Akiva: New Rochelle tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley (Cal). I received my Bachelor of Arts in English with a focus on British and American Literature. I also received my Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, with an A in the Honors Program. My program in philosophy was an advanced interdisciplinary program, requiring me to specialize in logic and the methodology of science; as such, I intensively studied:

- the foundations of mathematics, including set theory, recursion theory, model theory, and theory of proofs,
- philosophical logic, including modal logic,
- philosophy of mathematics,
- logic in computer science and artificial intelligence,
- theory of computational complexity,
- history of logic,

as well as other areas of research with heavy reliance on formal methods, such as general algebra, tensor calculus, non-standard analysis, decision theory, game theory, probability, philosophy of language, and philosophy of science. I received a score of 170 on my GRE Quantitative (i.e., Math) Section. I have tutored over a hundred students in both K-12 as well as college-level mathematics, from introductory algebra to test prep in advanced Calculus.

I also hold a Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, for which my concentrations are English and American Literature, Composition and Creative Writing.

As a former Residential Life Tutor in World Literature and Composition at U.C. Berkeley, I have extensive knowledge of all periods of literature. I have also taught courses addressing a vast array of literary/philosophical movements.

During my time as an Instructional Assistant in English at American River College, I displayed impeccable organizational skills and flexibility, thereby allowing me to manage a full course load whenever necessary. Throughout my academic and corporate career, I consistently demonstrated my ability to work with students from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of learning styles. By utilizing pedagogical approaches that address varied learning preferences, I made abstract concepts fun and understandable. I especially enjoy helping students to cultivate a deep love of, and appreciation for, literature through various state-of-the-art teaching strategies.

Ultimately, I am a passionate learner for life. Studying any subject involves both student and instructor in confidence-building conversations about information which students may wish to understand, intellectually as well as emotionally. I am, therefore, a proponent of non-confrontational learning and use a variety of methods to not only encourage discussion on the issues a course presents my student but also instil the kind of confidence a student requires to return to class with confidence as well as augmented knowledge. Tutoring, consequently, allows me to fulfil what I believe to be a fundamental responsibility of a democratic educational system: to communicate information while also building character and confidence so a student is empowered to make informed decisions regarding her or his intellectual and emotional well-being.