What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe that all students learn differently, at different paces, and through different ways. It is my belief that, as a teacher, it is my duty to my students to ensure that I teach the way that they can learn and help them to succeed.

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

In my first session with a student, I will begin by introducing myself and allowing them the opportunity to introduce themselves to me. I would get to know them, their likes and dislikes, and how they prefer to learn. I would then use this information and adapt it to my teaching to allow my student to have the full benefits of learning the way that they need to learn.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by boosting their confidence. I would help them to become more independent by giving them the help they need when it is needed and praising them when they work and accomplish a goal on their own.

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

I would break the skill or concept down into smaller steps. By breaking down the skill or concept, that allows the student to master each step one at a time without becoming overwhelmed. Once I feel the student has mastered a step, we would move on until the entire skill or concept is mastered completely.

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

I would help students who are struggling with reading comprehension by breaking down the steps. I would start with the basics with them and work in steps until they feel they are more confident in their reading ability.

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

A strategy I have found to be successful when working with students is taking things in smaller steps. By breaking down the steps in a lesson or concept, it allows the student to see the overall concept of what is being learned. I have also found that hands-on activities, such as manipulatives, or visual representations help to boost understanding of difficult concepts.

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

I would help a student to become engaged in a subject by allowing them the opportunity to engage in a fun, academic lesson. By introducing a complicated subject in a way that can be portrayed as a game, it allows the student to have more confidence and a better feeling of accomplishment when making progress.

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

Techniques that I would use to ensure that the student understands the material are consistent questions and review. Throughout the course of the lesson, I would pause and review the material we have already covered, which would allow me to ensure that the student understands. When the lesson is over entirely, I would use an assessment, whether written or oral, to assess the knowledge of the student on the overall achievement of the concepts.

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

I would build a student's confidence in a subject by questioning their prior knowledge on it. Questioning the student's prior knowledge would allow me to boost the confidence of the student by showing them what they already know, and then explaining how we can, as a team, build upon that knowledge.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs by monitoring their work and asking them questions. I would monitor the techniques which work best for them and adapt the materials accordingly. I would also ask them questions on how they learn and what way they learn best.

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

I adapt my tutoring to my students' needs by getting to know them. Understanding the way that they learn and understand concepts would allow me to adapt materials or lessons to their way of understanding to ensure mastery.

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

Materials that I use during sessions include manipulatives and visual portrayals. Allowing the students to be hands-on and have visual representations allows for a clearer understanding when a concept can be confusing.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by providing reinforcement. Reinforcement would allow for the student to feel good and know that they are accomplishing a concept, whether that reinforcement is verbal or materialistic.