What is your teaching philosophy?

Learning is hard work, but it should also be fun. I find ways to infuse levity into my teaching.

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

In a first session with a student, I might find out what his or her interests are. This gives me insight to what motivates the students and helps us work better as a team.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by not becoming a crutch to completing their assignments, giving them space to critically think through the task, and acknowledging when he or she has made a strong effort to problem solve on his or her own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Not everyone is driven to be an excellent student, but most like to get a little reward when a task is complete. I would help a student stay motivated by tapping into his or her unique desires, whether that be an excellent grade or time on the court shooting hoops.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I would be patient and offer a different perspective on the way it's been previously taught. Sometimes verbs don't make sense until you see them in action in an animation or essay structures are confusing until they are made into shapes a diagram. It's all about looking at the same problem from different angles until the student eases into the concept with relatedness.

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

I help students with reading comprehension by getting into dialogue about the passage or book. I ask questions that evoke curiosity. If the student doesn't know the answer we look together to find the answer, as if we're on an archaeological dig for dinosaur bones, we look underneath the surface for more information. Developing critical thinking in students is the key to reading comprehension.

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

Relatedness, authenticity, and patience.

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

First, I would ask what the struggle has been like, what have the impacts been (ex: low grades, feeling left out in class, or a sense of fear). Then, I would find out what parts, if any, of the subject they feel strong in. We'd start there as a launching pad. We'll focus on practice versus perfection. A lot of "harder" subjects only become easier with practice. It's the same in sports and music; the more you practice the better you become. Some of the best sports stars and musicians aren't naturals at the game or instrument, but they are the ones who practiced the most.

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

I'd look for comprehension in the student's assignment work, practice sentences and paragraphs, and from our conversations about the material.

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

A student is continually setting new educational goals to achieve and might not notice milestones achieved. A student's confidence is built through seeing that he or she has made progress. I can't build confidence for him or her, but I can point out progress that I've observed, and that may be a catalyst to building confidence.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by asking them (or the parent) what their needs and goals are, and by looking at examples of completed assignments.

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

I adapt tutoring to the student's needs by discovering what learning techniques and study environments work for them. If it's loud and busy at home and the student needs silence, we'll find or create a quiet space. If pictures and diagrams help more than words on a page, we'll start getting visual with the lesson. If a student likes videos, I'll find some great videos that are fun to watch on the topic. It's more important to make learning accessible than it is to teach traditional methods.

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

I'll bring along my laptop (for web searches), dictionary, MLA Handbook, notecards, markers, and anything that may seem helpful for the student I'm tutoring. I use listening and humor as my strongest tools.