell me exactly how I can help him or her in the best way possible. Through this process, we will be able to accomplish the student's goals for success!

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

First and foremost, I want to get to know the student! What do you like to do? What are your hobbies? What subjects do you like? Why? Not like? Why? What do you think you're good at? What do you want to accomplish in our sessions? Using these questions, I'd come up with a goal for our work together and we can figure out together how to fit our sessions especially for the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I want to teach my students learning tools and concepts rather than simply help with specific problems or questions. By teaching larger concepts, I can give my students the tools and confidence they will need to answer the more difficult questions on their own in the future. I will make sure that once I have explained a topic (however many times it may take), the student is confident in their ability to now apply it without my help.