What is your teaching philosophy?

The best way to teach a student is by building good interaction and pacing. Allow them to show you what they are capable of so you can help them develop their own learning skills that work best for them.

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

I like to start off each session by getting to know my students. Knowing what they like and don't like so I can understand what makes them tick and what things interest them so I can incorporate that into their learning process.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Just like any person who first started riding a bicycle, it takes a good, steady, guiding hand in the beginning. As each session progresses, I observe how much confidence my student gains and slowly but surely allow them their independence in learning the material.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Part of the problem in keeping a student engaged in learning is that they are having difficulty grasping the material. A good way to keep them motivated is to blend the subjects they like and excel in with other subjects they might find difficult. By finding a good balance between the two, it helps alleviate some of the stress they feel when dealing with unknown material by mixing it with material that they are comfortable with.

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

Backtracking to the root of the problem is always the first step. If a concept becomes too hard, we would go back to the basics and see at what point the student begins to struggle. By identifying the specific point where the difficulties began, we can focus on the specific concepts there needs to be a higher focus of learning and help establish a better foundation before moving on to the next level.

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

Repetition and confidence boosting is key to developing good reading comprehension skills. By continuously practicing reading techniques and going over the material one-on-one, students are able to familiarize themselves with these tasks and be more comfortable in tackling the material.

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

* Set goals together * Determine what is important for the student and what is helpful * Find the right pace * Be yourself!

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

Talking to my students who are struggling is always a cathartic experience for them because they get to openly express their difficulty or stress. Having done this allows me to help identify the problem and use it as a tool to find a solution. Working with them, we can discuss which area of the subject they are struggling with and thus focus our full attention to that material until they are comfortable to move forward.

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

A popular way I like to test my students is to provide them with quizzes and games on material they just learned. Depending on the student, these can be timed and cover multiple subjects if they wish to do so based on their interest. My personal favorite quizzing style is Jeopardy.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

First it begins with getting to know my student and giving them the opportunity to tell me what they need the most help with. Parents are also a good resource when it comes to understanding what subject area their child needs the most guidance in. To help expedite this process, I personally like to evaluate the student's performance by reviewing their schoolwork and identifying the areas that need the most improvement based on their grades, class performance, and evaluations from teachers or other educational instructors.

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

I often ask my students if the way I teach is the most helpful way for them to learn. I want them to feel free to tell me what they like, what they don't like, and what ways I can change my teaching style so they can learn better. By allowing my students the opportunity to openly communicate with me, I feel it creates a better atmosphere for learning.

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

I am a big whiteboard user. The more colors the better! Though I know that each student learns differently, I believe that visual learning helps connect words and numbers on paper with images that they can easily understand. I also use a lot of analogies that often times relate to a topic my student is particularly interested in. By tying a difficult concept with a topic that a student enjoys, he or she has a better chance of understanding the material because they are able to relate it better into something that they are passionate about or is incorporated in their daily lives.