My approach to teaching:

Assess Needs & Fill Gaps

My primary goal, when working with a student, is to assess that person’s abilities and determine both their strengths and the gaps in their understanding. Mathematics is what I like to call foundational. Every new topic is predicated by the assumption that a student has mastered every topic leading up to the present. If there is a gap in their fundamental mathematical understanding, it can cause trouble for every subsequent topic. For instance, if a student had chickenpox when subtraction was covered, that student may have issues with subtraction at every turn, which can inhibit their confidence and success in every year and every course that follows. My goal is to determine these gaps and bridge them to new levels of understanding while reinforcing fundamental mathematical skills.

Meet Current Goals – Plan & Execute

I work with the student, parents, and teachers of that student, to determine their short-term and long-term goals. Once goals have been established, I develop a plan for success in their current areas of study and work with the student to execute that plan.

Look to the Future – Build Confidence & Proactivity

Once stability in the current areas of study is achieved, I expose students to the topics that they will be seeing in the future. Working ahead of the pace of their current course, gives students a boost of confidence, especially when they see these topics in the classroom for the first time. The result is a stable student who exhibits an increase in class participation and a deeper understanding of mathematics.