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Patient PhD Tutor — Math, Science & Test Prep, All Levels
Donnie R.

5.0 (5 ratings)

40 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $125
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Response time: 1 hour

About Donnie

Bio

Hi, I'm Donnie. I have a PhD in chemistry from UC Berkeley, but what I enjoy most is watching a student go from stuck and anxious to confident — one of my most memorable moments is when a student left our session saying "I never thought I could do this." I also have real experience with neurodivergent learners: this past spring I was a 1-on-1 homeschool teacher for a profoundly gifted, autistic nine-year-old, across every subject, even philosophy, at his level. Having tutored many ADHD...

Hi, I'm Donnie. I have a PhD in chemistry from UC Berkeley, but what I enjoy most is watching a student go from stuck and anxious to confident — one of my most memorable moments is when a student left our session saying "I never thought I could do this." I also have real experience with neurodivergent learners: this past spring I was a 1-on-1 homeschool teacher for a profoundly gifted, autistic nine-year-old, across every subject, even philosophy, at his level. Having tutored many ADHD students, I've built a bag of tricks for sustaining focus

Subjects I Teach
Math: Pre-Algebra through Calculus
Science: Chemistry (high school, AP, college General and Organic), Physics (high school, AP, college Physics I & II), Biology (high school)

My Teaching Philosophy
My superpower is figuring out how a particular student's mind is already working, and building from there to the concepts they're missing, rather than just re-explaining the textbook's version. One student came to me after getting 50s on his first two organic chemistry midterms at community college. While working together, his scores on the next two midterms and the final were 95, 100, and over 100 (with the curve). His most frequent statement during our sessions was “that actually makes a lot of sense.”
I also aim to make sessions sustainable, not just survivable — tangents and previews of advanced material for curious students, and short social chats between problems when a session is more about the grade than the subject

My Experience
B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics
Full-time, 1-on-1 homeschool teacher for a profoundly gifted, autistic 9-year-old—algebra, physics, history, English, and philosophy (spring 2026)
High school physics teacher (College-Prep and AP)
Head GSI, orgo 12B — coordinated GSIs, led weekly review sessions
GSI, orgo 3B, 2 semesters, Outstanding GSI Award
Research Mentor for HS/undergrad students in intensive science programs
CRLA-certified Peer Tutor, UMass Amherst
Perfect quantitative SAT and GRE

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Education

University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Chemistry
University of California, Berkeley
PhD

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Approved Subjects

Algebra 1

Algebra 1

Algebra is the foundation almost everything else in high school and college STEM builds on, so I care about a student actually understanding it, not just getting through it. I have a B.S. in Mathematics and a PhD in Chemistry, and real classroom experience with it too — a year teaching algebra-based AP Physics. Between private tutoring, Wyzant, and afterschool sessions, I've logged over 200 hours working through algebra with students, including two I stuck with long-term: one in Algebra I for a full year, another in Pre-Algebra and then Algebra I over two years. If a student's ever felt lost in this class, a little patience and the right explanation usually gets them unstuck.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

Algebra II builds directly on Algebra I — quadratics, functions, systems of equations — and I bring the same foundation-first approach to it. Between private tutoring, Wyzant, and afterschool sessions, I've logged over 200 hours working through algebra with students. One student I tutored for two straight years in Pre-Algebra and Algebra I later asked me back to tutor him through high school Math 2 and AP Statistics. I have a B.S. in Mathematics and a PhD in Chemistry, plus a year teaching algebra-based AP Physics. I care as much about why a method works as knowing how to perform it, since that's what actually carries a student into whatever course or problem calls for algebra next.
Calculus

Calculus

I have a B.S. in Mathematics and hands-on teaching experience with calculus at every level. As a Peer Tutor at UMass Amherst, I tutored college students through Calculus I, II, and III, plus occasional sessions in Differential Equations and Linear Algebra. Even "algebra-based" AP Physics leans on calculus ideas — rate of change, area under a curve — and I found ways to build that intuition without the formal notation. My PhD in Chemistry touched on it too: multivariable calculus is how you actually analyze potential energy surfaces. I care about the intuition behind the mechanics as much as the mechanics themselves — why something works, not just how to perform it — since that's what carries a student past the exam.
Chemistry

Chemistry

I have a PhD in Chemistry from UC Berkeley and teaching experience across the subject, from general chemistry through organic. At Berkeley, I was a GSI for the Chem 3B lab for two semesters and Head GSI for a 250-student Organic Chemistry course (Chem 12B) for one semester; at UMass Amherst, I was a Peer Tutor specifically for General Chemistry I & II. My approach is to demystify the subject rather than have students memorize their way through it — I want them to understand why a reaction happens, not just which steps to write down, since that's what actually holds up when the exam throws an unfamiliar problem at them.
Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

I have a PhD in Chemistry from UC Berkeley, with direct teaching experience in organic chemistry specifically. I was Head Graduate Student Instructor for a 250-student Organic Chemistry lecture course, where I coordinated the teaching team, led weekly review sessions, and helped draft and grade exams. I was also a GSI for the Organic Chemistry II lab at Berkeley for two semesters. I try to move students past memorizing reactions and toward recognizing the underlying patterns — mechanisms have a logic to them once you see it, and that's what actually helps on an exam with a molecule you haven't seen before.
Physics

Physics

My approach to physics is grounded in a year teaching high school physics, at both the College-Prep and AP levels. I improved on the existing curriculum for the College-Prep course, and built the AP curriculum from scratch after the teacher I replaced left two weeks into the school year having only prepared a few weeks of lessons. I've also tutored college students in Physics I & II as a Peer Tutor at UMass Amherst. I want students to build real intuition for the concepts, not just memorize the equations, so they can handle a problem that doesn't look exactly like the one they practiced in class.
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Ratings and Reviews

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Reviews

Donnie was terrific for my 10th grade daughter

Donnie came in and helped our 10th grade daughter understand her Algebra II-Trig work. She felt much more confident after just one hour. Excited to have him come help with chemistry too.

Janine, 1 lesson with Donnie

Great first session

Donnie was really helpful with our son’s AP physics work. He had a really good approach to determining what aspects of his curriculum needed work and how to help him get a better approach to tackling problems.

Shane, 1 lesson with Donnie

A tutor who truly cares about his students success!

Donnie has been really great for me in Organic Chemistry 2. From our very first session, it was clear that he has a deep and thorough understanding of the subject. He doesn’t just teach—he explains concepts in a way that makes them click, creating a comfortable and engaging learning environment where I feel confident asking questions and working through difficult topics. What truly sets Donnie apart is his ability to break down complex ideas into manageable, understandable pieces. He’s incredibly patient, supportive, and genuinely invested in his students' success. For the first time, organic chemistry feels approachable, and that’s something I never thought I’d say! He pays attention to what the student needs and prioritizes that. When I was seeming confused, he made sure to check in to make sure I was getting the most out of our session. On top of that, he’s flexible with scheduling, making it easy to fit sessions into my busy life. If you’re struggling with Orgo (or just want to deepen your understanding), I would recommend Donnie!! He’s an outstanding tutor who truly cares!

Kinza, 5 lessons with Donnie
Hourly Rate: $125
Response time: 1 hour
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