Programming and problem solving, explained clearly

Ty P.

I studied Computer Science at university with a minor in Information Technology Systems, but honestly, the real learning happened when I started actually building things. I've worked on software development with Intermountain Healthcare and built customer-facing products with ConvergeOne, which taught me how programming works in the real world versus how it's taught in textbooks. There's usually a gap between those two things, and I think that's where I'm most helpful as a tutor.

I've been tutoring for about four years now, working one-on-one with everyone from high schoolers just starting out to adults in completely different fields who need to learn programming for their jobs. What I've noticed is that most people don't struggle with programming because it's inherently hard - they struggle because it's usually explained poorly. My approach is pretty straightforward: I break things down until they actually make sense, not just until you can memorize the answer. I care more about teaching you how to think through problems than just getting your code to run.

The way I see it, there's the problem you're trying to solve, and then there's the meta-problem of understanding why that type of problem works the way it does. If we can crack that second part, you're not just learning how to pass a test or finish an assignment - you're learning how to figure things out on your own going forward. That's what actually sticks. I'm not here to do the work for you, but I will help you get to that "oh, I get it now" moment where everything clicks. That's the part I actually enjoy about tutoring.