What is your teaching philosophy?

With patience, dedication and the right approach and communication, every tutor can excel; and when the tutor succeeds, the pupil succeeds. That is a win-win situation.

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

Sit with a pupil and listen to their requirements, subject understanding and competency. Understanding what the pupil requires and what the hurdles are is the most important step in achieving success. This will help in developing a planned schedule with the pupil so that there is steady progress. It will also help to break the ice and help me understand any specific needs the pupil has.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By simply asking them to speak their mind and ask questions. Also, by encouraging them to explore their curiosity and making them understand the importance of self-study. Also, by adding exercises to their studies, in which they are told to explore a topic and later discuss with me, so that they learn how to accumulate and present information

How would you help a student stay motivated?

By getting to know them. Also by encouraging them at every step. Positive reinforcement has always worked for me, and I believe in drawing from experience.

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

Simplify it to the best extent possible and then by changing approach; relate it to an easy example so that it is better understood. Or else, try and relate it to something relevant to the student.

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

By first understanding where the problem is, what the student understood and why the student is struggling. Then guiding the student through the problem and making him/her understand the big picture and the message of the text by understanding key phrases or words, whichever may be relevant to the text

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

To be patient, by keeping my language comprehensible, by keeping dialogue always open and by listening to the student.

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

By relating it to something they are interested in. Or, by making it a game for them.

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

Test exercises and cross questioning with revisions.

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

By positive feedbacks and focusing on personal strengths of the student. Also, by showing trust in the ability of the student and genuine love for the subject I am teaching.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By periodic tests/ evaluations and by conducting sessions where the student can explain, to the best of his/her knowledge, what is needed.

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

By understanding the student's aptitude for the subject and by always listening to the student's struggles.

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

Notes, for my reference, a flow chart to proceed systematically, books if I need them, and sometimes audiovisual material, if it is more productive.