What is your teaching philosophy?

My role as a tutor is to not only improve test scores, but also improve the confidence and intelligence of my students. I will be supportive and positive during tutoring sessions and will help students realize their own capabilities.

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

In a typical first session, I would first ask the student what they are struggling with the most. I would ask him/her if they have any materials such as homework problems or past quizzes to go over. I would then find out what topics they understand the least and go over these until they are more knowledgeable and confident.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by giving them advice on how to learn and study by themselves. I can teach them to go over material from their classes or test prep books in order to learn. I can inspire them not to give up if they do not understand something, and instead calmly go over what they have learned in order to break down problems and more easily solve them.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by keeping them challenged or confident. For students who are very confused, I will keep them motivated by starting small and focusing on what they know, and then building on to that knowledge using positivity and support. For students who have become comfortable or bored with their material, I will introduce more challenging problems in order to motivate them to reach a higher level.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I will break that concept down into more easily understood parts. I will go over the concept using multiple practice problems until I am sure that they fully understand it. I will also encourage the student not to give up and that they are capable of improving.

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

In order to help students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I will first identify what they do understand, what they don't understand, and why they don't understand it. I will then focus on reading more and asking the student questions in order to help them improve their reading comprehension skills.

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

I would help a student get excited about a subject they are struggling with by rewarding them for their improvement and staying positive. Instead of focusing on what they don't know, I will focus on what they do know and then move up from there.

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

I would use a variety of practice problems and questions in order to be sure that a student understands the material. I would make sure that they eventually are able to answer these problems on their own.

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

I build a student's confidence in a subject by reminding them that they have the potential to improve, even though it may take hard work. I will tell them not to focus on bad grades or other failures from the past and instead focus on a positive academic future.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by first asking them what they feel they are struggling with, then going over problems from these subjects to see what they need to improve upon the most.

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

I adapt my tutoring to the student's needs by finding out how they learn most comfortably. This could be through visuals, practice tests, or other strategies.

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

I use the materials included with Varsity Tutors, such as the practice problems and online tutoring materials. I also use ACT or AP test prep books.

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

The strategies that I have found to be most successful typically include going over problems from the student's past tests or homework until they completely understand how to solve them independently.