What is your teaching philosophy?

Never give the answer directly. Give them the stepping stones that will help them find the answer themselves.

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

Getting to know the student is one of the most important things to have a good student/teacher relationship. The tutor will find a method to best teach while the student will establish trust that the tutor will be there to help them.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Like I said previously, I usually never give the answers directly. I give little hints that will help them find the correct answer. In literature, though, it's all about perspective, so there's almost no wrong answer.

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

If you look at many of the great authors, they usually are influenced by the events happening then and possibly in the future. An example would be Shakespeare's Macbeth, where many of us can argue that it talks about the corruption of politics today since Macbeth did whatever it took to be ruler, like how politicians do everything they can to make it to the top. It's all about thinking, "Well, how does this relate to modern day?" or "How does it relate to that time period?"

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would want to know what specifically the student is struggling in and communicate with them what method would be best. Communication is the key.

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

One thing I ask of the students is that they bring the materials they need help in, like what story they are talking about, because there are not many that I won't know about. For my part, I'll bring in examples that I feel will help the student. If a student needed help with an essay, and part of it was because they didn't know MLA format, I would bring in examples of MLA format.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

It may be the method in which the tutor is teaching in, so I would try something different and see if it works. I also find that examples of something, like of an essay format, can help figure out what to write, how to write it, etc.

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

I do not have many experiences teaching students yet, but for me personally, the best strategy has always been when it's interactive and the teacher challenges me to think. In my Philosophy class this semester, it's super engaging as we all discuss the different theories, which makes it easy for me to remember because I can see other people's perspectives and figure out where I stand.

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

Get them thinking is the biggest key. Communicate with them. My view of a piece of literature may be different from their perspective, so engaging in a conversation as to why they feel their perspective is right without going into a full blown argument will help them think and get engaged.

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

Communication is key, especially in literature and writing. It's important to have the piece be relatable to the student, whether it would be in today's culture or past culture.

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

Three things: Communication, communication, and communication.

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

The most important thing we as tutors can do is listen to the students. We need to know if they are not understanding the subject, and if it comes to that, then see what you can do to help them. A student loves it when a tutor or teacher truly cares about them succeeding, boosting them to strive and work harder.