Patient And Understanding Math Tutor
About
I started tutoring about four years ago at my high school. At first, I was just tutoring primary schoolers, and my students were getting referred to the tutoring centre by their teachers. They really needed the help.
I soon transitioned to teaching high school students, which is my comfort zone. I mostly tutored AP Calculus AB students that wanted to take the AP Calculus BC test. My job was to fill in the gaps in their knowledge, and all of my students got 5's. I also tutored fellow students in AP Statistics, AP Physics C, and AP Computer Science.
I have also been a head teacher at a summer camp for coding. There, I lead entire classrooms of 3rd-8th graders, where I built skills in Java, HTML, and CSS from scratch over the course of a week. I learned how to design and dynamically manage a curriculum and lesson plans from that camp.
I'm now an undergraduate at UCLA and double majoring in neuroscience and applied math. I've been using much of my spare time to tutor.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to do a quick diagnostic test, usually just five to ten questions in various subtopics. This lets me see the student's strengths and weaknesses, and particularly lets me understand how the student visualises and applies their knowledge. I then tailor the curriculum and lesson plans to the student based on this information. Are they a visual learner that struggles with algebraic manipulation? Then that will be our focus. Are they strong with abstract concepts but struggle to see the bigger picture? We'll work with techniques for visualisation. Every lesson is strongly personalised and designed to make the student succeed.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My rate is $40/hr. There is no charge for cancelling or reschudling a lesson, as long as there is at least 12 hours' notice.
How did you get started teaching?
When I was in high school, I signed up for a volunteer programme where we went to local elementary and middle schools to provide a free tutoring service. It was tough; many of the students didn't want tutoring despite needing it. Getting through to the students was often difficult, but when I did, it was incredibly rewarding. I've been tutoring ever since.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked with students of all ages, including elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and even graduate students. I'm flexible in my approach and attitude. As long as I have knowledge in the subject, I'm willing to tutor any student.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I was working through a probability problem with one of my middle school students. The question was something along the lines of "If you pick any two positive real numbers x and y, what's the probability that x<y?" We had learned that probability is the number of desirable outcomes divided by the number of possible outcomes. My student kept saying that there were an infinite amount of possible outcomes, and anything divided by infinity was zero! He drew a picture to explain it to me. I had a grin on my face, and he got really excited when he saw that the answer was 1/2. He had discovered a new way to visualise probability, and I loved that moment.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Don't be afraid to say "no" to a tutor. Math tutors aren't perfect. We can't help every student understand every subject. Sometimes, a tutor and a student just don't click. It's frustrating for us because we're trying everything we can, and it's absolutely not helpful for the student. Sometimes, saying "no" and finding someone else is the best choice. Look through your options and stick with someone that works.