As a teacher, it is vital that I make sure each student knows I see them as an individual with distinct needs, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. My role is to create structure and encouragement that ensures we reach those goals. Ultimately, I hope to inspire each individual to understand their learning style and "bend" what they're learning to be conducive to their style. As they learn to shape information into the way they learn best, I hope to inspire students to continue exploring their subjects deeper, building connections to other topics they already know.

Something that sets me apart is my dedication to guide each individual to success and to see each student meet their goal. During our initial sessions, my #1 priority is to become familiar with how you receive information and adapt our tutoring session accordingly. To assess your learning style, I like to give a 5-question quiz so we can become familiar with your learning style. In addition, you tell me the end goal and date of your exam, and I create a schedule that ensures we reach your goal in the timeline you want. One particular situation I've had in the past illustrates my tutoring style: this student was particularly struggling with the science portion of a graduate level exam. At the beginning, I wrote out a schedule, allocating each week to a different portion of the exam so it could be taught without rushing. As the deadline approached, I made sure we tackled the science portion in more detail.

It's vital to celebrate even the smallest victories along the "bridge of learning", as I like to call it. It serves as a confidence booster. Also, I believe everyone is a genius in their own way, and it's my job to help veer your genius to the subject you want to learn. When we come across an incorrect answer or inaccurate knowledge, I generally ask how the student came to that thought, and I restructure the question and answer, presenting it in a way that illuminates why the answer is wrong and explain how the author of the question came to the correct answer.

Encouraging students along the way is key!

I break down the concept until we reach a point where the student understands the smaller pieces, and we build up to the concept from there.

Some students have trouble understanding how letters form sounds. I pair letters, sounds, and pictures with which the student is familiar. Other times, students lose focus while reading. In that case, encouraging their visual imagination (as well as practice to lengthen focus) goes a long way.

Assessing and understanding each child's unique learning style is a great start.

If there are cartoon characters, toys, or objects a student is familiar with or enjoys, we incorporate them into our tutoring session and practice problems.

The following day, after a warm up, we review a concept we reviewed during a following session. Ideally, the student has complete extra practice problems before our meeting as well. Information is truly remembered when it is reviewed over a 3-day span rather than just one.

I allow the student to verbally go through their thought process for solving the problem. Doing so reinforces the idea that they are indeed learning and absorbing the material. That small exercise does wonders for confidence.

Periodically, the student is given an assessment that includes what was reviewed. We concentrate on the greatest need first.

Most students learn best through visualizing, hearing, writing, or with physical examples. After assessing and understanding his or her unique learning preference, I adapt by using colorful examples, blocks, and/or an increase in auditory examples.

I use a learning preference profile that the student fills out and the materials the student uses every day during school. I also love incorporating websites.