What is your teaching philosophy?

I want students to be active agents in their own education. I empower students by assessing their individual strengths and encouraging them to apply these strengths to subjects that may seem difficult. I want my students to build the confidence to face new challenges with excitement rather than fear.

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

I want to spend a short time getting to know students first-- interests, hobbies, and extracurricular activities. I believe that establishing a friendly, conversational rapport with students early puts them at ease before we move forward into a subject that may cause them anxiety. I will also encourage students to identify and reflect on their academic strengths and weaknesses before we get started with the subject material. This opportunity makes students agents in their own learning. After learning a bit about students, I will delve right into the subject they are seeking help with. While I will impart on students my general knowledge of the topic, I will also tailor my lessons to address specific assignments the students must complete for school or for an application.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I teach students skills and habits that they will learn to apply to each new book they read or essay they write. Such skills may include critical reading, annotating, summarizing, paraphrasing, brainstorming, drafting, revising, and proofreading, among others. I do not simply give students answers but teach them to think in a way that leads them to an answer independently.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I give my students measurable goals that they can achieve in each lesson. This lets them see that they're making progress and improving even on the toughest of days!

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

I will slow down the lesson. Students can't make progress if they're blindly going forward without mastering necessary steps along the way. In writing and grammar, practice is key, so I will assign struggling students practice exercises so that they can gain confidence in a skill before proceeding.

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

I will have students pause after a block of reading (perhaps a paragraph or two) and try to summarize, out loud, the main points of the section. Articulating ideas out loud helps implant them in our long-term memory. If a student cannot recall important main points, I will have them read an even smaller chunk of text and give an oral summary after reading it. I am also a big believer in annotating. I encourage my students to read with a pen or pencil, to underline key words or phrases, and to take notes in the margins of their readings.