What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that communication is key and with communication comes progress. If we build a good rapport and establish realistic goals, anything can be achieved!

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

We should sit and get to know one another a little bit. After that, discuss what the student is looking to improve and their overall goals. Then, work together to assess the current status of their work and see the places where they can most improve. From there, we work together to find the best way of getting there and how to mark progress.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Furnish a student with tools and techniques that work well for them. No two students are the same, and there is no magic formula to learning independently. Through working together, we can find what works best for them.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation comes from an environment of focus and positivity. We set realistic goals and find small ways to celebrate meeting each of them. Motivation also means understanding that it is okay to not always do perfectly and there is always room to improve.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or a concept, we identify the best strategy for addressing it and finding a solution. Every student has a different learning and analyzing style, so I utilize the way they interpret information and make the information more digestible. Then I create practice questions or content and walk them through one, and see if they can attempt one on their own. If they do well, we continue.

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

If a student is struggling with reading comprehension, we read together, and take it in pieces. Breaking down passages can be helpful and taking it slowly so I can identify what parts are the most challenging for the student that I can address.

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

Approach the student on their level, and find out what works and does not work for them. If they enjoy doing sections of work and then getting my feedback, or working through pieces together, or a combination of the two. I want them to learn tools that go along with the way they learn to continue growing and being successful.

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

Engagement comes from interest. If I can find a way to tie in that subject with an interest of theirs, that helps. A student struggling with focused writing could benefit from practicing writing on a topic they are passionate about, and we can use that work as a way to make progress.

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

I would present them a problem and ask them to show me how to fix it. This tests their comprehension and use of the lesson.

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

Keeping track of growth and progress and marking those milestones would motivate a student to continue working. I encourage students to be consistent, practice and not feel defeated if the topic is difficult, as we all have different strengths.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

First, I ask what they are looking for. I can get a general idea of their language competency by asking for a sample of their past work and looking for common patterns and mistakes. I make a note of where there can be improvement and how that fits in with their stated needs to move forward.

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

Some students benefit from visual representations, others from more verbal explanation, some from repetition, or a combination of any of the above. This heavily influences how I approach helping a student and explaining a concept. I can adapt my lesson to each style as necessary.

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

I have multiple copies of the student's work if tutoring in writing, and complementary example material for comprehension. If it is for literature, I will have a copy of the book or ask the student to bring theirs. For any other topics, it will be tutored to their needs.