David

Certified Tutor

Math and science can be frustrating and intimidating to many people, and my objective is to help you overcome any hurdles your may have in these subjects in order to achieve your academic and career goals.

Having received my Bachelors of Science in Physics from California State University, Long Beach, I have a passion for science and math which I love to transmit to other people, whether they be curious laymen, fellow students, or tutees. While earning my degree I had the opportunity of taking part in undergrad research at my university, and the privilege of participating in a student internship program at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. This experience has given me some perspective in appreciating the scope and possibilities in science.

But while doing so I have also practiced my other passion--instruction and education in this field and related subjects by working as a tutor for high school students in the subjects of math, science, and in test preparation. I also have experience in a job after graduation as a tutor of university students in college level courses, from remedial math and science classes to more advanced second and third year physics courses.

After several years working as a laboratory technician at a fuel cell research and design company, I am returning to this latter passion as I pursue a teaching credential program at the University of Dominguez Hills. In my view, the best approach to teaching is not one that just instructs you in procedures by rote memorization and repetition (although these may be necessary and useful in achieving success), but also one that guides you to acquire the needed tools and critical thinking skills to not only learn the procedures needed for math, science, or standardized tests, but to also hopefully understand the subject sufficiently to develop your own techniques in many different situations, or to possibly apply them in your area your interest.

This is achieved by identifying your level of understanding, making sure you know or learn any needed background information, and to also sometimes explain and give you an insight into the motivation for the formulas, techniques or procedures pertaining to the subject at hand, and relating them to different examples and applications in real life in order to make them less abstract. In whichever approach I may take, in the end my aim is to demystify and make these subjects less intimidating to you, since I more than likely have gone through similar frustrations in my education.