What is your teaching philosophy?

A student needs to be both challenged and supported. Rather than being given the answer to a problem, a student should be helped to see a method they can use on any problem they encounter, with concrete steps to take out the guess work.

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

I spend some time discussing with the student his or her strengths and weaknesses, as well as his or her interests outside of the subject area. That will give me a good idea where to start and what kinds of examples to use to help the student start to work on the problems they are facing.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by helping them learn processes, rather than memorizing facts and figures. If a student understand the process necessary to solve a problem, rather than having just memorized a list of stats, they will be able to take control of their own education.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by helping them track and see their progress. It is hard to stay motivated when you don't feel like you're accomplishing your goal, so I would help a student set measurable goals in their studies, letting them track and see progress.

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

If a student is having a hard time on a concept, I would start by asking questions about the underlying ideas necessary to complete the problem they are facing. Often, difficulty in a new area results from either not having a firm grasp of the underlying principles or not seeing how they connect to the new task.

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

Getting engaged in a subject is often a matter of seeing how it relates to your own interests and connecting underlying principles. Therefore, to help a student get excited about a subject, I would first find out what they are interested in outside of academics and find ways to relate those interests to the task at hand, helping them see that there is more to it than just memorizing facts and figures.

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

After working with a student, I would be sure to ask related follow-up questions to make sure they understand what they've been studying. The questions would not be a verbatim repeat of questions they've already answered, but similar questions that would require the student to follow similar processes to reach the correct answer.

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

I help a student build confidence by helping them see the progress they are making and giving them proper praise for work well done. Not only will I point out to them how they have improved, but I will also help them set their own measurable goals to see that they are indeed getting better.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

The best way to evaluate a student's needs is by asking questions. What areas is the student doing well in? What areas are they struggling in? Are there specific parts of the subject that they are aware they don't understand? It is also helpful to look over previous work to see where any mistakes might be made.

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

Adapting to needs requires first knowing what those needs are. Once I'm aware of where the student is in the subject, I can then help them scaffold their understanding, building on principles they already understand. One student might have a strong understanding of the conceptual material, but not of the equations used to solve a problem, and another student might find themselves in the opposite corner.