About
I bring a blend of real world math application with nearly 30 years in the IT industry followed by 9+ years in the high school classroom. I have had success working with at-risk students and allowing them to experience success in math and beyond. I love math and enjoy helping young people like math too.
The greatest part of my job is seeing my students reach goals they believed were unachievable. Seeing kids start to feel that maybe they were better at math than they ever thought.
Highlights
Reviews
AIDA J.
Robynne R.
Andrew E.
Nancy Le V.
Sujatha K.
Anita T.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Get acquainted to a point the student is comfortable with me as a teacher/tutor.
Determine student’s stengths and weaknesses.
Identify the student’s goals.
Create a plan.
Model problems.
Practice....practice....practice.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My degree is in Quantitative Economics. I am in my tenth year of teaching HS math. I have tutored for the past five years. Prior to my teaching career, I worked in IT (Information Technology) for nearly 30 years, using logical and analytical skills for computer capacity planning. I worked for GM/General Motors, NASA, EDS, HP and other corporations.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$30 for a 30 minute session
$50 for a 60 minute session (20% discount vs. 30 minute rate)
$70 for a 90 minute session (29% discount vs. 30 minute rate)
$90 for a 120 minute session (33% discount vs. 30 minute rate)
** Addtional fees for travel beyond 5 miles (per Google Maps) from my home address $5 (5-10 miles), $10 (10-15 miles), $15 (15-20 miles). Online tutoring is available with no additional fees. I do not tutor at my home but can and will meet at nearby public locations (libraries, coffee shop, Collin College, ...)
Suggested session length is based on the student, needs, goals and subject. I may make make a suggestion but it ultimately depends on the student/parent.
How did you get started teaching?
Though teaching is second career, it has been my lifelong career goal. I graduated high school wanting to be a HS math teacher. Circumstances sent my life a different direction and path but I always wanted to teach math. Even in the corporate environment I was often called upon to instruct or train coworkers in various programming languages, processes or how to deal with customers.
After raising my family, I left the riches of the private sector to pursue my first career goal.
What types of students have you worked with?
As stated above, a large portion of the students I teach in the classroom are at-risk kids who have limited math skills. Though the skills may be limited, I recognize the huge opportunity for them to grow.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
In the past couple years, I helped five students who had previously failed the math Texas standardized (STAAR/end-of-course) test and thus were not awarded their high school diploma — they passed the test and were high graduates. I also volunteer to help disadvantaged young adults/adults receive their GED.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Find a tutor who is fully capable of helping the student achieve their goal. Also, examine the tutor's success rate. Finally, assure you are comfortable working with the tutor.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students need to ask themselves if they are committed to being tutored. No matter how qualified the tutor might be, the student needs to be willing to work. The tutor can help motivate but it ultimately comes back to the student. Possibly the ultimate compliment I have received was a UT-Dallas student I helped with their College Algebra math. He said he learned a lot of math but more than anything, he learned "math didn't suck nearly as much as he had previously thought." :-)