What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that the exchange between a teacher and student should be based on an openness to learn and to cooperate with one another in order to maximize the transfer of information and ideas.

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

In a first session with a student I like to try and make them feel comfortable by being kind and attentive to their needs. I would like to know what their concerns are and how I can best help them gain the most out of our tutoring experience.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learning by consistently using specific learning techniques that, through repetition, will become tools they can then carry as their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by providing consistently helpful and encouraging feedback, and also by acknowledging their frustrations.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or a concept I would have to learn more about their learning needs. I would access additional resources that would directly target their needs.

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

I help students who are struggling with reading comprehension by implementing proven best practices such as vocabulary, context clues, and engaging in informal conversations about the literature to help them gain more background knowledge.

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

It's important to approach each student with a friendly concern for their learning needs. I like to get to know what their feelings are in regards to their academic troubles and figure out different ways to address those fears.

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

I approach each learning topic with enthusiasm and confidence. I celebrate success no matter how small and I try to connect the material to the students' lives.

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

Rather than have a student regurgitate the material back to me, I enjoy having an informal conversation about what they have learned. I pose new questions that build on background knowledge and I always review previously covered material.

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

I build a student's confidence by helping them to recognize what they do know about a subject and build their knowledge from where they already are at. Constant positive feedback and helping them draw their own conclusions is also very helpful.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I listen closely to what a student says to me. I constantly research the best methods published about different techniques to help students and regularly incorporate them into my practice.

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

I am quick to make necessary adjustments, if it's visual or textual, I am a versatile teacher. If something isn't working I am not uncomfortable asking the student for feedback and figuring out a different approach.

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

I pay careful attention to the description of a student's needs. I have a variety of visual and textual material to draw from at any time.