What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to make learning fun and to rejoice in the successes of the students. I want to make sure a student feels confident in his/her abilities.

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

During the first meeting, I would like to get to know the learning style of the student. In addition, I want to learn more about their interest in the subject matter and their needs for requesting a tutor.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I can help a student become an independent learner by giving them confidence and teaching them about the various ways Spanish can help improve their lives.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would help a student stay motivated by focusing on their areas of strength and using that as a driving force to work on the areas where the student needs more assistance. I believe in using positive reinforcement and patience through the teaching process.

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

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I would make sure to come up with creative ways to assist him/her in learning such concepts. I would want to make it a fun way depending on the way the student learns best.

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

Students who are struggling with reading comprehension may need more practice in the skill. I would find reading material that is fun or interesting to the student and use that as a source to help the student value the skill and therefore continue to work on it.

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

The strategies I have found most successful when working with a student are treating the student with a lot of respect, showing them how the skill or subject matter can influence their future, and becoming someone that a student can trust.

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

I would help a student get excited about Spanish by showing them a map of all the countries that speak the language, giving examples of the many opportunities that being bilingual can give in a career path, and relating to other people. I would love to share more about the culture aspect of Spanish-speaking countries to a student.

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

The techniques I would use to be sure that a student understands the material depend on whether or not the student is a visual learner or an auditory learner. This would give me some creative ways to think of a way in which a student can retain and understand the material.

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

To build a student's confidence in a subject, I would first learn more about the strengths and interests of that student and correlate Spanish to some of those interests and skills. Also, I would use positive reinforcement to make sure the student felt that his/her efforts were noted.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I evaluate a student’s needs by reviewing previous work done in the subject matter, reviewing grades received, and mostly talking to the student and asking questions that describe in detail the work that he/she needs to improve on.

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

During a tutoring session, I use flashcards, games, reading material, and conversational engagement to make for a very productive tutoring session.