I love helping students realize their full academic potential. I have tutored/taught >5,000 students in person and online, ranging in age from 14 to adult. My >30 years of tutoring/teaching at high school (Valley Christian High School and UCSC COSMOS) and collegiate (West Valley Community College, Monterey Peninsula College, UC Santa Cruz) levels has enabled me to develop a teaching style that fosters educating students of varying academic preparedness, neurodivergence, English language...
I love helping students realize their full academic potential. I have tutored/taught >5,000 students in person and online, ranging in age from 14 to adult. My >30 years of tutoring/teaching at high school (Valley Christian High School and UCSC COSMOS) and collegiate (West Valley Community College, Monterey Peninsula College, UC Santa Cruz) levels has enabled me to develop a teaching style that fosters educating students of varying academic preparedness, neurodivergence, English language mastery and ethnicity. In addition to classroom experience, I have honed my teaching skills through courses, such as one based on the book “Teach Like a Champion” by Doug Lemov.
My tutoring/teaching approach is to first inspire the student by making interdisciplinary connections and providing real world applications. Once a student is excited about the material, studying does not feel as arduous. Next, I foster critical thinking, so that the student can determine the correct answers on tests from the process of deduction rather than just rote memorization. Besides reviewing class material with students and quizzing them on these topics, I also go over organization and study skills. This includes helping each student identify which type of learner they are, visual, auditory, reading/writing or kinesthetic (doing), so that they use study habits that best match their learning style. From my experience teaching freshman biology at the high school and collegiate levels, I can guide students as they adjust their study habits to meet these transitions into higher academic rigor.
The courses that I have taught include high school Bio, Marine Bio, and Marine Mammal classes and collegiate Bio, Marine Bio, Marine Mammal Bio, Behavior, Ecology, Bioenergetics, and Physiology courses. My ability to teach on these vast topics is supported by my academic training, that includes a BS Life Science, MS Marine Science, and PhD Ecology & Evolutionary Biology with a focus on physiological ecology in marine systems.
