What is your teaching philosophy?

Benjamin Franklin is quoted as saying : " Tell me, and I forget. Teach me, and I remember. Involve me, and I learn." I believe involving and engaging students is paramount to learning. In every session, I encourage my students to think critically and truly experience learning by using real world examples, and helping them make relevant connections to the material. When students are allowed to explore subjects freely and uncover facts and techniques on their own, the effect is profound on their learning and knowledge retention. My job is not to quiz students relentlessly or regurgitate knowledge to them, as much as it is helping them find the key to unlock their learning potential.

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

The first session with my student is extremely important, because it is when both student and tutor determine whether or not a tutor-student interaction is a good and mutually constructive fit. I believe it is important to establish a rapport with my students in order to build trust and facilitate the path to learning. From an academic standpoint, I establish which areas students need the most immediate attention, and focus on these needs while noting their secondary concerns. In some instances, the areas students need the most help with are not academic at all such: having trouble focusing, organization difficulty, and poor study skills; I have found that when I address these areas, the student's academic struggles greatly improve.