From middle school through the beginning of high school I believed that I was bad at math. Although I was in honors courses, the subject always required my extra attention and effort. It wasn't until tenth grade that my view of math shifted. My second year of high school, I signed up for a regular level math class. It was there that I realized math is simpler than it seems and the key to succeeding in a math course is to have strong basics and a little confidence. Thus, these are the qualities that I aim to instill in my students during our tutoring sessions.
Currently, I am a Ph.D. student in Economics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and where I stand academically is partly because of that regular algebra course. I was a Teaching Assistant my first year in the program, but my experience as a tutor began three years ago when I was an undergraduate. In my time as an Economics major at Florida State University, I was employed by the University as a tutor for the athletes. The most popular subjects I tutored were College Algebra and Business Calculus, as these were prerequisite courses for acceptance into the business college. I met with different athletes for an hour session once or twice weekly and recorded the information we covered in each meeting. I found this record a useful tool for managing the material and helping each athlete achieve their personal goals, so I still use this tool today.
This brings me to my teaching style. When I was younger, I never appreciated the benefits of writing down your work while solving a problem, but this is a key component to succeeding in mathematics. I strongly believe that each step of the process should be written down for every problem. Writing down each step helps students see the systematic method behind specific problems and develop a memory; enabling them to solve a variety of problems more easily. Additionally, showing your work allows the student's teacher, tutor, or the student himself/herself, to check the work and find any mistakes that were made. This is a fantastic skill to develop that will be useful across subjects. I also trust the phrase practice makes perfect. Math is a process, and each type of problem requires a different attack strategy; therefore, the more practice one has, the better one's comprehension and retention will be.
I began my math studies doubtful in my abilities, and discovered, that with the right explanation and assurance, math is simple and accessible. My goal as a tutor is not only to help my students succeed in their courses but also to show them their capabilities and potential. I hope that you find my teaching methods and personal style amicable and I look forward to working with you.