Joseph: Pasco tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a proud graduate of Rutgers University Camden. I earned a BS summa cum laude in Physics last year and am currently taking courses to complete a second degree in Economics. I currently teach two lecture courses (Modern Physics and Laser Physics), and one introductory physics lab section. I have tutored high school to university level physics. I believe that offering real world examples helps students gain a better understanding of abstract concepts in physics, math, and chemistry. Being a student myself makes connecting with students effortless.
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Undergraduate Degree: Rutgers University-Camden - Bachelors, Physics, Economics
- GRE Verbal: 159
Research in Economics/Physics/Biology, Camping, Football, Hockey, Comedy shows
- College Physics
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Quantitative
- High School Physics
- Newtonian Mechanics
- Physics
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Quantum Physics
- Science
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Offer diagnostic questions to identify a student's deficiency.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Give them study tips that help them focus. Also, I would give them examples that interest them so that the material does not seem as boring.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Go over future academic goals to show them that their work is going to eventually pay off.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Give them examples that they use in their everyday life.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I always try to make the material relatable to the student. In my opinion, physics can be easy to understand if the student is given the proper intuition via real life examples.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to make real world examples for students. In my experience students understand physics much better when they can directly relate a life experience to a certain problem. For example, when dealing with the concept of apparent weight, I always use the fact that when an elevator is accelerating up you "feel" heavier (have a higher apparent weight), whereas when an elevator is accelerating downward you "feel" lighter (lower apparent weight).
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would try to give them example problems that use something they are interested in. For example, when trying to solve force problems, maybe you use two football players interacting instead of just two blocks hitting each other.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I always like to ask students very simple conceptual questions along the way to test if they understand the material or are just memorizing equations. In my experience, memorizing and regurgitating equations works great for completing homework that is formatted the same. However, this strategy can lead to confusion and frustration during a test with curve-ball questions.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I usually start out with problems that are easier but take a longer time. This allows for students to feel satisfied, and usually builds confidence that can be used on harder problems in the future.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I usually try to keep it simple and just utilize a textbook, notebook, and pencil when tutoring one on one in person. If I am tutoring online or a large group, I like to use Microsoft OneNote to write out problems; this way I can email a.pdf copy of the work we did to the student(s). I find that students benefit from being able to look back at previous work, especially when working on complex physics problems that require numerous steps.