What is your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy of teaching has evolved from years of teaching experience. As I reflect on my beliefs regarding teaching and learning, I find that my mission as a teacher is threefold: to promote positive learning, to spark enthusiasm for learning, and to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

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

In a typical first session I would get to know the student. It's important that my student feels comfortable with me; this will lead to more engaged tutoring sessions. I will also get an idea of the student's learning style; therefore, I can tailor my tutoring sessions to the specific needs of the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

In order to help a student become an independent learner, I will use strategy-based teaching; therefore, they can use specific strategies we've practiced together when completing assignments and/ tests on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

In order to keep a student motivated, I will use positive reinforcements. In addition to this, I will focus on the Growth Mindset.

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

If a student is having difficulty learning a skill or a concept, I will teach a mini-lesson on the specific skill or concept to reteach and clarify any misunderstandings.

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

In order to help students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I will first make sure they are able to decode words and read fluently. I will also use strategy-based teaching to help students use better comprehend texts. For example, the RACE strategy is a summarizing strategy that helps promote reading comprehension.

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

When working with a student, positive reinforcement is a great strategy to utilize because it motivates the students and promotes a positive attitude towards learning.

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

In order to help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in, I would incorporate technology into the lesson by showing them a video or letting them play an interactive game based on the subject we are working on.

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

I like to utilize exit tickets. Exit tickets are informal assessments that occur at the end of a lesson to show me whether or not the student grasped the concept. They tell me if I need to go back and reteach the concept or if I can move forward.

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

In order to build a student's confidence in a subject, I utilize the Growth Mindset.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

In order to evaluate a student's needs, I assess how engaged the student is during the lesson. If the student is not engaged, there is a specific reason for it. If the student is engaged, then their needs are being met.

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

During the first session, I assess the student's specific learning style because everyone learns differently; therefore, depending on the student's learning style, it will determine how I tutor the student in regards to the lessons, materials, assessments, etc.

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

I like to incorporate a mix of materials, including technology, manipulatives, drawings, paper folding, etc.