I love finding out how the world works, and sharing that joy with other people has become one of my passions. (Yes, the same classes that currently induce stress can eventually become sources of joy with some help and effort in the right direction.) My tutoring and teaching experience includes mathematics from algebra I through the junior year of college. The science areas I tutor include physics and closely related subjects like chemistry and meteorology.
Most of my teaching experience is in physics. I have taught an algebra-based high school Physics class for Sooner Upward Bound, both semesters of General Physics Laboratory at the University of Oklahoma, and trigonometry-based physics to upper division students and graduates who are preparing for the Medical College Admission Test. Student evaluation excerpts: “He always went out of his way to make sure we did well.” “… engaging. He taught the concepts very well…” “He is very helpful during the lab. He is approachable. He is very patient." “… available outside class … he was very prompt with returning e-mails.” “Scott really cares about helping his students and overall is a great instructor.”
Any good tutor will tailor his or her approach toward the individual student and assignment in question. That said, we all have our own style. My style is to focus on the concepts and minimize the need for memorization. Physics really does make beautiful sense, but too often, we can't see the beauty in an equation or theorem because our fundamentals aren't where they need to be. So, when a class is overwhelming or you feel completely lost, the fundamental skills are one of the first things I check. This also means that I discourage you from taking extensive notes in class and in our sessions. Flashcards may be a major part of biology, foreign language and social studies, but with math and physics, almost everyone is best off understanding what's going on in "real time."
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