What is your teaching philosophy?

A lot of teachers emphasize the importance of practice. Practice is great once one fully understands the underlying concepts. My job, as a tutor, is to take the student's basic understanding of a subject gained from class and expand it to an expert-like level. I believe in quality over quantity and constant review of former topics.

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

In a first session, I would start by asking a student, "What is your greatest weakness in this subject matter?" Too often, a misunderstood concept taught early on in a class ends up haunting a student for the duration of the class. We would then spend the entire session reviewing old material to build a stable foundation for the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Becoming an independent learner often times means being able to teach the material to someone else. I will challenge my students to explain concepts to me before we begin them, and I will help them master the concept.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation comes from passion towards the concept we are working on. I will be sure to emphasize the real-life impacts of things we are working on.

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

If a student has difficulty with a skill, I would create a step-by-step process for solving that specific problem type. After nailing down that process, I would help the student understand why the process works. Sometimes, working backward is the way to go!

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

I encourage them to write summaries of a text after they have read it.

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

If they are lagging behind, rebuild their foundations.

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

Show them the big picture: real-life applications.

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

Have them try to teach me the material after we have gone through it. It is in being able to explain a concept to others that mastery is demonstrated.

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

I have them walk me through how to solve a problem after they have demonstrated their ability.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I review previous assignments and tests that they may have struggled with.

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

Some students just want help knocking out an assignment, while others want long-term assistance. I can do both!

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

I like to help students learn concepts through diagrams! One of my goals is to create diagrams with students during tutoring sessions.