Naomi

What is your teaching philosophy?

I think it is important to provide an environment with multiple means of representation, such as both visual and auditory, to better support the unique needs of each learner.

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

I would try to establish how much background knowledge the student has first - it is important to get ahold of basic concepts before tackling more abstract, complicated ones, especially in terms of science and mathematics.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help the student procure tools for him/herself that will help them learn on their own - including flashcards, organizers, to-do lists, textbook highlighting skills, et cetera.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would try to apply what they were learning to events in their everyday life - for example, creating mathematical word problems that pertain to an activity they enjoy or are talented in.

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

I would start with the most basic steps and move on gradually to the more complicated ones. Learning is a stepwise process; if you just pour information on someone, they won't understand it.

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

A major problem with reading comprehension is the ability to visualize; I would help the student with vocabulary and symbolization, so that they could form images in their head of what is happening in the text.

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

I find patience is incredibly helpful, but it also helps to have higher expectations - not impossibly high, but high enough that the child recognizes that the tutor views them as intelligent and capable; it will make them want to succeed.

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

I would try to relate it to an activity that the student enjoys - for instance, if I am tutoring them in math, I could come up with word problems that have to do with their academic and extracurricular talents, so that they find it easier to focus.

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

I would routinely do small assessments (through flashcards, quizzes, et cetera) to make sure that the student understands each concept before moving to the next one, in a logical format.

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

Make sure that they know they are intelligent - but also stress that effort is important. This is known as an Authoritative view - not seeking control over the person or criticizing them, but rewarding their effort and subsequent success.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student's needs through a combination of their current grades in certain classes, what they tend to miss on exams, and what they ask for help on.

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

Each student is unique and learns in an individual way - for example, one student may learn better from lecture format that can be recorded for playback later during homework, while another student might prefer flashcards to help them gradually memorize the terms.

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

Typically, I use color-coded pens, a whiteboard and dry-erase marker, computer paper, online whiteboard tools, flashcards, and the occasional computer or tablet.