Zachariah

I have been tutoring since 2015. I have a dual bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and chemistry from the University of Minnesota. I am currently pursuing a degree in medicine. I tutor students in grades K-12 in math and science. I also tutor MCAT test prep.

My tutoring style:

I approach tutoring as being the pathfinder in each session. Anyone has the capability to learn, but the methodology in how a particular student approaches a problem differs drastically. Each student knows their own learning style best, so I work to understand and enhance their technique. Rather than forcing them down the correct path, we explore all options starting with their instincts and past experiences, and this technique boosts their confidence on how much they already know. The process also encourages learning from failures and mistakes. Nobody can solve problems efficiently and correctly without understanding the incorrect pathways. 

I believe this path finding approach builds off the student’s existing knowledge, develops their ability to understand where a mistake occurs, and encourages them to explore alternative options in problem-solving.

Success story:

I have had many great experiences and successes in my tutoring career, but I am always drawn to my first. My first student was a 6th grader who lacked the determination to succeed. He believed his challenges in school were due to a lack of talent. He thought he couldn’t learn math. 

My first task was to judge his existing knowledge base. He understood the material well-enough to succeed, but each solved problem was followed by second guesses and diminished confidence. I had to build trust between us so he felt comfortable making mistakes in front of me. We talked about his life and hobbies and solved math in the background until the worksheet was complete. 

Eventually, he was completing his problem sets in rapid time, and with high accuracy. He knew math all along, but somewhere during his educational career he simply lost his confidence. I was able to witness this student transform from someone who avoided homework into someone who completed it regularly at a high-level of correctness.

Hobbies and interests:

I like to play adventure-style video games (Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft, Outer Wilds, etc.), watch sports (mainly football), play tennis, and workout.

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