What is your teaching philosophy?

I am a dedicated individual excited to teach children, with a passion for education and an unwavering commitment to optimizing student and school success.

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

I would like to get to know the student personally. What are their likes and dislikes? Do they have any hobbies? What do they do in their free time? Answering these questions really goes a long way in helping to customize a tutoring session, so that the student will learn that they can learn and enjoy it at the same time. Usually an assessment should be done in order to find out where they are and how the lesson needs to be scaffolded to meet their current needs.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Helping a student become an independent learner starts with building their confidence. Learning is a process of asking questions and making mistakes, all while being in a safe learning environment, where they feel like they can do those things without being punished or put down.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

There are several things that I would do if a student is having difficulty learning a skill or concept. The first is to review the basic concepts. Ensuring that the student has a basic understanding is essential to understanding what area or areas need to be retaught. Once I have figured out the area that is causing difficulty, I give the student a variety of methods, concepts and strategies as tools to move forward. Finally, having manipulatives on hand for the student to utilizes often allows the student to see, feel and understand what it is being taught. Making sure that the student can relate to the skill or concept helps the student to make real-world connections.

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

First I want to identify where the difficulty is, focus on metacognition, monitor comprehension, use organizers graphic and semantic, ask questions heard specifically towards the text, and finally model the strategies by thinking aloud.