What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe the fundamental goal of teaching is to foster learning. Learning takes place in many different circumstances and contexts. Although everyone is capable of learning, a student's desire to learn is essential for effectively mastering new concepts and skills. There are many different types of learning styles: some learn best with discussions, some are motivated by interactive learning games, and others absorb best with hands on activities. Accommodating different learning styles creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Students take many of their learning habits from the instructor. If the instructor doesn't show interest in the subject and a passion for learning, students are less likely to put forth as much effort to learn. An instructor must convince students of his or her dedication and enthusiasm in order to motivate them intrinsically.

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

In our first session together, I plan to tell my student a little bit about myself. We'll play a fun “get to know you” activity so I can get to know more about the student as well. By learning more about the student's interests, I will hopefully be able to use this information to make my lessons more interesting and applicable to the student. I'd like to talk to the student about their successes in school as well as their frustrations; this will help us make goals in what we'd like to work on and accomplish in our sessions together.

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

When students struggle with reading comprehension, it's really important to first find a 'good fit' book. In other words, it's important to start with a book they're going to really be interested in. I often have students read aloud to me so they can practice fluency as well. As students read, I encourage them to stop and write their thoughts (this helps them keep track of what they're reading and helps me see if they're paying attention as they read). I also use a lot of graphic organizers, which are used to organize their thoughts as well. Graphic organizers often encourage students to think about setting, characters, plot, etc. Knowing how to find the elements of a story helps greatly with building strong reading comprehension skills.