Ron Ron

Certified Tutor

Call us today to connect with a top tutor

Knowledge and the acquisition thereof have been integral aspects of my life, and I believe these to be crucial in navigating the world around us. Having the appropriate knowledge or information of various situations and subjects opens doors and creates opportunities for advancing to the next stage or chapter of life. Traditionally, schools are where this transaction of information take place; however, education happens everywhere, whether it be the doctor's office, concert hall, or even the streets.

We all learn at our own pace and in our own ways. What works for one person may not work for the next. The modern school is great; it is probably the most reliable way to transfer a large amount of knowledge to the greatest number of people possible. School is not cool for everyone though, and that is where I would appreciate the opportunity to help. My philosophy for teaching includes knowing one's student well in order to best meet his or her learning needs. This includes engaging and listening to the student, and then forming a study plan as a team. I take learning very seriously, but I often find that it helps to have fun while doing going through it.

While I have no formal background in education, I have spent the last few years working as a resident physician in neurosurgery. Besides doing surgeries and procedures, a big part of my training was educating both my patients (it is so important for them to know what's going on in and what's being done to their bodies) as well as other physicians and students on the team. I have had multiple opportunities to cultivate and perfect my listening and speaking skills, as well as my capacity for empathy and patience. Prior to residency, I graduated from medical school at the University of Mississippi and college at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I have split my adult life between living in the South and the East coast, so I have had a variety of cultural experience and feel confident in my ability to learn to get along with just about any one. It would be a privilege to embark on a quest for knowledge together with you!

Ron Ron’s Qualifications

Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering

Graduate Degree: University of Mississippi School of Medicine - Doctor of Medicine, Medicine

Test Scores

MCAT Verbal Reasoning: 12

MCAT Physical Sciences: 11

Hobbies

music, cycling, baseball, SCUBA, reading

Tutoring Subjects

Anatomy & Physiology

Neuroscience

Q & A

What is your teaching philosophy?

The essence of teaching is presenting material in a way an individual student can relate to. I especially like to use real world illustrations and analogies pertinent to the subject matter.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

Get to know how they learn best and worst, what they want learn better, and what they enjoy in and out of school.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Teach them ways to think about problems instead of just guiding towards answers

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Instill self-confidence, and encourage the idea that success is attainable.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

Try a different approach to the problem.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Work with them to identify certain aspects of the passage (theme, idea, opinion, etc.) while they are reading the first time, so that they can use these tools for every passage they read.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

I like to find out about the student's likes and dislikes, as well as hobbies and activities. All this information provides clues about the best ways to relate to a student. No one enjoys being taught to, but perhaps transforming learning into a collaborative effort makes it more palatable. It's hard to do that if you don't know the student.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

Closed loop communication is one way to quickly gauge understanding. Here, I give some sort of direction, and the student would have to tell me what it was that I said, followed by applying the direction. Besides this, I also like to encourage students to phrase material in their own words or even to pretend that I am someone they are trying to teach. If you can teach a concept, then are able to understand it.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

I encourage them when they do well in the subject. I lift them up when they stumble in a subject and offer them ways to improve. It's important for students to not only know material but also to be convinced of it. The combination of knowing and believing something is a very powerful confidence builder.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I start by asking them what they have trouble with. In medicine, we often say that the patient will tell you what's wrong with them as long as you ask them the appropriate questions and listen to what they have to say. I think this certainly applies to students. Beyond asking, it's also important to pay attention to how students react to the material. That way you can detect problems that the student may not even be aware of.