Experience Summary
I have earned a PhD in Chemical Engineering and completed 20 hours toward a MA in Teaching. In response to a desperate need for math teachers in urban schools, I completed an alternative certification program offered through Chicago Public Schools and National Louis University while teaching high school math. Through my education I have gained an extensive knowledge of Math, Chemistry and Physics and advanced Engineering concepts. I have also been trained in SAT and ACT test preparation, so I am very familiar with grammar, reading comprehension and strong essay writing techniques. Over the last 15 years, I have tutored students ranging from Jr. High through college in all these areas.
Teaching Style
Society continues to foster the traditional belief that success in math and science is inherent, only to be grasped by those born with a particular talent level. Educational research by scholars such as Howard Gardner has shown this idea to be false and detrimental to student achievement. As research suggests, I have found through my own teaching that any student can reach a reasonable level of success in math and science with proper guidance, patience and encouragement. I combine belief in a student with the latest constructivist teaching theory and methods I learned in my education master's classes. This skill set allows me to experience what I most enjoy about teaching. I love to see the expression of satisfaction on a student's face when they realize they have firmly grasped a concept that they previously considered too difficult.