What is your teaching philosophy?

Each tutee will be different and have different needs. One teaching method does not work for all tutees, and I think that some people forget that.

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

Introduce myself, ask them what they need help on and why they feel it is an obstacle for them.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Don't help them with each problem. Help them with a few, and then challenge them to do it on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Timing them, because kids love competition. Rewarding them with certificates when they get on the honor roll.

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

Research new ways to teach him/her the concept.

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

Ask them to tell me what they read after certain time intervals to help them retain the information.

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

Finding out what they like to do and relating that to their math problems.

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

Ask them if they're struggling because they don't like it, or do they not like it because they're struggling. Make an educational game out of it.

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

Make up a practice test. Make their last problem in a session a challenging one.

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

Ask them about their grades. Pay attention to when their tests are and ask them about it. Watch them attack a new concept and voice your pleasure with the way they handled it. Always report anything positive to the parents, if possible.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Note their attitude about the task at hand and see how they deal with it throughout the session. If they really procrastinate or frequently lose focus, put the subject aside to find out what's really going on with them.

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

After the first couple of sessions, I know how to interact with the child, and I have also been known to take a survey and ask the student what it is that they need from me.

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

Pencils, pens, worksheets, the internet, a calculator, library books.