Geoffrey B.
Los Angeles, CA
Experienced and Creative Tutor for All Levels of Math and Physics
Centre College
Classical StudiesThe University of Kentucky
Master'sAbout Geoffrey
I am a creative and effective tutor with Master's Degree in Physics and years of experience working with students of all ages. I have an excellent understanding of many subjects especially all levels of calculus and physics. My tutoring philosophy is that a student should have a deep and thorough understanding of the material - not merely know how
Policies
Cancellation
24 hours notice requiredTo preserve the quality of my lessons, I will not schedule lessons shorter than one hour.
Travel Radius
Travels within 11 miles of Los Angeles, CA 90037Geoffrey offers online lessons
Geoffrey is approved to conduct lessons through Wyzant Online. Wyzant Online allows students and tutors to work remotely via video, audio, and collaborative whiteboard tools. For more information about how online tutoring works, check out Wyzant Online.
If you’re interested in online lessons, message Geoffrey to get started.
"Knowledgeable, helpful, patient, and kind tutor."
- Daniel, Los Angeles, CA on 4/3/17I was looking for a tutor because I was enrolled in a physics class with a teacher who was incapable of effectively teaching us the material. Because of this, I was essentially failing the class when I began working with Geoffrey, two weeks before a heavily weighted final. We worked together three times, and each time I left with a much better understanding of the concepts I been struggling with. Despite the limited amount of time, I felt much better going into the final than I had on the midterms. I managed to get more than 20% better than the average on the final, and ended up with a B+ in the class. I am very thankful to Geoffrey for all of his help, and would strongly recommend him!
"Knowledgeable and patient tutor"
- Janet, Los Angeles, CA on 9/14/17Geoffrey tutors Algebra 2 to my son in a way that makes it very clear for my son to better understand the subject matter. He's only had two lessons but he feels more confident in tackling the subject. Geoffrey is knowledgeable, patient, and punctual. Thank you, Geoffrey!
"Great Tutor!"
- Sharni, Los Angeles, CA on 9/7/17Geoffrey was knowledgable and very patient with me. He explained things in a way that was easy for me to understand and was very helpful in preparing me for my exam.
"Math insight we can't get anywhere else."
- James, Santa Monica, CA on 6/14/17Our grade school son LOVES Math and is fine working on problems at home that are appropriate for his age level and above but he also loves to talk about a wide range of more abstract Math topics like hypercubes, complex numbers, applications of pascal's triangle, and number sequence generation (just to name the easier ones). We asked Geoffrey if we would be willing to meet and see if he could come up with a lesson format that would challenge our son's imagination about Math. Geoffrey has been amazing - he has figured out what kind of topics really intrigue and challenge our son yet fits within his personality and capabilities. We can do math worksheets at home but Geoffrey is showing our son a deep insight into Mathematics that is not available from any other math venue. Our son is super excited to meet and talk math with Geoffrey each week.
"Helpful and Awesome tutor!"
- Eric, Lynwood, CA on 6/11/17Geoffrey is such a brilliant tutor! Every time I struggled or had any doubts with any of my math classes, he always explained everything in a clear way that made much more sense. I was put at ease very quickly and it gave me the confidence to keep on trying. Thanks Geoffrey! You're the swiss army knife of math and science!
"My son's math confidence and enthusiasm are 100% improved"
- Penina, Los Angeles, CA on 5/21/17They flew through the basics once my son realized he actually does not "suck at math," and are now on to logic. We are both very grateful to have Geoffrey on our team!
"Extremely helpful and answered any questions thoroughly."
- Frank, Los Angeles, CA on 5/2/17Reviewed every topic covered throughout the semester just before the final. He was able to explain the topics thoroughly and in a way where I would remember. I would recommend him to anyone.
"Terrific tutor"
- Tracy, Culver City, CA on 4/17/17Geoffrey is professional, kind, super smart, and patient! We have had one session so far, to have him help our high school age son with Physics and math and have already booked a second. Terrific resource and very easy to work with. Our son said it was great!
"Knowledgeable and patient tutor"
- Diane, Los Angeles, CA on 4/5/17Geoffrey tutored daughter in ap physics. He helped her immensely in her understanding of the subject. He is extremely knowledgeable and intelligent and also very patient. I highly recommend him as a tutor.
"Very Knowledgable Tutor"
- Michele, Santa Monica, CA on 3/31/17Geoffrey is a very knowledgeable tutor for both AP Calculus and AP Physics. He is able to break down concepts into reasonable and understandable bites. He is patient and is able to quickly assess the students' needs.
"Excellent!"
- Zubair, Inglewood, CA on 12/2/16We went over Dynamics and Kinematics. He never had to once review or look at the notes. If you need help with physics, he's the guy!! Most of the topics we covered were random that we didn't talk about in advance, but he knows his stuff!
"Knowledgeable and very well prepared"
- Chris, Los Angeles, CA on 11/15/16Geoffrey comes to our linear algebra sessions very prepared. He is quick to answer questions and helps me visually understand what is going on in the difficult subject.
"Knowledgeable with the material"
- Hamlet, Montrose, CA on 11/15/16Geoffrey is teaching my son AP physics. He is very knowledgeable and detail oriented. He knows exactly how to attack the subject and dissect the problems to make it easy to understand. My son is extremely happy and comfortable with the subject now. We had 3 sessions and planning to continue with him.
"Great Tutor"
- Geoffrey, El Segundo, CA on 11/15/16Geoffrey is a great Math tutor. After several sessions, my son is now very much confident on his Geometry subject. From having a C, he improved his grade to B+ and is now on his way to making it to an A.
"Wonderful, knowledgeable, and patient tutor"
- Neysa, Manhattan Beach, CA on 10/27/16Geoffrey is a most experienced, patient, and thorough tutor. He always goes the extra mile to make sure that each of my boys has a full understanding of the very challenging material at hand. They have told me several times how incredibly smart he is, and how much he helps them in their courses. Thank you, Geoffrey!
"Great Lesson"
- Martha, Studio City, CA on 10/12/16Geoffrey is very knowledgable, kind, and flexible. He sees what needs to be done, and finds a way to do it.
"Intelligent and Helpful Tutor"
- Catriona, Los Angeles, CA on 10/11/16Geoffrey has been incredibly helpful in my Conceptual Physics and Philosophy classes. He has helped me prepare for midterms and explain key concepts in understandable terms. I can't thank him enough for his help. I would highly recommend him as a tutor!
"Physics and calculus"
- Lisette, Valley Village, CA on 9/30/16Geoffrey was a fabulous tutor for my daughter. He has great knowledge of the subject/s he teaches. He made sure my daughter understood the topic they were reviewing, and even teaching, before moving on. He is very patient and one of the best tutors we have had experience with. I would absolutely recommend him to anyone.
"Experienced and Intelligent Tutor"
- Nancy, Cerritos, CA on 9/19/16Geoffrey was a great tutor. He helped me understand the material very well and I have a clear picture of what to do, what is expected, and how to approach that difficulty of work. His tips and guidance along the way made me feel good about the problems and I was able to complete them on my own! Very good tutor: patient, accurate, intelligent, and helpful.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
In most cases, tutors gain approval in a subject by passing a proficiency exam. For some subject areas, like music and art, tutors submit written requests to demonstrate their proficiency to potential students. If a tutor is interested but not yet approved in a subject, the subject will appear in non-bold font. Tutors need to be approved in a subject prior to beginning lessons.
Algebra 1
Because of my background in physics, I have a large amount of practical mathematical experience and; therefore, I understand the topics covered in Algebra 1 better than almost anything else. More importantly, I have been tutoring high school algebra for a long time and am capable of breaking down the mathematical ideas into simple, manageable pieces. Algebra 1 is the foundation of every math class that comes after it, and I can help students develop a strong foundation.
Algebra 2
Algebra 2 is a fundamental building block for calculus, and I understand this material very well. I have been tutoring high schoolers and college students in Algebra 2 for a long time, so I know how to help students get a firm hold of the subject matter. I am very comfortable with polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, graphing, inverses and composition, factoring polynomials, sequences and series, matrix algebra, and many other topics.
Calculus
Because of my Master's Degree in physics, I have a large amount of practical and academic experience with all aspects of calculus through an undergraduate level and beyond. In addition, I have been tutoring AP and college-level calculus for a long time, so I know the material that is covered very well and can help students understand it. I am very comfortable with limits, epsilon-delta proofs, the formal definition of the derivative, Riemann Sums, the Fundamental Theorems of Calculus, Taylor series, vectors, partial derivatives, Jacobians, multiple integrals, and many other topics.
Chemistry
Because of my background in physics, I have a deep understanding of many elements of basic chemistry. I am very familiar with stoichiometry, energy levels and electron configurations, patterns and properties in the periodic table, and the fundamentals of laboratory techniques in chemistry. I am not familiar with or comfortable tutoring high-level chemistry (such as physical chemistry or organic chemistry), but I can be of help in lower-level college and high-school chemistry courses.
Classics
I have a bachelor's degree in Classical Studies from Centre College where I graduated Phi Beta Kappa. I took 3 semesters of Latin and 2 semesters on Ancient Greek during college but focused primarily on history and literature in translation. I am most comfortable with the Roman Republic, the Punic Wars, and the early Empire and with 5th Century Athenian democracy and the Peloponnesian and Persian Wars; however, I am still knowledgeable about the later Empire, the Roman Kingdom, and the Hellenistic Period as well as will Roman and Greek religion, literature, and art.
Differential Equations
Because of my master's degree in physics, I have a great deal of practical and academic experience solving a large variety of differential equations. I have studied in detail many methods for solving ODEs and PDEs including separation of variables, undetermined coefficients, integrating factors, series solutions, numerical solutions, Wronskians and Cramer's Rule, and Green's Function methods. I have also studied Sturm-Liouville theory as well as solutions to systems of linear ODEs.
Discrete Math
Because of my background in advanced physics and logic, I have a large amount of experience with set theory, group theory, modular arithmetic, and matrix and other non-Abelian algebras. I have also studied a substantial amount of combinatorics and probability theory. I could tutor in the areas of rings, fields, and graphs but only at a basic or introductory level.
Geometry
Geometry is a fundamental part of physics, so I know it very well and have been helping students learn it for a long time. I am not qualified to tutor undergraduate or graduate level topology or differential geometry. On the other hand, I am qualified to help high schoolers understand Euclidean geometry, and I am secure in my understanding of area, volume, logic, basic proof writing, trigonometry, distance formulae, and the many angle theorems - among other topics.
Government & Politics
I have studied American Constitutional Interpretation and have a strong understanding of the political and judicial structure and history of the United States. I believe that history and law go hand-in-hand and that by learning about the fundamental aspects of the American government in its historical contexts you can gain a better understanding of both. In addition, I have studied a lot of comparative politics and have a strong understanding of the political and governmental systems of several other countries - especially Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Iran, and China.
Linear Algebra
I have a Master's degree in physics which focused on quantum mechanics. Most modern branches of physics rely in some way or another on linear algebra, but quantum mechanics especially does since so many problems boil down to finding eigenvalues and eigenvectors or establishing a basis space. I am comfortable with all linear algebra topics including change of basis formulae, diagonalization, Gramm-Schmidt Orthonormalization, quadratic forms, and singular value decomposition.
Literature
Because of my degree in Classical Studies, I have a strong background in textual analysis and paper-writing. I am familiar with most texts that are regularly assigned in high school, but I specialize in Shakespeare and in ancient literature. I am especially familiar with the works of Homer and Horace.
Logic
I have a great love for Boolean and First-Order Predicate Logic. I have studied logic several times in both philosophy and mathematics courses, but most notably, I took a class in college on mathematical logic which concluded with a proof of The Soundness and Completeness Theorem of First-Order Predicate Logic and an in-depth examination of the Incompleteness Theorem of Arithmetic. I can help you understand deductions, argumentation, and model interpretations and extensions. I would need a refresher on model theory, the Compactness Theorem, and LST Theorem before I could tutor graduate-level logic, but I am very comfortable with the material taught in most undergraduate courses.
Philosophy
My background in philosophy focuses primarily on Ancient Philosophy (especially 5th Century Athens and the Hellenistic traditions). I am also well-versed in the philosophy of Locke, Kant, and some 20th century philosophers. I can tutor in most philosophy topics including logic, ethics, metaphysics, political philosophy, and the philosophy of science.
Physics
During the course of study for my Physics Master's Degree, I studied most fields of physics up to and including quantum field theory and relativistic dynamics. I have a very strong understanding of all fields of physics through an undergraduate level (including electricity and magnetism, classical mechanics, statistical mechanics, and quantum mechanics). In addition, I can tutor in nuclear theory, the Standard Model, and condensed matter and solid state physics at an introductory level.
Precalculus
Calculus was invented to solve physics problems, so I understand pre-calculus (the first step on the road towards more advanced topics) very well because I have a Master's in physics. I have tutored high schoolers and college students in pre-calculus for years, so I know how to help students not just learn the information but actually retain it too. I am very comfortable teaching limits, discontinuities, piecewise functions, reading mathematical tables, graphing and graphical interpretations, finding the equations of lines and other polynomials, exponentials, trigonometry, and the formal definition of the derivative.
Public Speaking
I have extensive experience as both an actor and a director of live theatre and in giving oral presentations in an academic setting. I focus on helping speakers focus on their topic, identify the goals of their speech, and becoming comfortable with public speaking through regular practice. When applicable, I also discuss effective use of notes, controlling an audience, and breathing and projection techniques.
Religion
Because of my background in Classical Studies, I have a strong foundation in ancient religions and mythology; however, I have also studied Ancient Greek and read the New Testament in the original language. My religious education focused primarily on the history and theology of Christianity with a special emphasis on the history of the Catholic Church and its Sacraments, the life and writings of Saint Augustine, and the history and theology of pre-schism Christianity. In addition, I have some experience with biblical literature and history as well as with first century Judaism.
Theater
I was very active in my theatre department at Centre College and was even the president of the student-run theatre group on campus my senior year. I did not major or minor in theatre although I did direct a few shows (including a main-stage show my senior year) and acted in many, many more. I also gave a research and analysis presentation on how to apply Kant's aesthetic philosophy to theatre and what it suggests about the relationship between actor and director. I have a lot of experience working with young actors and have a real passion for helping young actors and directors focus their passion in a productive and practical way.
Trigonometry
Trigonometry is an integral part of both geometry and pre-calculus, which together lay the foundation for mathematical physics. As a result, I understand trigonometry very well. I am extremely well-versed in the uses and interpretations of sine, cosine, tangent, secant, cosecant, and cotangent and all of their inverse functions. I have been using trigonometry and tutoring it for a long time, so I can help students develop a firm hold on the material.
Writing
My Bachelor's Degree in Classical Studies trained me to critically interpret texts and clearly express myself in writing. I can help students with these same skills by focusing on good writing habits, proper essay structure, and correct grammar and syntax. I believe in helping students understand what they want to achieve with their writing and helping them use their language to reach that goal so that they can write the best version of their paper that is possible.
Other Los Angeles, CA Tutors
Geoffrey B.
Los Angeles, CA
Experienced and Creative Tutor for All Levels of Math and Physics