Swish Tutoring
About
As a PhD student in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology I love to help students solidify basic foundations in STEM that apply to higher education in STEM. I have been through just about every level of education and understand the keys to success at each level.
I had a frustrating time in college when professors would use even bigger science words to describe a scientific word or concept I didn't understand. When teachers and tutors fail to make connections to known outside concepts, it is difficult to even want to pay attention. That's why I particularly enjoy making topics that are boring and difficult to understand accessible to all through the use of analogy and incorporating students' outside interests.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
The most important part is to find a pattern for which concepts a student finds challenging. I also think it is really important to get to know the student's interests so I can incorporate them into analogies that will stick. Moreover, I think it's important for a new student to like and respect me as well so I generally spend my first session trying to make the student feel comfortable.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a PhD student in Molecular Biology at CU Boulder and I graduated from UC Berkeley with a BS in Chemical Biology in 2019. I currently work as a teacher for a college biology lab and a TA for a college molecular biology lecture.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Generally, I charge $25/hour but am willing to offer the first session at $15/hour to see if the student meshes well with my teaching style.
How did you get started teaching?
I started tutoring as a high school student on the side as a means of making some extra money. As an undergraduate, I began teaching and tutoring for credits in school. Now, as a graduate student I teach my own section of a biology lab of 24 students and I TA for a 400-person general molecular biology lecture.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've tutored students of all ages, but predominantly in high school or college intro-level math, chemistry, and biology.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I just moved to Boulder, CO from the Bay Area in CA by towing a trailer behind my Honda CR-V. I camped along the way and learned a lot about the states in between. Getting settled here in CO has been great for me, and now that I've got all of the details figured out and gotten off to a great start with graduate school, I'm ready to tutor on the side and share my passion for science.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure the teacher is able to speak in words and at the level you understand. If you don't understand a concept, and they keep trying to explain it to you in the same way or at the same level you aren't comaptible. Some people aren't able to demistify more complicated topics while some people aren't able to instill the higher-level vocabulary and connections of fundamentals.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What part along the thinking path or problem are you getting stuck at?
Do you need to learn a concept from scratch or are there some details which you want cleared up?
Do you learn best with words, pictures, or videos?