Al: Villa Park tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins with a Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. My focus was in robotics which requires a good deal of differential equations and linear algebra as well as other mathematics. My studies in robotics combined Computer Science, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering, so I have a broad range of tool-sets for any problem. My research has included building and testing drones and performing simulations in virtual environments.

During my graduate work, I served as a teaching assistant in a robotics course and won an award as one of the best teaching assistants in the Mechanical Engineering department. I taught students about robotic sensors, motors, and how to program micro controllers such as Arduino to interact with sensors and actuators. I have significant experience in Outdoor Education having served as an Outdoor trip leader and instructor during school. Teaching city kids and non-outdoorsy types how to canoe, sail, or survive a week-long camping trip required me to explain concepts completely foreign to some. I have been given substantial feedback that I teach concepts in an orderly, linear manner, with the ability to understand where someone has a deficiency. I applied that experience to teaching robotics and continue to do so as a tutor.

One of the trends I see with middle and high school education is the lack of proper foundation in certain subjects especially math. I, and many fellow students, experienced challenges with higher-level mathematics courses because we lacked a thorough preparation. I take an individualized approach with each student because I have seen first-hand how a standard curriculum can leave important concepts unexplained and unexplored. In this vein, I tutor subjects including elementary math and Prealgebra through Precalculus.