What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe in the power to change. My mission is to challenge my students in a way that is comprehensive and retentive. Let's establish a base for your individual learning style and begin to grow, develop, and apply the strategies to help you succeed.

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

I will get to know my student. Understanding their goals, assessing their skill set and getting to know their strengths and weaknesses. Most of all, understanding my student's learning style.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help my student become an independent learner by giving them study skills and teaching them how to become the best learner. Most importantly, I will teach them to ask the right questions.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

There are several ways to help a student stay motivated. I like to challenge my students with fun learning games and interesting content to read. Learning should be fun; people learn better when they have a vested interest in what they are learning.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a concept, I usually review the basic skill foundation that the student may not have received prior to moving into the next phase of learning. I also like to make the skill or concept personal to the student so they can relate.

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

I always ask my students to get the main concept out of what they are reading. I ask my students to read out loud and always read the questions first so they know what to look for in the reading.

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

I found that getting to know your student on an individual level and letting them know that you care and there is no such thing as a dumb question helps. I keep an open door for my students to come to me with anything, and we will research it, find the answer, and understand it.

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

Making the subject interesting to where a student would want to know more about it. Students want success, and they need to see the benefits of success at the end of each learning objective. Knowing that education almost guarantees future success is not only motivational, but it is putting the student in the right position at the right time. I teach to embrace struggles, because every struggle is a learning opportunity to be successful.

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

After teaching my students the material, I often ask my students to teach me what they learned. We also review key points and take a quiz.

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

Reviewing the material in segments, teaching in a step by step approach of instruction, and making sure the student knows the process to answer the questions, will ensure confidence on the subject.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

An assessment will be done to evaluate the student's needs. In order to help the student embrace the struggle, it is my job to understand what it is and how to properly eliminate it.

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

Everyone learns differently. There are no "cookie-cutter" methods in tutoring. It is my mission to evaluate my student, use my diverse skill set to engage my student, and comprehensively adjust my teaching style to my student's needs.

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

I use whiteboards, flashcards, quizzes, note taking, workbook reviews, and education games.