What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to make learning fun. Students need to be excited about their learning opportunities because it will help them want to learn and better themselves. Plus, learning should be fun! There are so many different ways to learn and relate math in our everyday lives, and those ways should be accessed to learn the critical thinking skills math provides us.

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

My first session with a student will be spent getting to know each other. It is important that my student trusts me to provide them with the materials and knowledge they need to learn. It is equally important that I can trust my student to do what they need to do so our meetings can be as productive as they can be. This level of trust comes from knowing a little bit about each other. I would also like to know what parts of the subject the student knows well and the parts of the subject the student really needs to focus on.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

When I provide learning materials for my students, I provide materials that can be easily accessible to the student as well. My goal is not to have the student rely on me to have the materials they might need, but to give the student access to materials they can use whenever they need them. I am also a firm believer in developing the critical thinking skills that students need to solve problems on their own. This is done through sessions by asking open-ended questions and providing my students with another outlook on the problem. Instead of just giving them the answer and how to find it, the student will struggle through the process of solving problems. This struggle through the process of the problems is where the most learning takes place and where the student will gain self-confidence.

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

When students have difficulty learning concepts and skills, and the methods that I have been using don't seem to have a positive effect, I look for different ways the student could approach the concepts. Everyone learns best in a different way, and it is my job to find out the best way to teach my students. I know that the way I learn is not necessarily the best way for a student to learn, and if my methods do not work, I need to develop a different way for the students to learn the materials.

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

Helping a student get excited with a subject they are struggling with is one of the most fun aspects of teaching. I love finding ways to connect the subjects to the student's interests. By making these connections, the student will become more engaged with the subject and could view the subject in a new light.