Our Tutors

John J

Teaching Style

I am convinced, partly because of my own experiences, that the current educational system best serves the needs of the average student. I also believe that it seldom addresses the needs of those students whose learning style is not a good fit with the one size fits all educational system. This may be for a wide variety of reasons, but the result is that the student is left without the needed skill set to compete and what’s worse, left with the message that they are responsible for "not getting it" and are inferior or stupid in some respect. I nearly flunked junior high pre-algebra, and was a mediocre math student in high school. I eventually managed to teach myself, and have subsequently scored 800 on the math section of the GRE and was one of about 50/15000 to score a perfect 15 on the quantitative section of the medical college admission test (MCAT). What is wrong with this picture? My own take is that we all have different styles of optimal learning, and what’s more, are often hindered by simple roadblocks that only 1:1 teaching can identify and redress. I am very passionate about finding the approach that clicks, and building back the esteem that comes with mastery of the subject material.

Experience Summary

Prior to entering graduate and later medical school, I tutored a variety of subjects in the area of mathematics and science. As a PhD candidate, one of the requirements was to assist in teaching the physiology labs, and as an advanced candidate, was given the opportunity to give lectures in physiology to medical and nursing students. Most recently I have been an unpaid volunteer on the on-line physics forum where advanced high school and college students can go on line for assistance with their homework. Because of my career selection, I have had to take many standardized examinations and am quite adept at these. I believe I can help other aspiring students achieve the higher scores needed for acceptance in programs of their choice.

Shannon S

Teaching Style

My teaching style is very adaptive and enthusiastic, stemming from a genuine love of the material. I enjoy getting students excited about science and the endless potentials that may be found within the sciences, looking at the world around them in new and exciting manners. I believe that each person has their own way of learning and understanding material and it is the responsibility of the instructor or tutor to strive to find what works best for each individual student. An efficient and astute teacher continually strives to modify material, to expand their way of thinking and to challenge their methods of instruction to adapt to the ever-changing world around us.

Experience Summary

I have a wide variety of experience and an innate desire to learn more about the world around me. I began my undergraduate degree in Political Science, but after taking a Biology course in California, became rather excited about the sciences. I have worked in a variety of laboratory settings, as well as in the field, applying the science that I have learned to real life situations and truly gaining a better understanding of the dynamic nature of the sciences. This is what I love. From reading the latest National Geographic to listening to Science Friday on NPR, the never-ending potential of science today excites me and certainly makes me a more dynamic, animated instructor.

Joanne J

Teaching Style

My teaching style is student centered and hands-on. I try to get students to recreate what scientists really do in the lab to discover and find solutions to problems, so a lot of time is spent in the lab and collaborating. I also incorporate data analysis in the lab experiences, so a lot of my labs require that students collect and share data, and base their conclusions to a problem on the data, and not a book answer. I think this is the reason why I had so many science fair winners at the middle school level. Often my parents where I amazed at what I could get their kids to create in terms of lab reports.

Experience Summary

I have been teaching for about 14 years. I discovered teaching while I was doing volunteer work bringing science to elementary school children in the inner cities of Philadelphia. I was hooked. I had so much fun and the fact that I could get paid for it was secondary but a bonus. I started out as a middle school teacher and I have been quite successful with them at science fair competitions. One year, 6 of my sixth graders took 6 of the 7 places in city fair. My eighth graders won first place 2 years in a row. One student went on to state competition (he won 2nd place in a category higher than his grade level), and another was awarded and honored at a Spectroscopy Society dinner. I am presently teaching high school Chemistry and General Science, and I love what I do.

Nirav N

Teaching Style

As an grade A student in many of my Basic Sciences classes during medical career, I have focused my attention to teach or tutor two essential subjects, Histology and Physiology. I enjoy teaching and feel it is rewarding to me. I love sharing my knowledge for medicine and would like to persue in acedemic teaching after becoming a doctor. Because of my profession, I've learned to be very understanding and a good listener. Teaching at medical school, my classes were entertaining but at the same time very informative and helpful to students. After finishing Basic Sciences, two years of medical school, I can integrate all the primary subjects together to help student acheive an excellent score not only in their acedemic requriements but also in the borad exam - USMLE part I.

Experience Summary

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE AMERICAS JAN 2005-DEC 2005 Teacher’s Assistant – Histology •Assist Histology professor with making power-point slide presentations •Prepare study notes and Histology slide presentations for the students •Organize and conduct review classes – tutor Histology lectures and answer questions for students •Conduct and review Histology slides mock exam in power-point presentation •Thoroughly explain and teach complex topics related to Histophysiology and Histopathology Teacher’s Assistant – Physiology •Prepare study notes and Physiology power-point presentations for the students •Organize and conduct review classes – tutor Physiology lectures and answer questions for students •Prepare and present Physiology mock exam in power-point presentation •Thoroughly explain and teach Pathophysiology, Pharmacophysiology related to different body organ system

Davorin D

Teaching Style

From my tutoring experience, I have noticed that students have trouble understanding the meaning of numbers and symbols on paper simply because no one has taught them how to visualize and interpret them in a real world situation. They also don't realize that they have plethora of resources and tools available to them to help them, yet they rarely utilize them. I try to give hints and clues to my students and let them obtain the right answers on their own instead of simply solving the problem for them. I believe this gives them a much better understand of the material.

Experience Summary

Having recently graduated with a Bachelor's degree, I am continuing my education to obtain my Master's degree in mathematics. Number Theory will be my focus, as I intend to get involved in the encryption field. During my senior year as undergraduate, I have worked on campus as a teacher's assistant and at home as an online tutor for UNCG's iSchool program. I have privately tutored undergraduates needing help in pre-calculus and calculus. I enjoyed helping the students and showing them some of my own tricks and ways when it comes to solving the problems.

Srikrishna S

Teaching Style

I love to teach. Teaching is my passion. I make complex theories into simple understanding concepts. I give lot of emphasis on basic fundamentals. I give practical examples and visualizations to help increase students imagination. I step thru complexity slowly from solving simple problems to more complex problems. I help students to develop the confidence and thinking power. I'm patient and very easy going w/students & believe that every student has immense potential.

Experience Summary

During my Undergrad, I taught Math, Physics and Chemistry for Junior and Senior High students As a teaching assistant for 1 year at Clemson university, I taught Mechanics of Materials course for Sophomore class For the past 3 years, I've been tutoring Math (Algebra, Calculus, Advanced Integral calculus, Trigonometry, Geometry), Physics(Mechanics, Dynamics, Energy concepts, Thermodynamics, Electricity) and Chemistry(Inorganic, Organic & Analytical) for Junior, Senior High and Engineering level students.

Cynthia C

Teaching Style

Communication and expectations are the top priorities in my repertoire of teaching strategies. I am able to communicate a sense of self-esteem in my students tempered with humor. They know I value them as human beings. In my experience young people are willing to live up to the expectations a good teacher demands. I use a direct, no nonsense approach and have found it extremely successful in all teaching environments.

Experience Summary

After having lived in Germany, teaching ESL in a middle school, I returned to the United States to teach in the Irving Independent School District in Irving, Texas. During that time I taught German, French and Spanish to middle and high school students. Subsequently, I was offered a teaching position for the Department of Dependent Schools, which is managed by the Department of Defense Education Activity. I taught Study Skills and German for three years in the Ramstein area in Germany. I then transferred to the United Kingdom where I taught these modern languages on an air base near Cambridge. Presently I am teaching ESL to businessmen in the Tampa Bay area as a free lance contractor. Having acquired skills in three foreign languages by three different learning methods, I have a good understanding of language acquisition as well as language usage.

Katherine K

Teaching Style

Throughout my teaching experience I have encountered students of all ages and abilities, from high school students with learning differences to adult learners of ESL. I believe each student is unique and brings their own set of experiences and strengths to the material to be learned, necessitating an adaptable teaching style. I am experienced in the communicative approach and believe each students learns best through discovery and by utilizing their particular intelligence. I am patient, relaxed and treat each student with respect. I think students learn best when they are having fun and have a trusting relationship with their teacher.

Experience Summary

While working towards my bachelors degree in English (with a minor in Political Science), I worked as a substitute teacher in the public school system for a year and a half, in order to ascertain my affinity for many different levels and subjects. My writing and grammatical skills are excellent; in 2004 I was awarded First Place in Undergraduate Writing at the University of North Florida. My first professional teaching experience complemented my areas of expertise perfectly: I taught English as a Foreign Language to business professionals in Argentina for six months, using the communicative approach. During this time I learned much about South American politics and culture, as well as the Spanish language. Upon return I taught English to high school students for one year at a private school for students with learning disabilities and emotional/ behavioral problems. This summer, I have again taught international students at a Berlitz ESL program, ELS Language Center. Throughout the years I have also tutored and worked with students one on one many times, specifically with rudimentary reading and writing.