What is your teaching philosophy?

I help students identify their barriers to being successful and help them build skills to overcome those barriers in addition to academic tutoring.

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

The first session should be spent getting to know the student and his/her specific needs. We would talk about what is challenging about the subject material and proceed from there. Each first session will be and should be different.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

My tutoring approach helps build independence by teaching students the skills they need to overcome their personal barriers to being successful. I do not believe in giving answers, but helping someone learn how to find the answer.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I am a big supporter of positive reinforcement. Some people feel reinforced simply by getting the right answers and showing progress. Others need rewards, praise, etc. to help them stay motivated. I like to focus on what is going well and not what is still wrong. The key to motivation is feeling engaged and in control. I help build these skills.

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

My first step would be to break down the concept into smaller steps or ideas. We would master each smaller step before putting them all together. The second step would be to combine the simpler ideas with something the student can relate to and understand. Like teaching angles with sports instead of triangles.

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

The key to reading comprehension is being an active reader. I help students that struggle with reading comprehension by teaching them how to read and think about what they are reading at the same time. I teach them to ask questions, make relationships, draw inferences, etc.

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

My goal for each session is that the student walks away feeling confident and feeling like they have learned something. For some students, this means lots of reinforcement for small steps in the beginning. For me, tutoring doesn't end when the session ends. The tools I have provided during the session are expected to be used outside of tutoring sessions as well. This single component makes a huge difference in the amount of success one sees.

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

I often find that students that are not excited or engaged in a subject have given up hope because of continued failure in that subject. The first step in helping build that excitement is to take them back to the basics, remain optimistic, and continue to reinforce their efforts and successes. As they are able to solve more problems on their own, they will become more excited about showing what they can do.

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

My "testing" techniques vary depending on the subject. Math could be as simple as having the student solve problems on their own and/or apply what they have practiced to a new problem. Overall understanding and retention is best measured by free recall. Typically I will ask questions from the material and ask the student to answer using only their memory.

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

I help students build their confidence in a subject by starting with what they know and feel comfortable with and building off of that. Confidence comes from getting the right answer. Being able to work with students one-on-one allows me to take the material at their pace. I can ensure that the student is understanding and applying each concept correctly before moving on to the next concept. Being able to understand and apply concepts will help a student feel more confident.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Ideally, I would want to have feedback from the teacher on what they feel the student is struggling with. Often academic struggles are related to behavioral struggles as well. I will also talk with the parent and/or student to determine what they feel is most difficult. The first few sessions will highlight what the underlying struggles are and help me develop a better understanding of each student's needs. Evaluation of needs is a continual process as rapport is built and I can gather a complete picture of the student's needs.

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

My tutoring approach is completely tailored to each student's individual needs. In addition to understanding what concepts the student struggles with, I also try to understand what psychological, behavioral, and/or emotional barriers a student has. Similarly, every student learns in different ways. It is necessary to identify the style of learning so that my approach to tutoring caters to their natural way of learning.

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

The types of materials I use entirely depend on the subject being taught. It is necessary for me to have access to the textbook used in class so that I can see how the material is taught at school. I can also utilize outside materials, such as other textbooks, workbooks, assessment tools, practice questions, etc. I also like to have a dry-erase board to help demonstrate concepts and provide hands-on learning opportunities. I like to think outside the box, so I try to incorporate whatever tools, toys, or other manipulatives I can to help keep learning fun and engaging.