My tutoring experience includes seven years, since 2010 through Wyzant.com and in 2017 launching this website of my own.   My tutoring services could be characterized as STEM, STEAM, etc.  They are personalized to help each student learn in the way and the location that best suits them. I frequently tutor all around the Pittsburgh area and online, provided online tutoring to students in locations as far away as Spain and Germany.

I like hard facts and established science, courses which are all about applications I hope my students will use to help solve the world's problems.  Because of my engineering background,  I am strong in a number of technical areas. such as math and physics-related courses. I am well qualified to tutor math courses through high school have tutored most of the typical first/second-year college-level courses taken by non-math majors.  On occasion, I also tutor other courses or subjects.

Past students have commented on my patient, courteous and professional demeanor.   I am a perpetually inquisitive, creative person and a lifelong learner.  I still take courses online.

I have little desire to tutor courses that are more oriented toward opinions and interpretations, and will probably never want to attempt to tutor English literature, history or music.  I know there is a lot of value to learning about fine arts; I am just not qualified for tutoring those topics in the traditional way.  I am intrigued by the interplay between the arts and engineering and willing to help students explore it.  For instance, we could explore various properties of light, sound, or structure from what perspectives and their implications for various kinds of art. There are also ways to use electronics and controls that I could work with artistically minded students that might have great ideas but lack the technical know-how to implement them.  Another exception I have made was to work with adult ESL learners trying to improve their accent and knowledge of local customs.  My flexible schedule and an international perspective can be helpful for students.

My Expectations
A typical tutoring session naturally cycles through question, explanation, demonstration, and application stages.   A student should expect to be able to use a tutor to augment rather than replace their study efforts. Students who rely on help from a tutor for every problem short-circuit their own success. While I sometimes help a student to work through their problem, I avoid providing answers to problems.  My goal is to work with the student to ensure they understand the raw concepts and learn to apply the concepts. I am also willing to work with students who understand the concepts but want to strive for better marks. These students sometimes have questions that reach beyond the core material.  I am flexible to work with the student and adapt the session to meet the student's needs.

A student should maintain the momentum reached during the session by practicing on their own. I would recommend studying a problem until the entirety of the correct solution makes sense. You can assert that the solution makes enough sense to you once you are able to explain the solution to someone else. You should be able to answer frequently asked questions about the problem without your text or notes. You are welcome to send me a text, email or phone call about a problem when a question comes up; I will be glad to help.

Tutoring Environment
The ideal tutoring environment differs from student to student. If the noise level in a coffee shop or cafeteria does not bother the student, a coffee shop could be ideal for that student. White noise can sometimes be comforting, familiar, and invigorating. If the student prefers a quiet environment, meeting online might be ideal. Noise-cancelling headphones can make online meeting rather conducive for concentration. A library's tutoring room might be ideal for sensitive students. A student's home is where some students work best. I am willing to tutor in the environment that is most conducive to learning for my students.

My Qualifications
I hold a Bachelor's degree in Engineering Physics from the University of Alberta. The U of A is one of Canada's largest universities and a top engineering school.   I developed a diverse set of skills in math, physics, chemistry, programming, electronics, and controls theory there.

My Warnings
I do not take tests, write papers, or complete homework assignments for students.  No-one should even be asking tutors for those things.  If you waited until you had an exam (take-home or online) to discover you need help, that is tough luck and poor management of your studies on your part.  An actual requirement to deserve a passing grade on an exam is to write it yourself. 

If you cannot find the words to describe or don't know exactly how to express in general terms which concepts you need help on by using your textbook, notes, or syllabus,  it is o.k. to show me a homework problem you are stuck on, and what you have tried so far. 

An "honest fail" is better than a fake-pass because it admits that you have more work to do before you profess expertise in that area.  If you think you can just fool everyone by cheating, you've already fooled yourself.