About
My work as a tutor primarily stands out with my concern and support for my students. Having volunteered as a peer counselor for 2 years and taught peer counseling for 18 months, I have a strong sense of empathy and regard for my students, their mental health, and their personal goals and success.
In addition to teaching counseling at Stanford, I have also served as a tutor over the past few years. In addition, I was a TA this past autumn for a large introductory course on Earth Systems.
To better prepare myself as a teacher, I have also taken education-specific coursework in effective science teaching and in teaching students with differing abilities. My service stands out because of my experience, my depth of knowledge about teaching, and - most importantly - the emotional intelligence I bring as a volunteer counselor.
I love when students have their "Aha!" moment! It's so rewarding to see them understand and become excited about learning.
I seek to inspire that excitement and wonder in my students through my teaching and tutoring. I believe excitement is lacking in most classrooms and I seek to change that as a tutor.
In group settings, I also aim to catalyze productive conversation between students. Friendly, respectful debate - with appropriate norms in place - is a powerful tool for generating novel ideas and deeper understanding.
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M T.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First, meeting with their parents to get an idea of the help they're looking for. Next, meeting with the student to get an idea of the type of help they need and how best they learn. Finally, a first lesson to see if I'm a good fit.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I was an undergraduate at Stanford in Bioengineering and a current master's student at Stanford in Earth Systems. I have taken coursework in education, including a course on effective science education and a course on effective education for students with differing abilities. In addition to my broad curriculum, I have been tutoring/teaching for 4 years now. I have been tutoring privately since March 2020, and I have been a TA and section leader for a Stanford counseling course for the past 2 years. I was a TA for an Earth Systems course this past quarter, and I will be the course assistant (CA) for an upper-level Earth Systems course this quarter.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Generally, I charge ~$80/hr, depending on the grade level of the student and the request (college essay prep vs. biology tutoring, e.g). However, I will tutor on a sliding pay scale. I am happy to discuss rates with a potential client if my stated rate seems too high.
How did you get started teaching?
I started with teaching math at Mathnasium and found I really enjoyed it! I began tutoring privately in March of 2020 and found that making a difference in my student's lives and passing on knowledge to them was extremely rewarding. I have since been a section leader or TA for a Stanford counseling class for 2 years now, and I am now teaching as a graduate TA at Stanford.
What types of students have you worked with?
For my private tutoring, I've mainly worked with middle and high school students. My teaching at Stanford has been for undergraduate and graduate students. With essay prep, I have worked with high school and college students.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I've recently gone to Santa Cruz for the weekend and found it amazing! I'm from a landlocked state, and being so near the beach was incredible. I ended up going swimming three separate times while I was there.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure your teacher really clicks well with you and matches your learning style. You'll learn best if your teacher and you are on similar wavelengths!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students should ask themselves:
What is my learning style?
What type of feedback do I find most useful?
What will make me more excited about learning?