Good. Better. Best. Never let it rest. Until your good is better, and your better is best. My job is to help students remember that they are talented, guide them to connect what they know to what they are learning, and train them to teach themselves what they want to learn next.

First, I listen. I want students to tell me what they feel they need from me. It helps me understand their own self-monitoring ability and gauge the best approach to meeting them where they are mentally, emotionally, and academically. Then, I observe. I want the student to show me what he or she already knows, and how he or she approaches challenges. From there, we plan. We talk about goals, and exactly what it will take from all of us (tutor, parent, and student) to get there. Finally, we celebrate. Every day of effort is meant to be acknowledged.

I help by positioning myself as a coach rather than as the "teacher." The less I speak, the more the student has the peace to concentrate and work through the thought process. When I do support, I always give a tip that is linked to something the student already knows or has been practicing - that can be a particular fact or a study strategy. Finally, when needed I may also give the answer. Sometimes giving the answer and working backwards helps students make connections better than struggling through a particularly difficult problem.

Goals! Once a student agrees on a goal and has a clear understanding of the effort needed to get there, we can work through the tough points in study. Along the way, we set short-term goals and celebrate the success on the path to the big goal.

I will ask, "What do you know?" because I want to know exactly where the student's understanding is limited. Most of the time the new concept is just a more advanced version of a more basic concept with which the student is familiar. I'll work to connect these ideas using analogies and real world situations that apply the concept.