Vogel Tutoring

Vogel Tutoring

5.0(2 reviews)
Offers online services
Offers online services

About

I bring a unique combination of deep content knowledge, teaching experience, and empathy for my students. I was very involved in math competitions, competing in several at the national level, through high school. It fostered a great love of math and also forced me to go beyond the requirements for school to really understand the material from different perspectives so that I could apply it in creative ways. I brought this same attitude to my studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I applied it to my study of science, specializing in organic chemistry. I now use that fluency in the concepts to provide multiple vantages for my students when they approach problems, helping them to find methods that make sense for them.

In addition to knowledge of material, I also have a wealth of experience in teaching itself. I had my first tutor student when I was in seventh grade and have tutored thousands of sessions since. I found that I was truly interested in teaching as a career and am now a certified science teacher. I keep my students active and have a variety of approaches to help them build understanding.

I like to think I also bring an empathy to my tutor sessions that is not always common. Many of my students and colleagues have commented on my patience, but what I feel I'm really showing in these situations is that I understand the challenges that come with learning and want to encourage perseverance. It's easy to forget how difficult learning can be the first time around, and I always try to keep this in mind when I teach.

I enjoy helping people find success. I have one particular client in mind whose family I have worked with for years over several subjects. Over time, he has developed into a much more self-driven, curious learner who went from struggling to performing near the top of his class. While I certainly cannot claim all of the credit in this transition, I believe that our sessions together helped to reframe his mindset to see challenges not as barriers but as puzzles to solve. The questions I used to ask to guide his learning are now ones he asks himself as he works through the process.


Highlights

Hired 1 time
1 employee
20 years in business
Serves MOUNT WASHING , OH
Offers online services

Details

Grade level

High school, College / graduate school, Adult learner

Type of math

Pre-algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-calculus, Calculus

Reviews

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MK

Mark K.

Philip was a great help with our daughter. He taught her strategies and focused his efforts on the highest payoff areas of for the test, based on her previous scores and aptitude. Due to his approach and skill, she improved 4 points on her ACT cumulative score and received scholarship money from several colleges, thus making the decision to hire Philip as her tutor a very good financial decision.
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June 02, 2021

MS

Mary S.

My son needed help with some very advanced Chemistry concepts for the National Chemistry Olympiad. Phil was a great resource and an excellent tutor. He really helped my son cover a great deal of complex material in a short time while allowing him to learn and understand as they went. Thanks Phil!
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June 02, 2021

Frequently asked questions

I find it helpful to get an idea of where we stand when I start working with a new student. This involves taking a look at past grades, talking about studying processes, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and also discussing goals for the tutoring program. From there, we work together to develop a plan of what to do during our sessions and expectations for what independent work should be done in between sessions.

I have very deep content knowledge in the subjects I tutor due to my own exploration with the material beyond required coursework. I was a national level competitor in many math competitions thanks to my fluency with mathematical concepts and ability to address questions from many different perspectives, and these abilities now allow me to help my students to link diverse topics together and discover helpful approaches to problem solving.

As a licensed teacher, I also do my best to bring proven pedagogical techniques to my lessons. I keep my students active in their learning and encourage them to challenge themselves. While I set high expectations, I also offer support and understanding to make the prospect of pushing the boundaries of their understanding less intimidating.

My current rates are $80 per hour for academic tutoring and $100 per hour for standardized test prep.

While I focus on math, science, and test prep, my first tutoring student was ironically for French while I was in middle school. I have continued to tutor in various roles and formats since then, including being a department sanctioned tutor for introductory chemistry at MIT.

Teaching became more of a focus for me after college. I had enrolled in a PhD program but found that, by the end of my first semester, I had TA'd 4 semesters' worth of classes while only doing about 1/2 of a semester's worth of research. I became a teacher/tutor for a test prep company to verify that teaching was a good pursuit for me before plunging into teaching high school full time.

My experience with online tutoring exposed me to a wide range of students, and I feel I worked well with the vast majority of them. I think a particular strength of mine is working with high-level students who are either struggling in a challenging class or looking to push beyond the basics. I have the background to address difficult questions at a suitable level for them and can relate to them well.

I think it is important to understand that tutoring is just one tool to help you succeed; it will not raise grades on its own. Come into the process ready to work and practice what we cover in our sessions to see the best benefits. The students I work with who get the best results are those who put in independent efforts and come to sessions with targeted questions to use our time efficiently.

It is also important to find a tutor who can work well with you. This includes, as a baseline, both familiarity with the material and the ability to help others learn it. Beyond this, you want to make sure your tutor is a good fit for you. Tutoring is tough work, and you should be comfortable taking intellectual risks with whomever you work with.

It's good to reflect on your own learning first to be able to provide helpful direction for your tutor. This can include addressing your background leading up to the current subject, where your current problem areas are, how much time you dedicate to the class, what you have done with this time (e.g. look through notes, read the book, try problems, talk to people, etc.), and anything else you think may be useful about your processes. This information can help a tutor to identify approaches that may be suitable to you.


Services offered

Math
Science