Allen P.

Teaching is about building relationships. Developing relationships with students demands honesty, integrity, and a deep, deep commitment to caring. A teacher's door and a teacher's heart must always remain open. Teaching is also about knowing your stuff and being passionate about it - good teaching showcases love for the subject. Moreover, in my estimation, education demands a sense of humor. Laughter allows us to come down to earth, greet and celebrate our humanness together. It lubricates the learning gears and oils the academic machinery. It makes the whole darn thing work efficiently. Good hearty laughter yields good hardy learning. Finally, teaching must reveal to students how learning is a joint enterprise requiring reciprocity, perseverance, and courage.

Ask questions that reveal the short-term and long-term needs of the student. The approach needs from a holistic perspective. What might the student need emotionally? What does the student need academically? How does the student feel about tuition, and what are their expectations? Ask what role they anticipate playing in the process. Student as a respected person first, everything else to follow.