About
ImagineMath is a one-teacher business that focuses on your goals, not ours. Our first meeting can be free. Please be our guest to speak with Teacher Nate for 15 minutes and see if you like his style, approach, materials and pedagogical innovation. The key to understanding the fascinating world of mathematics is knowing our students and understanding each student's unique learning profile. So, we take a moment to learn about you, before you learn from Nate. All learning support is provided by a fully certified and licensed professional. Nate is endorsed by the state to teach foundational mathematics and has 10 years experience with a master's degree in Education.
First & foremost, we emphasize child protection. If the student is a minor, before starting a course of study, Nate will need to meet briefly online with a legal parent or guardian. At this time, we'll share official documents from the FBI & state level which indicate clearance to work with children. All online sessions are recorded and available for review.
We emphasize making math VISUAL and FUN. We find students respond to the charismatic and entertaining context which we use to take apart complex operations and target the Steps to Success.
Specializing in:
1. SAT prep
2. All middle & high school mathematics areas from Algebra 1 & 2 to Geometry, Trigonometry, Statistics, & Pre-Calculus.
3. University Calculus 1
Nobody has a better job than this! It's a pleasure & an honor to help tomorrow's leaders reach their college or university of choice! And for students at the university level, it's always a fun experience for me to engage in the more complex and challenging materials. Whatever level you're at, I have some awesome materials to keep you interested and entertained- a lot of them I even created myself. I think my "Angry Birds" quadratic unit is the most popular!
Highlights
Photos and videos
Reviews
Heidi Jindrich (for D.
Brad L.
Ziv E.
Fancy G.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
Meet & greet with parent(s). For minors: discuss Child Protection Policy.
Spend a little time chatting and making friends with each other on the first online session. I don't charge for that!
Next, I'll listen carefully while you tell me what you need. This will help us establish goals for our targets & objectives.
I'll use my experience to help identify your learning style and readiness to acquire new materials. From then on, I'll try to relate the work to your interests, so you never get bored. For example, I had a student who loved gaming, so I created an Angry Birds Parabolas unit. I'll do my best to make it work for your specific personality :)
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Fully licensed & endorsed by the State of Oregon. 10 years of full-time school teaching experience. Master's degree in Education: Curriculum & Instruction. Certified IB MYP & DP Mathematics SL & HL, category 1.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
$30/hr, if your family can afford it. If not, we'll work out a deal for a lower price.
Is it expensive? Unfortunately, a lot of charlatans take advantage of families by offering sub-standard service, without the latest best practices and professional certification. In this case, you are getting a quality return on investment that the cheapest tutors probably can't provide.
How did you get started teaching?
Nate has always fostered a love for numbers, patterns & relationships. He has a knack for unveiling the "magic codes," as he calls them, that underlie the trickiest math concepts. His M.Ed is from 2012, with his first student-teaching experience dating from 2010.
What types of students have you worked with?
Nate has mostly taught middle & high school, as that is the area in which he is state-certified and has classroom experience. But, Nate has a great demeanor with younger students and it is a privilege to have a wide range of ages to work with. As far as learning styles, we've seen it all and are sensitive to spectrum learners, top students, struggling students, as well as ELL students. University students taking Calculus 1, Stats (or anything!) are also welcome.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
Every time a cap is tossed or an acceptance letter is received is a micro-victory :) Really, it's just about helping out anybody who needs a hand. The money goes to Nate's tuition for his Ph.D program. He's a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership. That's also why he can't take too many students, so hurry and sign up for the remaining slots!
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Be conscientious, shop around, make sure your teacher is cleared by the FBI for child protection and make sure his/her teaching license is legitimate. At ImagineMath, we'll show you how to look up teachers' licensure details and see for yourself the quality of instruction you're getting with us.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
We are as flexible as possible with all types of needs from "top of the class" to those who need more support for foundations. The best approach is to be honest, then we can match your needs with our Individual Impact Plan. It's a fancy phrase that means what specific learning targets & subject area goals we set-- and how we're going to achieve them, over what timeframe.