NayaD Tutoring

I will usually ask what they believe their strengths and weaknesses are, but after that, I will usually jump in to problem solving. I believe in "learning by doing" and this will be a good way for me to assess how they approach problems and where gaps lie. Often, I will walk them through a problem and then have them do a problem and walk me through it by having them verbalize what they are doing and why they are doing it. From here, I can see if they really understand the material.

I am an incoming freshman in college to the University of Southern California and a Deans Scholar. In my high school career, I scored an A+ in every single one of my math courses: Geometry, Algebra II, and IB SL Math AA. These last four years, I have also tutored students from grade 5-10, specifically in Pre-Algebra and Algebra I. In addition, I coached a middle school Math Olympiad team for two years and have developed lessons and plans to help my students.

I believe tutoring should be affordable and accessible, so I charge $15 to $20 a lesson depending on the math course.

I can also teach your child Algebra I or Algebra II if they are looking to test out; however, this pricing will need to be discussed.

I started tutoring freshman year of high school after noticing students struggling with new material because they didn't learn the material well the year prior. Therefore, I am teaching Algebra I because it is the foundation of the rest of the math classes a student will take in the rest of their academic career, so by becoming a master in Algebra I, a student will be well prepared to conquer the rest of their math classes with ease.

I have tutored students from grades 5-10 with various different learning styles, so I can cater the sessions to the individual students' needs.

“First, we need to convert both mixed numbers to improper fractions, so how are we going to do that?” I gently prodded. Waiting for a response, I looked up at my screen to see the tired eyes of my shy 6th grader, asking “Is junior year hard? Do you get sleep?” I decided to stop the session and talk to her about what was going on. “I have five math sheets I don't understand and lines to memorize, and I’m overwhelmed!!”. When I assured her that I would work through all the math problems with her, so she wouldn't have to stress about completing it, I saw her tired eyes beam with excitement. It was a small moment that left a big impact on me. I had tutored this student for a year prior, and it only took a simple exchange to remind me of the reason I began tutoring: to make learning an easier and fun process. With my student, it was by showing her how to approach math facts like lines for a play and helping her through her stress, that made tutoring a rewarding experience.

Find a teacher who is easy to approach and you feel comfortable with. The biggest thing a student can do to help themselves is: ask questions. If a student doesn't feel comfortable to ask their teacher to repeat something, to clarify a point, and most importantly just say "I didn't understand that at all, can you explain that again?," they won't learn. Thus, my advice is to find a teacher who is friendly and prioritizes this in their teaching. A student is only as good as their teacher!

If you can, I would try to find the syllabus of your class. Algebra I will be taught similarly across schools; however, each teacher may cover a few different units or add a few more topics within a unit. Therefore, find a syllabus of your Algebra I class!

From here, highlight the topics you are uncomfortable with or any words you don't get. This will help your teacher gauge what you know and if you need to backtrack and review some other skills before preceding with new material.