I believe that each student learns in a different manner and brings a different set of assets and challenges to the table. Discovering these skills and weaknesses will make a teacher/tutor excel with that particular student. Also developing a positive reputation with the student is imperative to his or her success.

In a first session I will get to know the student by asking them their likes and dislikes in general (music, television, etc.). I'll then ask what their favorite subjects are in school and why. I'll ask them who their favorite teacher is and why to hopefully get some insight into what motivates that student to learn.

You must provide them the skills to be confident in their learning and their work in order to help them become independent learners. You must also guide them on how to research, discover and investigate on their own.

Students need confidence, especially when they are struggling in an academic area, so I would make sure to provide plenty of opportunities for the student to excel in the studies that they are good in, and then provide them with the tools to help them with the areas that they are still struggling with.

I would find a different approach on how to teach the skill if a student is having difficulty learning a skill, and brainstorm with other teachers and students that might have had the same difficulty.

I will try and find books that really interest the reader if they are struggling with comprehension, because the more they are interested in a passage, the better their understanding. If I am able to teach the methods for comprehension using a passage they love, then they can apply those skills to texts that may not interest them as much.