As a physics freshman at WPI, I joined the Society of Physics Students (SPS). The club was heavily intertwined with the functioning of the department, ran social events, themed meetings, laboratory tours, and project presentation. Its main function, however, was to help students in physics courses through student-run help sessions and tutoring events. It was the first time I was introduced to teaching, and I loved it from that point forward.
Since that time, I have been a Tutoring Chair for SPS, worked as a teaching assistant at the Math Department and WPI for two years, trained peers and colleagues in various research labs and research projects. As I gained experience with tutoring, I have improved my communication skills and teaching style, and polished my own understanding of concepts in math and physics. Through this work, I have found the following approaches to work well, regardless of someone's background or interests.
1. Everyone is capable of learning math and physics beyond the level required in high school or college. Although sometimes these subjects may seem obscure, irrelevant, and unnecessarily complicated, they are notand I hope to use what Ive learned while explaining these concepts to 100+ students to help you understand the material well.
2. There is no goal too small or too ambitious. We all want to be great in what matters most to us - physics, journalism, medicine etc. - and we all need to pass exams and do well in our other subjects. I find that communicating my approach, and ensuring that I know my students expectations takes my students a lot closer to achieving their goals.
3. While I am excited about topics in science (not just math and physics!), I also feel overwhelmed by the density or volume of reading material and assignments. I have learned to break it down into smaller bits and tackle them in a structured order, and will do my best to help you acquire that skill while mastering the subject at hand.