What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to get the student engaged in the subject matter to be learned. It’s not efficient to drill things into another person's head without them understanding why and how they're going to learn the material. Once the student buys in, a specific approach for the subject matter can be created.

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

I would find out how the student feels about the particular subject, and then list out the positives and negatives of the subject matter. Success at the end of the day is about understanding the concepts. If I can show the student the importance of learning the subject matter for his or her own interest, a better relationship can develop in setting up the plan for the sessions.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Practice begets confidence. In the beginning, learning a new or difficult subject is like learning any new skill. Through practice, the student will become more comfortable with the subject matter. As he or she progresses through the material, quizzes and assignments separate from the classwork given to the student can be designed to further their understanding of the material.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Learning is built on understanding the concepts in a stepwise manner. The student builds up his or her knowledge base by constantly improving what he or she knows. During times of difficulty, it’s important to review the material the student has already mastered and then to try again. In addition, sometimes it’s necessary to step away from the topic and come back to it at a different and more opportune time.

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

Students should be asked to read and then summarize what they have gained from the material. Asking questions about what they've read help in their understanding of the subject matter. In addition, students can be asked to visualize what they're reading as way to connect the information together.

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

Building an initial bond with a student is crucial to true progress. The student needs to be able to relate their struggles, and examples from my life in similar situations can help with that. It’s also important to set a definitive and stable structure to tutoring sessions to keep things moving in the right direction.

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

Succeeding and doing well in any subject requires a certain level of work ethic. Struggle is part of the process to overcome. We can focus on the all the material that the student has already mastered to increase his or her confidence. There will be times, however, that the subject matter is not interesting or engaging. Those times require proper discipline and focusing on the end goal of completing the task at hand.

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

One of my favorite things while tutoring is to explain a concept, and then ask the student to explain it back to me. To truly understand something, the student must be able to teach it back to another person. I would also incorporate repetition into the learning process. Often, reading a text or explanation more than once, even if already understood by the student, can allow the student to pick up on specific things missed the first time on the read. In addition, long term memory is built on covering concepts repeatedly over a period of time.

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

Confidence is gained by understanding the subject matter and progressing in the course material in a steady manner. At times, academic goals may seem too difficult to attain, and it's necessary to proceed in a stepwise manner. Small victories allow for improvement in learning and an increase in the motivation to continue and build upon that success.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Every student progresses differently. It is important to design a specific plan based on how the student learns. Regular assessments are the key to determining what areas the student needs help on and where the understanding of the subject matter is solid. The assessments could come in the form of regular quizzes and assignments.

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

Each student's ability to grasp a topic depends on how well it's taught. Building a strong relationship initially with the student can help define how sessions will progress. Some students need a guide in their learning, while others need more discipline. It’s important to identify the specific learning habits of each student to adapt a style to match it.

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

Depending on the subject, the materials used can vary from specific reading assignments to completing question stems. The best type of learning happens with a variety of resources used, including those provided by the student's institution and outside study materials.