What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that there is more than one way to learn. As a dedicated teacher and license administrator, I encourage my students to ask why, and believe they can find the answer.

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

My first session with any student will be getting to know them a little while assessing their learning style. I need to be able to know your level, so that I can tweak my way of teaching to fit your style of learning.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Praise and letting a student know that it's ok to get things little by little has always helped get students to understand that they can do it. A student who is not motivated needs a quick pick me up, so a quick side conversation to get their energy back to the lesson helps too!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

To become an independent learner, a student must be confident in his abilities to problem solve his way out of a problem. To do this, I instill confidence by allowing the student to know what part they are correct in and what part they are confused in. This helps a student realize that they do know something, as opposed to the usual "I don't know."

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

I would need to find a way to make it easier for the student to grasp a skill or concept; either break it down further, show a problem/solution with a thinking process involved, sketch a drawing, use different wording, etc. There are numerous ways to take a difficult concept for a student and make it more meaningful.