Easy As Pi Math Tutoring
About
I've tutored math for 2 and half years and seen an immense growth in each and every one of my students. The pace of the standard school system pushes most students to memorize the processes and operations of mathematics, rather than fostering a deep understanding of either the 'what' or the 'why'. When students are left with such a cursory understanding and then tested on the material, they're being set up for failure. Solving this sort of problem is my specialty. I put the time and energy into learning the concept on the front end of the process so that no memorization is necessary, resulting in a thorough and long-lasting learning experience. With everything going on in the nation right now, I look forward to bringing you or your child personalized and accomodating education at an affordable cost.
I enjoy teaching in such a way that the student feels as though they could've come upon classic and trodden formulas as though they discovered them for themselves. The best part of my job is showing the beauty of math to my students, leading them to their own "aha!" moments and seeing the confidence that they feel once they truly understand the material.
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Typically I like to look over a little bit of what the student is working on in their math classes so that I can get an idea of where they are in the coursework and what's to come. This helps me plan ahead and structure their learning so that I can most effectively build up to the forthcoming material.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I've been a math tutor for elementary levels through high school levels for about two and half years now. I am a Physics major at Austin Community College and I plan on transfering into UT in the Fall. Math is both my job and my passion so I have plenty of practice and experience through the math I do for work and recreationally.
How did you get started teaching?
My introduction into teaching was serendipitious but also something I probably should've seen coming. Growing up I was frequently told that I should become a teacher because I was always the student that explained the concept to the other students that didn't quite understand things–a sort of de facto tutor.
My first relevant job actually had nothing to do with teaching. I worked as a caretaker for deaf-blind triplets, where I quickly learned the importance of patience and flexibility when working with others, which is a skill that I've found immensely useful in teaching.
I eventually stumbled into a tutoring position for the AVID program in a local high school, where I tutor a broad array of topics–essentially over all high school material. Concurrently, I began working at an after-school tutoring business, which has really helped to shape my teaching abilities and patience with students.
With everything going on both nationally and globally, I understand that a void of proper education has been created as students transition to online schooling. The simple fact is that teaching roughly 100 students a day in person has its challenges, even when schooling happens face-to-face. As events progress, I'm sure there will be more and more students struggling to keep up and being shorted of the one-on-one help they'll need.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
In my opinion, being a good math teacher is 60% math skills and 40% people skills. A tutor who understands the material but makes the student feel uncomfortable or incompetent is still a bad tutor. What I offer is a full blend of those two skills, so that you or your child can approach math with the understanding that it's okay to be lost and it's okay to be confused, but that those are only symptoms of needing more practice and/or a thorough explanation. Through this approach, when the student begins to understand the material, they don't leave thinking "Well I'm glad that's over with!". They leave thinking "I did it!", boosting their confidence and leaving them excited to overcome the next obstacle.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
The first thing the student should think through before talking to a teacher is the fact that, in math, there are no stupid questions! In fact, many questions seem "stupid" because their explanations are taken for granted rather than being truly understood. Secondly, a student should try everything they can think of to solve the problem on their own. Often students can be intimidated by the problem into freezing up and trying nothing, rather than trying everything they can before they conclude that they don't know how to approach the problem.