My philosophy has evolved throughout the numerous years I have been tutoring. However, I have ultimately found that my teaching philosophy centralizes on presenting myself as both a mentor and a fellow student that can relate, sympathize, encourage and teach my students. I find that each student I engage with helps me grow as a teacher and a student. I find myself embracing new facets of learning and teaching with every session. With some students, I discover a new appreciation for a topic; other students I come to embrace a new style of teaching. Of course, at times I encounter new difficulties and challenges. Ultimately I try to grow with my students so I can present myself as someone who can relate to their successes and frustrations. By doing this, I can help give them a passion for a subject, the determination to get through difficult patches and give them a reason to learn what they are learning in that moment. How can you help a student become an independent learner? Becoming an independent learner is definitely a goal I have for each student. It is truly a pleasure watching students go beyond understanding a subject or a topic and seeing them develop study skills, discover how they learn, and see them tackle new challenges on their own. Each student is ultimately different, so I like to take the time to understand each student's background and study skills history. I discover that some students have never needed to study and others have ultimately been studying and overworking in a way that does not work for them. I consider myself relatively skilled at understanding how a student learns best. I discover some students to be visual learners, some students need repetition, some students need a stronger background of information before tackling difficult topics, and some just have never learned different ways to study. I find it amazing how some students discover that drawing a picture helps them immensely and some create flashcards they can use at any time. It is amazing how they can absorb more by listening more, or maybe absorb more by reading. I help students become independent learners by helping them discover what works for them personally, making sure they understand their strengths and weaknesses, and develop study skills that correspond appropriately with how they learn.