Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 tutor

About David

Hi, my name is David! I'm a full time tutor with about 8 years of tutoring experience in a wide variety of subjects including Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, Writing/English, Philosophy, and more. I also coach students in SAT and ACT test preparation. I graduated in 2013 with a BS in Physics and BA in Philosophy, which means I'm well versed in both the maths/hard sciences and humanities. Because of that, I know how to communicate concepts to students based on their way of learning and understanding the world - I can explain math and statistics in a way that a creative, artsy type will understand, and I can teach literature and philosophy in a way that a hardcore, logical mathematician or engineer will appreciate.

My approach to tutoring really begins with building solid conceptual foundations. Once the foundations are complete it's easy to see how a building rises up. Without solid foundations a building would always be unstable. The same is true with math, chemistry, statistics, etc - each new layer builds on (and follows pretty logically from) what came before it. Having the conceptual foundations in place makes it much easier to understand new information, since that new information is a logical consequence of what one already knows. The tutor then needs to be able to communicate the concepts in a way that a student deeply grasps. In my opinion that ability comes both naturally and through a lot of practice. I know the differences in the look on a student's face when they deeply understand what I'm saying vs when they just kind of understand or don't understand at all. I have eight years experience getting that feedback and learning what works and what doesn't.

Aside from just helping students improve their grades, I hope to inspire them in their lives. Most students will go through at least 16-20 years of education in their lives, which is a huge commitment. I think we tend to underestimate how much motivation is required to really succeed academically. It's not enough just to be intelligent or disciplined - students need help from their friends, family, and mentors to stay motivated and to help them find their passions. In my view, this should be the larger goal of tutoring: to inspire the next generation to begin creating a better world.