What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy begins with the belief that in order to reach all students, I must differentiate my instruction to meet ALL students' needs. Building a relationship with my students allows me to gain the information about their learning styles and preferences, which I then use to plan and execute meaningful lessons/activities that ensure their success. I am always learning right alongside my students, sometimes making mistakes and encountering challenges. My belief is that if they witness learning as a continuous cycle, they will embrace it and take risks.

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

It is my belief that building a positive and individualized relationship with each student that I work with ensures their success. I would spend part of the session asking them questions about themselves: hobbies and interests, learning style(s), and strengths and weakness in academics and outside of the academic setting. I would then give them a little bit of information about myself that was not included in my personal statement. The student and I would then launch into some goal setting for what they want to accomplish in our sessions; it can be one long-term goal or several short-term goals. Goal setting will help to keep our sessions focused and efficient.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

An independent learner must have a variety of tools in their toolbox to use across all curricular areas. My role as a tutor is to demonstrate and educate students about problem-solving strategies and techniques that have worked in the past with my students. Independent learners take risks by asking questions and being advocates for themselves. In our sessions, I will use positive reinforcement and constructive critique to strengthen their confidence.

你怎么help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

To assist students who struggle with reading comprehension, we would spend a session discussing strategies like: using bold and highlighted words/passages and titles, defining new vocabulary terms, using the process of elimination by referring back to the text, etc. In our sessions, we would read together and work through the reading comprehension questions by using a variety of strategies.

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

When I first start working with students, I like to get to know them. I would ask open-ended questions to encourage detailed responses. Alternatively, I would allow the students time to ask me questions. Our next step in those first sessions would be to set specific, realistic goals for the short-term and/or the long-term.

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

Choosing high-interest material for students who are struggling in a subject is key. Also, any opportunity to make the material relatable should be considered. Students benefit when they make connections: to the people working with them and the materials/tasks being presented. Also, using music and hands-on materials can enhance the learning experience. Finally, student-directed completion of select tasks encourages students to show their specific strengths while using their preferred learning style(s), which fosters excitement and engagement.

你怎么evaluate a student's needs?

It is important to ask them! You must pay close attention to the processes they use so that you can understand the gaps. Giving your full attention to the student will offer valuable opportunities to evaluate their needs.