What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to approach each student differently. Not all students learn the same and that is okay. From my experience of tutoring all different grades and ages, I've come to learn that no two students are the same, and no matter how long it takes to fully grasp the material or what method you choose, as long as the student fully understands the concepts, that's the best end goal there is.

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

In a typical first session with a student, I would introduce myself, say what school I go to, and what my interests, major, and hobbies are and ask them what they are into and what their favorite subjects are. I think it's very important to be comfortable with the person you will work with for the upcoming sessions because that way they know they can ask you any question and come to you for any assistance without hesitation. First impressions always last, and I think a great one is the key to letting students excel.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

To become an independent learner, you must have self-discipline. I admit, a lot of times, it is very easy to lose focus. Tell yourself it is okay to watch television, study the next morning for the exam, but making them realize the importance of education is vital. A student must understand that education is the pathway to success and all future endeavors and learning by yourself is just one part of growing up and knowing that it is time to take your life in your hands. There are only so many other people that can help, but if you do not push yourself, no one can do the extra mile for them. Motivation and self determination are the two main lessons I always teach my students.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by making them focus on the future goal. I ask my students, "What do you want to achieve when you grow up?" I make them write it down and look at it every time they feel hopeless in their studies. A student stays motivated by the positive energy you create around them and giving them the confidence that even if your answer is not correct, it is okay because every learns and grows from their mistakes. No one is perfect, but the more you are determined to be successful, life will work out on its own for you. I give my students study breaks when they answer a certain amount of questions right and tell them that they deserve it for all the hard work they have done.

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

Whenever my current students have difficulty learning a skill or concept, I explain it more than one way. Not all students learn straight from the lecture notes or the textbook, so it is my job to understand the material fast enough to be able to teach them. A lot of times, students understand concepts visually, so I take objects and show them how it can be done and explain it at a slower pace because it takes time for everyone to learn material differently. It's about getting the basics and the foundation strong in order to build on top of it which is the most crucial part of teaching a student.

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

Students who are struggling with reading comprehension a lot of times do not read the title of the passage or excerpt, so they miss out on a chunk of information. The key to being successful in reading comprehension is to skim the questions beforehand so you know what you're being asked to answer, so while you skim through the passage, you're concentrating on what to find.

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

Some of the strategies I have found to be most successful when I start to work with a student is to get to know a little bit about them first. Once you see how they start to attack a problem or a question, you get to find out what kind of student they are and where they need the most attention and where they need the least. From experience, I know students who learn with different methods than they are exposed to and can still excel in the subject if you just spend some time with them, teaching them easier shortcut ways and the way they have been taught in the textbook.

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

Helping a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in requires for a bit of motivation and creativity. It's all about making the environment fun, even though the material may be hard. Making some acronyms for things they do not understand, creating a song, or using real life objects helps a lot of people to grasp hard material more easily. It's about making learning fun and realizing that education is full of the unknown.