I have spent more than 20 years helping students discover that math and science explain the world around them. I hold both a BS and MS in Mathematics Education from Florida Institute of Technology. I have held a professional certificate for teaching grades 6-12 mathematics for over 10 years. For eight years I was Mathematics Department Head at Florida Air Academy, where I taught middle and high school students in courses from pre-algebra through AP Calculus and mentored other math...
I have spent more than 20 years helping students discover that math and science explain the world around them. I hold both a BS and MS in Mathematics Education from Florida Institute of Technology. I have held a professional certificate for teaching grades 6-12 mathematics for over 10 years. For eight years I was Mathematics Department Head at Florida Air Academy, where I taught middle and high school students in courses from pre-algebra through AP Calculus and mentored other math teachers.
From 2008 to 2022 I worked in NASA's education programs. As an Education Specialist for NASA's Digital Learning Network, I taught live, interactive STEM lessons to K–12 classrooms across the country. As Technical Director for NASA Next Gen STEM, I helped create national classroom resources, including coding simulations and engineering design challenges, and aligned them to Common Core Math and NGSS standards. Today I lead Sim 4 STEM, a program that uses motorsports simulation to get young people excited about STEM careers.
My tutoring approach rests on one idea: students learn math best when they understand why it works, not just which steps to follow. In our first session, I find where the real gaps are, since trouble in algebra often traces back to fractions or number sense. From there I connect new ideas to what the student already knows, use visuals and real-world examples (space missions are a favorite), and ask students to explain their thinking out loud so we both know the understanding is solid. I am patient and encouraging, and I work to rebuild confidence as much as skills. Whether your student needs to catch up, keep up, or get ahead, every session is built around their goals.
