The most important thing about teaching is catering to the individual student. Not everyone is going to retain information by copying notes from a PowerPoint. Patience, empathy, and incorporating different teaching styles are essential. My goal is to inspire each student, and not only help them understand the material, but instill excitement and lasting tools so they feel confident to apply them and achieve success.

It is important to me to learn about their interests, hobbies, learning style and skill set right away. In the first session, I aim to jump right into the material, but it is vital to take some time to chat with the student, make them feel safe and understood and get a sense of the areas they need the most help. In a typical first session, I would ask the student questions about what they're struggling with, where they feel the most confident, and their learning style, so I can start to get an idea right away about how I can help them.

I think the most important part about helping a student become an independent learner is going at a pace that feels comfortable for them. Once I've assessed their level of understanding and the pace at which they are learning the material, I can help give them the skills they need to work independently, instead of holding their hand through the whole process. Being patient and explaining things in several different ways can also help a student understand difficult material. Lots of practice and acknowledging a student's progress can boost their confidence, and instill in them the tools they need to succeed without being walked through the process every time.

Positive feedback, logging their progress, and words of encouragement all serve as tangible reminders of a student's learning process, so they stay motivated and stay positive.

It's important not to get frustrated or belittle the student for not mastering the material right away. As a tutor, it's important to possess patience and exhibit enthusiasm for the subject, and remind the student that they might not get it on the first, second, or even third try, but if they stay focused and keep working at it, it will get easier.

If a student is struggling with a text containing words they don't understand, I would help them to better comprehend these words by visualizing them and relating them to concepts they do understand. I would ask them to highlight words or sentences they're having trouble comprehending and focus on and simplifying these areas. Writing down and answering questions about the text and summarizing the text in their own words will also help with comprehension.