What is your teaching philosophy?

Students are unique in that they differ in how they learn and progress. Every student requires an individual, customized approach to ensure successful learning experience.

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

Conduct an assessment of learning/educational goals that the student is trying to accomplished with the help of a tutor. Analyze the current level of understanding of the subject. Discuss with the student the general path we will take to reach the goals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By helping the student develop understanding and logic in fundamental aspects of the subject that will serve as a foundation for their independent endeavors.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

By aligning the instruction with the ultimate educational and long-term career goals of the student. The student should develop a feeling that he/she is moving towards the goal/dream and reaching the milestones. A sense of accomplishment along the arduous path of learning is in itself very motivating.

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

Step back, determine where the difficulty stems from, address the weakness by strengthening understanding in that specific area, and then gradually move into the concept, building upon a more familiar skill/concept.

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

By introducing visual aids. This has been helpful in my past experience with students that get lost reading passages of theoretical texts. Visual presentation in pictures, graphs, and charts help aligns the student's understanding of the readings and creates points of reference in their mind.

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

Being friendly, polite, respectful, and keeping learning relevant to them.

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

The ultimate goal is worth the struggle. The degree of desirability of the goal defines the tolerance of the student to putting extra effort into learning the subject. Always keep the eyes on the goal and motivate the student by helping him/her realize that the struggle is part of the process to getting to the goal, and that it is normal.

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

Discussions and debates, regular assessments of progress.

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

Constant encouragement, helping them excel in their immediate educational/professional environment.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Through an interview and level assessment.

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

Cases, textbooks, electronic resources.

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

The approach is very case specific. An initial interview will help identify the goal of the tutoring. The goal will determine the method, the materials, and intensity of the tutoring.