What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe it is important to bring out the best qualities in a child. Education is not just about teaching information, but leading children to develop independent thought and beneficial curiosity.

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

I would assess the student's knowledge of the subject by asking beginner, intermediate, and advanced questions about the subject. I will use this assessment to develop a study plan to help the student gain mastery over the material.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I will teach my students to conduct their own research. We live in an information age where virtually all information is available at their fingertips. For me, it is important that my students learn how to ask valuable questions and discover ways to answer their own questions through research.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would work with their parents to develop a reinforcement schedule for the student’s performance. I would ensure the student's good performance is met with positive reinforcement (praise and rewards) and their negative performance is met with no reinforcement. It is crucial that my students do not feel shamed or ostracized for their lack of knowledge.

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

I would introduce the basic elements of the concept/skill and then give the child some time away from studying the concept/skill. I will revisit the concept/skill periodically over subsequent sessions to help them develop understanding of the topic over a long period of time.

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

First, I encourage the parents to help the student outside of tutoring sessions. It is important for the students to get used to reading and writing outside of an academic context. Alongside this, I will help the student understand the roots of words and how they contribute to the words meaning. For example, knowing that the -ed- in education refers to gaining knowledge can help the student know the meaning of a new word (like edify) which carry the same prefix.

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

Working progressively on a topic over a long period of time helps the student develop a deep understanding of the topic which stays with them for a long time. They are also able to make connections between different ideas when they spend a lot of time focusing on one subject. This not only increases their performance in school, but increases their ability to think about important issues in their daily lives.

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

I would try and relate the subject the student is struggling with to one of their favorite hobbies. This can be difficult, but it will show the student that academia is not just something that is done in school.

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

I will include multiple assessments during the tutoring process. I favor fill in assessments because they are more difficult than multiple choice tests given in public schools. Students retain information better when they are encouraged to remember concepts and generate new ideas based on what they have learned.

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

I help my students perform well in their subject areas. Once they are consistently doing well with the subject material, they slowly develop confidence in their ability to perform. It is most important for my students to have a solid understanding of their subject material before they can be confident in their ability to do well.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Firstly, I measure the student's baseline ability to perform in a specific subject area. I will do this by giving them multiple test questions. I will see how many easy, medium, and difficult questions they answered incorrectly; I will use that information to develop a tutoring approach based on their current level of understanding.

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

I recognize that every student is different. I ask my students to tell me honestly what their shortcomings are. If a student is willing to be honest about their struggling subject area, then we can more effectively create a tutoring approach that will work for them.

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

I usually use a pen, paper, and discussion. I think my strength as a tutor is conveying topics through logic and visual representations. For example, cells in the body are likened to little autonomous machines. Each part of the cell has a specific function that allows it to thrive. If a student is a visual learner, it might be better for me to use visual representations of the cell to help them understand its specialized functions. If someone benefits from logical discussion, then it might be better to explain why these specialized areas developed and what function they serve to the cell.