Richard: Palos Heights tutor

Certified Tutor

I love to teach, especially science subjects and mathematics! With three years of formal teaching experience, I enjoy and have experience teaching the following subjects: human anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, pre-algebra, and algebra. I realize that these types of subjects can seem scary because they are presented as "hard," setting students up to expect challenges and failure; in contrast, I am a laid back, easy-going, but very persistent and positive teacher who can break down subjects into understandable principles and procedures, and encourage consistent effort and performance from my students.

I graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Phi Kappa Phi honors from Brigham Young University in April, 2012. While pursuing my education, I worked as a human anatomy teaching assistant for 2.5 years, in which I taught 80 students per week about the human body using cadavers, prosections, and reference materials; as a result of my performance, I was also appointed to be a "Group Leader," in which I instructed other teaching assistants in the material they would be teaching. I helped prepare exams for over 900 students each semester, and helped to rewrite the teaching manual. In addition, I have experience as a medical college aptitude test (MCAT) instructor, in which I have taught more than 220 lessons in one-on-one individual tutoring sessions as well as small group sessions, extensively covering all major science and basic mathematics subjects as well as general test preparation strategies.

Given this experience, I have learned that every person learns differently and have become adept in working with each of my students to identify and utilize the methods through which they individually learn the best. I am happy to take a traditional, academic approach to instruction, using theory and principles when a student feels most comfortable with these methods, or to translate theoretical principles into real-life examples to make problem-solving more realistic and applicable for "hands-on" learners. I can help students learn not only the physical material they need to know, but also equally important skills, including personal confidence, time management, personal goal setting and accountability, and stress management. My goal is to make learning science and mathematics subjects accessible and enjoyable, so that my students are able to grow and progress academically, personally, and professionally.