Working with students to improve their learning experience is an absolute priority for me. In remembering my own experience throughout elementary, middle, and high school, I can recognize gaps in my understanding of certain subjects and where my strengths lie. I believe that from this experience I can fill in the gaps for younger students, building partially from my own academic experience and partially from my knowledge in specific areas, and then tailoring that experience to the needs of the student. I think it is difficult, nearing impossible to learn in an uncomfortable or unwelcoming environment. I would like to help students feel comfortable, heard, able to ask questions and free to make mistakes in the process. I want to reinforce the message that not naturally knowing or understanding something is not a deficiency! It is simply an area in which one can make greater improvements, especially with the help of a friendly and encouraging guide. I want to lead students towards academic independence through connecting what they are assigned to learn with what they know well already or what they are skilled at, so that they don't feel as if they are approaching their task with no preparation. I would also like to aid in the development of strategies that are applicable to general assignments instead of focusing on learning a subject simply to get a certain grade on a test. I will share my own strategies of time management, relaxation, memorization, and preparation if needed and use those to help build new sets of strategies specific to each student's wants and needs. Learning should be as much of a positive experience as possible, and I'd like to help students along in their journey.