About
I pride myself on being personable, charismatic, humorous, and engaging. Through my time tutoring at the SRJC, I found that those qualities are exactly what was needed to be able to excite students about mathematics, to ignite a curiosority, to think beyond the lesson at hand, and to get them to continue learning outside of the classroom and in their daily life. I stand out simply because I can adapt to each student: bringing out smiles and laughter during the session.
I enjoy being a role model! I am a Hispanic/Native/Black, first generation, bisexual male that has a passion for knowledge and an even bigger passion for spreading that knowledge. Although I may have tattoos and piercings, this has only increased my personability with students and like-ability with professors. I hope to remind people that you should not judge a book by the color and images on its cover and that you can achieve your goals, fluently, without outside social stigmas attempting to bring you down.
Reviews
Melanie J.
Neil G.
Manny R.
Joely S.
Fabian
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to break the ice with humor and connectivity, I'm a charismatic individual; which I understand is rare in the field of mathematics, so I'm not afraid to use my silliness to develop a personal connection with each student I work with. We, as tutors and educators, have been where you are. I hope to be personable enough so that you can see that.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Background info: I received three associate degrees from the SRJC in May 2020, accepted into UC Davis for fall 2020, deferred that admission to figure things out amongst COVID, and decided to admit myself into Sonoma State instead for Fall 2021.
I was one of the first SRJC students to participate in the PALS program, specifically for the mathematics department. Created in Spring 2015, I was involved in the program continuously from Fall 2015 to Fall 2018. Lead a group presentation during Professional Developmemt Day to increase teacher support. https://catalog.santarosa.edu/catalog-2019-2020/peer-assisted-learning-specialist-pals-program
I was awarded the 2019-2020 SRJC Teaching Fellowship under my faculty mentor Katherine Valenzuela for the mathematics department. Introduction to Stats & both levels of algebra: lecturered regularly, had office hours, created material, attended all faculty meetings, etc... https://teaching-fellows.santarosa.edu/
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
This is a tough question, I have a personal thing against paying for any sort of education, as I'm sure we all do.. I can only say that I will not charge more then 30 dollars an hour.
What types of students have you worked with?
Sonoma county is home to the most diverse set of students that I have ever heard of. With the city an hour away, the vineyards here at home, the coast a half hour away, and the capital an hour away, we have all walks of life and all ethnicities coming in and coming out of our area. That being said, I have worked with students possessing disabilities, students who barely speak my language, international students, shy and closed off students, and also students of every ethnicity I can think of.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Please understand that "knowing" and "knowing how" to explain it are two very different concepts. Most individuals in mathematics will have the knowing, but be in deadly dry and unimaginative waters when trying to explain it. I find that with a particularly challenging subject like mathematics, it is essential to enjoy your time learning, to enjoy your time with the person of expertise. My advice is to look for personability, with that comes an enjoyment for conquering learning challenges.