If students are having difficulty understanding a concept I would look for another way to explain the concept. Sometimes I will ask a student what needs to be explained further in order for them to understand. I also look for ways to apply the math to real life and make connections that involve their personal interests.

My teaching philosophy is that students and teachers are partners. The teacher is there as an expert to help guide the student towards learning and retention, as well as to help students become independent learners.

I would begin a first session with a student by assessing their current abilities and knowledge. I also would begin building a relationship with the student and get to them. We would set goals for future sessions. I believe it is important for students to know their teachers care about them personally as well as about their success.

One of the best ways to teach students to become independent learners is to teach them the skill necessary for independence. Students need guidance as well as a skillset they can refer to when faced with problems on their own.

I would work to keep a student motivated by finding what factors motivate them. Finding their learning style and using that to help them learn is a great motivator. Another way to help motivation, I believe, is to set goals and recognize when a student reaches them.

Reading comprehension in math is important in word problems. To help students with reading comprehension, I teach them what to look for in word problems, such as key words, and teach them to break it apart and dissect each portion.

If a student is struggling to get excited about math, I would begin to implement projects that relate what we are learning to real life situations. While this is important with any subject, I would use this strategy even more with students struggling to engage.

I like to use frequent assessments to ensure students are understanding material. This will include asking questions as well as giving students problems to work through on their own and checking for accuracy.

I build a student's confidence in the subject by encouragement and praise for accomplishments. I also add to a student's skills set and solidify learning so they can be sure of their knowledge and more confident in the future.

One way to evaluate a student's needs is to begin first tutoring sessions with brief assessments. Also, there will be needs that come up throughout tutoring that can be addressed when they arise.