What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that every student can learn anything with the right attitude. As long as you are willing to put in the hard work, you will reap the rewards.

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

During a typical first session, we would discuss favorite subjects, explain what subjects present a challenge and which are easier, and take a short written assessment to determine where we need to begin.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The best way to help a student become an independent learner is to assist them with understanding their learning style because that will help to boost their confidence. Then I would teach him strategies to apply the learning style with everything he learns.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

The way I would motivate a student is by differentiating lessons so the student does not become bored, such as using graphic organizers, charts, graphs, and tools that address kinesthetic and tactile learners.

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

I would reteach the skill or concept in a different way, keeping in mind the student's learning style. I might chunk the information so it is easier to retain or grasp, and I would repeatedly check for understanding through oral or short written assessments.

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

One way to help students who are struggling with reading comprehension is to address different reading skills like comparing and contrasting, main idea, and summarizing by showing the student how to go into the text and extrapolate the necessary information for the skill being learned.

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

A strategy that I found to be most successful when I begin working with a student is pre-assessments, because they assist me with information about how the student thinks and what skills they already know or do not know.

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

To help a student get excited about a subject that they are struggling in, I would present it in a unique way that he might not expect, like in the form of Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune or some other game.

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

I would use formal and informal assessments to check for student understanding, and I would ask the students oral and written questions to check for understanding as well. I would ask the student what he needed clarity for and address those needs also.

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

I would give the student a skill that he would be successful with to boost self-esteem and confidence in his ability.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs through informal and formal assessments, parent conferences, and interaction with the student.

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

I can adapt my tutoring to the student's needs by listening to what the student says about whether or not he is having difficulty understanding a concept, and I would reteach in a manner that would help the student understand that is clear and explicitly addresses the need.

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

I use printed materials, worksheets, videos, charts, graphs, textbooks, the internet, and any other resource available.