Aerospace engineer who likes to teach math and controls

Rafael G.

My name is Rafael! I first started tutoring as a junior in high school when I began tutoring underclassmen. I would generally help with subjects ranging from algebra 1 up to precalculus. This was an in-person group tutoring session. In my senior year, along with the previously mentioned tutoring, I was a tutor for Calculus BC where I would occasionally prepare material to discuss and lecture if needed. Most of the help provided was homework help, and I generally try to ask questions that test a students memory or knowledge of the subject to gauge where they are struggling.
After 4 years at UCLA with a B.S. in aerospace, I went to San Jose State to pursue a masters degree. During that time, I was tutoring at a C2 Education. There I tutored for 2 years and would help students from K-12 in a range of subjects from elementary math to topics such as multivariable calculus and differential equations. In addition, I would tutor students in physics (mostly mechanics). I, then, went to pursue a PhD at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and would be a teaching assistant for 4 years. I helped with course ranging from fluid dynamics, dynamics and control systems, and spacecraft propulsion systems. Once I graduated from WPI, I was an adjunct professor and taught two course: incompressible fluid dynamics and compressible fluid dynamics. Through my experience at WPI, I learned of my interest in helping teach controls systems because differential equations and matrix algebra are at the core of this subject.
My general teaching style is one of Socratic questioning. I prefer not to simply give the solution or answers and like to try to encourage students to think and how to think about questions. As an engineer, I take the approach of listing constants, listing assumptions, and any other given information as necessary. I also take a visual approach and when I create material, I like to come up with real world applications.