What is your teaching philosophy?

All students are entitled to be educated in a safe environment, where one is not defined by their mistakes but rather how one corrects them; with hard work and perseverance.

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

Get to know them! The students only care if they know they are cared for. I would ask many icebreaker questions and other fun questions to build a better method of teaching.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By allowing them to feel confident! The key to independence is confidence. The key to confidence is breaking from mental barriers. I would do this by verbal affirmation and positive reinforcement.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I believe in coaching the student to set a standard and a goal. These are two things to go over every lesson and make sure we are both up to par.

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

Repetition and practice is key for mastery. If the student is not understanding a lesson or concept, I would first assess my teaching style, then teach it again using a different approach.

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

Just like with a musical instrument, starting off slow then working up to tempo. I would have the student read short sections at a time and coach them through what they have just read. The goal is met when the entire section is read at once, and is comprehended at the end of the reading.

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

Find out what works for the student! Not all students learn the same way. The way they learn is most often found when learning what they like best, and their personality traits. I could not stress enough the importance of learning the most about a student as possible.

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

I believe in practicality. Why is learning to read important in life? How can math change my direction in life? In addition, I would show how certain lessons cross relate to other areas such as theatre and the ability to manage a company, or math problems to real-life problem solving.

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

I would use one single assessment that uses different mediums of delivery. In example, a written test that also involves a section of real-life problem solving and a 10 minute one on one dialogue.

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

It is all about allowing the student to reach confidence on their own. That way their confidence is found in them, not in their time with a tutor. I would remind them of previous successes and personal growth.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Communication is key. I always allow the student to be brutally honest when I ask questions such as "Was this helpful?" or "What are we learning?" By their answer, I will gauge if I am meeting their needs. If I am not, I coach them through their needs.

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

Being creative! I would assess their needs and find a lesson strategy that would work best for every student individually.

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

Anything that the students can get their hands on. In example, if it is a geometry lesson on triangles, I would bring some wooden triangles! In addition, if it is for Spanish or English, I would bring some cultural things to the lesson, such as food or music.