What is your teaching philosophy?

I am a patient tutor who shows the student how to do a problem, allows them to do one, and then I have them teach me to reinforce their knowledge.

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

I would talk to the student to see what they want out of tutoring and how I can best help them. We would then plan out a schedule and go from there.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help them become confident and give them resources to help them achieve their goals. My teaching style allows students to think critically, and independently, so they will learn on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would remind them that the end goal is worth it and that this is just a minor obstacle in the way. I like to tell my students that they should put their best foot forward because even if they do not succeed, at least they tried.

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

I would connect a concept to a real life example or use diagrams to help them visualize it.

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

For students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I go through the books with them and help them think as I do line by line.

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

See one, do one, and teach one is very successful with students I work with.

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

To get a student to become engaged in a subject they're struggling in, I would explain to them that although there are times when we face obstacles, we shouldn't get discouraged and we should always make our best effort. I want to emphasize that it is more than learning the content, it is about how one carries themselves.

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

After explaining the material to a student and walking through with them, I would ask them to explain the problems to me and question them on why they're doing each step.

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

I would start off by doing easier problems and walking them through it and then having them solve those on their own. Slowly, I would increase the difficulty while simultaneously making them solve problems more independently. Once they can solve it on their own, I'd explain how they are now doing it right most of the time for difficult problems.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would look over the content and ask the student basic-difficult questions to see where their level is. I would also ask a student what he/she needs help on and also what specifically they struggle with.

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

If a student is more visual, I draw more to explain concepts. Other students may need more explanations so I would constantly answer their questions and ask them it (in a reworded way) so that it is reinforced. Overall, I try to find out how a student learns best and teach in a way that can correspond to that learning method.

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

I use the student's workbook (if any), the textbook, any problems given as homework for the student, and my college textbooks for additional problems. I also sometimes use the computer for more problems if needed.