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

I want to get to know my student before starting the first session. I believe that recognizing a problem or an issue enables me to plan each session more efficiently and effectively. I also want each student to familiarize with me. The more comfortable students are with me, the better they communicate and participate in active learning. If a student is living with parents, as is the case with most students, I want parents to be on the same page as to tutoring plan and progress in each session.

What is your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy in education is rooted in my belief that each student is fully capable of learning and performing well. One of the critical methods that are important to me is active participation with positive reinforcement. I believe students should be reminded that learning is fun, rather than a series of obstacles they ought to overcome. A good teacher should praise students' accomplishments. A good teacher should challenge students to apply critical thinking skill when learning materials. A good teacher should encourage and help them get back on track and try again when they struggle. A teaching environment is a great opportunity for both me and my students to continuously learn and improve. With my knowledge and academic experiences, I want to reciprocate to students in need.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

In order to help a student become an independent learner, it is important to establish a learning/studying method that works for the student. People often say, 'give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man how to fish and you fee him for a lifetime.' Rather than telling what the correct answers are, I want each student to learn how to solve problems and establish an effective learning habit.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I believe that a student can be motivated and actively engaged when a student is positively reinforced. This, in turn, enables a student to keep his/her interest in learning beyond assigned materials. In order to keep a student motivated, I want to employ student's interest as a learning tool.

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

From my experience, visualization is one of the most effective ways to explain a concept or a skill. I would employ as much visualization as possible in conjunction with comprehensible analogies when trying to explain a particular concept. Of course, students should not be discouraged from their soon-to-be-overcome inability to understand learning materials.

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

From my experiences, visualization including video clips, drawings among other learning tools is one of the best way to explain an idea or a concept to a student.

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

In addition to praising a student for his/her accomplishments and progress, I believe it is imperative to apply their personal interests as a learning tool. For example, if a student is interested in cars, I could try to explain a concept of Newton's Law by drawing cars!

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

In the beginning of each tutoring session, I would like to set a list of objectives. Setting specific goals for a student could motivate a student and prevent from losing focus. Then, I will actively interact with my student to teach the material. Ending each session by reviewing the material and having a quiz would reinforce my student to grasp the material.

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

Positive feedback is one of the critical component building a student's confidence. Providing such feedback can be achieved through a series of compliments followed by improvement, and visual confirmation through quizzes and exams.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I could start a session with an assessment to test the current knowledge of a student. This would give me a better idea where to start and what to teach.

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

I use my personal notes, video clips that are available online and practice questions.

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

When reading a passage or any piece of writing, it is important to understand the structure of the writing. I would break down a passage and explain the purpose of each paragraph with a summarized sentence for comprehensive understanding for students.

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

Tutoring should be personalized. Although I have a certain method of tutoring, it should be flexible to each student's needs. Each student brings a diverse educational background, and I should respect and such intellectual diversity by individualizing each session.