About
My name is Kelvin, and I have been a math tutor for high schoolers, as well as college students, for over 15 years. During that time, I’ve specialized in the areas of Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry and Precalculus. For the most part, I’ve tutored students in person and on an individual basis. However, I’m just as comfortable tutoring students in a remote fashion. I’ve found that setting up pre-session evaluations with students before we begin the serious sessions has worked exceptionally well. It is here that I ask to see the student’s current math topics and a short list of areas that may be causing the most difficulty. I use this, in addition to a short assessment exam, to determine what they’re comfortable with and/or struggling with. It's here that my service is different from many others: this is what I use to determine whether or not I need to go back and focus on math foundations in addition to the current math topics and problems. My approach has been very successful in helping students gain confidence.
I attended a small elementary school in Brooklyn, NY, where my teachers focused on establishing the building blocks that I needed to not only succeed in my math classes at that time, but I’ve used these same skills throughout my academic life. I learned drills and shortcuts which I have been able to share with algebra, geometry and calculus students, which fosters great confidence in them. I also attended a very competitive math and science high school in New York City, where my skills and love for math were further sharpened. As a result of my educational experiences, I have been able to patiently gauge students’ strengths and needs in order to build from there. I also teach test-taking skills, which allow students to quickly eliminate incorrect answers in multiple choice exams. People that I have tutored have gone on to become pharmacists, school psychologists, engineering students, pre-med students and much more.
I’ve tutored to get students in a better place in their day-to-day academics and exams, as well as to prep them for standardized exams. My love for math was established when I was young, and my infectious style is part of why the students that I’ve tutored love working with me. I truly believe that mathematics concepts are easier than most students realize, and my experience, energy, patience and enthusiasm for tutoring students comes through and allows them to begin believing that they, too, can thrive in their math careers. Once they reach this point and begin to see marked improvement, my gratification level skyrockets.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I’ve found that setting up pre-session evaluations with students before we begin the serious sessions has worked exceptionally well. It is here that I ask to see the student’s current math topics and a short list of areas that may be causing the most difficulty. I use this, in addition to a short assessment exam consisting of pertinent problems, to determine what they’re comfortable with and/or struggling with. This is what I use to determine whether or not I need to go back and focus on math foundations in addition to the current math topics and problems. My approach has been very successful in helping students gain confidence.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
While I'm not a teacher by education, I studied engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, where i successfully completed two and a half years of college-level mathematics. My college degree is a Bachelor of Science, with specialties in mathematics and economics. Though my tutoring expertise is related to mathematics, I've worked with students aged 15-18 years-old at my church's Sunday School since 2009.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My pricing system is based on whether the sessions are remote or in-person. I can offer a lower rate for remote sessions: $40/hour remote versus $50/hr in-person.
How did you get started teaching?
I started tutoring friends when I was in high school. As an adult in my twenties, I tutored adult friends who were struggling in college math classes.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked primarily with high school students who needed assistance with their current class topics and students who were preparing for standardized exams.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
My most recent even that I'm proud of is a recent one, where I helped my college student daughter and a couple of her friends get ready for their final precalculus exam. This was in December of 2019. My daughter ended the semester with a B-!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I would recommend that the student finds someone that is used to working with students in a similar age range and whose enthusiasm and confidence for the student's future success shines through.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
The student should look at the last time they felt confident with math. Any point after that makes a great starting point at which to examine fundamentals/foundation gaps. They should also be prepared to answer what exactly is giving them problems currently: is it test-taking, new material, or pace of their teacher's classes.