AVID Certified STEM Tutoring

I like to learn why a student is studying what they are, what are their goals and aspirations? I ask their priorities, why teachers ask us to meet a subjects' particular standards.  I work to make potentially difficult or uninspiring content more exciting. I ask for students to participate in taking ownership of their learning and hear the options and pathways to success that I propose. I ask they continuously engage and collaborate with me on what we agree most efficiently improves their relationship with their studies - as a whole and specifically. Students who provide honest feedback if they feel confused or disconnected by the material/a line of inquiry see the most rapid improvement. Tutoring works best when students get authentic, so I'm here to create those safe spaces for real-talk conversations.

I spent seven years going part time to a top 10 nationwide community college while supporting myself as a tutor and nonprofit organization children's instructor. I lead the math and physics tutoring of AVID's flagship college tutoring facility for three years, working with high school students, elderly learners, and everyone in between, as well as tutoring k-12 kids on the side. I'm sensitive to cultural differences and happy to work around any number of learning disabilities. I am an applied physicist with a background in biochemistry who aims to help us improve our medical instruments by leveraging calculus, light, and sound - to heal and help people as gently as possible. My trading is vast as it is deep and I'm excited to work with learners at any level who wish to succeed. 

My pricing varies from $35 - $50/hr depending on subject difficulty and student need. I offer discounts if proof of low income/ financial need are provided, so long as students treat our time as valuable. If students do what is asked of them and communicate respectfully if anything comes up, I will taylor our secessions to their individual needs. 

My baby sister had my old elementary teachers, when I had late start days in middle school. I'd walk her to school and volunteer for an hour, at least, every week. I turned my babysitting business into a tutoring and nannying service, and I've not stopped tutoring ever since. I aim to be a physics professor and neurophysics researcher someday because of how many students have inspired me. 

K-12, university, disabled, ESL, remedial, advanced, excitable, disinterested, and nearly everything inbetween. 

One of my old elementary school best friends cried out for algebra help on social media, recently, having just started going back to school. It's been fifteen years since we talked, but I immediately offered my services because of my serious expertise. Cut to the conclusion, we had one of the most fun math secessions ever, because she was willing to just be herself and get real with her fears and insecurities - so I was able to meet her in her discomfort and walk her through it, out of it, and into a successful mindset. 

We talked about more than just graphing, we related the perseverance it takes to find common denominators and isolate variables to real world applications. Now, she only calls me on a semi frequent basis because I trained her in how to think about her assignments as a whole big picture, rather than just solving solving solving, problem to problem. I made good on my promise to give her new capabilities so she doesn't need a problem solving assistant for every assignment, so she's a much better student on her own.

Curiosity and perseverance are key, and with me, I cultivate that want in students effectively by relating to people as whole, amazing, humans. We are people before we are students, and my old friend's and my work felt like the work I did for AVID, learning about students' passions, wants, and needs - as well as their problems at hand and perpetual difficulties. 

Make sure you are willing to say "I don't know" as often as you need - and that no one ever is allowed to shame or degrade you. If you're not communicating we can't be expected read your mind, but if you share your feelings respectfully and aren't shown respect in kind - call me, because you deserve a tutor you trust to care about you.  

Why will learning [this] make me more like the person I want to be?

What does this do for me, and the world, that is necessary and helpful?

How can I leverage my practice of studying x, y, & z to achieve my short term goals AND my wildest dreams?

What do I expect from my teachers/ tutors/ study partners?

Am I being impatient or tolerant with them and myself?

How's my self talk and attitude about learning?

If my best friend or sibling or kid, etc. was talking about their studies like you are, would you believe they're attitude is as good as can be?

Do you think about your problems in a defeatist short sighted way, or do you think in terms of long term goals, success, and yet unimagined fantastic opportunities?