What is your teaching philosophy?

教育者在中等和高等教育ls face a very common and very real challenge of developing tunnel-vision with their instruction. Whether this is due to the speed-based system of education in which they may be working, where a certain amount of material must be covered in a set time-frame, or teaching multiple courses of the same material, or that the teacher may feel most comfortable explaining a concept only in the way they themselves learned it, education itself, for the instructor, can present a very formidable foe. I myself have had times throughout my twenty years in education where I couldn't see the educational forest for the trees. I found myself so engrossed in making sure I covered the material, and in the day-to-day teacher operations, that I lost sight of my overall goal of how I wanted my instruction to be experienced by the students. Interestingly, it was during my time tutoring students that I found my way, because tutoring allowed me to talk with a student rather than providing instruction to them. No student wants to think of education as an endless practice of taking notes and memorization of material. They want their education to be both enjoyable and fulfilling. An instructor can help accomplish this by making their instruction an experience rather than an exercise. Whether an educator is teaching philosophy or mathematics, students learn when they not only see how to do something, but more importantly, why. From this point, the educator has succeeded, because students who understand material at this level will be able to apply the critical thinking they've been given to decide "when." They will comprehend the connections not only between sections in one class, but also how each class is connected overall within their educational experience. In summation, I believe that education is meant to be a collection of experiences rather than sectioned into parts to be robotically learned. This approach allows all students to see their forests in spite of the trees.

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

I believe the first session begins with listening to the student and what they need.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Every example is followed by the student demonstrating their understanding of it.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I try to apply all subjects to the real world and, if possible, specifically to student interests.

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

Listen to their confusion, and try a different way to explain it.

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

Move slowly and emphasize the importance of reading more often in non-tutoring time.

你发现什么策略最successful when you start to work with a student?

By listening.

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

I show enthusiasm myself.

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

Students may show they can complete a similar problem on each subject.

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

Positive reinforcement and demonstrating how to create a thought process.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Listen.

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

By knowing more than one way to get an answer, and asking which method the student understands best.

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

PDF books, scanned examples, pictures, or whatever works.