Math/Physics Turor specializing in understanding, not memorizing

Cully O.

I have tutored calculus, astrophysics, algebra, and trigonometry to 6 different individual students and in a classroom as a TA for a total of about 2 years with student ages ranging from 9 years old to 28 years old. Every one of the individual students went from a D or and F in their course up to an A or B, without exception.

I am finishing my double bachelor's degrees in physics and mathematics, in my 5th year as a senior at Purdue University of Fort Wayne. I have had A's or B's in all relevant coursework for what I teach. I'm about to complete a minor in philosophy (read critical thinking and logic /logical argument skills) i have completed all mathematics courses necessary for my physics degree and for the math minor, all of which at grade B or above, including Linear Algebra, multivariable calculus, and differential equations (ODEs).

I specialize in understanding the math and what it's saying, not memorizing formulas or techniques. These STEM subjects are currently taught with a very old, traditional model which has a tendency to "gatekeep" the answers - keeping them hidden and forcing students to only work one way, in one direction, with lots of memorization and repetition. Many people - in fact most that I know - get lost very easily with these traditional methods and it's a very outdated way to teach these things. What i teach is understanding and intuition-building, something like "sight-reading" mathematical expressions. I'll never just hand you a formula or equation and say "just use this" without ensuring that you understand the tool that I'm handing you, what it's for, where it works, what it does, and where it "breaks" - the limits of those tools and techniques.

When we are done, you will have a "toolkit" of techniques and equations that you will understand how to use and when to use them. That's my promise to my students.