What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that conceptual understanding and practice make perfect. My goal as a tutor is to first make sure that the student grasps the basic concept at hand and then move onto routine practice to help internalize the solution strategies. I believe that all students are capable of making progress. My one-on-one instruction method is tailored for students as individuals. That being said, tutoring sessions are targeted to strengthen students' unique weaknesses and to build upon their individual talents.

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

During the first session I usually assess the student's current competence and then create an individualized plan of study based on tangible and specific academic goals. We determine what the student is studying, which areas are points of weakness and how the student can adhere to a specific study schedule to make progress. I then spend the rest of the first session reviewing these points of weakness from the start and then continue what review remains throughout the next sessions.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

My goal as a tutor is to help students gain more confidence in their ability to learn. I encourage students to pay close attention to demonstrations of solution strategies and test their internalization of the strategies by presenting lots of practice questions.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I help students stay motivated by showing them how to set and achieve learning goals. Motivation derives naturally from increased confidence in one's ability to learn and apply new concepts.

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

I break apart the concept into its most basic components and slowly present all parts of it in a logical order. I then have the students point out where they become less sure, and I go back to that part of the concept and make sure that they understand it thoroughly.