Ken: Bath tutor
Certified Tutor
To help students overcome math anxieties and enjoy the subject. I view math as a fun and challenging exercise that helps sharpen the mind.
I have 30 years experience as a Profession Engineer working the areas of aerospace and chemical processing. My background is in numerical methods (Finite Element Analysis) performing structural engineering on aircraft and chemical storage vessels and piping. I have considerable background in vibration analysis and structural dynamics. I am a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Florida and have been self employed for 10 years as an engineering consultant.
At the college level while working on my PhD I taught college algebra and trig as well as varied engineering courses from statics and structural design to senior design lab. I have over 30 hours of graduate level math courses as well.
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Undergraduate Degree: USF - Bachelors, Engineering
Graduate Degree: USF - PHD, Civil Engineering
Flying, building planes
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- Calculus
- College Algebra
- Math
- Mechanical Engineering
- Science
- Trigonometry
What is your teaching philosophy?
I enjoy dealing with students that have an interest in math for "practical" applications - i.e. the engineering minded. I find that operating "outside" the box to find solutions to problems is fun!
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Find out generally what bothers them about math - i.e. do they just have problems seeing where to start, or do they have difficulty with basic understanding?
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Teach them to approach problems systematically.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Try to show them practical applications of what they are doing.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Step back to basics and start simple. Then progress to more difficult concepts.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
That's a little outside my specialty, but I would recommend that they seek a tutor with that background.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Get to know where their interests are and why they are taking this subject.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Show them practical applications of what they are learning.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Have them solve problems at the limit of their capability.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Practice, practice, and more practice.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Break the problem into steps, starting with the basics.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
Have them work some problems and see what aspects of the subject trouble them.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Their textbook, as well as "off the wall" test questions.