What is your teaching philosophy?

I approach each student with empathy coupled with a patient and jovial attitude during my relationship with them. I have an interactive teaching style that makes difficult subjects easy and fun to learn.

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

I would approach with the goal of 'breaking the ice' in an effort to develop comfort and increase a sense of trust.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would give them assignments that increase curiosity and a sense of mastery over a subject.

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

I would break the literature down into smaller pieces, whether it is into paragraphs, sentences or words, depending on the student. I would also draw parallels from the real world that they can relate back to the reading assignment. If it is an ESL student, I would give them the translation to one or two words to get them going.

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

I would acknowledge them with each mastery over the material. Often students are overwhelmed with seemingly difficult subjects and they shut down. Breaking difficult concepts into smaller digestible pieces is a great strategy to ultimately bolster self-confidence.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would ask appropriate questions to assess their weakness and look over material done in school that they are struggling with.

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

I slow down and speak in understandable language depending on the age and background of the student.

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

I use study aids, visual material, paper and writing material.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I bolster their self-confidence so that feel that they can master any subject and increase their curiosity by making subjects fun and interesting.

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

I draw parallels and break concepts down into smaller easily digestible pieces.

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

Breaking the ice and having them talk a lot helps them feel in control and comfortable with the new tutor in their home.

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

I would ask questions so that they repeat the answer and have them summarize the concept out loud.

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

It depends on the subject. If it is a language like French, I would find out their favorite subject and then use the language around that. If it is history or art history, I would use visual materials or send them to a museum.