Our Tutors

Claire C

Teaching Style

I am open to teach students of any age or level. I am patient to show students the basics for them to understand more complicated issues. I really enjoy the look in the student's eyes when they realize the answer on their own question. I try to help to build their self-esteem so that they will be more confident in the class room. My main goal is to relieve any pressure about learning and make it fun.

Experience Summary

I graduated from Austin College in Sherman, TX with a bachelor degree in International Economics and Finance. To get this degree, I took many advance math courses such as Calculus I, II, III and Probability Theory. Currently, I attend Texas Tech University where I am pursuing a PhD in Economics. While at Texas Tech University, I am a Teaching Assistant. As a Teaching Assistant, I tutor undergraduates in Economics classes.

Sharon S

Teaching Style

I enjoy teaching, and continue to work at combining different instructional techniques in order to target and motivate my students who are of different cultures and ethnicity. I use a combination of hands-on/lab activities, guest speakers, field trips, multimedia, questioning, discussions, and lectures. I am also passionate about helping students to make real-world connections to help them develop science literacy in order to become science literate adults. As an educator I believe in maintaining order in the classroom so that my students are able to learn in an ordered and caring environment, and I strongly believe in providing timely feedback to students so that they can maximize their learning.

Experience Summary

As a chemistry graduate I gained invaluable experience in the fields of research & development, and forensic chemistry, as well as in the pharmaceutical industry as a medical representative. I later became interested in teaching and completed my master's degree in science education. I have been teaching for the past 3 years. I currently teach high school chemistry, AP chemistry and environmental science, at a charter school. Over the years I have developed my computer skills, and my management capabilities, as well as my ability to work with people of different cultures and ethnicity.

Timothy T

Teaching Style

When I tutor a student, I seek first to understand the student and how he/she thinks. I find it is very important to have good rapport and communication with the student so I understand how he/she views the subject and the difficulties of it. Next I try to make "conceptual bridges" from what they know to what they are having difficulty understanding. This process usually teaches me about seeing the subject from a new point of view. I try to achieve a fine balance between guiding and directing the student’s thoughts on the topic with following the student in their own line of thinking of the subject. The student needs to learn to have confidence in his own thoughts on the subject and in his own ability to master it.

Experience Summary

Over the past four years, I have tutored high school and middle school students in math, algebra, calculus, chemistry, SAT Math, and general study skills. My preference is to tutor math, algebra, calculus, physics, physical science, chemistry, and programming. Math is the subject for which I have the greatest passion. I also participate in the homeschooling of four of my children (13, 11, 8, 6). I have mentored my 13 yr old son in Algebra I & II, Chemistry, Elementary Math, and Middle-school Physical Science, and taught elementary math to my 11, 8, and 6 year olds. Additionally, I read and review history lessons to my kids. I completed my MS in Electrical Engineering in 2006 from The University of Texas at Arlington and my BS in Electrical Engineering and a BA in Philosophy from Rice University. I have recent experience as a student having completed Cellular Biology II at St. Petersburg College in Fall 2011.

Timothy T

Teaching Style

First I would like to get to know the student and parents, focusing mainly on the student's interests and goals as well as how they feel about the particular subject they will be tutored in. After that I would have the student show me where they currently are in class and what they need help with. Then, depending on the particular circumstances, I would create a plan to get the student caught up and self-sufficient as quickly as possible. Even though fast results are what I hope for, the student would set the pace of the sessions. No topics would be overlooked and they would all receive as much time as the student needs to master them.

Experience Summary

I attended MTSU and received a bachelor’s degree in Biology. After college I worked at a food-microbiology lab in Nashville for a year. I plan to teach science in Africa with the Peace Corps for two years. I am very capable in most areas of math and science. I am also outgoing and easy to get along with.

Justin J

Teaching Style

I am a very enthusiastic tutor and, as I stated in the previous section, believe teaching in such a way that the student gains a true mastery of the given subject. In a sense, I believe in each student understanding a particular concept in their own unique way that is consistent with their unique thinking processes. I strive to do this by relating a given concept analogously to something the student already fundamentally understands. I also create new problems to solve that probe the students’ progress and comprehension. I try to make these problems as realistic as possible to make them interesting to the student.

Experience Summary

Being a Ph.D. candidate and appointed research assistant, I very much realize the importance of true comprehension of a subject. Not only do I hold two B.S. degrees in Applied Mathematics and Chemical Engineering but I also carry credits to the equivalent of a Non-Thesis Masters in Applied Mathematics and am one course shy of a minor in Chemistry. I have tutored groups of students for Sylvan Learning Centers, conducted one-on-one sessions with Educational Enrichment and independently, and prepared and delivered lectures for advanced undergraduate chemical engineering courses. I am capable and experienced in tutoring all levels of mathematics, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics and materials science.

Sandra S

Teaching Style

I have always worked with children, first as a babysitter at the age of 12, and then through the schools. I've learned that all students are unique and they respond to different teaching methods differently. I can usually tell by their expression if they "get it" or not. And if they are having difficulty, I immediately change my instructional approach. I have been known to make up learning strategies on the spur of the moment to suit a student and the material. I just enjoy being around children and want children to want to learn. It is something they will need to do the rest of their lives and I want them to have the skills they need to learn in the future.

Experience Summary

I was the first person to graduate from any higher level institution on both sides of my family - and paid for it myself by working and going to school. I have always strived to achieve success in whatever I attempt. Through the various jobs I have had besides teaching, I have learned many skills helpful to me in teaching and in life. I was a Title I teacher for 27 years in Illinois focusing on remedial reading, phonics, and math skills. I have also taught art (K-8) and computers (K-adult). I have worked with classroom teachers extensively to help our students learn.

Mary Kathleen M

Teaching Style

I believe that every person has the ability to be a 'good' writer. In academics there are rules that a writer must follow. It is important to teach the conventions of writing so that students can build a solid foundation. After a student knows the rules, they can transfer good writing to other aspects of life (Civic, Professional, Personal). In my experience, students come in with a rough draft and need some guidance on how to move forward. I have tutored in groups and individually, and in both situations I may keep students on track, but they are the ones who figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are and how to improve their overall composition

Experience Summary

I earned my Bachelors of Arts from the University of Florida in 2006 and soon after I started Graduate school at the University of South Florida. As a graduate student I have been a writing tutor at the college level. I first started tutoring at Saint Petersburg College in 2007. The students who came in for help were in a variety of courses, such as Creative Writing and Speech. Every person came in with frustration, but left with a sense of accomplishment. This summer I was a T.A. at the University of South Florida in Dr. Conner's Composition II course. This course integrated technology by operating on a Wiki and communicating through chats, blogs, emails, etc. I was able to stay an active participant by reading students' posts and joining conversations. Through my graduate courses I have improved my own writing skills. I am currently in a Composition course where we are creating rubrics and assessing writing of students at the University of South Florida. This course is made up of 6 students that collaborate with faculty and writing coordinators at the University to develop new rubrics.

Jonathan J

Teaching Style

I have learned that in teaching physics and mathematics it is important not only to have a grasp of the broad principles and concepts but to see how they are related and build upon one another. Furthermore, I have seen the success in teaching and practicing physics and mathematics from a problem solving point of view and tend to teach by providing examples to be worked upon and solving problems that typify common physics exam questions. I enjoy teaching to people from all different types of educational background and capabilities and see any subject material as accessible to all provided they are taught in a way most suitable to the individual and strive to find that for every one of my students.

Experience Summary

As a current graduate student of Texas A&M University working towards my PhD in Particle Physics here at Fermi National Accelerator Lab I have had the good fortune to not only experience the passion and interest that research in physics provides, but develop an extensive and diverse teaching experience. With an emphasis on making physics fun and understandable I have had experience in many of the basic physics courses as well as helping develop an outreach course to present the upper level physics ideas (big bang, black holes,...etc) to the mass public in an approachable and understandable way.