Darren: Laguna Niguel tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a graduate of UC Davis (BA in classical civilization with minors in music and English, 2001), Princeton Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity, 2004), and Calvin Theological Seminary (PhD in historical theology, 2016). My academic research focuses on scripture interpretation in early Stuart England. Between my MDiv and PhD programs I worked as a youth pastor for six years in a southern California church. Over the past decade I have tutored students from upper elementary through graduate school in subjects ranging from writing and math to theology and classical Greek, but I have most frequently worked with students preparing for various standardized tests (having received a perfect score on my SAT in high school). Whenever possible I try to teach using the Socratic method, as I find that the process of guided discovery helps with the retention and application of new concepts. I enjoy the challenge of trying to connect academic subjects with the interests of my students (abstract mathematical principles are less likely to capture a young football fan's fancy, for example, than is trying to calculate a favorite quarterback's passer rating), and I have a particular passion for teaching grammar, as precise language is essential for clear and unambiguous communication of ideas. When not applying for college faculty positions, taking care of my toddler daughter, or tutoring, I enjoy hiking in beautiful locales, watching basketball, doing crossword puzzles and playing Scrabble, being a coffee snob, and singing Baroque choral works (currently a tenor in the Pasadena Master Chorale).