What is your teaching philosophy?

To enlighten and develop methods for several ways to critical think upon the subject. I feel it is best when students find an interest to keep going in terms of studying rather than a teacher or an instructor forcing facts and grinding problems into the minds of students.

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

Take a couple of minutes to get to know the students. After all, this is not school but a place where both sides can get to know and determine what would be the best course of action to tackle the subject at hand. Of course, seeing how it is the first session, mistakes can be made on my part, but as an instructor it is my job to learn and correct these mistakes in order to develop my teaching methods.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching certain skills which includes: "how to outline," "take notes," "critical think/ asking questions about the text," and finally, "searching for the drive to study."

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Look beyond the textbook, and put the subject in a different light in which a student may relate or understand clearly. Videos, documentaries, and biographies are all great, but rather pique the student’s interest by introducing various elements that the subject may be applied too.

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

Develop a new skill that fits for him or her.

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

Breaking down the passages in bits and pieces either making marks on them or outline certain passages on their notebooks. That way, he or she can reference them on a moment’s notice whenever a question arise. Secondly, when reading the passage, ask them to develop their own question starting with "what did I just read right now" or "how does this relate to the main idea/thesis?"

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

Let them know that this is not school and rather a place to explore and tackle the problem together rather than doing it alone. Pique their interest with outside knowledge pertaining the subject.

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

Allowing them to see for themselves what progress they made. Hearing the answer coming out of their mouth rather than hearing it from me or from anyone else.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Besides the usual "observing" a student's strength's and weakness through the curriculum. It is best to see a student's struggle when he or she is at home in their own environment to see what factors are hindering their studies.

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

First and foremost for a tutor like me is to be versatile. Not one student is the same like others are. Every student is entitled to study in their own way matching their strengths in order to maximize their output on a particular subject.

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

The whiteboard to outline what we just went over, videos to supplement the lesson (2-3 minutes at most, any longer run-time on a video may be suggested for the student to see at their own time), introduce different point-of-views or aspect of that time era (this work refers the subject of history).

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

See how this subject pertains to everyday life, apply it to the world around us and how it affects people. Let them see for themselves the progress that the student made by letting them answer their own questions and develop even harder questions for themselves. Challenge themselves to new heights.

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

Note taking, outlines, researching using outside sources via books or documents (refrain from using.com sites or Wikipedia, and use.org or.net).