What is your teaching philosophy?

I like to teach by learning together. There may be things that I do not know. The challenge isn't to know everything but learning how to learn.

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

Get to learn what their goal is with the time they spend with me. Is it to simply finish some homework? Or learn a topic that is giving them issues?

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By showing them the value of the internet and how to use it to teach themselves.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

By showing them each session that they are better than the session before.

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

Find the root cause of the difficultly. Usually it is not understanding the prerequisites enough.

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

By asking them to read easier works that might interest them. Reading comprehension is all about building a strong vocabulary.

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

To work with them, not lecture them about a method of doing something.

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

By tying the subject to their probability of success in the future.

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

Doing examples is one method; also to quiz the previous session materials in the next one to verify the understanding.

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

Completing solutions to problems is a great confidence builder. Doing examples is the best way to build confidence.

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

Some students do well with solving sample problems and working through those problems on their own, especially students with good basic understanding. But sometimes students need more hand holding. I adjust my techniques by understanding the current level of comfort the student has with the subject and slowly give them more help.

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

Pictures seem to help students understand problems more clearly. I use diagrams and pictures a lot to help students understand the material better.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

The needs of a student become apparent through communication. No amount of sample problems will express the needs of a student more than simply talking with them. Being positive and adjusting the language to better align with their understanding of the material helps evaluate a student's needs.