Licensed CS Teacher | Math & Programming Tutor

Richard P.

I'm a Massachusetts-licensed Computer Science teacher (Digital Literacy & Computer Science, grades 5-12) and a former full-time teacher at Salem Academy Charter School for 1 year, where I taught both middle and high school. I hold a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science from UMass Amherst, and I've also worked in the industry through multiple internships. In the classroom I designed and taught courses ranging from introductory programming to artificial intelligence, and I have expierence supporting learners with IEP/504 plans and English as a second language.

My approach to teaching emphasizes projects and practical skills. In middle school, I focused on using Scratch to let students quickly make something they could be proud of. I also want students to see the results of their work quickly, to excite them to move on to bigger and better things. In high school, we focused on Python and Java fundamentals, basic algorithms/ data structures, and web development (HTML/CSS/JavaScript). I wrote units aligned to standards, with clear rubrics and examples, and made sure to frequently check in with students for understanding.

As a tutor, I think the same structure is important. I provided tutoring in college as a TA for Intro. to Computation, helping students understand formal computer science. I use the first session to diagnose gaps, then set a goal with the student we can work towards. I try to model good problem-solving habits, reading the prompt closely, planning out code and writing pseudo-code, and testing our solution. Regardless of if it's programming or math, my goal is to have consistent progress and help the student grow in confidence with the subject.