What is your teaching philosophy?

I think that a teacher or tutor's job is to function as a guide or an interpreter of information. He or she acts as a lens to direct the student's attention, often using different methods to make sure that the information is understood.

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

I think that the first session is partially about getting to know the client, seeing what their strengths are and where they are the least comfortable. As a tutor, I need to know where we are starting from so we can set up the best way to move forward.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Get them interested. I think that once a student gets curious, they can start to work on their own a bit more. Once they start that, the comfort grows and they start to gain confidence.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I think that part of helping a student stay motivated is staying motivated too. If a student thinks that you're not working as hard as they are, they can become discouraged. It's important for me to show that I'm not going to give up on him/her, that I'm working just as hard to help them as they are to help themselves learn.