What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that learning should be an enjoyable experience. Teaching is also a two-way street; one learns so very much from those they teach! Being open-minded and able to adjust to different situations is imperative to being a successful teacher.

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

My main objective during a first session would be to get to know my client and what they are hoping to achieve. I would want to develop an immediate comfort level so they can feel at ease with me and therefore able to relax and learn. I would hope they would leave the first session feeling confident in my abilities and that I can be of great help to them as we move forward.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

You can help a student become an independent learner by introducing them to certain skills (organizational perhaps) and behaviors (persistence as an example) that can make this a reality. You can also make a student confident in themselves through praise and encouragement, which in turns leads to their own desire to be successful.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would give them realistic examples of what the rewards for accomplishing their goal(s) will be. This could be a high school diploma, a chance to attend the college of their dreams, or a step toward the career they are hoping to one day experience. I would work hard to help them to see "the forest", not just "the trees" and also encourage, encourage, and encourage!

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

I would try to see what I could do to change how I am presenting the information. Perhaps I would have to come up with a completely new approach!

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

I would have them work on vocabulary by learning how to use context clues when they come across words that are unknown to them. I would ask questions before beginning a reading assignment to check for prior knowledge and what they already know about a subject. I would stop frequently to make sure they are understanding what they are reading as they go along. I would encourage them to stop and ask questions at any time to get clarification, and I would also ask them what they feel is the hardest part about understanding a piece of reading to get some clues as to what I could do to make this skill become easier and more obtainable for them.

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

The most important strategy is developing a relationship with the student so that they feel comfortable and relaxed and not inhibited to ask questions or make mistakes. This is a simple as asking questions about what they like to do in their spare time, what they like about learning, who has been their favorite teacher or mentor and why, and what has been the most challenging about learning and what has been the easiest.

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

The best way to help a student be excited/or engaged about a subject is to be excited about it myself. I would also try to find out how this subject fits into other areas of their lives or areas of their lives in which they have great interest. I would also make sure that little bits of success were reached as frequently as possible.

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

I would ask questions about the information often to check for understanding. Another technique would be having the student reteach the material back to me, I might also have a student retell a story back to me. I would use informal assessments as often as possible along the way.

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

You build a student's confidence in a subject by making sure they have opportunities to experience success as they learn the subject. By giving positive feedback as often as possible and as much is necessary so that you can begin to see that confidence taking shape. And be sure to celebrate those "light bulb" moments every time.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would evaluate a student's needs by giving them a few example questions or problems to answer and see how well they do. In watching the student work, I would likely be able to discern what appears to be the most challenging for them and what they need from me to make this much less challenging for them.

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

You have to be flexible and change your approach when it is not working. You also have to be a great listener and observer to notice things that may be causing that student difficulty. You have to be creative at times to reach the student and convey the information in a way that is unique to how they learn.

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

I would use paper, pens, pencils, the computer, stickers, markers and a small white board; anything that I think will make their learning experience enjoyable and successful.