What is your teaching philosophy?

It is always best to learn with your students. I usually teach from a book or based on homework assignments, but I find thinks click best when you take advantage of a student's strengths and weaknesses instead of just giving problems.

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

I would go through the learning material they were using and give them a practice test, as well as outline a tentative schedule of dates by which we need to prepare for exams or assignments, and dates for other learning-oriented goals.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I often try to teach students study tricks, which save time spent during a tutoring session and reinforce good habits, such as how to make an efficient study sheet, which could also be used during tutoring sessions to go difficult material.