Jonathan: Irving tutor
Certified Tutor
Hello! Thank you for choosing Varsity Tutors. I focus on all sorts of math subjects, from algebra to pre-calculus and SAT math. I was always more of an independent thinker during high school, and I would usually try to solve things myself. However, I struggled a lot when the time for my SAT came around--to the point where I actually ended up needing a tutor myself for the math portion! Nonetheless, I acknowledged the power of tutoring when I ended up surpassing my own expectations for the exam! I wish to spread the benefits of knowledge and confidence in younger students. Thanks again for choosing Varsity Tutors and I look forward to hearing from you!
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Undergraduate Degree: The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelor of Science, Psychology/Business minor
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1540
- SAT Math: 720
- SAT Verbal: 740
- SAT Writing: 790
Traveling, cooking, business, tennis, frisbee, woodworking, electronic music
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- College Algebra
- Conversational Spanish
- Geometry
- Languages
- Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Pre-Calculus
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- SAT Writing and Language
- Spanish
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Spanish 4
- Test Prep
- Trigonometry
What is your teaching philosophy?
I strongly believe in treating others as you would like to be treated! Therefore, helping students learn in ways that I myself would have liked to be taught is of utmost importance to me.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
A typical first session will consist of introducing myself, my background, my credentials, and simply offering the student an opportunity to express their concerns, to which I would try my best to respond to appropriately.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I understand what it feels like to be stuck on a new problem, trust me. I will help guide you through the process by breaking it down, simplifying terminology, and presenting a clear solution.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Becoming an independent learner takes discipline. I can say from experience that setting apart time to read and practice the material can be challenging, but it is important in order to mature academically. I would encourage the student to start slowly and practice a little bit at a time.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I believe it is important to become familiar with the student's concerns and goals. I try to adapt the way I teach in accordance with how they learn. This can include doing more practice problems, or going over the theory behind the concept.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
After I explain the way to solve a problem, I ask the student to reiterate the technique for the next question. This forces them to remember the strategy and implement it from memory.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Evaluating a student's needs can include given them a variety of questions from the beginning in order to see what they understand and gauging where you need to start with the tutoring.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I typically use the materials that the student has from their class. If the client is not enrolled in a class, I will try to find suitable workbooks or small textbooks for them to use.