Shepherd Math Tutoring
About
With 5 years teaching and over 18 years tutoring experience, I am passionate about helping students achieve their goals and succeed in math. I love breaking down concepts to work with the knowledge they already have and building upon those foundations to make the problems/questions not so daunting and easier to understand. My tutoring experience has consisted of helping students from 6th grade to college. I have a current Florida Professional Teacher Certification in Mathematics for grades 5-12. It would be my pleasure to help you get started in your journey to finding math fun and easy.
My favorite part of working with students is when they have that moment of joy and relief to know that they too can solve math problems and understand them. I am especially passionate about Algebra (any of them) and I see the questions and concepts as a puzzle to solve. It is my hope that after students work with me that they also develop a love for math that they may not have had before. It is my daily goal to make a difference to someone and teaching helps me to feel that I can accomplish that.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
When meeting a student, I enjoy brief introductions. Then, I like to discuss their math class, what they are taking, their struggles and successes to find out more about their background in math. Since we tend to think of math as building blocks where one concept builds upon another, it is important not to just address the questions that they have at the time but also make sure that their math foundation is solid. I have found in my experience that if foundations in math are not laid properly, then students tend to struggle for years to come until the basic concepts are understood and mastered. So, I like to address the questions/problems at hand but also like to ensure that there is a good foundation on which to build for future lessons and tutor sessions.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Currently, I have over 18 years experience teaching and tutoring math. I am a FL Certified Math Teacher with 5 years teaching experience. My passion for math has been shared since I was a student in college as a peer tutor to fellow students. My tutoring experience includes private tutoring as well as currently working within a state of Florida college where I work in a classroom type setting as well as online.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My standard price is $45 an hour for lessons.
How did you get started teaching?
Since a little girl, I have always had the desire of teaching. I feel that it is a gift that I have been given. Before heading to college, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher but I had to make a difficult decision between music and math. My love for both subjects runs deep. Without looking back, I chose math and have enjoyed teaching and tutoring it so very much. While I know that students struggle at times in math and with concepts, my favorite moment is when it all seems to make sense and I see the smile come across the students' faces when they are able to overcome the obstacle in front of them and solve problems with understanding.
What types of students have you worked with?
During college, I worked with fellow students as a peer tutor. Over the years since, I have worked with math students from 6th grade to college level. The ages that I have helped during those years have ranged from 12 years old to 55-60 years young.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
In the spring, we traveled to the Grand Canyon and the surrounding areas. The views were breathtaking and my family and I made great memories during our travels and sight-seeing. Being an animal lover, we also were excited to also see the wildlife in another area of the country from where we live. We also saw Petroglyphs for the first time and learned about the history of the different areas we visited. It was a wonderful trip!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Be sure that the teacher is compassionate and understanding. Patience goes a long way and while math sometimes isn't the easiest for some students, it is important that teachers and tutors be patient and willing to go at whatever pace is necessary to make sure that the concepts are understood before moving too fast.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Some questions to consider would be:
Is what I am doing just a review of something we’ve already learned or is this building upon something I have already learned previously? (Most math concepts are built upon something you have already learned - it is merely adding something more to it)
Similarily, have I seen something like this before? If so, how did I answer or work out problems like it before? What do I already know about it?
What do I need to do to learn this and how can I use my personal strengths to do so?