What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe it is best the guide students toward the answers and knowledge they seek. This way they learn the steps necessary to solve future problems of a similar nature.

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

I would ask which topics and materials they have been working on in school and which topics and materials they have difficulty and would like help with.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I believe the process is the most important part of learning. When one learns the correct way to do something or solve a problem that information will stay with them. Good study habits are essential for success in education.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

You need students to trust that you know what you are doing and that doing as you suggest will benefit them in some way. This is done by finding ways to relate to a student's life, hobbies, or interests. Finding fun ways for students to learn tedious topics is helpful as well. "In every task there is an element of fun, find the fun, and boom you have yourself a game."

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

Find the best way to explain a concept and reinforce its retention.

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

I find ways to simplify the content they are reading. Perhaps make an analogy or tell a story that is similar. Breaking down a paragraph or sentence into parts can also help students who struggle with understanding its meaning.

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

I think it is best to establish a connection of sorts with a student in the beginning. This builds trust and provides a framework around which lessons and concepts can be taught.

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

Make it a game. Everything is more fun as a game. Relate the subject/concept to something the student is interested in. Make them care about the problem.

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

Reinforcement of concepts over time is important. Going back for review helps keep ideas fresh and at the forefront of a student's memory.

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

Start with easy concepts within a subject, let them succeed. Then slowly build up the more difficult topics. The confidence built on the easier concepts will help fuel them as they work through harder ones.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

You ask what they have been going over in school and if they have been struggling with anything in particular. Explore topics that interest them and find out which ones are lower on their list of favorites.

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

Get to know your student. Find out what interests them and find a way to connect/relate to them. Move at their pace, some students need time to understand a concept. Some students are fast learners and just need help with their study habits, while others need to focus more on the material. Be aware of a student's needs and change your teaching style to match.

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

Books and reference materials the student is familiar with (usually the ones they use in school.) I like to use a whiteboard to quickly work through math problems. Using physical objects and drawings or pictures can often help students who are visual learners.