What is your teaching philosophy?

I prefer to identify student's strengths first to assess what areas we can focus on to bring out the best in students.

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

After introductions, I generally would like to get feedback from the student about what is challenging for them about the subject and what they find rewarding. If students generally like the material but are having difficulty, there may be different methods of improvement than when the course is just not interesting.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Developing accountability is key. I like to give short assignments to the student between sessions that will assist them in their educational goals, but I also give assignments to myself to show the student that I am willing to work for them, and they should be willing to work too.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I like to define goals and outcomes for students. If a student has a particular goal in the future, I will explain how that course or test is an important step in that path.

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

If a student has a hard time understanding a concept, I go back to the fundamental concepts that the student does understand to show how they are related. Breaking down complex topics into ones the student has already mastered always helps.

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

Reading is about relating to the subject matter. When texts use language or discuss topics unfamiliar to students, it can be a struggle to connect meaning with what is being read. Therefore, I try to engage the student in dialogue about the subject in language the student can identify with, so that the topic becomes more interesting. Learning ensues.

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

Consistency and repetition help students know what to expect and what is expected of them. Breaking down tutoring sessions into recognizable blocks such as vocab practice, or homework review, can help the student learn to prepare for tutoring sessions and their classes.

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

Making subjects relevant to the world that the student lives in makes students more excited. Often this is a matter of explaining how the subject applies in the real world, or how it may affect the student daily.

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

Tests and quizzes are useful for test prep, but mastery of an academic subject means use. I would also have the student practice explaining concepts and their use to me to demonstrate mastery.

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

Remind them how far that they have already come in the subject and how much they already know.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Ask questions and listen. Often the student will talk about a difficulty in a way that an experienced tutor has seen before.

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

Each student is a little different in terms of what motivates them. So, learning why the student wants to learn a subject might change what kind of feedback and reinforcement I provide.

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

I typically like to use the materials the student will need for class or for the test. This may include practice tests, maps, news articles, etc.