My Approach

        I’m a person first and a teacher second. I often start sessions by asking how your weekend was or what you’ve been up to since we last met. I like to get a sense of who you are outside of the classroom because, actually, that will help us work together inside the classroom. I’ll explain what I mean shortly.  

        When I teach, I always ask if there’s anything I can do to make the material more clear. I see it as my responsibility to make sure you understand. I’ll ask, How was my explanation? Was I clear enough?  Basically, I’m asking you to grade me, as opposed to the other way around. The pressure isn’t on you, it’s on me. That’s my teaching philosophy, and I find that students respond well to it. 

        I also want you to understand that your sessions are your time. If you have questions about college or you’re just having a rough day, that’s okay. Knowing that you’re tired from sports practice or that you have an exam in another class is helpful for me to gauge your energy level and thereby our pacing. It’s my experience that, ultimately, doing what’s right for you on a particular day leads to better long-term results. 

        Something else that incurs positive results is acknowledging that we all have our own issues with learning. I myself am dyslexic. School wasn’t always easy for me. So please understand that I’m not here to judge you. You’ll make mistakes, but so will I. If you notice one, tell me. Nothing makes me happier than when students point out things I got wrong, because that means you’re paying attention and you understand the material. That’s a great learning moment and it should be celebrated. Which we will. 

        That said, to help us not make mistakes, I like to teach using examples. Relating the material to subjects you already know and understand is one reason why I ask about your interests. I had a student who was a soccer player. We were discussing parabolas. So, to help him remember the material, we made an equation which mapped the trajectory of a soccer ball that was kicked high in the air. The path of the ball turned out to be symmetrical, like a parabola. 

        I can show you how math is already part of the world you live in and why it can be important to understand. And, believe it or not, why math is actually a lot of fun.