What is your teaching philosophy?

Outstanding teachers possess many qualities, which make them successful in improving student achievement. These qualities all stem from the root attribute, having high expectations for all your students and for yourself as a teacher.

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

The typical first session with a student will depend on his or her age. With a younger student, I might spend a little more time on building trust and forming a respectful relationship through a "getting to know you" game. Next, I would administer short assessment activities so I can gauge where my student is at. I would also gather information on his or her strengths and weaknesses in an area so I know where to target my lessons so each meeting is thorough and worthwhile.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

One way to help my student become an independent learner is through modeling higher level questioning. Curiosity can be an important gateway for students to seek topics that interest them and explore them on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I have built incentive systems for my students in the past. I personally love challenging myself and offering a system of rewards. It appears to work for my students as well.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I would try to explain it and teach it in a different way or use a different model. Some students are kinesthetic learners, some benefit from lectures, and others like to try a new concept out themselves and learn from their mistakes. It will depend on the subject and student.

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

Reading is a love of mine, so I am very enthusiastic about it. Everyone is interested in something, so why not read about it? I help with reading comprehension through graphic organizers, story arcs, chunking, and finding the main idea, among many other techniques.

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

Building a relationship with a student is the most important. Once you earn his or her respect, they can learn anything.

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

I would find one area of the subject they excel in and build confidence upon that area. Then, I would move from there, chunking lessons to ensure success.

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

I believe repetition and real life practice are key. Repetition works in some subjects more so than others, such as math and reading. Real life applications as tasks or homework that exercise the brain in this way can help the concept stick. Also, what better way to learn and reinforce a concept than to teach it!

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

I begin with an area of the subject the student can comprehend and build upon that.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I use various assessments, such as observations and comprehension quizzes.

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

I worked with special needs students for 8 years. I have the ability to observe students, form a relationship with them, and determine their strongest learning style in order to tailor lessons to their needs.

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

It depends on the subject. I would try to incorporate as much hands on learning materials as possible.