What is your teaching philosophy?

Only you can define what success looks like but as a teacher or administrator, and as your tutor it is my responsibility to help you achieve your desired results. Once we have established clear, measurable goals we will work together to determine the best pathway toward reaching them.

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

In our first tutoring session I will ask you a series of questions to get an understanding of what your current level of comfort is with the Spanish language (strengths, areas where you want to grow etc.). We will also discuss your priorities and motivations with regards to your study of Spanish (to earn high school credit, to make you more marketable in the work place, be more successful in college etc.). It would be useful during this first session for you to bring some of your present materials, such as a textbook, workbook, etc., if applicable.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Students need confidence and a trusting environment to be comfortable taking risks. We will slowly build up to that as we continue our work together, and I will challenge you to step outside of your comfort level with additional assignments designed to help you meet your goals.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I will provide you with consistent, ongoing and timely feedback, and we will build a portfolio of your work together to serve as a visual of the growth you have made as a result of our sessions.

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

As your tutor, it is my responsibility to ensure you are learning the content that you need and want to learn. Having spent 9 years in the classroom, I have a plethora of resources which we can draw on so that you are exposed to the material in a number of ways.

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

Reading comprehension is a challenge for many language learners, but we will tackle reading with specific, targeted strategies that allow you to gain an understanding of the passages we are reading while building your confidence as a language learner and reader.

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

If we are going to be successful working together it is important that we connect on a personal level as well. I want to know what your interests and hobbies are, and that knowledge will help me tailor our lessons as I can find content in the Spanish language that is of personal interest to you.

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

Some of my favorite strategies to use with students include music, cell phones, pop culture etc., because it helps make content more relatable. When a student is engaged in the music, texting, etc., it is almost as if Spanish is the secondary priority rather than the first.

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

When a student truly understands material they are able to produce material, either orally or in written communication. We will do a lot speaking together and some writing as appropriate with regards to your personal goals.

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

It is important to start with a review of what students already know or have been exposed to and build from that foundation. We will work together towards mastery of some concepts already introduced, and continue to add new vocabulary and grammar structures from there.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

As with teaching, it is important to begin with the end in mind. We will work together to clearly define your end goal (exam, travel, continue with future courses etc.) and work backwards from that point to determine the best strategies to reach your goal.

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

I prefer to tailor instruction to the individual student to the best of my ability, and this can be done through the student's interests, goals, etc.

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

Materials will be determined based on the content that we will be covering, but can include note sheets, work sheet practice materials, music and music videos, online resources, etc.