Gary: Wheeling tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a semi-retired engineer and instructor. Over my 30 plus year career, I have focused on making tough topics simple. I strive for that excitement when a student learns a topic he or she previously thought was unattainable; I watch for that light bulb going off in their head.
Except for college and the Air Force, I have lived here locally. I consider myself an entrenched Midwesterner. After graduating from Ruskin High School, I attended Louisiana Tech University, where I earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering. While in the Air Force I was selected to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology where I achieved a Master of Science Degree in Facilities Management.
My interest is in math, specifically algebra. As an engineer, I used mathematical formulas to specify actual dynamic systems. I was amazed at how some numbers on paper or lines on a computer screen can result in a real functioning machine. When I teach, my passion is to relay this awareness to each student. But I discovered many students had difficulty with the math. Over the years I realized the reasons are as numerous as the number of students I taught. Tutoring, one on one, provides me the opportunity to discover the exact difficulty and lift him or her over it.
I enjoy woodworking. I am thrilled when creating beautiful or functional items from a pile of wood. I also like computer graphics. My kids and grandkids always wonder whos the next victim of my Photoshop enhancement.