What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is that learning requires 200% effort; 100% effort from the teacher, 100% effort from the student. Everyone can learn- we just have to understand our own learning styles.

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

This is a chance for the student to understand who I am on a personal level as well as my methodology when it comes to teaching. This also gives me a chance to understand the student and the student's learning style.

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

We do what we call "The Interview" while we read. This method allows the student to interview the reading based on a set of questions that are fun, but also help them develop the tools necessary for reading comprehension.

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

Positive reinforcement is key. I believe that the words we say determines the mindset we have. I believe in the "yet" principle, meaning if a student says "I can't do this," I rephrase it to "I can't do this yet." Then, we celebrate any and all milestones the student makes in the learning process. Often we reward correct answers. I believe we should reward effort as well as the mastering of concepts.

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

I use a computer with Internet access, colored pens/pencils, paper, whiteboard and markers, and anything that can be used visually to show rather than tell the information.