John Reese
About
As a tutor my goal is to have a positive impact on the lives of the students with whom I work. No magic wand will put the power of learning solely in my hands, but students that come to me prepared to work will find me a valuable resource and an enthusiastic ally.
I have been working in the Austin area as a tutor for over 20 years, and working with Wyzant since 2008. I majored in math at UT-Austin, taking over 50 credit hours in math, and 50+ combined credit hours in physics, chemistry, astronomy, and statistics. I've worked in the UT math department, served as a tutor for UT student athletes, and tutored at Austin Community College for over 10 years.
I mostly work at my home in Cedar Park, now, using a dedicated room as a 1-4 student classroom. The room is set up with a whiteboard, a large desk for students, and has online wi-fi access. (Students must bring their own laptop, tablet, or smart phone to access wi-fi.) I am also available for online tutoring, which I try to make as close to working in person as possible, with a camera aimed at my whiteboard, and my presentations done in much the same way I would for students working in-person. My general hours of availability are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. M, W, Th and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sa, Su (Central U.S. times).
Philosophy-wise, I don't think the importance of a good education can be overemphasized. Not everything a student learns in school will be something they use on a daily basis, but the more one knows, the more opportunities for success one possesses. Academia is not the end-all to knowledge--I think ethics and experience rank at least as highly--but there are some doors only academia can open. The positive impact I hope to have on students includes helping them realize their academic potential, that they may fully enjoy the opportunities that come from both expanding one's knowledge base, and from the maturation that accompanies the required efforts to do so. I find there is no learning without effort and I strive to get my students increasingly involved in the solution process as we work through similar types of problems. Students will get more out of our time together by attempting problems independently before and after sessions. Students may think of their work done before sessions as metaphorically tilling the soil, preparing their minds for learning, even if they are not able to complete many of the exercises. Follow up work serves to verify one can complete related exercises independently--something that should never be taken for granted without proof--and helps in committing the topics and methodologies covered in sessions to long-term memory.
We all need guidance through the challenging world of academia at times, and I discourage students from working themselves to the point of frustration before seeking help. Do what you can, and let's get through the rest together. I look forward to meeting you, and to being a part of your academic success! :-)
Sincerely,
John R.
Highlights
Specialties
Grade level
Type of math
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I find there is no learning without effort and I strive to get my students increasingly involved in the solution process as we work through similar types of problems. Students will get more out of our time together by attempting problems independently before and after sessions. Students may think of their work done before sessions as metaphorically tilling the soil, preparing their minds for learning, even if they are not able to complete many of the exercises. Follow up work serves to verify one can complete related exercises independently--something that should never be taken for granted--and helps in committing the topics and methodologies covered in sessions to long-term memory.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
BS Mathematics from University of Texas, Austin
20+ years tutoring experience
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Students have the option of creating a Wyzant account from my posted website URL, in which case all the billing is handled by them. Alternatively, I accept payments through PayPal.
How did you get started teaching?
I began working for Austin Community College as a tutor, as well as grading and tutoring at UT while still in college.
What types of students have you worked with?
Mostly I have worked with high school and college level students. On occasion I have worked with middle school students.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I don't know that I have a single work-related event that stands out above the others but, generally speaking, I love hearing about my students doing well in their classes. Watching a student move from feeling scared and/or confused to a level of confidence makes me really glad I am in my line of work, and gives me a sense of accomplishment.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
As noted in previous places I find there is no learning without effort. Students will get more out of our time together if they attempt to work problems independently before and after sessions. Coming into a session completely cold, so to speak, generally means it will take longer for me to find the specific problem areeas that need to be addressed, and if a student does no follow up work on their own, it will be difficult for them to remember the lessons, or be able to reproduce our work independently.
Secondly, I would encourage students to think of working with a tutor as being part of a team effort. There is no magic wand that will put the power of learning solely in my hands. The more students contribute to the process, the more we will be able to accomplish together.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
When I work with students I generally let them set our agenda. I will occasionally detour to discuss foundational, or prerequisite material, but mostly I try and relate current topics to previously-discussed topics, and to put current topics within a larger context, so as to tackle current problems and to lay a foundation to build upon for future, related material.