What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that educators should do their best to help students make real-world connections with the material they are learning in school. This enables students to have a context for learning and assists them in transferring and applying knowledge to new situations.

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

I believe it is best to get to know a student's interests outside of school and preferred learning styles. This allows me to tailor tutoring engaging and effective learning activities.

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

I do my best to discover a student's interests, and then integrate those interests into his/her learning experiences.

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

I use a variety of techniques to informally assess understanding depending on the age of the student and subject area. These techniques may include content performance tasks, summarizing, questioning, and discussion.

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

I do my best to celebrate success every single day. Even the smallest academic gains are worthy of celebration.

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

Tutoring should be centered around the child's needs and preferences, not the tutor's preferred teaching style. I use a variety of techniques to tailor a session to meet a child's needs and preferred learning style to make each session engaging and effective.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

The student's needs will be evaluated through a variety of means. My strategies may include, but are not limited to a review of any documentation provided, performance tasks with the student, parent/student input, and observation.

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

I use a variety of materials depending on the subject at hand and student needs.