What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that every child has the ability and capacity to learn; it just takes a dedicated educator to adjust the lesson to suit their needs, level, and style of learning. Education is not one size fits all.

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

I would first have them show me what subject/area they are struggling with; then I would have them tell me about themselves including their hobbies, their interests, and their strengths. I would then ask how their teacher covered the subject in school. This way I know what the student needs help in, perhaps what type of learner they are, and then evaluate what has already been tried so I can come up with a new way of teaching them the information.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help students become independent learners by teaching them skills that they can use in order to build their confidence. For example, I instill the importance of close reading and comprehension in my students. I also teach students different tricks based on their learning style. For instance, I am a visual, hands-on learner. Therefore, in order for me to grasp certain information I have to draw pictures or graphic organizers. Another effective way to help a student become an independent learner is to have them think out loud and teach me the information back once they feel comfortable; that way we both are confident that they have mastered the topic, and they will still be confident with their thought processes when I am not there.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by giving them certain incentives. For example, I might tell them that if they work hard for 15 minutes we can then take a 5-minute break to stretch our legs, play a game, or check social media. Also, I set up one major goal to strive towards based on their performance. For instance, if a student shows improvement, they could possibly earn a gift card towards something that appeals to them.

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 try and find an alternate way of teaching them the information, or I try relating it to something they are already familiar or interested in.

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

If a student is struggling with reading comprehension I try and make sure they are close reading, including taking notes, underlining key characters and highlighting important passages, as well as reading through pieces of writing with them and having them make predictions and inferences as to what will happen next, and how a character might feel during a particular scene.

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

When I first start working with a student I give them a little assessment to gauge their skills and weaknesses, and then I find out a little more about them, including their hobbies and likes, so I can find a way to make their trouble subjects interesting and exciting to them. This includes using different visual elements and hands-on techniques that make learning fun and bring something which may seem abstract to them to life.

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

I would try and find something that they are interested in that goes along with the subject. For example, if a student is struggling in math, but like sports, I try and show them how math is used to track player statistics and maybe even have us open a fantasy league in order to bring math to life and make it exciting for them.

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

In order to make sure a student understands the material, I would have them teach it back to me or explain how or why they got the answer they did, in order to ensure that when I'm not there they will still be confident in their abilities and sure of themselves.

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

In order to build a student's confidence, I always use positive feedback, whether they have gained mastery of the subject or not. I try and make my students feel like they can do it; they just need more practice.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by having them complete a short assessment before we begin our sessions, and then reviewing their previous tests and classwork to see where they are struggling.

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

I try and see what works best for each student. If a student is a visual learner, I will use resources such as videos and graphs; if a student is a hands-on learner, I incorporate more problems, flashcards, and other activities that have them working out the problems on their own; and if a student is an auditory learner, I might introduce some brief lectures or have them read out loud with me so I know they are taking in the information.

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

Depending on the student I use a combination of assessments, worksheets, videos, flashcards, and books.