Best Math Tutor

Best Math Tutor

5.0Exceptional(17 reviews)
Offers online services
Offers online services

About

I have a lot of experience teaching classes and tutoring individuals, since, already in the first grade, my teacher asked me to tutor other students who needed help. Patience is a key point, and making the material interesting and exciting is another. However, they are not the only keys to successful tutoring. I have a deep and clear understanding of the material as well as ability to explain things clearly, step by step. I often find that teachers and textbooks do not always break things down to the most basic level; they may inadvertently assume certain things, and this implicit understanding must be made explicit to many who need help.

I also spend time with each student to see where he or she is stuck—it is often on an earlier concept than the one for which the student asks for help. By tracing the source of confusion—often to earlier material and working with that first, I enable the students to gain a much better understanding by working with me and they are less likely to need tutoring in the future.

In terms of my own education, I have a very thorough and diverse background. I am interested in many things, and enjoy learning new ideas and explaining them to others. I hold a doctorate in mathematics and have six other degrees in such diverse fields such as math & physics as well as history. I have also studied other fields such as music, chemistry, astronomy, and others without earning degrees.

For example, I used to help operate the telescope at Brooklyn College, and when NASA built the Hubble Telescope—which was the first high quality telescope to be deployed in space enabling it to take better pictures by avoiding the aberrations cause by the earth’ atmosphere—NASA sent me a letter (as well as to other scientists and mathematicians) inviting me to design experiments for telescope exploration of deep space. They also sent a list of experiments designed by their own time of astronomers and physicists at NASA. I thought these experiments were very clever and important scientifically. To devise more experiments on that level of scientific ingenuity and expertise would require much more time than I had, so I declined. Nevertheless, I felt honored that they chose to invite me to join them.

Similarly, in music, I won honors as a piano player in the Auditions of the National Guild of Piano Teachers, for five consecutive years, starting when I was six years old, and I played the violin in an orchestra when I was thirteen. I also took first place in various contests including math, Bible, and mythology contests. I started taking graduate level math courses at the age of 17, was the only student in my college’s history to be nominated for the senior math award as a freshman (but the award was delayed until I was a senior), and scored what was the highest score ever for a student in my college on the prestigious William Lowell Putnam math competition while still a freshman in college. I designed a special course called “Fun with Mathematics” for The New School, designed for students who thought they hated math—many said they loved it after they took my course—and taught math and physics there for nearly 30 years. I also won a special teaching award for my work at The New School.

I was elected to membership in Who’s Who in American College and Universities, while just a junior in college, am a former member of Mensa, the high-IQ society, and have been a member of the Mathematical Association of America for decades.

See:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidseff/

davidsefftutoring.com

http://bestmathtutor.wixsite.com/bestmathtutor2

I like tutoring very much. It gives me great feeling when I see a student’s face light up when he or she finally understands something he or she did not before. I feel I am doing something good by teaching or tutoring, thereby using the abilities G-D gave me to help others.


Highlights

Hired 58 times
1 employee
42 years in business
Serves Brooklyn , NY
Offers online services

Payment methods

Paypal

Social media


Specialties

Grade level

Pre-kindergarten, Elementary school, Middle school, High school, College / graduate school, Adult learner

Subject

History

Photos and videos


  • Reviews

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    SAF

    shiya a F.

    Dr. David Seff was very helpful in getting me to pass the NY STATE Exam on Math, so I can get my teachers license from NYS . He helped me with exam # 246 which is part 2 (math) of the SCT MULTI SUBJECT .He is very professional and is very pationed .
    ... Show more
    November 29, 2024

    AL

    alexandra L.

    Dr. Seff was very helpful throughout my lessons with him regarding precalculus. He explained the topics in great depth, and was understanding when you had troubles in certain areas. I would highly recommend him to all students.
    ... Show more
    June 26, 2024

    VH

    veronique H.

    Dr.Seff is dedicated and always willing to help. My Childs grade increased significantly, she ended the class with an A. Thank you Dr.Seff.
    ... Show more
    June 18, 2024
    Hired on Tutors

    JL

    joseph L.

    Best Math Tutor aka Dr Seff will not allow you to fail PERIOD!!!
    He is understanding, patient, meticulous but most of all tenacious in his pursuit to have whomever he is tutoring understand and learn the subject. My subject was college statistics. I had failed the class once already. This is when I decided to be proactive, and look for a tutor. I DID NOT want to fail again. It was the best decision I had ever made. We went on to produce results beyond my expectations. I posted a 50 out of 50 on my final and finished with a B.
    I would without hesitation recommend Best Math Tutor for any of the subjects he tutors. I could not have been happier with the result. Thank you Dr.Seff
    Sincerely,
    Joseph L
    ... Show more
    review-media-1
    December 22, 2023

    LC

    luke C.

    Dr. Seff is an excellent math teacher. My son was with Dr. Seff during his sophomore year and he finished the year with an overall A grade. He cares for the student and asks if my son was ill if he forgets to turn up. Also he often spent way over the allotted hour to explain concepts. Highly recommend Dr. Seff to any student who needs help in math.
    ... Show more
    June 17, 2023

    CB

    Catherine B.

    Dr. Seff was amazing! My child was struggling in her 10th grade math class, especially with distance learning. I was hesitant to start her with an online tutor, however he made her feel comfortable right away. He explained everything in a way that she could understand, and she went from a D to an A+. He was flexible with his schedule and was able to add extra sessions when we needed them. He is very professional and knowledgeable. He scores an A+ from us! My daughter justasked me if she could get tutoring with him next year, too. Thats amazing coming from a grouchy teenager...
    ... Show more
    June 25, 2021
    Hired on Tutors

    Frequently asked questions

        I have a lot of experience teaching classes and tutoring individuals, since, already in the first grade, my teacher asked me to tutor other students who needed help.  Patience is a key point, and making the material interesting and exciting is another.  However, they are not the only keys to successful tutoring.  I have a deep and clear understanding of the material as well as ability to explain things clearly, step by step.  I often find that teachers and textbooks do not always break things down to the most basic level; they may inadvertently assume certain things, and this implicit understanding must be made explicit to many who need help. 

           I also spend time with each student to see where he or she is stuck—it is often on an earlier concept than the one for which the student asks for help.  By tracing the source of confusion—often to earlier material and working with that first, I enable the students to gain a much better understanding by working with me and they are less likely to need tutoring in the future.

    In terms of my own education, I have a very thorough and diverse background. I am interested in many things and enjoy learning new ideas and explaining them to others. I hold a doctorate in mathematics and have six other degrees in such diverse fields, such as math & physics, as well as history. I have also studied other fields such as music, chemistry, astronomy, and others without earning degrees. For example, when NASA built the Hubble Telescope—which was the first high quality telescope to be deployed in space enabling it to take better pictures by avoiding the aberrations cause by the earth’ atmosphere—NASA sent me a letter (as well as to other scientists and mathematicians) inviting me to design experiments for telescope exploration of deep space. They also sent a list of experiments designed by their own astronomers and physicists at NASA. I thought these experiments were very clever and important scientifically. To devise more experiments on that level of scientific ingenuity and expertise would require much more time than I had, so I declined. Nevertheless, I felt honored that they chose to invite me to join them. Similarly, in music, I won honors as a piano player in the Auditions of the National Guild of Piano Teachers, for five consecutive years, starting when I was six years old, and I played the violin in an orchestra when I was thirteen. I also took first place in various contests including math, Bible, and mythology contests. I started taking graduate level math courses at the age of 17, was the only student in my college’s history to be nominated for the senior math award as a freshman (but the award was delayed until I was a senior), and scored what was the highest score ever for a student in my college on the prestigious William Lowell Putnam math competition while still a freshman in college. I designed a special course called “Fun with Mathematics” for The New School University, designed for students who thought they hated math—many said they loved it after they took my course—and I taught math and physics there for nearly 30 years. I also won a special teaching award for my work at The New School. I was elected to membership in Who’s Who in American College and Universities, while just a junior in college, am a former member of Mensa, the high-IQ society, and have been a member of the Mathematical Association of America for decades.

     

    See:

     https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidseff/

    davidsefftutoring.com

    http://bestmathtutor.wixsite.com/bestmathtutor2    

     

    Generally it costs about $40 per hour for grades 1 - 6

    $50 an hour for grades 7 - 9

    $60 an hour for grades 10 - 12

    $70 or more for college courses

     

    My first grade teacher asked me to help students who were having trouble because she saw I understood things very well.
    All ages and all grades from kindergarten students through post doctoral students.
    Everyone learns differently. Look for a tutor who says he or she will try to find the best way to explain things to you, the way you learn.
    1. Are you able to say honestly, "I don't understand" if you don't? 2. Do you know where and why you are having trouble? 3. Are you willing to review what you have learned? 4. Do you have any gaps in your knowledge? 5. Are you willing and able to give constructive criticism to the tutor?

    Services offered

    Math
    Computer Programming
    Science
    Social Sciences
    Test Prep Tutoring