What is your teaching philosophy?

I am interested in working with students, because I am attracted by the nature of the job - which is making a difference through education. When I was a student, I was influenced by a couple of outstanding teachers, and I noticed the common characteristics that made them stand out among their peers were their demeanor as a teacher that provided a positive role model for young adolescents to follow, and their ability to break down complex concepts into simple matters. In my opinion, these are crucial qualities for being a good teacher.

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

Introduce myself, get to know the student's background, and evaluate the student's academic skills to identify areas that he/she needs to work on.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By providing opportunities for students to practice what they learned and guide them to solutions instead of given them answers.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Give them various incentives like candy.

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

Find different ways to present the material to them, such as visual aids and manipulatives.

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

Highlight key words, and ask questions to see where there are misconceptions.

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

Visual aids, such as math manipulatives, maps, and anchor charts are very helpful for students to understand complex concepts.

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

I usually start out at a beginner level to build up students' confidence. Once students realize they can be successful on a certain subject, they are likely to be excited and engaged.

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

I will ask students to teach me back what they learned. I will ask the student to analyze how he or she got a certain problem wrong.

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

By using positive reinforcement and starting out with the subject at a beginner's level.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By observations and asking questions.

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

I can relate abstract concepts to real-life examples or use visual aids if necessary.

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

Manipulatives, maps, and grade level textbooks.