About
I believe there's no "right" way to study, and everyone learns differently. By taking a student-oriented approach, I work with my clients to develop a study strategy that works for them. As a second year PhD student in Inorganic Chemistry, I know the importance of going beyond memorization and helping students develop a strong conceptual understanding of chemical concepts.
I have over four years of teaching/tutoring experience in a wide range of subjects including General, Organic, Inorganic, and Biochemistry accumulated throughout the years I've spent studying chemistry myself.
While earning my Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry at the University of Minnesota, Morris, I spent two years running study sessions as a Peer-Assisted Learning tutor for the year-long organic Chemistry course at UMM, in addition to working as a drop in tutor for students taking General, Organic, Inorganic, Analytical, Physical, or Biochemistry.
During my time as a PhD student at the University of Delaware, I have served as a Teacher's Assistant, independently running labs and study sessions for General, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry, in addition to privately tutoring in Inorganic.
In addition to my experience teaching chemistry, I also taught English as a Second Language throughout all four years of my undergraduate experience, which provided me with invaluable experience teaching students from diverse backgrounds.
With my education in Chemistry and my experience teaching hundreds of students in both group and one-on-one settings, I hope to bring you a relaxed and efficient tutoring experience, and work with you to meet your specific goals in your education.
I absolutely love chemistry, and the more you develop an understanding the more you see it in the everyday world around you. I like helping students build that understanding and not only see them succeed but also begin to understand the world around them in a deeper way.
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Missy P.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I like to spend the first session getting to know the student and learning about what they hope to get out of tutoring and any specific things they want to work on. Succeeding in chemistry is heavily dependent upon conceptual understanding rather than memorization. In my experience as a chemist and a teacher, many study strategies that are developed in high school and the early years of college do not support this well, and are part of the reason many people consider chemistry a particularly "hard" subject. For this reason, my first priority with a new student is to work with them to help develop a method of studying that supports the "study smart, not hard" mentality and produces results, rather than studying the same way for endless hours to wind up "just not getting it" and becoming demoralized.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a BA in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota, Morris (UMM), and a Master of Science degree in Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Delaware (UD). Over the last ten years I have tutored and taught hundreds of students over in group and one-on-one settings.
Summary of teaching experience:
General Chemistry:
Drop in tutor at UMM, 2 years, one-on-one and small groups.
Lab TA at UD, 1 year, taught a lab course and provided office hours, large groups and one-on-one.
Organic Chemistry:
Peer-Assisted Learning Leader at UMM, attended lecture and ran 2 study sessions a week, large groups.
Drop in tutor at UMM, 2 years, one-on-one and small groups.
Lab TA at UD, 1 semester, taught a lab course and provided office hours, large groups and one-on-one.
Inorganic Chemistry:
Drop in tutor at UMM, 2 years, one-on-one and small groups.
Private tutor at UD, 1 semester, one-on-one
Lecture TA at UD, 1 semester, attended lecture and ran 2 study sessions a week, small groups and one-on-one
Biochemistry, Analytical Chemistry, and Physical Chemistry:
Drop in tutor at UMM, 2 years, one-on-one and small groups.
English as a Second Language:
ESL teacher at UMM, 4 years, taught large groups of adults and school-age children.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $20 an hour, and during the Covid-19 outbreak I will only be conducting sessions online.
How did you get started teaching?
My first teaching job was as an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher during my first year of undergrad. I loved working as a teacher with such a large group of people with diverse backgrounds, and I continued that job throught my four years of undergrad. I kept that passion alive by bringing those skills to the field of chemistry in my second year, which was the first time I was eligible to tutor chemistry in college. Since then, there has not been a semester during which I was not tutoring/teaching at least one subject.
What types of students have you worked with?
I've been fortunate enough to work with a wide range of students, well over 200 in total, due to the spread of subjects I have taught my six years of teaching experience. My work as an ESL teacher brought me the most diverse group of students and sharpened my teaching skills the most, as not everyone in the class spoke the same languages.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Make sure you hire someone who prioritizes you as a student and looks to find the way you learn best. If you spend all your time studying in a way that might've worked great for your tutor or other students but isn't working for you, you're not getting what you need out of that experience. Never be afraid to reevalute the way you're working and always be patient.