What is your teaching philosophy?

Education is not only about making your child learn Physics and Math; it is more about teaching them how to think, integrate and apply in their future life. "You give man a fish, you feed him one time. You teach him how to fish and you feed him for lifetime!"

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

Try and get to know him/her as an individual and not as my student. Have a casual and free-flowing conversation by engaging the student with his/her interests. Understand what is holding them from feeling confident about a particular subject. Ask them what are their expectations from the upcoming sessions, and cater my teaching accordingly.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By being the catalyst in boosting their confidence about a particular subject. This can be achieved by helping them with how to approach and think about a topic to be learned and giving them enough practice, from easy to moderate to complex questions, of course overlooking and helping them along the journey!

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Usually motivation comes from the confidence and ability to do a certain thing in a better way. My goal as a tutor is to cultivate that confidence in the students in whatever possible ways, like just enough explanation on a topic and more hands on. The students will do mistakes and I will help them, however in the process they will gain a lot of confidence.

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

The best way is to have them read something that they love and value. For example, some kids may love reading about cars, and others may enjoy cars, while others are into geography and so on. The key is to first have them read one of those things and make them start imagining and connecting these different topics. A raw and boring read can be transformed into interesting one by discussing it.

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

I don't really use any one strategy for different kind of students. I believe I would know as I work along with the student and understand what works best for them individually.

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

The key is to first make them realize that they do not have a way out of learning a particular subject. Once a student realizes and accepts the fact, I would love to hear from them as to how he/she wants to go about it. Some kids love to get into details and having a discussion beyond the text, and some would be interested in just doing the necessary to get good grades. It all depends.

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

Practice makes a man perfect! The only way to build confidence in a student about a particular subject is by giving them as much practice as possible.

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

By explaining them a topic in simple and easy to understand language and words, giving day-to-day life examples. By interacting with the student in the conversation.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By asking questions regarding their comfort level about subjects. It can be also known by looking at their overall grade patterns.

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

By understanding the student personally. By understanding the particular area where the student is struggling. And this may not always be about the subject content itself, but it could be more of an emotional issue like fear or anxiety.

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

Textbooks or notes that are used in the student's class, pencil and paper, and online material.