What is your teaching philosophy?

My primary goal as a tutor is to help students learn and achieve. I focus on building a solid foundation of conceptual understanding as well as providing targeted practice with meaningful feedback in order to help students with their problem areas. In my lessons, I also provide real-life examples and explanations to help students better relate to what they are learning. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teaching, and so I adjust my teaching style to each student's unique learning style and pace in order to maximize their potential.

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

Typically, the first lesson is spent identifying how the student best learns and what areas they need the most help with. I like to talk to students about their usual study habits, the course materials they are using, what topics they had trouble with on previous tests/quizzes, etc. If needed, I will also my own diagnostic test. After all of this has been discussed, we come up with a general plan of action and then get right to work with the tutoring lesson!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

One of the primary goals of a good tutor is to not only teach students what to learn, but how to learn. In addition to covering content, I also teach my students effective study habits and learning strategies. This can include giving tips for getting through dense textbook reading, giving additional practice problems for the student to do independently, or showing them how to make effective study materials for an upcoming test. I also point students to additional online resources to help them continue their learning outside of the tutoring session.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I always try to keep a positive, patient, and encouraging attitude during my tutoring sessions. I track my students' improvement, and always make a point of telling my students at the end of each lesson what progress they've made in addition to what they need to work on.

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

If a student has difficulty with a skill or a concept, there are several strategies I might try. Sometimes, a student just needs more practice. However, if there is a fundamental problem with the student's understanding of a concept, I will attempt to explain the topic in a different way, give a demonstration, or pull in outside resources to help the student grasp the material.