What is your teaching philosophy?

All thing come with time (and attention)!

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

First sessions include assessments of knowledge, goals, and expectations. It's a time for me to learn about the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I'm an independent learner, and am eager to inspire independent learning in students through shared resources.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Students can be motivated through different techniques appropriate to their situation. Stress is a common opponent to motivation, and I can help students manage their stress about math through quick, and simple exercises.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, the first thing I do is assess the situation. If the issue is a matter of practice, then I can assign practice problems. If the student isn't grasping the material, and practice wouldn't be fruitful, then I would generally move on to a different topic, and broach the troublesome topic on a different day. The important thing to remember is that everyone has an individual learning style, and that any of the subjects I teach can be learned with the right explanation, time, and attention.

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

Assessing the student's abilities, goals, and expectations from the start is most important to his/her success.

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

I would help a student become more engaged with a subject that (s)he is struggling with by presenting the subject in ways that can make him/her successful.