Our Tutors

Sonja S

Teaching Style

My substitute teaching style/capabilities include the following: The ability to follow oral and written directions as instructed from the teacher, establish effective working relationships with staff and students, and maintain effective classroom. Following lesson plans. Creating and maintaining a climate of various learning styles of students. Demonstrating respect and fairness for all students. Applying appropriate consequences for inappropriate actions. Displaying problem solving, cooperative negotiating skills and conflict resolution strategies.

Experience Summary

My substituting teaching experience for the Stanislaus County School Districts will contribute to a successful tutoring job. Teaching capabilities are in biology, chemistry, physics and math. Also, I have recent tutoring experience with Carney Educational Services from March through May last school year. Carney provided tutoring in all subjects and grades from K - 12. Free tutoring was available through the various Stanislaus School Districts.

Philip P

Teaching Style

My 5 years as a United States Marine established important core values such as tact, integrity, discipline, and commitment. I bring these values with me into the classroom. I believe that the success of a student depends more on their level of commitment than on inherent talent. However, learning must be an enjoyable experience in order for a strong commitment to be made. I am passionate about mathematics and the sciences, and this passion shows in my teaching style. Students recognize this passion, and it makes the learning experience fun. I am patient, open-minded, and innovative; so if a student is struggling with a particular topic, I find an alternative teaching approach which better suits their learning style. The success of my students is gratifying, to both student and teacher alike.

Experience Summary

I have been a straight-A student my entire life and I recently graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a 4.0 GPA. I earned my B.S. in Physics (Astronomy emphasis) with a minor in Applied Mathematics. Though my expertise lies in mathematics and the sciences, I am also knowledgeable in topics ranging from history to English grammar and composition. Much of my academic success is due to my ability to prepare for exams. I scored a 32 on the ACT, as well as perfect scores of 800 on the SAT2 Writing and GRE Mathematics exams. I gained teaching-related experience during my year as an Instructional Assistant, in which I assisted students with math, science, English, and GED exam preparation. At the college level, I spent 2.5 years tutoring in physics, math, and astronomy, as well as a semester in a college-level general physics class working as a teaching assistant.

Darlene D

Teaching Style

Much of my job includes mentoring new employees. Although I enjoy working with adults, I find it much more interesting to work with younger people. I would like the opportunity to tutor another student who is struggling with math. I have found that most students I have helped just needed some individual attention, and a safe place to ask questions that they would not ask in the classroom setting.

Experience Summary

I have worked in the Computer Science field since 1985 when I first started working for the US Space Program. During that time, I earned my BS and MS degrees, and am currently working on the Doctorate in Business with Applied Computer Science. During the last four years, I have tutored a student in mathematics, ranging from basic Algebra to College Calculus. During that time, the student received all A's. Since this student is moving on to a University out of the area, I will no longer be working with him; therefore I am looking forward to helping other students.

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.

Noah N

Teaching Style

I like to break down whatever skill I'm teaching in the simplest form at first. This means explaining the concept of the skill in a way that the student can understand what it is we are trying to do. I also try to use a pictorial representation of the skill if that is needed. After that I'll show them how I work a problem with that particular skill so they can see firsthand what the thought process is and the steps that are needed to use that particular skill whether it is adding fractions or solving equations, etc. Then I'll give the student a problem to do on their own while I guide them through the steps. If they get off on a particular step I'll correct them immediately and get them on the right path. Once I feel they understand what is going on and how to work a problem, I'll give them a problem to do without me watching them and see if they can get the answer right by themselves. Then I'll correct the problem and if they got the answer right, great, and if they got it wrong I'll then analyze which step the student made their mistake on and we'll work to correct it.

Experience Summary

I received my BS degree in Math Education in Spring of 2001 at Florida State University. While at FSU I worked in the Math Help Center for three months. I taught math for two years and decided to choose a different career path in Actuarial Mathematics. I am currently finishing my master's degree at Florida State University. For two years I tutored math at all levels at Sylvan Learning Center in Tallahassee. In that time I learned different things related to presenting the math in a way that can be understood regardless of the level of the student. Mostly I focus on explaining the most important steps of a particular skill and then guiding the student to developing their understanding of that skill.

Gary G

Teaching Style

My teaching style has been, for the most part, dictated by student response. I am comfortable teaching in a traditional lecture format, in a format that uses a cooperative learning approach exclusively, or in a hybrid format. The goal is for effective learning to take place, and I believe my strongest quality is to be able to adapt in such a way that best helps students reach their academic goals.

Experience Summary

For eight years, I taught freshman and sophomore-level mathematics courses at Arizona State University. These courses included College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Finite Mathematics, and Elementary Mathematics Theory. Additionally, I have tutored students in these courses both in the Mathematics Department Tutor Center, and on my own personal time.

Purvesh P

Teaching Style

I vary my teaching style depending on the student's particular disposition. I normally allow them to dictate the pace at which I tutor without digressing from our objective. Nonetheless, my goal is to be positive impact on the student. I love to help students get to a level they did not expect they could achieve, and in the same token, I am appreciative when I am humbled by challenging problems for which I have no solution. However, when faced with such a situation, I guide the student in an appropriate direction, and let them know that I will use my own resources to discover a solution and then get back to them. Without question, my style is synonymous to what computer users refer to good programs as, "user-friendly." I am patient with my tutees and steady in my demeanor so that I can gain and hold their confidence.

Experience Summary

I have been tutoring since my sophomore year at Rutgers University. I hold the College Reading and Learning Association Level II (CRLA) certification. I tutored Mathematics (Pre-Calculus, Calculus), Chemistry, and Physics to undergraduate students at the university. I have since tutored students in these disciplines at various levels, such as middle school and high school. I have also tutored adults in the area of Information Technology, subjects such as Introduction to Programming, Web Design, and Database Design, while studying for my IT Certification. I have since attained an MS degree in Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and have been working in the IT industry for the past 4 years. I continue to enjoy tutoring and teaching others; be it students, co-workers, or family members. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction when I see others succeed and know that I have played a part in their growth.

Jade J

Teaching Style

I enjoy tutoring students of all ages. When a student reaches the moment of understanding and a smile comes across his or her face, my heart is filled with a certain level of satisfaction that is indescribable. My hope is to facilitate this process of understanding the best that I can. Thus, my teaching style is relatively lax and often humorous in nature in order to mitigate any intimidation that may accompany learning. I try different approaches to explain a concept, often referring to common everyday examples to simplify more technical ideas. I understand that not every student learns in the same manner or at the same rate, so I will cater my teaching style to the individual student.

Experience Summary

As a pre-dental student from Seattle University, I have created my own goals for a successful education. I am on track for earning two degrees, a BS in Mathematics and a BS in General Science. My greatest strength is in mathematics, as I have undergone extensive outside coursework in this field from an early age. I have tutored mathematics for four years, from middle school and high school students in after school tutoring programs to college-aged students and adults who are returning to college in my school’s Math Lab, an educational center designed to provide math help to those enrolled in math classes. My experience as a resident assistant has facilitated my ability to work with a diverse student population. With regards to my French ability, I was enrolled in a French Immersion program for the first four years of elementary school and had taken four years in high school.