Meet Steve

FAST FACTS

• Academics/Credentials: 
  Masters of Science, Engineering; Arizona
  State University.

• Years Tutoring: 20

• Grades: Junior High-College

• Subjects: Math, Science

• Specialties: Math, Alegra, Geometry, Precalculus, Statistics, Chemistry, and Physics

• Favorite Niche: Physics. Teaching high school students.

• Tutoring Style: Enlightening, helpful, encouraging.  

• Best Part of My Day: Empowering students with the knowledge to solve difficult problems.

• 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.