Michael

Certified Tutor

The foundation for my passion in tutoring started when I competed in national math tournaments on my high school math team. I had a drive to constantly learn new ways of solving math problems and to get faster and more efficient at getting to the solution of complex equations. This experience allowed me to build a strong base of knowledge in math as well as taught me the idea that a strong foundation leads to success in whatever one???s learning.

I initially began tutoring at Pacific University as a Freshman to strengthen my knowledge in the fundamentals of math and chemistry as well as making sure that the students I taught grasped the fundamentals. Though that was my initial intent, I got to learn so much more. I got to learn how other people approached problems and learned many new ways to solve problems through their creativity. I also learned many recurring misconceptions and common mistakes that students make. The most important thing I got from tutoring at Pacific was the enjoyment I got when I saw the light bulb go on in a student???s head.

The excitement I got from seeing other people learn pushed me to apply for tutoring and teaching positions shortly after I graduated from Pacific. After graduation, I decided I wanted to pursue a career in medicine but I wanted to work while I got my resume ready for the medical school application process. In the year between graduating from Pacific and starting at Jefferson Medical College, I worked as a math and science tutor and as an SAT and MCAT instructor. Both jobs were extremely fulfilling and being able to see tangible results, in the form of their test scores, made those jobs even more gratifying.

My many years of experience tutoring as well as my passion for seeing people learn new things makes me a great tutor. I take a lot of pride in guiding students to their own self-discovery that they can solve math problems or get the scores they want on standardized tests. If students go back to the fundamentals, build a strong base of knowledge, and little by little progress toward mastery of whatever subject they pursue, they can achieve whatever goal they set for themselves.