What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe there is no one shoe fits all philosophy in teaching. To be effective one must adjust teaching to meet the specific needs of your students.

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

On a first session I would work on building a rapport with the student. Learning is enhanced when the student can relate well with the instructor. Secondly I would identify the student’s goals that he/she wants to accomplishment from the sessions. Lastly I would identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses from the subject matter. I would use this data to focus my time on improving the student’s weaknesses.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I would recommend the student keep a learning diary where he/she can reflect on their sessions, and write about things that they have learned. A diary would allow the student to track his/her progress throughout the sessions. Another way is providing independent practice so the student can practice the concepts learned during the sessions to obtain mastery.