What is your teaching philosophy?

Learning can be fun. Young kids love going to school, and at some age that seems to stop. I try to keep that enjoyable experience going. I think it is so important to have fun learning so students become lifelong learners.

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

Get to work. I really want to know my students, but they are paying for instruction. I want to get right to work and learn all about them along the way.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

When students feel successful, that gives them confidence. Confidence brings about curiosity and a willingness to learn more.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would keep my students successful, as this is a powerful motivator. When something is fun it is also motivating, winning is fun, doing well is fun. Keep lessons fun is great motivation.

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

Re-teach the concept. There are many different ways something can be presented. If a student learns a certain way, it is my job to discover that and present the information to them so they can retain the skills being taught.

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

I provide students with texts they will understand and will enjoy regardless of whether or not it is below their "level." When a student is interested in what he/she is reading, comprehension is better. After we have something he or she can understand, then we can work on the skills.

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

I am very honest with what I think the student does well with and what they need improvement on, but the thing that I always rely on is optimism. Although not necessarily a strategy, reinforcing positivity really keeps a student going.

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

I would make the subject relate to something the student enjoys.

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

I would use an oral or written assessment.

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

By being positive. I build students up so they feel confident in what they are working on.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would use a baseline written or oral assessment.

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

I figure out what kind of learner my student is and present the information that way.

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

Mostly just the text we are working on and any additional handouts necessary.