Award-Winning Geometry Tutors in University of Wisconsin-Madison, WI

...the student and help assist in the learning process. I have a diverse background working as a stem cell researcher, QC microbiologist, and now a chef at a local restaurant. In my free time I train for triathlons, hike, and do fermentation work for both at home and restaurant use. I prefer to adapt my...

I connect with people best through sharing ideas. The majority of my spare time is spent trying to simplify or find alternate proofs of basic theorems to make them more intuitive.... Focusing on beauty solves many problems a teacher faces. If I am attending a lecture about The Great Gatsby, I will be eager if the speaker tells of the beauty she sees, rather than a quick and dirty type of analysis. I regularly talk to people who admit math wasn't their favorite subject in school. Some were self-conscious. Some had gaps they never filled. Some just didn't care. Whatever the case, I admit to them that math is my favorite art form with as much room for expression as sculpting or jazz. I claim that mathematicians are half artists, half observers of fine art. My conversants often tell me it is an epiphany for them to think of math as such, and that it helps heal their math wound. A marvelous way I have found to unveil beauty in the classroom is by using surprise. I like to present ideas from a simple perspective, discuss them briefly, then release a theorem. Thales' theorem (the diameter of a circle subtends a right angle to any point on the circumference) is a great example, especially with the aid of Java applets. After playing a bit with triangles by moving points around in a worksheet, it's surprising to be able to connect two structures as basic as a right triangle and a diameter. Next in importance to marveling at beauty, I want students to learn to think critically to solve problems. Understandably, some students have never had guidance past high school drills. All the more, problem solving should be emphasized and revisited throughout college curriculum. I have many years of experience in problem solving competitions and a collection of principles regarding problem solving that I like to follow. One is about inverse problems. Consider the following: if baseball cards are five cents apiece and shipping costs fifty cents, how many cards will one dollar buy? After making the arithmetic clear, students had better know how to calculate the forward problem, i.e. "How much will x number of cards cost?" I'm depending on them knowing the forward problem because we covered it last week, but it is important to bring it out in more than just a mention so the students have a comfortable base to start. It's like revisiting rational numbers before diving into irrationals. They are intrinsically tied, and it gives the class confidence to start with old material.

A great tutor is someone who is flexible and tailors instruction to the needs and strengths of the student. I believe in educating the whole student and using their strengths to boost confidence and achieve results.

...a HUGE pet lover as I have a dog of my own. I tutor mathematics for all levels up to Calculus. I have always enjoyed math since I was in elementary school and I love helping others out. One of the best feelings in the world is seeing a student finally understand a subject or...

...get very enthusiastic about the subject at hand. It is my strong belief that they key to success in academics is true understanding. When a student understands why something works, memorization becomes a tool that is only rarely needed. Students who understand concepts can also tackle complex and challenging questions with confidence. As a tutor,...

...in Education turned from the Sciences to Early Childhood education. I started a private, nationally accredited preschool in Mount Horeb for 92 children. After seven years, I sold the school, and dabbled in education as a substitute teacher. I currently am the Education Director of a private school west of Madison where I observe and...

...at UW-Madison. Teaching is the most important part of my life, and my role as an educator is what most defines my identity. I have no general guiding principle about teaching, other than that it isn't really useful to think in terms of such principles. Rather, I think that it's best to approach each student...

...wide variety of math and science courses, including Caclulus, Physics, and Chemistry, a few of my favorite subjects to tutor. I enjoy helping students prepare for standardized tests, as these tests require not only knowledge, but quick thinking and strong decision making skills. During my free time, I like playing Ultimate, reading, and playing an...

...and interaction are the most effective ways to teach and learn, both through implicit and explicit methods. I tutor so that students will understand why and how a concept functions, and then be able to organize it and analyze its different parts. My strongpoints as a tutor are in writing, but I also have a...

...science courses and I particularly love working with Chemistry, Biology, and Physics courses. I also work with ACT and MCAT preparation. I believe in "working smarter" by using study tricks, participating in engaged learning, and helping you find your style of learning. In my spare time, I play rugby, read books about interesting microbes, and...