My greatest strength as a tutor (beyond really knowing the subjects I tutor) is my ability to adapt to and match the way you learn. A close second is my ability to take abstract concepts and make them much more understandable. I don’t do “tricks” since it takes as much effort to memorize tons of tricks as it does to actually learn the stuff (though I do have plenty of ideas about how to do things more easily). What I do do is teach solid theory, techniques and study skills as simply and directly as I can.
How I Work:
Instead of just repeating what your teacher’s already gone over in class, I’m often able to provide another way of looking at the things that are giving you trouble. Having actually taught in classrooms for over twelve years, I can help you understand why your teacher’s teaching a given topic, how it fits into the “big picture”, and what to watch out for in the future.
I’m excellent at what I do and I adapt to meet your needs. I draw upon the recent advances in brain research as I work to help you perceive and retain what you're learning more effectively. I usually don’t administer written diagnostic tests because students typically already have a good idea of what their problem is, at least on the surface. Instead, as we start working together, I’ll ask you to show me how to do a problem you’re working on or to explain a term or two which gives the information I need to assess your situation. I’m pretty good at sensing where students’ problems are. At the end of the session and periodically thereafter, I’ll give you (and your parents if appropriate) an idea of how things stand and where to go next. If you want me to administer a diagnostic test, I have them available as well.
I live in Redondo Beach and travel around metro-LA in my Compressed Natural Gas Civic. I’m happy to meet at a place that is most convenient for you and me. I am trustworthy. I work mornings, afternoons, and evenings, even to midnight if things are that serious. And while most of my students attend traditional public and private schools, I’m comfortable working with home-schoolers as well.
What I Can Help With:
As I said at the beginning, I'm ready to help in a wide variety of junior and senior high school math and science subjects. If you're studying at the college level, not only can I tutor math and science at your level, I can also help in an array of engineering subjects as well. Being a chemical engineer I’m well suited to help Chem-E students with thermodynamics, transport phenomena, unit ops and distillation. Other areas of engineering where my math skills and general engineering knowledge combine to allow me to help include basic mechanical, aero and civil engineering. This is especially so if you’re dealing with thermodynamics, materials science/engineering, statics, or fracture mechanics. If you need assistance with computer programming, I’m experienced in writing in Pascal, FORTRAN, and MS Excel. Please handle these engineering classes as ‘separate and special requests' in your e-mail to me, stating specifically which branch of engineering you are studying, the particular course you are interested in, what your problem(s) is/are, and what you are working to achieve.
So far, I’ve helped students from UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Univ of Oregon, Univ of Southern California, Brigham Young Univ; El Camino College, Pasadena Community College, Santa Monica College; Chadwick HS, El Segundo HS, Loyola HS, Mira Costa HS, Palos Verdes HS, PV Peninsula HS, Redondo Union HS, South Torrance HS, Torrance HS, and San Pedro HS.
Experience Behind my Tutoring:
In 1989, I started my teaching career as an Air Force Academy instructor in statics, materials engineering, and physical metallurgy. In 1997, I continued my teaching career as a credentialed math, chemistry and physics teacher. I hold current California credentials to teach those subjects in junior and senior high schools. Of particular interest to many home schoolers would be my ability to teach using the Singapore Math approach.
As far as my education goes, I've earned:
- a BE in Chemical Engineering from Georgia Tech,
- an MS in Materials Engineering from the University of Dayton, and
- Single Subject Teaching Credentials at CSU - Dominguez Hills (Math, Chem, Physics).
As far as scientific and engineering experience goes, I have a significant experience as a career engineering officer as well as experience as a scientist by virtue of my metallurgy PhD studies. Over the course of my Air Force career, I worked as an aerospace propulsion engineer analyzing Chinese and Soviet missile and rocket engines in Ohio; I worked as a mechanical field engineer and engineering manager in Wyoming; I worked as the chief engineer for the Inertial Upper Stage program at Los Angeles AFB where I helped the Air Force procure and launch IUS space launch vehicles; and I worked as an engineering mechanics instructor at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. All those experiences and more enable me to provide you a wealth of knowledge about what it’s like to work as an engineer.
What I Can Do for You:
I’ve worked with a wide range of students from those who “get it” easily and just want the edge to keep that "A", to students who aren’t “getting it” and are afraid that “C” or “D” is going to slip away as the semester goes on. I’ve helped students with Asperger's syndrome to adults who finally conquered their fear of math and fractions and went on to nursing careers. However, even though I'm an excellent tutor who has helped hundreds of students, I'm not a miracle worker. If you come to me with only a week or two left before finals, I'll of course help you as much as possible, but I can't guarantee that you'll be able to pull a "D" or "F" up to a "C", or a "C" up to an "A". What I can guarantee is that with my assistance, you'll have a much better shot of turning things around.
While I'm just starting out with WyzAnt, I already have extensive experience helping hundreds of students and I’m looking forward to helping you
John H.
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