I'm a Biological Sciences major with minors in Chemistry and Economics at the University of Pittsburgh, where I'm also part of the Frederick Honors College. My academic foundation in these subjects goes back further than college, though: in high school I took IB Higher Level Biology, IB Math Analysis and Approaches, and IB Standard Level Chemistry, which meant working through college level material years before most students see it. That early exposure to rigorous, exam-driven coursework is...
I'm a Biological Sciences major with minors in Chemistry and Economics at the University of Pittsburgh, where I'm also part of the Frederick Honors College. My academic foundation in these subjects goes back further than college, though: in high school I took IB Higher Level Biology, IB Math Analysis and Approaches, and IB Standard Level Chemistry, which meant working through college level material years before most students see it. That early exposure to rigorous, exam-driven coursework is part of why I'm comfortable teaching biology, chemistry, and algebra now: I've had to master the fundamentals at a deep level myself, more than once, under real academic pressure.
I spent three years volunteer tutoring middle and high school students in math and science, work that was recognized with a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. During that time I tutored students one on one and in small groups, mostly in algebra and general science, working with students ranging from about 11 to 17 years old. My approach leans on diagnosing where a student's understanding actually breaks down (often earlier than the topic they're struggling with suggests) and rebuilding from there, rather than just walking through practice problems. I try to connect abstract concepts, like balancing chemical equations or solving for variables, to something concrete the student already understands, since that's usually what makes a topic click instead of just getting memorized.
