Jeffrey: Weston tutor

Certified Tutor

I have known from the time that I was a student in the eighth grade that I was meant to teach. Indeed, I remember well the incident that lead me to such a decision:
As a child I was somewhat ... impatient. And, as fate would have it, one day in particular, I was more impatient than was usual. Mr. Plata had already requested that I not simply answer aloud the questions that he had been posing to our enrichment class in mathematics, but I could not help myself. When what I thought to be yet another easy question was presented, and when it seemed as though an eternity had passed, I sounded off with the answer. Very calmly, as was his way, Mr. Plata approached me and asked whether I would prefer to teach the class: My answer, to his surprise and perhaps to my own was "Yes." I actually went to the front of the classroom, and I conducted the remainder of the lesson. I did, truth be told, make a singular mistake, but I corrected myself before anyone else had the chance. After class, Mr. Plata took me aside and told me how proud he was. And, a teacher was born.

Shortly thereafter, I found myself tutoring mathematics and science to students of various walks in life. In fact, at the age of sixteen, I tutored a family friend who was, at that time, a Senior at Le Moyne College; the topic matter was that of statistics. I went on to study mathematics and physics, first at the Buffalo State College, and then at Syracuse University (Bachelor of Arts -- Magna Cum Laude) and the University at Albany (Master of Arts). I have, since that time, both tutored and taught mathematics and physics at any number of institutions, to include Utica College, S.U.N.Y. Polytechnic Institute, S.U.N.Y. Oswego, the University at Albany, and Colgate University, with experience spanning more than twenty years.

It might be of interest to note that, in addition to my love of mathematics and the natural sciences, I have always found the study of different languages (and cultures) to be fascinating. My own studies have included, to one extent or another, the following languages: Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Latin, and Japanese. This study has colored my perspective on the study of mathematics; Mathematics is, at least from a certain point of view, a language in its own right. And, while I have found Latin to be the most beautiful of the spoken languages that I have studied, I find mathematics to be equally beautiful, if not more exacting. What is more is that these studies have opened a doorway of understanding to different cultures and different perspectives, perspectives that I might not have otherwise recognized.

My hope is that I will be able to share my knowledge and my enthusiasm for learning with any number of students as I continue to tutor and teach. I am certain that a mastery of any of the numerous skills nested in the study of mathematics and the natural sciences will open pathways, some of which may lead students to possibilities they had not even considered.