What is your teaching philosophy?

I've worked with hundreds of students, and even though every learner is different, a positive and encouraging environment always goes a long way in helping people learn. In some cases, I start by demonstrating and discussing full examples of difficult math problems and then transition to the role of a "guide from the side" so that the student can begin to work problems more independently. Once students are able to work problems on their own, confidence skyrockets, and then they are even more eager to show off what they know by diving into the next problem, and the next one, and the next one. This is always the goal for me as the tutor; to reach a point where the student no longer needs me.

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

In a first session, we usually spend the first few minutes saying hello. I will share a little bit about myself, and then I'll ask the student what they want to achieve through our time together. Then we get straight to work, by working either on homework problems or review sheets that they have been assigned, or by discussing concepts where they need extra practice. If the student does not have materials, I provide them, no problem! :)

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

When I work on math problems with students, I usually write the problem on the online whiteboard, and then I ask them, "What do you think you should do?" Then I watch and listen. If a student hesitates, I can usually tell whether it's because they are calculating an answer (either on paper or mentally) or because they are unsure. In either case, we work through the problem step-by-step. If the student knows the correct step, I give them a strong affirmation and let them continue to tell me what comes next. If the student is unsure, I give a little nudge or hint. If the student is completely incorrect, I'll review the concept that needs attention and show what to do. In those cases, I always try to strike a balance between letting the student "stretch" a little in the learning process without making them suffer or become too frustrated for too long. Also, if it's necessary for me to work a problem out for the student as we go, then we will try another similar example immediately after that so that they can have another opportunity to solve the same type of problem. At all times, the goal is to increase the proficiency and confidence of the student on every possible level.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Keeping students motivated is usually not that difficult for me. I already love math, and I think my enthusiasm for the topic and my love of tutoring in general comes through right away. It doesn't matter to me whether a student is strong or not in math; I meet them wherever they are with it. There are always opportunities to recognize success in the lessons. If a student is strong, obviously it's easy enough to validate that. If the student feels frustrated or challenged, then the success is in facing down the challenge and overcoming it. I keep the tone of the fun and friendly but we stay focused on the work at hand, and I think students pick up on that right away and appreciate knowing that they are going to get the help that they need.

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

I specialize more in math learning than in reading comprehension, but if a student struggles to read, for instance, word problems, then I will watch and listen. Some students simply need a little extra time to read the problem, and it would not be beneficial for me to "bulldoze" them by reading over them while they are trying to make their way through it. I try to respect each student's natural pace. If a student is completely unable to read a problem, however, I will read it out loud and break it down for them.

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

Two ways to get a student to feel excited about a subject that they are struggling in are 1) to provide a safe, encouraging learning environment with lots of positive reinforcement that recognizes small successes throughout the lesson, and 2) to let the student see my own enthusiasm for math in every problem, in every lesson.

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

The best way to ensure that a student understands the material is to ask them to teach it back to me. After we've worked few examples together, I encourage them to work a problem completely on their own and then walk me through their solution step-by-step. That way, I can follow their logic and look for any gaps that might need to be addressed.

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

To build a student's confidence, it's important to provide them with a successful experience. The best way to do this is to find the level for a math problem where they are already comfortable, and let them demonstrate that they know what to do. Then, I increase the difficulty of the next problem *just a little* so that they can apply the concepts they are certain about and also stretch their understanding to more difficult situations. For instance, if the student already knows how to solve this problem: 3x(x + 5), I might ask them to solve this problem next: (3x +7)(x+5). The student may or may not get the answer to the second problem right on the first try, but if they already know how to work the first problem, the new learning that needs to take place is not a huge leap, and most of the time, the student will see what needs to be done after only a little explanation. Then they know more, they *know* they know more, and that results in increased confidence.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Evaluating a student's needs comes through watching and listening before launching into a lot of lecturing and demonstration. A common flaw of teachers and tutors is that we are all "experts" to some extent, and so the natural impulse is to embrace our own expertise and to talk and instruct a lot. After all, the student wants us to help them "get the right answer." Of course, the tutor should help the student "get the right answer," but ultimately we want the student to "know what to do" so that they can get right answers consistently on their own. The needs are often both educational (knowing how to do the math) as well as mental/emotional (feeling good about one's own knowledge and abilities.)

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

I'm pretty accommodating as far as adapting my style, my pacing, my availability, and my delivery method. I'm very flexible about listening to what the student says they need and then tailoring my service to meet that need.

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

我在线的导师,我很喜欢使用online platform with my high quality pen tablet. It has all of the tools that I need to write out problems, and I'm able to do so in a way that the student can see just as well as if we were sitting together, side by side, sharing a piece of paper and pencil. Also, if the student does not have homework or review sheets, I have a lot of resources in my home office such as texts and digital files with a lot of examples to select from in a large variety of subtopics.

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

When a student has difficulty learning a concept, I sometimes try to find new ways to explain it. In math, even though there is usually only one correct solution, there are often many different approaches that can be used to arrive at it. If a student has a preferred approach that is different from my own but is still mathematically correct, I try to incorporate that approach when I can. Also, I try to break down the explanation into manageable steps and show everything as clearly as possible without jumping ahead to quickly.

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

A friendly, professional approach from the beginning is a great way to start. My students know that I am here to help them and not to criticize them. As far as math learning goes, I am a friend and a coach, and I only want success for them. I respect their feelings and perspectives about math, whatever they may be. I think most importantly, I respect their individual goals, whether those goals are to move ahead into advanced math classes so they can pursue STEM careers, or simply to get a passing grade in a required math class so they can get the credit they need and then move on with the rest of their lives.