Duke Undergraduate Math and Physics Double Major

Siddharth V.

I'm an undergraduate at Duke University pursuing a double major in physics and math. I'm interested in leveraging my passion for mathematics to bring out the best in students! I feel that everyone can succeed in this subject–it just has to be framed to align with one's natural line of thinking. This way, I hope to develop others' passions for math.

I have taken College Board's Advanced Placement courses in Calculus and Statistics, receiving a 5 on all three exams. I have continued to immerse myself in Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations. For almost 2 years, I worked as a Mathematics Teaching Assistant at the Art of Problem Solving, an academic enrichment institution. There, I offered one-on-one academic assistance to K-12 students to help them understand and solve challenging math problems through weekly office hours. This oftentimes involved guiding students through math problems. I also occasionally delivered math lessons as a substitute teacher. During high school, I also volunteered to tutor my peers in calculus. I similarly tutored an elementary student in math and English. Both of these experiences lasted about one semester. Moreover, I also volunteered as a science fair coach for a local middle school.

These experiences have taught me a lot about tutoring. The fact that I've been able to work with students of different ages has honed my ability to communicate and connect with younger learners. These diverse experiences have also taught me to adapt my approach depending on the student. Specifically, I try to create problems or scenarios to teach a particular concept. I've also used various analogies to demonstrate certain ideas. Ultimately, how I break down ideas for students depends on how they learn best. Because of that, I'm prepared and always willing to adapt according to a student's preferences and needs. My prior tutoring experiences have provided me with a valuable skillset for tutoring, and I'm excited to apply it in the Wyzant environment!