Nicholas: East Orange tutor
Certified Tutor
I'm currently an undergraduate chemistry student at UCF. My favorite laboratory procedure is the basic acid-base titration; as there are usually some nice, drastic color changes involved with them.
I mainly tutor math (pre-algebra, algebra, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus) and try to help students understand the concepts from the ground up, trying to make sure I go over any areas they struggle in. I have no problem going over a concept or topic multiple times to ensure that someone truly understands what is going on in the problem.
Aside from school and work I attempt to keep myself busy by browsing the internet, playing video games, ping-pong, and the occasional basketball game. However, school and work tend to keep me plenty busy as is and like to spill over into my free time.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Central Florida - Current Undergrad, Chemistry
Video games, ping-pong, basketball, browsing the internet
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Calculus
- College Algebra
- General Chemistry
- Gifted
- High School Chemistry
- Homework Support
- Math
- Other
- Pre-Algebra
- Pre-Calculus
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Trigonometry
What is your teaching philosophy?
I try to help my students understand the core material for the subject at hand so that they can build on top of this efficiently. I believe that a strong knowledge of core concepts are necessary to progress and to begin attempting to solve higher-level problems.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would attempt to go over key ideas for the area of interest before attempting to go step-by-step to answer the problem, finding out where the student has issues.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Teaching students the essential skills necessary to study efficiently and how to attempt to solve difficult problems without guidance.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I try and help talk to the student and try and convince the student that although they may not truly want to take the time and study at the moment, that it will be worth putting in the effort to learn it. Sometimes using real world applications of topics helps students put meaning behind what they're learning.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
In this case, I would ask the student specifically what about the topic they are not grasping, and try to give similar yet lower level examples to promote thinking that may help them solve a problem or learn something new.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Going over passages slowly, breaking down each paragraph sentence by sentence and asking the student what they don't understand in the reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Going over examples of all types for a given concept and attempting to get students to look at questions in various ways to promote more thinking. When students show signs of struggle with a topic, I like to ask them exactly what it is that is causing them difficulties so that I can clear up any misconceptions that they have.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Try and tell the student that, although it may not be the most fun or easiest to get through, that putting in the work and learning the material will feel good in the end and be worth it to them.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Asking students to explain the concept back to you is a good way to be sure that they understand exactly what is going on. Additional practice problems and examples never hurt either.