What is your teaching philosophy?

I think it's integral to engage students with the topics they are learning. Having students learn as active stakeholders in the learning process is critical to lasting academic achievement and beyond.

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

I like to get to know the student and how they learn and engage with the material that we are going to be working with. I want to learn about them as people, their likes and dislikes, and how I can make it as solid a learning interaction as possible.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

It's important for students to know they are stakeholders in their own learning process. It's important for students to recognize their own agency and power over what they learn and how they learn. My job is to be as good a facilitator as I can.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Students, like me, get interested in material when we can relate to it, when we can apply it to our own lives, or when we can talk about it and engage with it. That's the key to staying motivated as a learner!

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

I would use innovative methods depending on the topic. If one way of teaching isn't working, try another. Especially in a place like New York City, there are so many resources at-hand to get creative in the learning process!

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

Making the reading relatable and talking through what's been read is very important. Reading comprehension requires engagement with the reading, which can be stimulated by talking through key points or learning how to code what's being read.

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

I think it's always important to get to know the student's learning process, and his/her experiences as a student and learner, before engaging in a productive learning experience. A student learns best when s/he is comfortable with the person they're learning with; I can attest to that!

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

I'm naturally enthusiastic and optimistic. I'm also naturally engaging and can talk about almost anything. To be fair, I wouldn't want to tutor in any topic I'm not really enthusiastic about, and I've learned that enthusiasm can be infectious if the learning experience is done as a team.

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

I think asking questions and discussing as we go through the learning process is important. Stimulating thought in a certain reading or in a certain question that needs to be written about is critical to developing a passionate learning experience. I naturally ask questions and am always curious, and I think it's important to stimulate that in a student.

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

Positive reinforcement is critical, but it should also be genuine. I don't patronize people, but even the smallest gains are important to celebrate. It's really important to make sure a student knows they're making gains, however incremental. It's exciting for everyone to see progress being made.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I ask questions, I engage in conversation and I do my best to be an active listener. I'm naturally curious, and learning about a student's learning process is critical to making sure the learning experience is as productive as possible. The more time I spend with someone, the more I learn, but it's important to always participate in the learning process as a fellow learner and make sure that the student is comfortable engaging with you as much as with the material.

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

Every learner is different. I've worked with people of all ages and demographics who process differently from me. I think as a tutor, I'm adaptable and flexible, and I think it's exciting to see and learn about someone's learning process because it stimulates me to be a better teacher and to innovate teaching methods to fit the student. It involves creativity on my part, and I think that's the most exciting component of any learning experience!

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

I think a tutoring session is, at its core, an interaction between two people. I bring all of myself to any tutoring session. Depending on what we'll be working on, I'll also bring accessories, like books or other things that can stimulate thought on any given learning material. It all depends on the learning process of the individual and what we'll be working on!