What is your teaching philosophy?

First, I like to find out what the student's academic goals are and what is his/her preferred learning style. Next, I tailor our tutoring sessions to most efficiently achieve those goals. Finally, I check learning progress by having the student teach the subject back to me.

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

During the first session, I like to cover a general overview of the subject and find out where the student's weak areas are. I also like to facilitate the student in developing a plan for success based on their academic goals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

For me, the hardest part of mastering any subject is not knowing what I don't know. I think this is where a tutor can be most helpful because I can help the student focus on their own studies more effectively.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I find that when I am confident, I stay motivated. I can help a student stay motivated by providing checks on learning that allow the student to demonstrate their own ability to me (before exam time!).

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

I find that it is important to see the relevance and context of any subtopic within the overall picture of a larger topic. Then, I like to break down the subtopic into everyday terms that are easy to understand as I relate the subtopic to the overall picture.