How I Teach Math

I recently wrote to a colleague about how I teach math:

This is what I usually do for math: The first time I assess a student one on one, I make them play with the graphing calculator on my Macbook Air or iPad. What is x=0? What happens when you make it x=1 x=2? Then what is y=x? What is y=-x? They learn very quickly. I don't actually teach them what y=mx+b is. I force them to play with the graphing calculator until they can explain to me what every single part represents. I then use an example of a taxi ride to show this idea: m is the $ per km and b is the base fee (y intercept). 
Then the second time and every time after that, my student sits down with me, I put in four equations such as:

y=4

x=-3

y=x+3

y=-x+2

And put a sticky over that part of my computer. She has to write down all 4 equations correctly before I do any work with her. She takes the sticky off and checks her own answer, then we start. It kicks the brain into the right mode, and then NOW I can teach math.