What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that teaching the correct way to get to the correct answer is worth 10 times as much as giving the correct answer. The journey is worth more than the destination. I also believe that understanding a concept is more helpful that completing examples, though repetition is the mother of learning.

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

Introduce myself and ask questions about the student's learning style. Find out the student's need for help, and try to find out what concepts they have trouble with.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student to become an independent learner by teaching them concepts, and by showing them my thought process for going about solving a problem.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would ask the student about where they want to be in math, and show them that they are closer than they were before.

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

I would do my best to find a simpler way to teach that concept to them. Also, by finding other examples and analogies that I can use to compare to the current concepts.

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

A slower approach to reading word problems, and teaching them what is meant by certain words or phrases.

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

The more fun that a concept is, then the more likely that a student will remember the concept. Having fun with the work will help both the student and teacher to stay interested in the subject.

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

I would try to find out the student's long-term goal and then try to show them the reason they would need to know that subject. Showing them that they would use this subject in the future may stimulate them to learn and be more excited about the subject.

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

I think that the only way to really find out is to ask the student a question about the concepts, or in an example problem. We can go over the subject again to make sure the student understands the subject.

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

Starting out with easier problems first. When they can correctly answer a problem, they will feel more in control. This makes it easier to move on to harder problems, and the student can gain more confidence.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would evaluate a student's needs by asking questions pertaining to important concepts. If they cannot answer these questions well, then we can tell where they are lacking.

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

After evaluating a student's need, then we can come up with a plan to attack the concepts that the student is lacking. I would also start by making a list of what the student may need to get stronger and teach accordingly.

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

In a normal teaching session, I would have some chalk, a blackboard, a textbook, a calculator and a computer.