What is your teaching philosophy?

The answer is out there. I really do think that, no matter what the problem is, a solution can be found if we all work hard enough!

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

Discuss what subjects or concepts the student is struggling with, and what study methods just haven't worked for them in the past. That way, we can tackle the problem from a new angle and with a fresh approach!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Discover what study methods work best for them. We all learn differently, and finding out how to make the material click is half the battle!

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Setting small, achievable goals. Academia is a marathon, not a sprint, and getting a win under your belt, no matter how small, really makes the next stretch easier.

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

Definitely come at it from a different angle. If concept lectures don't work, switch to video or interactive, or just another person's take on the material to see if something clicks. The important thing is to keep an open mind and keep trying.

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

My first advice is to slow down. Forget about everything but the first part of the first sentence in front of you. Reading passages can be daunting, but if you break it into small bites, even the longest, trickiest passages become easier to swallow.

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

Communication is key. To make the most out of every tutoring session, I need to know what concepts they're struggling with, the student's goals, and what methods they think would be the most helpful in achieving them.

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

Take it out of the dry, two dimensional textbooks and into the living, breathing world. All the SparkNotes in the world can't compare to watching Mercutio and Tybalt trading one-liners as they duel to the death, and the English Reformation is deeply boring until you realize it all started with Henry VIII's chronic inability to get laid.

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

I like to ask them to explain the material to me. It really highlights their understanding of the subject at hand, emphasizing their strengths and casting light on the areas where their mastery of the subject may be weaker.

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

Start with what they do know, and build from there. Once we firmly establish the student's knowledge base, we can use it to expand and grow.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Past tests and assessments are always useful, as are any homework or class assignments, but if those aren't available, just talking to the student is a great way to establish the areas of a subject in which they are confident, and those in which they could use some work.

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

Figuring out which learning and study methods work best for them is key. If a student doesn't benefit from lecturing or rote memorization, there's little point in attempting to use those methods to try and improve their understanding of a subject. If a study session's length exceeds their attention span, it may need to be broken up into different sections or activities to better maximize their retention.

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

Whatever materials best suit the material and my student's learning styles. Some subjects and students might be best suited by books and classroom notes, others might need video, flashcards, maps, study apps, or even games to truly master the material.