Nathan

I received my bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Albertson College of Idaho and have been tutoring since 1992. I have worked as a programmer and statistical analyst/modeler since the late 1990s for companies including Target and Wells Fargo. I recently updated my skills in a post-bachelor's program in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through the University of Texas. I am currently working on my Master's degree in Data Science at Elmhurst University.

Tutoring Subjects:

I have tutored students in all levels of math, including elementary school, algebra, geometry, FST (functions, statistics, trigonometry), precalculus, calculus, SAT/ACT math, and computer programming.

Ages I’ve worked with:

I have worked with students from 3rd grade to non-traditional college students.

My tutoring style:

My "style" changes from student to student. Because each student is unique, I don't believe there's a universal style that is effective for all students. Listening to the student and learning why they're having trouble is far more important than getting the right answer to the particular problem in front of us. Establishing a foundation of knowledge, finding some math with which the student is comfortable and confident, serves as both a diagnostic tool and a point from which to start building. Extending what a student already knows into new areas eliminates the mystery of math and hints at an answer to the question, "What am I ever going to use this for?"

Success story:

I've worked with many talented and privileged students over the years, students who went on to the Ivy League, medical school, Wall Street, etc. My favorite success story was an 8-year-old girl in rural Idaho who was doing so poorly in math that her teacher wanted her to repeat the 3rd grade. Her mother told me she was a "handful," and that she was unable to sit still long enough to learn anything. I agreed to meet with this headstrong student twice a week.The going was slow at first, but with patience and persistence, eventually we ignited a spark, and she started doing so well in math that her teacher accused her of cheating!

Incredibly, after one test on which she got an A, the teacher put her in a room by herself and gave her a completely separate test, to prove she knew the material. Of course, she did know the material, so she got a 95% on that test, too. Being the character that she was, she came to the next tutoring appointment with a long face, head hung low, and said, "I have bad news; here's my test." I looked at it and said, "What? This is a 95%. You got a 95%! This isn't bad news, this is awesome!" She started laughing because she "tricked" me and told me the whole story, which her mom confirmed later. That one story is worth all the years of evenings spent at dining room tables.