After teaching Microbiology and other Biology courses in local community colleges for 10 years, I realized that my true love is working one-on-one with students rather than in a classroom setting. This allows me to observe the individual student's learning style and tailor my teaching accordingly. I call myself a geek because I have so much passion for science and math. In fact, many of my students have called my enthusiasm infectious! I have both my undergraduate (Geography, 1993) and graduate (Microbiology, 2001) degrees from UC Berkeley, where I graduated Phi Beta Kappa. I have over 17 years experience tutoring middle school, high school and college students in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, and all levels of math up to calculus. I am also skilled in teaching students organizational and study skills for scholastic success. I began tutoring SAT test prep for Ivy West, since bought by Sylvan Learning, in 1994; I have stayed abreast of changes in the exam and do still help students prepare for the test.
Even though I am older, I have a great rapport with my students, and we tend to have fun with our work. While I am a very patient tutor, I am also goal oriented so that the student makes measured progress. I am not the type of tutor that 'just gets the homework done'. Understanding concepts and then applying that understanding to solve problems is my objective for the student.
My main hobbies are international travel and SCUBA. The picture you see is me in a canoe in a remote park on the northern coast of Honduras - cocodrillos (crocodiles), monos (monkeys, specifically howler and spider), armadillos, snakes, and the elusive manatee ... ahh, paradise!
Tutoring is my full time job, so I am committed to my students for both their long-term and short-term needs.
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