About
Above all, I am personable. Obviously a tutor needs to be well read and versed in the material they plan to teach, but what makes a tutor work is the ability to convey the information in a comfortable way for the student. A tutor won't work if the tutor is "Teacher #2". I don't try to lecture students, but instead invite open dialogue that leads to conclusions that help the brain make connections. That is true learning.
I am a basketball player at my university (UCLA), so much of my time is dedicated to developing myself athletically. Of course I am also a student, so the other half of my time is spent developing myself academically. Having gone through many ranks of this development in both academics and athletics, I have always wanted to be on the other side, developing students, or helping young basketball players reach their goals. Tutoring gives me the opportunity to do just that. I get to use the knowledge I have gained from going through the school system to help fellow students in the struggles that they experience.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Firstly, it's important to ask questions about the section of the curriculum that the student is struggling with. Before being able to gameplan how to tackle the the troublesome subject, it is necessary to asses why the student has a disconnect with the material. Targeting the issue strategically, we can build a conceptual understanding that can be solidified with practice. This systematic way of approaching math and science leads to a true learning experience, rather than passive instruction.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a Mathematics of Computation major at UCLA. This means more than being good at math; this means I have a deep conceptual understanding of why and how certain math works. Also, because of my wide range of professors and tutors I have had in the past, I know why and how certain teaching startegies work. Then, beyond math is the "Computation" section of the major, which requires us to learn advanced computer science topics. This combination of math and science gives me an application for the numbers I crunch, daily.
How did you get started teaching?
I began teaching when I wanted to solidify concepts of early computer science that I felt have gone unpracticed for a long time. I figured tutoring would give me an opportunity to refresh on earlier topics, while also offering help to students that need to learn the material for the first time. This reulted in this triumphant and enlightening moment, where I realized tutoring is just as rewarding (if not more) for the tutor as it is for the student.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Find someone that you can feel comfortable with so that the session is not similar to your classroom. Tutoring needs to be an open discussion, not a lecture. There needs to be dialogue that leads to a learning. In other words, find a tutor that you can talk to.