What is your teaching philosophy?

Teaching is about encouraging and motivating students to want to learn the material. Then, material must be presented in a way that it can be understood, recalled, and applied.

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

The first session is about establishing a baseline of knowledge, goals and objectives for future sessions, and increasing or focusing interest of the subject.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Students need to understand the tools and resources that are available beyond the teacher/tutor and the text. Additional resources help students become independent in their studies.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

A combination of long and short term goals are essential to maintaining motivation. As they complete short term goals, I would revisit the progress toward the long term goals.

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

This requires having multiple approaches for teaching or explaining the concepts. All students do not benefit from the same teaching style, and a tutor must be willing to try different methods.

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

Reading comprehension can be conquered through breaking the material down into smaller segments and having a good understanding of the pieces.

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

I prefer to start with a mutual understanding of the goals and objectives of the session.

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

Excitement can be built through relating the subject to the interest of the student. I once related operational charts and timelines to the members of a rock band. This helped the student understand the visualization being presented in a management course.

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

I like to periodically use verbal quizzes to make sure that we are progressing together. I also develop real-life scenarios to apply the material. With younger students, I develop games that apply the material to make the quizzes fun.

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

Confidence can be built through positive feedback and encouragement. Repetition with repeated success helps also help students feel more confident with the material.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Student needs can be evaluated during the introductory period with a quick SWOT analysis. Understanding the student and their background in the subject can direct the sessions towards positive gains and better results.

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

Outlining goals, understanding strengths and weaknesses, and relating to the student help me focus the sessions on the areas that need the most attention. Monitoring the progress of the student helps dictate the pace that we proceed with the material.

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

I am willing to use videos, PowerPoint presentations, scenarios, and diagrams. The important thing is to remain flexible and utilize materials that fit each student.