What is your teaching philosophy?

Students learn best by doing problems and talking through their process. I like to have a student talk me through what they understand so we can correct any flaws in background knowledge, as well as build a scaffold to solve future problems.

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

Students turn to tutoring when they are getting stuck or lost. I would start with having them describe the problems that are tripping them up. I'll then have them summarize the key fundamentals that build the base of solving that problem with directed questioning. If we find a hole or holes we have our starting material. I'll then give them the short answers to build a scaffold back to where they need to be, and I'll give them some readings or YouTube videos to review and build a deeper understanding.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The key to learning is to find patterns to tie new knowledge back into what you already know. I'll have students reflect on what they already know and how this new information builds on this knowledge. By learning to reflect and question, I'll show students how to transform data into knowledge.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation disappears when frustration arises. Students know a lot more than they think, it's connecting this prior information together that provides "aha!" moments and will keep students interested in learning.

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

Ask questions! Find what building blocks are missing from the pyramid that this knowledge should be resting on.