Meet Steve
FAST FACTS
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Academics/Credentials:
Masters of Science, Engineering; Arizona
State University. -
Years Tutoring: 20
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Grades: Junior High-College
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Subjects: Math, Science
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Specialties: Math, Alegra, Geometry, Precalculus, Statistics, Chemistry, and Physics
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Favorite Niche: Physics. Teaching high school students.
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Tutoring Style: Enlightening, helpful, encouraging.
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Best Part of My Day: Empowering students with the knowledge to solve difficult problems.
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Personal Passions: Hiking (Tahoe Rim Trail and Point Reyes National Seashore are two favorites). Reading Sci-Fi (favorite author is Arthur C. Clarke). Playing piano (mostly Classical and New Age).
The Greater the Challenge, the Greater the Reward
Math and science are a struggle for many students, because they don’t understand the core concepts. I help by filling in the gaps for increased understanding but encourage students to figure out concepts for themselves.
Mathematics is traditionally taught without enough emphasis on real-world applications. For example, I didn’t become interested in math until I studied electronics and realized it’s the basis for all modern science and engineering. That made studying math a lot more interesting!
Similarly, I like helping students understand how Physics connects to modern-day society (e.g., television, computers, domestic appliances, nuclear weapons...). Physics is an exciting subject to teach, because it explains how the universe works.
I especially enjoy tutoring high school students, because that’s typically when teens start focusing on career choices. I like encouraging them to consider careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). These are the fields that will significantly influence the future of humanity.
Learning upper-level math is similar to learning a difficult foreign language, like Russian. It requires a high level of effort for most people. My goal is to empower students with confidence to solve difficult problems. It’s very rewarding to help students pass a difficult course, like Calculus or Physics. The greater the challenge, the greater the reward--for them and me.