Stuart

Certified Tutor

After several years in an industry that spanned residential and commercial construction, electronics, and refrigeration, I added yet another occupation to my resume when the director of a school encouraged me to become a teacher of mathematics. I had been tutoring students in mathematics, and it was their improvement that caught his attention. During my first year in the classroom, a girl one day said "I no know you do" (English was not her first language)and burst into tears in front of her peers. That day and that incident sparked my quest to really understand how students learn and how they make meaning of information. I already had my degree in secondary mathematics education from Bethel College in Indiana, but my quest to better understand students led to a master's degree in secondary education from the University of Alabama and a PhD in multicultural education from Capella University in Minnesota. A firm foundation is just as important in learning as it is in constructing buildings, so I focus on helping students gain a good grasp of the basics that will serve them well as they progress to higher levels of mathematics. I will help students make personal application of the concepts they are learning, and I will always answer the ever-present question of "When am I ever going to use this stuff?" Algebra and Geometry are my favorite subjects to tutor because of the many new concepts that are introduced, but I am very comfortable with all levels of mathematics through Algebra II. Mathematics has served me well over the years, and I want to help others gain the same appreciation for it. Finally, I want to make learning enjoyable.