What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that the most important part of academic success is excitement and enthusiasm to tackle the material. It doesn't develop overnight, but with steady practice a student will be ready to reach their goals.

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

During a typical first session, I will get to know the student, their baseline level of comfort and knowledge of the given subject, and the goal that they are aiming for.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Independent learning is a crucial part of studying. I look at independent learning like compound interest in a savings account. The in-class learning process is a focused effort to learn the strategies for success. The independent learning phase, outside of class, provides a magnified return on investment, slowly but surely.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

It may seem more convenient to wait out and delay the hard work before a big test. A student may be able to do a passable job while not staying motivated. However, the test shouldn't be something feared. It is a chance to show the examiners how much you know. Every little bit of preparation makes it that much easier to succeed on test day.

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

The best way to learn a subject is to try and teach the subject. Act as if you're the lecturer. Take the subject apart, one element at a time. Naturally, as you try to explain the topic at the intro level, you will piece together related concepts and develop greater understanding.

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

Some of the reading passages are very long and complicated. It's normal to feel stressed about this process. Instead of starting by reading the passage, start with reading the questions. You can then focus on the task at hand without worrying that you're missing something in the excerpt.

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

Splitting an exam into short sections of 4-5 questions is an effective step for students who are already well-versed in test prep strategies. If you know that you can do 4-5 questions under timed conditions, you can gradually start doing 9-10 questions at a time. That added confidence will result in success.

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

This is an important part of academic success and it involves turning the tables. The student should feel comfortable teaching their fellow test-takers the subject by the end of this process. That ability to discuss a subject and teach a fellow test-taker will make a student excited and engaged.