What is your teaching philosophy?

The student is most important. It doesn't matter how much one knows about the subject if they can't cater that knowledge to the student's learning needs.

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

Get to know them. What interests them? Do we have anything in common? A certain trust and familiarity needs to be established or else the sessions will not be successful.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

If I am excited about a subject, there is a greater chance of that excitement carrying over to the student. If the student is excited, they will want to ask questions independent of the material given.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Although learning for the sake of learning is incredibly important, there is always an end goal that the student wants to achieve, whether it be improvement in their overall average or honor roll. Constantly reminding them of that end goal will motivate the student.

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

I would try to put the subject in as many different contexts as I could until I find one that resonates with them.

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

I would encourage them to push on and read again. Few people understand what they read the first time, it is okay to read a passage a few times!

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

1.Get to know them, and become their friend. 2.Use personal examples about how you overcame academic difficulties and how you succeeded in school. 3.Excitement carries over, and one cannot smile and offer encouragement too much.

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

Doing poorly in a subject is never fun. I would encourage them to first stop comparing themselves to other students, and to focus on their own progress. Once that self consciousness is alleviated to an extent, the student can become excited about learning.

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

Real life examples are often the most useful.

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

Smiles and kind words go a long way.

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

The first few sessions are key in assessing the student's learning style. One cannot just jump into teaching the material before determining what the student actually needs and how they learn.

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

Pictures, clips of TV shows, real life examples.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By getting to know them and becoming their friend first. That way, they will open up to you and you are better able to tell how they learn and what they are struggling with.