What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe engaging the learner as well as hands-on, visual aids are the greatest tools in teaching. Meeting the student where they are is also key to helping them learn.

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

Get to know the student’s strengths and weaknesses and ask them what teaching method works best for them so that I can better assist their needs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teaching them tools such as time-management skills, as well as customized study skills that keep them engaged.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Encourage their strengths, focus on what it is they are doing correctly and go from there with how they can implement their strengths in difficult subjects.

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

Determine their learning style with auditory, visual, or out of the box methods to get them interested, as well as understanding the concepts rather than just memorizing them.

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

Help them break down the paragraph into readable sentences that make sense to the student. Have them read it out loud to themselves so that they can hear what makes most sense or have them write down/highlight key aspects of the reading that they understand and/or are struggling with. If they do not understand a word, encourage them to look it up.

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

Be encouraging but also realistic. Get to know where they learn the best and customize that to their particular needs. Some students are auditory learners, visual learners, or even more out-side of the box thinkers. It is best to meet the student where they are at and encourage growth from there.

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

Acknowledge that this is a difficult subject for them, and that it is okay to not like it. Find an avenue or concept that they can relate to and make it more understandable.

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

Have them explain, write, or draw it back to me. I find that when a student actually teaches something to me or to other students, it gets them learning more easily.

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

Focus on their overall confidence in themselves. Encouraging and pointing out their individual strengths and how they can apply them to a particular subject.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Ask them what it is they feel they are struggling with or what they feel is helpful that I am doing and not doing. Constantly ask for feedback from the student so that I can better assist in what it is that they are in need of.

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

Re-evaluate the student's best method for learning and adapt it to that- again visual, auditory, or both, as well as any other tools that help them stay engaged and are the best for them to grow.

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

Anything and everything! Depending on the subject, of course. I am a hands-on learner so if standing outside and using tools helps a visual learner I will accommodate that perspective. However, if a student is more auditory then using different technology based programs or physically explaining it to them will be sufficient.