What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is holistic, helping students to think about the "why" of what they are learning before they begin to tackle the "what". This is at the center of motivation and engagement with the material.

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

I will get to know the student. I will seek to activate their background knowledge about the material. I will ask him or her how aggressive he wants to be in his pursuit of the material and what his goals are for our sessions so that we can form a scope and plan of study.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I think the most important thing is to help the student understand the fundamentals of studying. When these fundamentals are down, the student can pursue whatever area of study that he or she finds most interesting.