What is your teaching philosophy?

Evaluate the student’s understanding of the material, gauge the student’s abilities and develop a plan of action highlighting his/her strengths, while addressing areas of improvement with encouraging and rewarding guidance.

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

Get to know the student, gain the respect, and of course give my respect. Ask the student about his academic progress and have him/her tell me how they feel about it. This will let me know what objections from the student I may face. Ultimately I will gauge the material understanding on the first day at the very least so that the following sessions may be productive.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Recommend resources, help the student develop good notes and give the student some good guidelines to take with them anywhere they may desire.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Always give positive feedback; reward the student for his or her merits with good feedback or activities. It is important to recognize good work and give commendations for it, because ultimately we all need someone to look up to, and we must find a way to fit the role of a great role model.

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

Get down to the nitty gritty of the problem. Ask what it is about the concept that is difficult. Upon pinpointing the problem, use analogies, out of box and unorthodox ways of looking at things, whether it be an example that has to do with the student’s interests or a real-world example. I will empathize with the student and let them know what my personal struggles might have been, and the best way to overcome them.

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

Always ask students to read things twice; most of the time we overlook things or skim through them quickly, which may cause us to misinterpret the question. Additionally, I will teach the student on how to identify key points in reading comprehension questions that are typical of academic problems.

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

总是了解学生和有礼貌nd genuine attitude, no matter how the student behaves. Be a good mentor and always keep the student engaged by asking about their interests. Additionally, work off of material from classroom or homework and always find fun ways to supplement this so that a good foundation may be developed. Of course, always give positive feedback and breaks!

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

Have the student start off with a moderately easy problem, ask many questions regarding the concept or main idea, and when the student answers correctly (they will), give motivating advice or phrases. Examples of these phrases may be, "Good Job!!," "See, you know this stuff!," or "Pretty soon you’re going to be teaching the class!".

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

Ask the student to clarify or ask any questions they may still have after an explanation. Encourage the student to interrupt and ask questions as they may arise. Always keep the student engaged by asking questions as well, and most importantly, ask the student to summarize his/her understanding of what was presented to them.

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

Be highly encouraging and take baby steps to achieve the goal of the bigger picture. Always throw in easy questions that can serve as motivation and proof of capability, especially when students believe what they are working on is hard. Slowly but surely increase the difficulty level, and always look at problems from every angle to ensure all uncertainties can be addressed, and ultimately the material is well-learned.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

By gauging the student’s abilities with the material. Throw in my own curve balls, mainly based on prior experiences and common test questions. Also, use what I learned from getting to know the student to see if the problem lies outside of the academic realm. Develop a game plan and maintain good communication with the parents, so that together we may guide the student to meeting their goals and needs.

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

By always keeping in mind that it is always about the student and that no two students are the same, so breaking the boundaries of standardized systems and always serving as the student’s personal coach who can help him/her develop a personalized plan to address the bigger picture. Furthermore, teach the tricks and tips for the inevitable (standardized systems such as common core, ACT, SAT or ISEE).

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

Personal books on the topics, online or video resources. I will ask the student’s parents for any material they may have, and even offer to maintain communication with teachers for additional resources. I can and will adapt to ensure the student understands, even if it means having to devise hands-on activities.