Mission Statement
My goal as a tutor is to help every student become self-sufficient and achieve long-term success.
For math students, these two important objectives are reached by identifying and resolving gaps in the student's knowledge base, and by developing essential mathematical and cognitive skills for high school and beyond.
In physics, our objectives are reached by first focussing on core physical concepts so the student is able to distill any problem into its basic pieces, analyze those pieces, then put them together in a coherent solution. Secondly, we work on the algebraic and numerical aspects of problem solving, which may also involve a review of mathematical ideas and methods.
Resolving gaps in mathematics often means taking a step or two back to reinforce fundamental concepts and practices that underlie many of the more advanced topics that the student is currently faced with and will encounter later. Note that a gap does not necessarily indicate a shortcoming of the student, but is often a symptom of disconnects in the 'instructional flow' of curriculum, textbook, teacher, classroom setting and individual practice. The subject of mathematics is especially susceptible to those disconnects and subsequent gaps, which easily cause students to lose interest and fall behind.
Completing homework and preparing for tests form the basis for lessons, and provide a starting point for more in-depth work. This involves developing problem solving strategies and aptitude, so that ultimately the student will have the confidence and ability to complete homework, and prepare for and succeed in assessment tasks on their own. Effective learning in mathematics and physics certainly depends on attaining new knowledge, but equally important is the development of logical thinking and the ability to evaluate problem solving tools, both of which are invaluable skills in life well beyond high school and the classroom.
I Offer:
- Personalized strategies and exercises
- Relevant "real world" connections to subject matter
- Interconnections between subjects
- Demonstrations and exercises with graphing calculators and Sketchpad software
- Neuroscience based tips for studying and learning
- Knowledge of Ontario curriculum goals and assessment