Personal Description:

PLEASE NOTE: DURING THE PANDEMIC I AM ONLY TUTORING ONLINE.

I have a Bachelor of Math degree from the University of Waterloo. I have had a career in the Information Technology field in the financial industry, and am now retired. I have been tutoring Mathematics on a part-time basis since 2009, full-time since 2018, and enjoy it very much. When I see someone struggling, I take it on as a personal challenge to figure out how I can help them see how to progress to the answer. I have been told on many occasions that I am extremely patient and creative at finding different ways to approach a problem. While the students may not end up loving math ;-), I am thrilled when I see them understanding, progressing in it, and not being so afraid of it. Mathematics for most people is considered a "scary" subject. Often the student was not taught in a way that they could understand it, and if you miss a year, it's hard to catch up, as Mathematics is based on building blocks. I have tutored students from Grade 4 through to and including Grade 12, in Ontario, Western Canada and Eastern Canada. I have tutored many of my students through various grades as they get older (one starting in Grade 7 and going through to the end of Grade 12). I am thrilled when I see my students improving and doing well!

Tutoring Experience:

I have tutored/am tutoring many students. I have had students at the elementary level and secondary level, and adults as well. I have worked online with students in Alberta, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, and Ontario, as well as in the USA.

I started working with my very first student in 2013 when he was in Grade 7. He just completed Grade 12 in the Applied Math program, and did so well that I only had to help him on a few occasions in Grade 11, and he needed no help in Grade 12. He's asked me to hold a place for him in case he needs me for college!

My second student and I started working together in 2016 when she was in Grade 10. She has completed Grade 12 in the Applied Math program and did well.

I also assisted a student in the summers between Grade 8 and Grade 9 with basic math drills and practical study habits.

Tutoring Approach:

I like to observe how the student is thinking about the problem and find creative ways to lead them in the right direction.

For instance, if the student is very visual and has trouble translating a 2D picture in a textbook, such as cubes, to 3D, we get 3D objects and relate them to the 2D diagram to help them "see" the problem more clearly.

If a student sees a "busy" and complicated-looking formula and just gives up, we break it down piece by piece until the student understands the details and feels comfortable with it.

I've also asked a student (with the parents permission) to do drills in math homework during the summer break so that they were more fluent in the basics before they started high school. His mother and I planned out a schedule for the summer and the results were excellent.