What is your teaching philosophy?

That can really vary based on what kind of student I have. With a student looking to get ahead, I want to challenge them and find that ceiling and them help them break through it. With a student far behind, I have found that patience is really the key. They will have questions and I will search for a reasonable answer for them. With a student that is behind, I can go back, pick them up, and help them catch up.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

That can really come down to teaching study skills, such as making their own flashcards. Not everyone can look at a textbook and get it all in. Teach them how to find the basic concepts and go from there.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

如果可能的话,给他们一个目标和一些再保险ward for getting there. Positive reinforcement helps. I have also told students my story of when I felt rather beat down academically, and how I came back.

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

Simplify it. Take a step back. If a student has a problem about a $10,000 investment, make it a $1 investment. Other things I have include giving them a problem and letting them go until they get stuck. Or even work one with them and see where I lose them.

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

Do a warm-up problem. It gets them started and gives a little confidence boost. Let them get to know you personally a bit.

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

Spend some time getting to know them and see what makes them tick. Then, move on to do some simpler and then more complex problems to gauge where the student is with the topic.