My name is Zach and I'm a second year PhD student at Columbia University in Applied Physics. My interest in teaching started in undergrad. My differential equations professor was a clear, kind, and empathetic lecturer, whose passion for the subject and his willingness to communicate was an important part of my academic journey.
I try to bring this same attitude to my own teaching style. I think that students can often be put off by intimidating teachers or professors, and I try to create...
My name is Zach and I'm a second year PhD student at Columbia University in Applied Physics. My interest in teaching started in undergrad. My differential equations professor was a clear, kind, and empathetic lecturer, whose passion for the subject and his willingness to communicate was an important part of my academic journey.
I try to bring this same attitude to my own teaching style. I think that students can often be put off by intimidating teachers or professors, and I try to create a comfortable environment for students learn and grow in. I think students often learn science and math the best by doing problems, and having a person to walk them through confusion. I come to sessions prepared to work through homework sets, extra problems from a textbook, or class notes.
I have a year of teaching experience as a TA for differential equations (APMA 2101 at Columbia). I would hold office hours for an hour a week where I would go through course notes and homework problems with 5-10 students, as well as working one-on-one with students who had specific questions. This experience taught me how to accommodate people with different math backgrounds, and how to slow material down and fill in gaps in their knowledge to provide context to the subject at hand.
As a graduate student, I am also happy to share my experience in the grad school application process, and can provide advice and guidance to undergrads and high school students who are excited about research and graduate school.
