About Me

I have been a student for 22 years, and in that time I've learned what I don't like from teachers and what works for me. So, when I began teaching, I prepared so that I could be the type of educator that really stood out. I attended a summer course on teaching STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and was invited back as a guest panelist. I also attended seminars on alternative styles of teaching and helped to redesign the curriculum in a course I was the Teaching Assistant for. Since I began teaching, I've taught nine sections of small group intro-level physics, which utilized all the basic math courses including calculus. Additionally, I was responsible for office hours, test review, and even spent much of my undergrad teaching elementary aged children college level physics! Often when tutoring "physics" the difficulty actually lies in the mathematical required. This connection is often overlooked in schools, where courses are taught as closed units, when in real life, math, physics, chemistry and many other fields routinely overlap and comprehensive knowledge is needed within all these disciplines. This has led me to a very deep understanding and confidence in educating in mathematics, introductory chemistry and physics. This sounds all wonderful, but how does it translate to the student? Basically, in all my school and teaching experience I've learned how to study for tests and write tests and I've learned how to share my understanding with students. (This means I've become keenly aware of what material needs to be reviewed multiple times and thoroughly understood prior to a test). Additionally, I've learned to actually listen to others, to find out what they are struggling with and not assume based on years of repetition. (Loosely translated, I find out what the actual problem is and not just guess like most teachers and professors do when they don't have enough time for each student.) I've acquired patience and experience, recognizing that a topic doesn't come as quickly to some as others, and that one explanation doesn't make sense for every student. I've learned to ask probing questions instead of simply giving an answer to a question, because research has shown that an individual who solves a problem themselves is significantly more likely to retain the information and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment leading towards further willingness to tackle new problems. (I don't want students to simply memorize formulas to pass a test, but actually be able to look a new problem and attack it, confident of the skills attained in tutoring).One of the biggest lessons I learned while completing my PhD was that while I was becoming an expert in my field, I need to rely on others beyond my area of expertise. Tutoring is my opportunity to assist others with all the skills and knowledge I've amassed so that the student can improve and excel.

Education & Certifications

Q&A with Kelly

Tutoring Subjects