Jeremy: Birmingham tutor
Certified Tutor
Hello! My name is Jeremy, and I'm a mathematician and an educator.
I believe that everyone should have access to a quality education and that often times our education system does little to prepare students for the real-world, or devalues the material to the point where students ask why they are learning any of the subjects. I believe that a solid understanding of the basic of mathematics improves the quality of life one can experience, and having a solid understanding of the basic concepts makes higher level courses much easier. I have taught calculus courses as a STEM Peer Teacher at Cleveland State University and most problems students seem to have stems from a lack of understanding in the prerequisite material, even so far as having trouble with basic arithmetic.
Learning mathematics is a process, but it is a process I believe everyone is capable of. The teacher should have patience, the ability to show the student the value in learning the material, as well as the benefits of learning from their mistakes, which we all make.
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Undergraduate Degree: Cleveland State University - Current Undergrad, Mathematics
I love my motorcycle, I am interested in woodworking and also want to try blacksmithing. When the weather turns colder I enjoy video games and playing pool.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that the purpose of an educator is to create students who are contributing members of society, to give them access to tools that they can use to improve their quality of life, and to teach them to question the way things are in the world in order to foster critical thinking skills on important social justice issues we find ourselves facing.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
The first lesson with a student should be an opportunity to get to know each other. An educator should be able to assess the student's current progress, along with their strengths and weaknesses. From there they can start working to improve upon them. It is also very important to build a professional relationship so that a student can feel comfortable working with an educator.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
If you can teach students to read mathematical notation and understand basic concepts fully, they can better utilize resources available to them to advance at their own pace.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Any student can learn mathematics! It's just a matter of how far we have to go back to review prior material. I find a lot of my students have a math anxiety they've developed over the years and lack confidence in their abilities, but they should know every mathematician makes mistakes. The difference between a good mathematician and a bad mathematician is that the good one catches his mistakes eventually.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Back it up to the last concept. Mathematics builds upon itself, so if you're having trouble with a concept you may need to review the material that came beforehand.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
By building a relationship with the student and taking notice of their strengths and weaknesses in the material and preparing proper lessons accordingly, I believe we can have rewarding sessions.