What is your teaching philosophy?

I strive to teach students through grounding new knowledge in their own personal experiences. My philosophy is based on creating intrinsic motivation; when people are interested in the subject at hand and feel it is relevant to their lives, that is when meaningful learning takes place.

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

"Get to know you" games are a fun way for my student and I to get to know one another; I think it is important to have that personal connection before jumping into teaching. I'd also ask the student if there is anything specific they feel I should know about them to let them know that I am really invested and interested.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Students become independent learners when they are truly interested in a subject; in order to make that happen, I'd strive to make learning relevant and interesting to the student, while also giving them ideas on how to learn--be it researching information on the Internet, watching documentaries, or going on excursions to places of interest.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Encouragement is motivating, as is the student reaching milestones they set for themselves. In the first few sessions, I ask the student what they'd like to accomplish; then, when they do accomplish their goals, they feel intrinsically motivated to keep going. They might also get an external reward, like a special field trip or something fun related to the subject, for some external motivation as well.