What is your teaching philosophy?

I have loved teaching for a long time. I have always felt, even when I was young, that teachers have one of the best problem-solving jobs in the world. They are professional puzzlers. Teachers have the job of taking information and finding a way to make it fit perfectly into someone's head! I feel that anyone can learn anything they put their minds to. Sometimes, it might just take a little more time or a different approach to make it happen.

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

I will discuss goals with the student about what they hope to get from tutoring as well as do some sort of assessment to determine what it will take to reach those goals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I use questions to make students think through the problem solving process themselves. So instead of saying "this is how you do this", I would say "How would you do this?"

How would you help a student stay motivated?

It's much easier to stay motivated if you just have to do a little at a time. Even if you have to take small breaks here and there, it makes it so much easier.

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

Everyone has difficulty with something. I would just keep trying new approaches until we find one that sticks. The student needs to know that it's ok to have trouble sometimes. :)

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

Reading aloud usually helps with that. With younger students, I have found that cloze reading (we both read aloud together) helps tremendously!

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

It depends on the subject matter, but the biggest strategy of all is to create a safe environment for learning. Kind of like gardening, conditions have to be just right.

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

Show the student real-world examples, and have excitement for it myself.

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

Assessments and independent practice over time.

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

I will build confidence by celebrating successes. Not everything will get a party, but even just a word of encouragement when accomplishing something hard can make a world of difference.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Assessments, as well as watching a student work and talking through the process that is going on in their minds when problem-solving.

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

I will look for understanding and mastery. If a student already knows something, or catches onto it quickly, we move on. If a student is struggling with a subject, or missing key skills needed to be successful in an area, we will work on it until it is mastered.

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

We will use a lot of practice problems. I will pull in real world problems if applicable, as well as the online tutoring platform.