What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that teachers need to relate to a student's personal situation before they can truly connect with them.

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

I would like to learn about the student -- his personality, his feelings about school, and his feelings about the subject. Then, I would look at the material he is studying. First, we will review his successes, and then go on to figure out the struggles, focusing on not frustrating this student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

First, we work on the concepts that the student is struggling with. Then we build his confidence and eventually get to the point where he is able to teach the concept back to me.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would keep a student motivated by lots of praise and encouragement. If I see him starting to get restless, I will digress to another method of teaching.

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

I would try many different ways to teach him the concept. I would recreate different situations in which the concept can be applied.

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

I make sure the student is highlighting the important information. I would have him read the passage out loud to me and ask him questions throughout to make sure he maintains understanding.