What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy is to find out the needs and desires of students, and then to best see where I can help them. I like to help students become independent making decisions and determining solutions, so they build confidence and become stronger academically.

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

A first session is a great place to plan the desired outcome of what a student is looking for through tutoring! For example, if I had an hour to work with a student, I would spend 15-20 minutes determining where the student wants to be academically, and planning the best way for us to get there. Then, the remaining time would be used to start work that would get us closer to the goal.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

In order to help a student become an independent learner, I would spend more time asking them questions on how they came to specific answers, rather than telling them the answers. Helping students think critically is very important regarding independent learning. They'll be better at remembering HOW a tutor instructed them to think, rather than WHAT a tutor told them was correct.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Times can be tough, and school can be stressful. The best way for me to help a student stay motivated is to: (1) be a positive source of guidance for them, and (2) help them make a to-do list with reachable goals, even if they are small. That's always helped me gain the motivation and momentum to keep going, and reach my bigger goals!