What is your teaching philosophy?

Learning should never be boring. Having a lesson that is fun and unique to the student's learning style is the key to success.

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

Figure out what does and does not work for the student. How can I use my one on one time to bring the information to the student so they can best understand it? What type of learner are they?

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching them strategies to allow them to do the problem on their own. For example, I would introduce several ways of visualizing a problem and let them decide what is easiest for them then teaching them to do it every time.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would offer incentives and breaks according to how they are feeling that day. I want to understand what they are going through so I can help them to work even on the toughest days.

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

Show them new ways to look at it until something clicks.

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

To build a relationship. A student will not learn if they do not know who is teaching them and they will not prosper if they do not know that person cares.

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

Letting them do it over and over again until they can see that they can do it!

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

Put yourself into the story. If you are reading about a cat that goes on an adventure imagine yourself in the story, not just reading it.

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

The best way to get kids excited about hard subjects is to make them see that they are getting better at it and make them feel like it is not impossible.

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

I like to have students put things into their own words. This shows mastery of a concept and it allows for precise discussion on what they do not understand.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I look at a combination of practice problems as well as what the student says about the subject.

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

Each student is unique and can learn best when taught how they learn. There are seven common learning styles and I am comfortable adapting any lesson to them.

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

Plenty of practice problems, visuals, and shared work where we both work on the same problem.