What is your teaching philosophy?

Every student is unique and has their own way of learning, so it is important to always ask questions, observe and alter the teaching style to fit each student's understanding of the material.

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

First, introduce myself and get to know the student. Second, understand their educational goals. Third, come up with a plan and go over how we will reach that goal. It can be anything from getting a better grade in a certain class to understanding a specific topic better.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

To guide the student to becoming an independent learner, I would evaluate how they are currently learning and decipher which aspects or topics they are not understanding. Then, I would help them develop steps into how to reach their own conclusions. For example, to memorize vocabulary spelling and definitions, they would use flashcards, write the word on one side, write the definition on the other side and memorize; all of those steps would be independent. Another example would be to hand out activity work sheets that have examples, but encourage the student to understand and work through the problem independently.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

When the student gets an improved score on an assignment or test, I would congratulate them and cheer them on to stay motivated. If a student gets a lower grade than usual on an assignment or test, I would explain to them that they are able to improve. We would just have to understand which studying techniques work for them and make sure that student utilizes those techniques. Also, of course, I would ask what motivates the student to do well. Then, I would remind them of their answer when they're feeling unmotivated to learn. For instance, if a student says, "I get to be part of the soccer team if I have at least all B's," then I would remind them of that.

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

I ask them what type of books they like to read. Or, if they don't like to read books, I ask them what type of movies they like. This way, it helps the student engage in reading material they would more likely find interesting. Then, they would get reading comprehension assignments and worksheets. The first one we would do together, and I would assess what to do next depending on the results for the worksheets.

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

First, I would ask the student what type of study techniques they use. Second, I would provide worksheets and assignments tailored to that specific skill or concept. For example, if a student is more of a visual learner, we would use worksheets that adhere to visual learning.

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

Keeping the student engaged through asking questions, observing their responses, and making sure they are working on an activity/assignment is the most successful when I start work with a student.

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

I would ask them what their interests are and relate it to the subject they are struggling in.

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

I would ask multiple questions and evaluate the responses. As well, depending on the subject and the student's level of understanding, I would give a quiz and assignments. Lastly, I would evaluate those quizzes and assignments to determine the next step.

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

I would show their progress. As well, I would ask questions to distinguish which particular topics of the subject they are struggling with, and I'd cover those areas.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

We would go over a student's needs together. I would also go over their grades from school to determine if what the student says matches to what the grades reflect. After that, I would determine if a test or assignment(s) need(s) to be administered to further evaluate the student's needs.

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

I evaluate how the student takes in information and learns by trying different methods at first, and altering them if needed. After, I base the type of curriculum around the student's learning style.

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

Any type of material that is needed. It varies based on the subject. Depending on the class and level, we would use anything from online sources to textbooks or worksheets.