Steve

Certified Tutor

I graduated from Northern Illinois University with a B.S. and M.S. in Probability and Statistics. Afterwards, I went into education and earned an M.A.T. from National-Louis University in Secondary Education. I have worked for 15 years as an Actuary (a retirement plan mathematician), eight years managing a bookstore and teaching youth in a church, and six years as a public school Math teacher.
I tutor Middle School Math, Pre-algebra, Algebra, Geometry, Pre-calculus, Calculus, Statistics and ACT/SAT Math. My favorites are Algebra because it is logical, useful in everyday situations, and flexible enough to have more than one way to solve many problems, and Statistics because it uses data to help decide on the best course of action. My tutoring style is laid-back and intense at the same time: laid-back because I am quiet; a musician, not an athletic coach. My style is also intense as I am very serious about solving Math problems and being sure that my answer is right.
I love Math and I love teaching. I especially like to show students that they already know Math, that they can learn more of it, that Math is fun, and that Math is valuable. So I build on their skills, support their ideas, and encourage their ambitions. I would like to give all students the best opportunity to develop their potential.
When I am not teaching, I like to read history and fiction, advocate for renewable energy, play music with my wife, learn other languages and go camping and canoeing.