Relation to real-world usefulness is the first place I would look to motivate a student's interest in learning the skill. Once I'm certain that interest has been piqued, we'll identify what exact part of the skill or concept the student is having trouble with by walking through it step by step. Then after solving a single problem together that way, we'll solve two or three others to reinforce the concept, letting the student attempt to handle them alone and helping if needed to avoid a full stop.

You must first identify what part of comprehension the student is having difficulty with and work with them individually until they can begin to summarize and explain what they are given to read, without your outside input, accurately and creatively.

Generally speaking, the most effective strategy for working with a student 1-1 depends on the type of work involved. Generally the most effective tutoring method I have found involves moving a student gradually from working together with me, guiding them step by step through examples, to working on their own and asking me for help, to solving the problems independently of me, to being able to correct planted mistakes I may have "made" to demonstrate their mastery.

While positive reinforcement is a fantastic way to get people involved in a subject they may not enjoy, the most instantly effective method is undoubtedly to relate that subject to their interests in a way that encourages them to begin making progress.

The easiest and quickest way to ensure that a student completely understands material is this: after the student has completed several problems on their own, ask them, essentially, to solve a problem. If they get the problem correct, insist they didn't. Show them an incorrect "potential" solution. See if they point out what is wrong with it. If they don't, they need more practice. If called out on the deception, the student both understands the concept and has confidence in their own ability to correctly solve the problems presented.

The best way to build a student's confidence in a subject is to prove to them that not only can they accurately answer questions on a given topic, but they can defend the answers to those questions with their own knowledge and evidence.

The best way to evaluate a student's needs is to talk with them. Open dialogue will always be more effective than trying to see what their parent or guardian wants them to learn. If you are honest with a student, more often than not you will be able to push through any anxiety they might have about the subject so they can honestly discuss their stumbling blocks.

The most important thing I can do as a teacher is talk to the student about what they want. More often than not, they will know what they want and seek a tutor because the tutor will be willing to teach them how they want to be taught. It is my responsibility to know various teaching styles to adapt them to the individual student for an extended period of time.

I prefer for the student to bring their own materials, because while I can adapt, familiarity with their own materials is of critical importance for the student. Other than that, I generally use my smartphone or tablet for various uses as well as the tutoring platform.