Katie

I was a teaching assistant and tutor for several sections of Organic Chemistry I and II during my graduate career, as well as a lab instructor for several sections of Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Lab. I have a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Connecticut and I tutor college chemistry subjects.

My tutoring style:

My biggest strength as a tutor is my ability to reframe concepts in a way that students can understand. I'm a big believer in visualization and the use of chemical models, especially when discussing concepts like stereochemistry and reaction mechanisms. I also have ample experience at not just correcting students if they make an error but walking them through their thought process to identify where the error was made so they can avoid making it again in the future. Understanding why an error was made is probably the most important part of tutoring. Anyone can read the correct responses from an answer key, but helping students improve their critical thinking is the real task.

Success story:

As a tutor and a teaching assistant, I have had the ability to tutor Organic I students who then go on to take an Organic II for which I happen to be a grader. One of the most rewarding experiences for me is when I can see evidence of improvement in students that I used to tutor on their future courses. It can be especially nice if a student is clearly using a technique I taught them and shows a definite deeper understanding of the material.