
Alex
Certified Tutor
My past students and friends say that my face lights up when I start talking about math (especially calculus). Between my Applied Mathematics degree from the University of Rochester and my Eagle Scout award, I have natural passions for mathematics and helping people. Let me combine these passions for you as your future tutor.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Rochester - Bachelors, Applied Mathematics
- SAT Math: 720
Songwriting, Singing, Quidditch, Reading, Poker, Improv Comedy
- 10th Grade Math
- 11th Grade Math
- 12th Grade Math
- 1st Grade
- 1st Grade Math
- 2nd Grade
- 2nd Grade Math
- 3rd Grade
- 3rd Grade Math
- 4th Grade
- 4th Grade Math
- 5th Grade
- 5th Grade Math
- 6th Grade
- 6th Grade Math
- 7th Grade
- 7th Grade Math
- 8th Grade
- 8th Grade Math
- 9th Grade
- 9th Grade Math
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- Applied Mathematics
- Calculus
- Calculus 2
- College Algebra
- College Math
- Competition Math
- Elementary Algebra
- Elementary School
- Elementary School Math
- Geometry
- High School
- HSPT Math
- Intermediate Algebra
- Math
- Middle School
- Music Theory
- Pre-Algebra
- Pre-Calculus
- Probability
- PSAT Mathematics
- SAT Prep
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1
- SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2
- SAT Subject Tests Prep
- Test Prep
- Trigonometry
What is your teaching philosophy?
My ultimate aim is for my students to master their material. I believe that any person can learn any subject if they believe they can. This confidence with the material will come as I assist my students and they become more comfortable with their (now growing) abilities.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
A first session with a student would start with discussing what they are expecting from our sessions. Are they currently experiencing difficulty with their material? Do they have an exam coming up? I will try to get a pulse on their confidence with the subject at hand and address areas of weakness, while fortifying existing strengths.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Three words. Confidence, confidence, confidence. The most common obstacle I run into as a tutor is students who don't believe they are capable of doing math. My belief is that everyone can do math. We will start together with the very easiest problems and gradually increase the difficulty until the student feels comfortable working on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
The easiest way to motivate a student is to give them the taste of success. This starts with giving them the easiest problems, growing their confidence and slowly increasing the difficulty of the material.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
It is important to let the student know you believe in them. I would also try and diagnose where the student is having the most difficultly and give them easier problems in this area until they feel more comfortable moving forward.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
The easiest way to make a student excited is to be genuinely excited!! Math is an exciting part of our world and is important for many aspects of our society. I would also try and relate it to something the student cares about (e.g. if they like skateboarding, mentioning the role physics plays in that activity).
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I like to have them do one or two difficult problems while I "sit on the sidelines." If they can handle the hardest problems I have, they have mastered the material.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I tell students I believe in them and give them easier problems. The more trouble they are having, the easier the problems will be when we begin. As the student gets comfortable, I increase the difficulty of the problems. I also remind them how well they're progressing.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs by listening to them explain their thought process on a problem. If the thought process is flawed somewhere it will be easy to understand and diagnose
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I like to use the student's homework and assignments to get a feeling for where the class is and where the student is having trouble. I also draw as many diagrams and pictures as I can. Math can be very hard to understand without a visual picture of how certain formulas or functions are operating.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Effective tutors know that successful strategies vary by student! If a student is not a visual learner, drawing them a picture can sometimes do more harm than good! Figuring out where a student’s strengths lie and utilizing them is perhaps the most important part of teaching.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
My tutoring is adapted to the student's needs based on where they are in the course and what they are expecting. If they have an exam next week, we will spend our time doing multiple kinds of problems. If they are having trouble with a specific concept on a homework set, then that is what we'll work on.