What is your teaching philosophy?

The best way to learn is to fail. You don't know what you don't know. By allowing yourself to make mistakes, you open more opportunities to find solutions. Teaching is simply the art of providing solutions learned by making mistakes.

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

I want to find out what the student's interests are. People tend to learn better when they are interested in the subject matter.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Learning is repetition. I would create a study/action plan to enforce material for long lasting retention. Students often make the mistake of memorizing rather than retaining information to build on.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I help students stay motivated by helping them understand the value in what they are learning, not just the information itself.

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

Take the skill/concept step-by-step to understand where the difficulty lies and how to address it.

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

There are several ways to assist with reading comprehension. I find the best way sometimes is simply rewording the sentence or paragraph.

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

The most successful strategies are those incorporating personal interest and background knowledge. It is much easier to expand on something you already know than to learn something completely new.

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

I help get students excited and engaged with a subject by challenging them and relating the subject to things they are interested in.

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

The best way to make sure a student understands the material is to have the student teach it to me in simple terms. If you can take a complex idea and explain it in a simple way, it's safe to say you understand it.

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

I build confidence with my students by making them apply what they have learned.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by addressing their goals first. If I know where the student wants to be, I can find out what they need to get there.

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

I provide information/instruction relevant to the student's needs rather than showing things that do not add to or improve their understanding.

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

This varies greatly on subject matter. I may bring text books if I find the information relevant.