Philosophy Instructor with over 20 years' experience teaching

Das J.

Hi, I’m Das. I have a PhD in Philosophy and over 20 years' teaching experience, mostly in introductory undergraduate courses and tutoring college-bound high-school students. Former students describe me as "clear and precise," "dynamic," and "engaging."

My teaching is inspired by a talk I heard as an undergraduate. Ming Cho Lee, a Yale professor and leader in his field, was asked why he teaches an introductory course every semester. He has the clout to spend his time on “more interesting” work with advanced students. Mr. Lee responded that rather than entitling him to dictate his workload, his success obliges him to serve the students who have most to learn. To really be “the best,” he must instill strong habits and a love of learning in novices. Beginners are not easy to teach; they require us to review the basics over and over again so we too never forget our good habits and love of scholarship. I cannot claim to be “the best” tutor, but I know good sense when I see it and emulate Mr. Lee.

I take students seriously, whatever your level when we meet.
What really matters is developing your independent thinking by cultivating good academic habits.

My teaching is skills-based, rooted in active listening, and focused on nurturing your independence. I encourage experimentation. Mistakes are often a sign that we’re trying out something new, and I strive to make tutoring sessions a place where you can make mistakes in safety so you learn skills that serve you in higher-stakes situations.

First, we have an initial meeting and discuss the material you're working on. Together, we set goals. Then we meet as many times as needed to achieve those goals. We will check in every few meetings to review our progress and discuss your growth. If you need help writing papers, for example, I can help you break a project up into manageable parts and then give feedback on each step. I look forward to hearing from you!