B.S. Mathematics | Tutor

Jacob B.

I recently completed a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a minor in Computer Science at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, graduating in May 2026. My coursework included calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, real analysis, numerical analysis, and applied statistics and probability, giving me a strong grounding in both the foundational and more advanced sides of mathematics that middle school math ultimately builds toward.

My most directly relevant experience is as a Teach For America Ignite Fellow, where I led small-group math tutoring sessions for 6th-grade students throughout 2025. In this role I worked with students at a range of skill levels within the same session, which meant constantly adapting my explanations rather than relying on one fixed approach. I focused on building conceptual understanding rather than just walking students through steps to memorize, since students at that age often struggle more with why a method works than with the mechanics of performing it. I found that using concrete examples and encouraging students to explain their own reasoning back to me was consistently more effective than repetition alone, especially for students who had become discouraged with math in a traditional classroom setting.

Alongside this, I served as Vice President and then President of my university's Math Club, where I helped organize and lead peer tutoring sessions for fellow students and coordinated academic events, including a joint session with the Association for Women in Mathematics. Between the TFA fellowship and my ongoing work in the Math Club, I have consistently tutored in some capacity for the better part of a year, in both structured small-group and informal one-on-one settings.