Subjects
Tutoring is available in all subjects through about grade 6. Beyond that, I find that I should generally stick to my strong areas. I tutor math through high school, and through three semesters of college-level calculus. Physics, likewise, I can tutor through high school and college-level mechanics. For other sciences, such as general science, biology, or chemistry, I am confident through the introductory high school level class. While I stay away from creative writing beyond about grade 6, I am happy to work with students at higher levels who want help improving readability, organization, and grammar.
I love to work with students from all backgrounds and abilities: kids with IEPs, struggling kids, gifted kids, kids from rich or poor families, happy kids, grouchy kids, kids that play soccer better than they do math, quiet kids, kids who can’t sit still, …
Availability
Tutoring is available in the north and northeast suburbs of Columbus, OH, and in the city of Columbus – Westerville, Gahanna, New Albany, etc. Hours are flexible, including daytime, afternoons/evenings, and weekends.
Philosophy
The best statement of my philosophy regarding tutoring is “It depends.” Kids are different. Families are different. Schedules and pressures change over time. I work with the student and family to find what works for them. Often for younger kids, I like to include the parents and provide fun activities for home. Parents are the first and best teachers, and it often makes sense to leverage that for academic challenges. For older kids, a traditional tutoring session is generally more helpful. (I don’t think many parents want to learn calculus alongside their kids, but I’m certainly open to that!)
I see education as preparing students for their adult life. Kids need to know how to learn, they need to know why they are learning, and they need to know how to question. There are skills they need to acquire (for example, how to communicate in a variety of ways). There is information they need to acquire (for example, how many days are in a week). There are so many valid ways of teaching and learning the information and skills. In general, I encourage leveraging a kid’s strengths first and helping them find ways to address or work around their weaknesses later.