What is your teaching philosophy?

My philosophy of education is that every child should have the right to learn and get a quality education. Learning should be fun and interesting! My lessons will be an inviting and safe place where children will feel comfortable. I will create an environment that is full of nurturing and enrichment. As a teacher, I should be aware of each student's individual emotional, social, psychological, and physical development as well as their cognitive growth.

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

In a typical first session, I would get to know the student, including their interests and educational needs. I would learn more about what the student already knows and help them create a plan to tackle the things they don't. It is important to really learn more about the student and how I could help them.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

To help a student become an independent learner, I encourage them to explore the content. I provide support and guidance but allow the student to figure it out and apply what they have learned.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Make learning fun! I like to make the teaching environment comfortable. There are no "dumb questions," and you can make mistakes. We learn from our mistakes! I also like to use the student's interest to create the lessons and make what they are learning more relatable.

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

If a student has difficulty, I would ask them to show me what they know, reread, or to explain their thoughts or ideas. We would then go from there. I would try to find where there is a misconception or what is making things a little difficult to understand. Every student CAN learn. It's up to the teacher to adjust the teaching style or find the misconception that makes it difficult to learn.

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

Read. Read. Read. It's important to break down the text into smaller parts (paragraphs, sentences, section, etc.). Understand each part by summarizing and pulling out the important information. You can write a one sentence summary next to each paragraph or underline the important information. Understand each part, then combine each part to get the entire "picture" of the text.

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

Start off with what they do know about the subject. Many times, it is one misconception that creates the struggle. Build confidence that they can learn this!

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

To ensure that the student understands the material, I like to have the student teach me. Show me what you learned! I enjoy encouraging the student to feel confident and demonstrate what they know.

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

We need to first show you all that you do know in the subject. Demonstrate that you can learn this, and that it may just be one or two things that are preventing you from fully understanding. Everyone CAN learn.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I like to use a pre-assessment. This could be done through conversation, reading together, and answering a few math/reading/science questions.

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

I make sure that I differentiate instruction to each learning style. I learn more about the student's interest and use this as a vessel to drive instruction.

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

I use technology (websites, Skype, online resources, etc. ) and resources that I have acquired throughout my teaching career. I use activities that are interactive.

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

Make learning interactive. It's amazing how much the student's know. All you need to do is encourage them. Allow the student to feel comfortable with making mistakes. Learning from your mistakes only makes us grow more. When students explore the information and feel comfortable to explain their thought process and ask questions when they are "stuck," they learn. They understand the strategy and how to apply it.