What is your teaching philosophy?

"Every person is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid" - Albert Einstein This famous quotation captures my teaching philosophy. Every student is a genius. Every student has the ability to do amazingly well. The key to unlocking the greatness is to discover what a student's talent is and apply it to the material you want to master. My teaching philosophy is that all students are geniuses; they just need the right tools.

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

In our first session, we'll have an icebreaker to get to know each other. I would then ask what brought you to the tutoring company and what you would like to accomplish. Then we'll set a schedule.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

A student becomes an independent learner when given the tools needed to do so. I will teach my student how to put any material into their learning style and give them the ability to teach themselves.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by reminding them of how far they've come. Then we would set a realistic goal and decide on a reward for when the goal is reached.

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

We would walk through a problem that uses the skill or concept together. More than likely, with a demonstration of how to apply the concept, it will become clearer.

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

Reading comprehension is all about grasping the material that you are reading. I would read each line with the student and ask them what they garnered from that line. Then we would discuss the main idea.

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

The strategies that are most successful with students are empowerment and encouragement. Telling a student that he/she is capable, smart, and competent gives them the confidence they need to succeed.

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

If the student finds the subject uninteresting, I would search for something within the topic that ties into one of their hobbies. Finding this common link would make the topic more exciting.

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

I would ask the student to explain the reasoning behind the answers they selected to ascertain if they understood the material or are just guessing correctly.

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

A student's confidence in a subject is built by practicing that subject often.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would discuss what the student has been struggling with and how much progress they hope to make.

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

Every student has different learning styles. To adapt, the forum in which I teach the material would match the student's learning style.

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

During a tutoring session, I could make use of an array of things. Some common items are a whiteboard and notecards.