How would you help a student stay motivated?

Sometimes students need help remembering the underlying reasons why they are studying, to connect their day-to-day work to those goals. I try to help students hold their goals in mind and make those connections between "work" and "why." Other times, the big picture just isn't enough. I strive to ensure that learning feels the way it needs to feel to students, whether that be fun, challenging, comforting, relevant, or all of the above.

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

I'm committed to working together with students to understand why they have difficulty in the areas that are most challenging for them. I never believe that it's because a student is not smart enough. How you think, your learning type, your previous experiences, your cultural background, your habitual approaches - there are always reasons, but there are always ways around them.

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

It's crucial that students practice reading. Reading for reading comprehension is like taking a practice exam for a test; nothing can improve a student's reading comprehension better than reading. I ask that students who are interested in improving their reading abilities read as much as possible, and to rely on me to help them find engaging and suitable reading material, and talk through and overcome the frustrating aspects of reading comprehension.

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

I try to be flexible in my strategies with students. In younger students, I like to foster enthusiasm for learning. For adult students, I build a strategy off of lifestyle, goals and expectations, and learning weaknesses and strengths.

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

With younger students, my approach is usually to show the students that they already have the abilities they are trying to cultivate - they just need to apply them. I'm a huge believer in the benefits of meaningful encouragement.

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

I think the first step in understanding material is having the correct material on hand, especially for highly specialized areas like test prep. After that, regular practice exams or assessments have been shown to be exceptionally helpful for memory and retention. I'm also a big believer in learning by teaching. I want students of all ages to be able to explain material back to me. As they learn this skill, we can identify and work together through obstacles that arise.

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

I've encountered far more under-confident students than overconfident students. I believe that lack of confidence can be one of the most devastating barriers for a student, especially for test-takers. I take a strengths-based approach to assessment and teaching; no student is lacking in ability. When you learn new skills, you are simply reapplying or expanding the strengths you already possess.