What is your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy is that you have to meet a person where they are at - never assume that everyone learns the same way or understands things as you do. I always do my best to get to know a person and create a positive rapport so that I can best meet their needs through specialized instruction.

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

I would take some time to get to know the student, including who they are and what their hobbies are - then I would dive into academics and find out what they are studying, where they excel, where they are struggling, etc., so that I can best meet their needs in our first session.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help students become independent learners by guiding them through the appropriate steps to discover answers on their own, rather than doing it for them. This means asking pointed questions, asking them to repeat things back to you, or asking them to show you what they know. Then always be sure to give positive feedback to boost confidence and encourage independent work/success.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by reminding them of their success/wins, no matter how small, so that they can see and acknowledge their progress. I would also remind them of why they are working so hard - to reach whatever goals they have for their future.

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

If a student has difficulty with a skill or concept, I would see what resources are available to assist them further, and I would also try different approaches (or try explaining it differently) to see if they might respond better to something I hadn't first thought of.

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

I would ask focused questions about the reading to guide them toward the answer. I would also go back through the reading with them, highlighting things to look for, such as key words, phrases, ideas, etc.

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

I would learn about their life and try to find something in their life that I could apply to the subject they are struggling in. That way, they might see something about the subject that they missed, and in doing so, find a way to connect to it and understand it better.

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

I would ask for the student to repeat things back to me, show me on paper or in writing what they've learned, tell me a story, or explain what they learned that they didn't understand prior to the session.

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

I would build confidence by asking the student to do small steps independently, to allow their confidence to grow with small successes, rather than getting frustrated with a larger concept. I would affirm and acknowledge those small steps and show how it builds toward greater understanding. Emphasizing what the student CAN do helps build confidence for those things they are still learning to do.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I would ask several specific questions about what they understand and what they do not understand. I might also ask them to do a practical exercise so that I can see first hand where they are struggling and where I can help.

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

I adapt to meet a student's needs by changing my approach based on how they learn best. So, I might use a more verbal explanation with one student, while another needs more hands-on direct experience. One student might need space to work something through while another may need to talk it through. I would try different approaches until I found the one that worked best for that student.

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

Typically, if the student needed support beyond their books and study guides, I would provide additional problems to solve or sample writing prompts. Any additional material would depend on the student and subject I'm tutoring.

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

I find that the strategies I use when I first work with a student are to talk to them about what they're learning and where they need help, and then ask questions and do some practice work to see (in practice) where their skills are and where they need the most help.