What is your teaching philosophy?

My job, as an educator, is not to just give you the information. It is to guide your experience and help you come to an understanding through exploration and personal engagement. My job is to show you how to do it, help you do it, and then to release you into doing it on your own.

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

The first session will typically be about getting to know one another and getting comfortable with one another. Depending on the subject matter being tutored, I will need to assess the student to see where he or she is at. I need to know where we are, so that I can know the best way to reach our ultimate destination.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I help my students become independent learners by encouraging them, modeling for them, and challenging them.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

The best motivation comes from within. However, some students lack that intrinsic motivation. Therefore, I would start by getting to know the student and learning what makes him or her tick. I would also try to develop lessons and sessions based on his/her learning style. I would do my best to make the material relevant and interesting to the learner. I would also encourage the student by focusing on growth and positives.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I would, first, try to find out from where the problem stems. I would ask myself questions, such as, "Why is this difficult? Does he/she need to know 'this' in order to get to 'that'?" I might have to back up a little bit and teach another skill or concept in order to help the student with the current one. I would also try a different way to teach the student. I would model, model, model, and allow practice, practice, practice.

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

The first thing I would do to help a student who struggles with reading comprehension is to give them a DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment). From there, I would also give them a reading level assessment. I use an online program that helps me determine the missing links. Then, I would know what level to start with. From that point, we may work on fluency, or we may work on syntax or vocabulary. Whatever the level of the student, I do know this- the more the student reads, the better he/she will become at reading. I would practice reading passages with the student, finding the main idea. I would use various reading strategies with the student such as helping the student learn to make connections, predict, determine importance, ask questions, visualize, and summarize.

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

The most successful strategy I can use to help a student is to first let them know I care to develop a rapport with him/her. From there, the sky's the limit.

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

I would help the student get engaged and excited by, first, learning what engages and excites that student. Then, I would try to incorporate some of that into our sessions. If I see the "deer in the headlight" look, I know I have to change something. I've also learned that if I am excited about a subject, my students are more likely to be excited about the subject as well.

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

I would question the student orally as well as give the student assessments.

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

I build confidence in my students by focusing on the positives and focusing on the growth.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

There are several ways to evaluate a student's needs. There are programs available online. I also have access to a plethora of educational materials.

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

The ultimate goal when I help a student is helping the student. It's not about me, so when it comes to making sure the student's needs are met, I'm adaptable. Each student is unique and individual. Each student has a different learning style. Each student has a different need. My job is to meet those needs. Whatever it takes.

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

I use a variety of materials based on the student's needs: books, reading passages, games, online programs, a pencil, and paper.