Hello!
My name is Sarah. I love math, but I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a classic ‘math person’. I’m a writer; I write fantasy novels and have self-published four of them so far. I love to paint, do yoga, and hike. I was once a crouton for Halloween.
I think math and physics are both totally fascinating, and I also think it’s totally amazing how differently we all learn, which is why I chose to get degrees in both physics and cognitive psychology. I love learning new ways to explain things, and learning more about the different ways we all learn and make sense of things.
Below are some answers to some questions you might have about working with me.
What does a tutoring session with me look like?
It depends!
I do something different with everybody I work with, depending on their goals and learning style. Here are some options:
1. Do you want to understand the ‘why’ behind everything you’re learning? Awesome! Let’s look at what you covered in class this week and do a deep dive into what it all means and how it works. Understanding math conceptually is so fantastic. It’s amazing to see how it all connects, and the more you understand it, the better you’ll remember it and, more importantly, the more you’ll be able to apply it in your own life.
2. Do you want to work through your homework together? Great! Working through assignments together is an awesome way to make sure everything makes sense, and to really get into the details of doing math. Also, if you’re stressed, it’s nice to get through them together and have one less thing to worry about doing on your own. Also, it’s just a lot more fun working through homework with someone else there.
3. Do you want to work ahead? Fantastic! Let’s look at your calendar of what’s coming up and I’ll teach you everything in advance. A lot of students say they get a lot more out of in-class explanations when they already have a head start on the material.
4. Are you wanting more challenge? I love it, let’s do it! I can give you as much more advanced material as you’d like. If you’re wanting, you can take multiple math classes in the same year, or take extra classes over the summer to skip ahead, and I can help make sure it all goes smoothly and everything is solid.
5. Do you feel like there’s a certain topic you’re shaky on that’s holding you back? Everybody has something like that. Maybe you switched schools, maybe you were sick for a week and missed fractions, maybe percentages just never clicked. We can go over it from the beginning, then I’ll give you some practice, so you really have it down.
6. Do you want some advice about how to study? Do you feel like you understand the material but then struggle on tests? Do you have a final coming up and you’ve never taken such a big test before? I can show you some ways to organize your study process so it’s not so overwhelming. I can show you some options for ways to take notes, and how to do your homework so that you remember it so well you sometimes don’t even need to study for tests.
7. Did you have a terrible or awesome day and want to tell me about it? Awesome! I want to hear about it! School is hard. Sometimes it’s just one of those days where you haven’t gotten enough sleep and you have five tests tomorrow and three projects due and maybe the most productive thing that day is just to vent about it.
“Going into Physics and AP Calculus AB, I was pretty nervous and unsure if I’d succeed. I’d also never had a tutor before but my meetings with Sarah were just like doing homework with a friend! She is so knowledgeable and excited to teach and help, and I left every session feeling prepared and confident. I’ve already recommended her to my friends and classmates–and would do the same for anyone wanting to build confidence and master these subjects.”
When am I going to use this?
Possibly never! But also, possibly a lot!
It’s true that quadratic equations don’t come up much in real life. A lot of the specific things we learn in math don’t.
Of course, if you want to be a scientist or engineer, it will come up all the time, but not everybody wants that, of course.
The thing is, math is a tool. It is a language that we use to describe things in the real world, and it can be incredibly powerful. Fundamentally, math is just noticing patterns in the real world and describing them. A lot of times, math classes make math seem really abstract and pointless, which is a travesty in my opinion.
Even if you don’t want to be a scientist or engineer, there are two reasons to learn math:
1. Math is a beautiful art form. Wait, wait, don’t leave! Hear me out! It’s a lot like music. There are patterns and structures, and things combine and interact in interesting ways. Also, there are things we discovered in the real world that were actually discovered with math first. Someone was just solving an equation and the equation said there should be this certain thing in the real world and then years later it turned out to be the case. Amazing.
2. Math is incredibly empowering. It can help you start a business or make decisions about what to do with your money. Feeling comfortable with some math can help you understand a lot of things in the real world. Not only that, but it opens a lot of doors to a variety of cool careers.
It’s also totally OK if neither of these resonate with you and you hate math. The way it’s taught in schools is often really terrible, and so many people have really bad experiences. It’s really understandable if you’re burned out on it.
“I have worked with Sarah for a year (plus). Her laid back approach and enthusiasm have helped tremendously in both Geometry and Physics. I am so grateful for everything she has done to help me understand and master the material I have been learning. I recommend her to anyone who needs help!”
Will you give me homework?
If you want some!
Doing some extra practice on your own can be super helpful, but I will only ever give you homework that
1. Is targeted to exactly what you’re learning
2. You have time for, and
3. You are wanting in order to help you achieve your goals.