What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that all students possess the equal potential to succeed, and that it is the skills that already lie within the student that need to be fostered and cultivated. By assisting in the development of sustainable learning habits, I aim to teach students how to learn, in addition to what to learn in any given specific subject area.

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

The first session with a student should be spent identifying the needs of the student, and the existing habits and knowledge that the student has. This will facilitate smoother future sessions, as I will be able to properly prepare materials in a way that caters to the best interest of the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By teaching a student to "fish," or how to learn most effectively, one tutors in every subject simultaneously. By exposing students to useful study habits, and engaging them in critical thinking, a student ought to be able to apply what they learn in tutoring to all facets of their education.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Discussing the goals of the student can be a great way to motivate them. By knowing what their end goal is, I can help to remind them of why it is that they are trying so hard--particularly in subjects that they are finding challenging and/or frustrating.

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

The best way to help a student in need is to identify specifically where the need is coming from. By determining what is causing the deficit, one can work to improve it by altering habits and introducing more effective techniques.

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

Practicing reading is the best way to improve reading comprehension. By working through passages with students, I can help them become efficient at evaluating text.

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

Establishing a personal connection with students is a very important first step. By identifying their likes and interests, and goals and difficulties, I can work to provide personalized tutoring plans to optimize their performance and enjoyment with respect to their academics.

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

Discussing goals with students is a great way to remind them why it is that they are working so hard. By comparing the benefits of learning a subject to not, one can motivate students through exciting them about the opportunities that they are providing themselves with if they overcome their difficulties.

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

Asking students to repeat information back, in addition to asking them to critically think on their own, are important ways to make sure that students are learning the material. Asking them to provide their own answers, and then evaluating them, is an effective way to make sure that the tutoring has facilitated learning.

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

By sharing anecdotes about times that oneself or people that one knows have had difficulty excelling in, but that have been overcome, is a great way to remind students that they too can overcome their educational struggles.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Communicating with students is vital to effective tutoring. By learning about a student's current needs and habits, one can develop personalized lesson plans to facilitate learning.

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

Every student responds to things differently, so by staying up to date on many different teaching styles, one can employ different techniques until they find what works for each student.

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

Depending on the subject, uploaded documents can be extremely useful, as can be the whiteboard. Additionally, particularly for writing, the ability for both of us to edit documents within the tutoring website is greatly useful.