What is your teaching philosophy?

As a teacher, I have three main goals: 1) to encourage a love of learning; 2) to identify and offer solutions to the specific problems a student may be having while trying to master some material; 3) to create a space where a student may feel safe if they falter along the path to mastering a subject or concept.

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

A good first session will end with my understanding what the student wants to improve upon, what they are struggling with in the subject, and what their study habits are so that I can develop a study program that will help the student learn. With that in mind, a first session will involve some sort of productive assessment of the student. For instance I might do a few writing exercises so that I can gauge the skill of the student while giving them time to practice their writing. After getting a sense of their skill level, I would work with the student to come up with a plan for how they will improve upon the skills they already have.