Math has always been a fascinating subject for me, and an equalizer across various professions and cultures. All disciplines use math in one form or another, so understanding its rules and applications is important for today's students. As a Cum Laude mathematics graduate, certificated Math Teacher, and tutor for over 40 years, I've helped many middle- and high-school students gain proficiency wit
h math. From the first meeting with a student, I establish a "safe" tutoring environment: I don't grade students and I don't judge them. I'm here to help them in those areas where they "just don't get it." Students have obligations, too: 1) They have to tell me what they don't understand. 2) They have to practice the concepts and skills. Working this way has helped my students improve their grades and their confidence. One parent said it best:
"My child used to think that math was difficult and that passing grades were beyond a reasonable goal. My child now feels that math is 'easy' and understands concepts at a much deeper level. I feel this is due to individualized skills and techniques to meet the learning needs of my child. H has been able to establish a rapport with my child that enables a high degree of comfort, trust, and confidence. My child continually remarks how she can 'trust' Ms. H with giving her confidence in math and better grades." In addition to review and practice, we discuss the student's goals and career options so that I can describe how math could be applied in those jobs. My careers inside and outside of classroom teaching, in addition to my involvement in many community-wide projects, enables me to relate real-world situations where math is essential. I'm flexible about where to meet. The location should be a quiet space to minimize distractions. I can work at your house, at a nearby library, or you can come to my office in Red Bank. As for scheduling, I appreciate your adhering to our agreed-upon times. I understand that unexpected situations can come up and try to be flexible to a reasonable extent. We can arrange a make-up session. To ensure that I meet your expectations, I ask for both oral and written feedback from parents and/or students about the effectiveness of my tutoring. As a personal bonus, I've learned a great deal from the students I've tutored. I discover the kind of person each one is and am heartened to hear of their plans for the future. I make sure that they are as prepared as possible to reach their goals. I look forward to hearing from you. Reach out to me soon so, together, we can get ou or your child back on track to confidence and success in math.
