Experience Summary
I elected to homeschool my three children who are now teenagers; thus I have many years of one-on-one teaching experience. I feel that some children need to be away from the stresses sometimes experienced at school in order to discover their academic gifts. An individual tutor has the luxury to get to know the student, see thier potential, and cheer them on in a way that a classroom teacher may not have the time to do. In our homeschool we have used a variety of curriculums which have most often been in a "hands-on" or experiential style. Often though, there's no getting around the fact that we have to just sit down and do the work.
Teaching Style
Since I am an artist, I naturally try to teach in a way that honors intuitive ways of learning. I believe that students can often sense the correct way to do a math or writing problem and should be encouraged to trust their own intelligence. Everyone has his/her own way to get at a particular problem. I think the key to understanding many learning difficulties is respecting the child's own processes.