Math, English, and Art all in one place

Daniel B.

Nice to meet you, I'm Dan! I'm living proof that life isn't a race; I've attended Grinnell College in Iowa, University of North Dakota, and Metropolitan State University, collecting coursework in Math, Computer Science, English, and Art, culminating in a degree in Studio Arts. I know that this is a wide range of interests and skills, but that's just the sort of person I am. If I like something, I'll pick it up and learn more about it. Math in particular has been a constant interest of mine, starting with the state Math Team, and continuing even in my Art education, utilizing geometry to construct mathematically precise artwork.

The most important part of tutoring, for me, is helping students understand the material. Getting the right answer is the first step, but if that's all you need, you've got a calculator for that. What will truly help a student succeed is understanding why the answer is correct.

I have five years experience as a substitute teacher, mostly in high school, including one year covering for AVID 9th and 10th graders and one year in Algebra and Geometry. I've also worked two years as a tutor for St. Paul Public Schools. Tutoring at the libraries gave me a chance to work one on one with students of varying ages, figuring out in real time how to best help whoever was needing me the most in that moment.

One of my biggest goals when approaching tutoring is figuring out what the student needs to succeed. Some students need reinforcement of what they already know, while others are still struggling with the concepts. You can't apply the same methods to these students, you have to get to know them, understand their process, and work around it.