What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe anyone can understand science. The first step for me is to figure out what someone already understands, and then take it from there. I also believe in explaining something in different ways based on the students' backgrounds. I believe the student also has to take ownership of wanting to learn something better, and if I work hard at explaining difficult concepts, then the student has to spend time studying the concepts for mastery. I will also offer study tips.

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

I would assess what the student already knows, what his/her background is, and what he/she is having trouble with. I would also find out about interests of the student, so I could help use that information to explain things to the student.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I have some study tips that would foster independence that I would share with the student.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I would keep reminding them of what this success will help them achieve in the overall picture of their life.

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

I would try to explain this in another way to try to relate it to something the student is interested in. I would also break the concept down farther.

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

I would help them by having them identify words they don't understand, and looking them up. I would also explain what a passage means after they read it and try to interpret the meaning.

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

Successful strategies include finding out what the students have already tried and how much time they have put into studying. In addition, I would find out where they were studying and how many distractions they are facing while studying. I like to reassure students that they can learn, but it may take more effort on their part than they had realized, like success in most venues.