What is your teaching philosophy?

As a teacher, I believe it is my responsibility to make sure that every child who I work with, regardless of skills, background, or ability level, receives a quality education; as students learn in a wide variety of ways and have differing needs, this may look different for each student. I aim to teach all students the reading comprehension, writing, and math skills that they need to succeed in their educational career and in their future lives, as well as an appreciation for learning, whether it be about the Pythagorean theorem, ancient Egyptian pharaohs, or graphic novels; I believe that learning, in any context, is an essential lifelong skill that needs to be cultivated in any way possible. It is through learning how to learn that we learn important lessons about critical issues, the world around us, and, most importantly, ourselves.

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

During a typical first session with a student, I would first build a relationship with the student through icebreaker activities, as well as gain a sense for the student's level of proficiency with their subject to be able to design future lessons and activities.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By meeting students at their current levels of proficiency, we can begin with concepts that they are able to access with assistance, so that, as they gain proficiency, they are able to tackle the material on their own with decreasing support. Then, more challenging material can be tackled!

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

I use pre-reading strategies such as teaching vocabulary, introducing themes beforehand, and tying content to students' lives. Then, while reading the text, we will stop and summarize to check for understanding, and then use strategic comprehension questions and activities after reading to help students self-assess their own understanding.