What is your teaching philosophy?

I firmly believe that each student should have the opportunity to succeed with the support of his or her tutor, parents or guardians, and classroom teachers. This network of individuals, strong communication, and attainable goals are the key to success. I want my students to feel proud of their accomplishments after challenging themselves to attain their goals.

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

During the first tutoring session, I feel it is important to develop a relationship with the student so that I can learn more about his or her learning needs and interests. With these concepts in mind, I would then develop goals with the student (and parents/guardians if applicable) in order to track progress and attain success.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

In order for me to help a student become an independent learner, I feel it is crucial for educators to model how to create attainable goals and develop steps in order to achieve those goals. Students that have this guidance will be much more likely to achieve success if they have this support from their family, classroom teacher, and tutors.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

In order to keep a student motivated, I feel it is important to incorporate as many of their personal interests as possible into the subject they are learning. I also feel that setting up goals with incentives for attaining checkpoints while achieving those goals would also be beneficial to the student.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I feel that it is important to tap into the learning styles that they are most comfortable with. For example, if they were a visual learner, I would incorporate as many visuals (such as photos, videos, maps, etc.) to help them comprehend the topic. I would also include many hands on opportunities for them to practice the skill or to demonstrate their learning.

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

For students that struggle with reading comprehension, I incorporate concept webs such as a Venn Diagram, main idea and details, KWL charts, etc. This helps students provide a platform to clearly express their thoughts and findings. It is important for students to understand that these tools are a "map" that can help guide their understanding as they read. Finally, I also provide thought-provoking question check-points throughout and at the end of the reading so that students have the opportunity to stop, reflect, and respond.

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

With my experiences, I have found that incorporating several visuals and hands-on activities in my lessons not only keeps the student engaged in what they are learning but also allows them to have fun!