What is your teaching philosophy?

I believe every person can succeed, given encouragement. It is my personal philosophy that positive reinforcement combined with thorough subject coverage will aid anyone in mastering any subject. I believe people learn best when they discuss. It is imperative for a student to be able to actively voice thoughts, concerns, and opinions. Tutoring and teaching is about building positive relationships and trust. If these things are present, any goal can be achieved.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

I aid students in becoming independent learners by encouraging them to think for themselves. Very seldom do I directly give a student the answer to a question. Rather, I guide them through the process of realizing the answer for themselves. This method helps students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills to aid them in every aspect of life.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation is key to success in any area. To help students to stay motivated, I find out their personal interests, their likes and dislikes. Using this information, I use positive reinforcement to ensure a student continues to strive for absolute excellence.

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

To aid students in reading comprehension, I break the selection into smaller parts. By analyzing smaller sections of a selection, students are better able to grasp underlying concepts and ideas. Discussion as we read is key to truly understanding a reading selection.

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

Students succeed in subjects they are interested in and those in which they are competent. To aid students in becoming engaged and excited with their subjects, I am sure to relate each subject to an outside interest. For example, if I am tutoring in German and the student is interested in fashion, we will learn the German language using fashion excerpts and magazines.

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

To best ensure a student has understood the material, I have them teach it back to me. If the subject has been mastered enough for a student to teach it to someone else, then they truly understand the material.

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

Positive reinforcement is key in confidence building. I celebrate students' victories rather than their failures. No matter how small the victory, every step forward deserves a reward.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

To evaluate a student's needs, I like to talk to the individual. Typically, he or she is able to tell me what it is that needs to be covered. From there, I give a short pre-assessment to determine the student's level.

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

As a teacher and tutor, flexibility is imperative. No two students learn the same. With that in mind, I adjust my approach to best suit my students' needs.

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

Typically, I use PowerPoints, storyboards, articles, pictures, and videos to teach subject matter.

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

The first session is spent getting to know one another. Without a relationship, all goals may not be met. I also give a pre-assessment in the first session to gauge a student's level.

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

I have found discussion to be a very successful strategy in learning most concepts and skills. By talking about a topic, we understand it more. I also believe in the basics. Writing and reading are imperative to the success of education.