What is your teaching philosophy?

Create an environment and a rapport that is conducive to learning, understand the student's strengths and help them utilize them, and ensure a strong fundamental background.

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

In a first session, it's important to develop a rapport with the student, understanding their strengths and motivations, and gauging what fundamentals need to be addressed. Typically, I'll ask what types of activities they're interested in, how they feel about math and their abilities, and where they are in their studies. I'll usually ask to see examples of their work or ask them to solve some practice problems to see how they work and begin addressing any issues that might arise, and work on tailoring a teaching style that complements their style of learning.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

A major deterrence to a student becoming an independent learner is an apprehension to making mistakes. However, making mistakes and learning from them is one of the most effective ways to improve. Students should be comfortable making mistakes and trying new approaches to problem solving. Building a student's confidence in their own abilities and teaching them how to learn from their mistakes rather than be deterred by them can both greatly help students to become more independent.