What is your teaching philosophy?

I personally think this depends on the student that I am working with. I like to see how the student's mind works so that we can structure a lesson where they will be in their comfort zone. By relating concepts in the subject area to real world examples that the student has experienced, they are better able to see that they are capable of accomplishing anything with a different outlook.

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

In the first session, I like to ask the student some questions about their current learning styles. I also like to get to know the student to find out more about themselves outside of school. This allows me to assess current learning styles that might not be working for the students and see how I can show the students how they can apply what they are learning to their own lives.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The number one goal of a tutor is to make a student an independent learner! Our job is to simply give students the tools that they need to become the independent learner that they can be. Showing students the tools that they can use on their own, allows them to no longer need us.

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

There are many pathways that lead to the same result. If a student is having difficulty understanding one method, then we can always try another one. We can look at a subject from multiple different angles until the student finds one that they understand. Another way to help students with difficult concepts is to show the student how they can relate the concepts to their lives. Using real life situations allows students to see the bigger picture and be able to personally relate.

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

I feel that getting to know my students first helps me to be able to make true connections with them. By understanding the situation that the student is in, I can best assess which approaches to take with them. I also like to see the student’s notes and ask them about their current studying habits. This allows me to see what might be working and what might not be. If we can pin point the wrongs and turn them in to rights, the student can see how they can use what we go over at home by themselves.

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

By relating the subject that they are learning to their lives, students can get more excited to learn. By relating the subject material to real life applications, students can make a connection. This way it is no longer the student battling the subject, but rather the student embracing the subject.

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

Showing students techniques that they can use to learn the material is only one step. Making sure that they retain this information is the next step. In order to ensure this, I will give students assessments at the end of the current session and the beginning of the next session. Especially in math, everything is cumulative. If a student does not remember what they learned last, they cannot move forward.