What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that every student has a unique style of learning. It is our job, as teachers and tutors, to help students figure out what that style is and how to adapt the material to that student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I believe organizational and study skills are critical for any student's success. As a tutor, I would like to impart these skills so students can become confident in any subject.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Lessons and material can easily be adapted to a student's personality and interests. Highlighting the information that most appeals to them encourages students to stay motivated and want to learn more.

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

It's important to pinpoint exactly what about the skill or concept the student is having difficulty with. Whether it's the application or the way the concept is explained, I would try to use as many different ways possible to impart that knowledge. This may mean using visuals or trying to apply to concept in a real world setting.

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

In a first session, I would first identify what the student’s strengths and weaknesses are. Once we have figured out those together, I will seek to address the material in a way that the student finds both interesting and understandable.

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

I think it's best to learn the basic skills of reading comprehension with brief passages that are easy to tackle. Then the student can undertake gradually more difficult passages.

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

I think it's important to find something that the student finds interesting (hobbies, sports, art) and find ways to connect that to the material. This helps them connect with their schoolwork on a more personal level. Also, many students benefit from different visual representations of problems.

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

One of the ways to do this is by connecting the material to the student's everyday life and interests.