What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that all students can do amazing things. As a teacher, it is up to me to challenge the potential within my students and make them successful learners. I understand that this means hard work and determination, I am prepared to work hard to ensure all my students are successful in the classroom. I want all my students to love school and become lifelong learners. I believe that all my students will practice self-discipline and grow to become productive members of society.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by teaching them the skills to be successful.

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

I think it is important to reinforce any skill. If a student is struggling I would go back over the skill to reinforce the concept, checking their work, and providing checkpoints.

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

When helping a student struggling with reading comprehension, I would first start the session unlocking prior knowledge, a picture walk, and vocabulary review before reading. While we are reading, I would ask questions to check for understanding, and when we are finished, have the student provide me with a summary of what we read.

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

I believe it is important to build a student's confidence by having a can-do attitude! I know that not every student is going to understand every concept the first time, so I will re-teach until the concept is learned by the student. When the concept is learned that reinforcement and the building of confidence will ensure the student is proud of themselves and the work they put out.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate students' needs by doing exit tickets, comprehensions checks, and re-tells. These methods let me know if the student has understood the materials that were presented during the lesson and what needs to be re-taught during the second meeting.

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

Based on the lesson, I will pull the materials that I need. For example, if I am reviewing two-digit math with a student, I would pull a two-digit math worksheet so that we are able to work through it together.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I think it is important to keep a student's interest. I believe that it is done by truly investing in your student and finding out what types of things they enjoy!

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

I believe that you have to adapt your lessons to your learner and set realistic goals and expectations! I do think it is important to meet students where they are and help them grow from there.

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

I would help a student get excited about a subject they are struggling in by finding out what they are interested in. When I found out that interest, I would put it into the lesson so that the student becomes engaged in whatever I am teaching.

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

I help struggling students by understanding where they are. I know that a lot of students find reading difficult, so as a result, they give up easily. I do believe it is important to motivate students and use real life situations that the students can relate too. It is also important to unlock a student's prior knowledge, experiences, and thoughts so that their lessons can engage the student.

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

I have found comprehension, recall, and note taking strategies to be most successful when working with students.

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

The two techniques that I use to ensure a student's success are recalling and exit tickets.