How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I teach students to ask "why?" Searching for a deeper understanding increases studying independence and enjoyment of learning.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivations depends greatly on the individual student, and so I would adapt my approach for individual students. I also believe that short breaks can help a student to be better focused and motivated when they return to work.

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

I spend most of my tutoring sessions working on challenging subjects. Most importantly, I would first focus on finding the specific source of a student's difficulty.

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

I have students practice reading books that are slightly beyond their comfort zone. I would also work on more difficult reading with them to build their confidence and competence.

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

I like to have students explain their mental processes while they answer difficult questions. This practice helps me to understand how they approach problems and helps them to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.

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

I help the student work through questions or problems that are more difficult than they may feel comfortable with. Showing students that they can understand subjects with a little help gives them more confidence that they can do difficult problems alone.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that students should understand core concepts that are behind complicated subjects. I teach them to remain focused and calm when approaching difficult questions and to use their deeper understanding.

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

I like to get to know a student's individual personality and approach to studying or work. In a first session, I would spend more time just talking to them than in later sessions, and then go through some basic schoolwork with them.

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

When students begin to lose focus or struggle with a particular subject, I have them verbalize their thought process. This allows them to focus and gives me the opportunity to add help where they need it.

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

Motivation depends on the particular student and the subject. I may use practical examples, encourage students to seek understanding rather than memorization, or a variety of other strategies.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs based on their school performance, information from parents and the students, and personal observation over time.

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

Adapting tutoring to a student's needs is a bidirectional process that takes some time. I would us a variety of study strategies and try to narrow down what works best for a particular student.

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

In the first few tutoring sessions, I use primarily schoolwork that has been given to the student to practice and to evaluate the student's needs. As I get to know a student better, I may introduce more outside materials to facilitate learning.