What is your teaching philosophy?

As I have tutored over the years, I have had the opportunity to test my beliefs and values brought to me through my experiences. Tutoring and teaching have allowed for my teaching philosophy to take its current shape. My philosophy is deeply rooted within the Conceptual Framework of the "Transforming Educator." According to the Framework, the Transforming Educator is a teacher who continues to evolve by engaging in processes of understanding, practicing, and reflecting so that they can impact the learning for all students within their classroom. Educators must be able to engage students in learning, collaborate with others and work with students of diverse backgrounds in order to maximize student achievement. In order to be a Transforming Educator, a teacher must engage all students in learning. I teach with the understanding that most of my students are adolescent youth. Adolescent learners are students who learn best when they are provided with experiences which are interactive, purposeful and meaningful. An adolescent I seek to help should receive constructive feedback, feel safe to take academic risks within the instruction, and receive opportunities to self-manage their own learning. A Transforming Educator must also be able to collaborate with others in order to promote student learning. Effective collaboration can be achieved when expectations and requests are effectively communicated with both students and parents in order to enhance student learning. A Transforming Educator must be able to work with students of diverse backgrounds in order to facilitate student learning. Student populations will have a mixture of backgrounds, abilities, and multiple intelligences within the classroom. I believe my current philosophy allows for me to help students reach their full academic potential when I tutor.

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

In a typical first session, I will try to give an initial assessment of the student's strengths and weaknesses. I will also try to gauge the student's interests and hobbies in order to establish an initial connection as I tutor.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

A student can become an independent learner if confidence in content is gained throughout each session. Steps in achieving independence must be modeled so that a student can "fish for a lifetime."

How would you help a student stay motivated?

A student can stay motivated by celebrating any and all success (no matter how big or small they may seem to be).