Barry
Certified Tutor
I am passionate about about helping students understand that math is important for understanding the world around them. As a certified math and business teacher, I have worked with students between grades 5 and 12, both in person and online, to fill gaps in understanding previous concepts as well as helping them grasp new ideas that are being introduced to them.
I received my undergraduate degree in Natural Science with a concentration in Mathematics from Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. I also earned an MBA from the University of Florida. I have recently earned a Master of Arts degree in Mathematics with a focus in Secondary Education from University of Northern Colorado. As you could probably tell, my strength is helping students in all levels of Mathematics from basic arithmetic to Calculus. My favorite branches of mathematics to tutor are the middle school levels (fractions, integers, and proportional reasoning) as well as Algebra and Geometry in the high school levels. I like working with these subjects because the ideas really bring out how math is connected to even the most basic life skills, from cooking and construction, to problem-solving, logic, and general reasoning.
I love talking about business concepts and how they relate to each other. I especially enjoy the connection between the creative side of Marketing and the analytical/financial aspects involved.
I am a pretty laid-back, low-pressure guy who expects students to make mistakes so we can learn from them. Mistakes are expected, inspected, and respected. I believe that learning should be relevant and relate to students' lives. I believe that all students can learn mathematics, but that every student learns differently. In working with students individually, I can learn more about the student's styles of learning and tailor instruction to fit that learning style.
In my spare time, I like to watch TV and movies, especially when time travel is involved. The idea of time and time travel is fascinating to me. I also like to read books that take a classic story and re-imagine them into different contexts, places, and times. I am currently reading "Cress", the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. "Cress" is based on the story of Rapunzel and is woven into the previous novels "Cinder" (based on Cinderella) and "Scarlet" (based on Little Red Riding Hood).
In addition to reading, TV, and movies, I like to do counted cross-stitch and crochet. I finally taught myself how to knit, too.
Connect with a tutor like Barry
Undergraduate Degree: Hofstra University - Bachelors, Natural Science (Concentration in Mathematics)
Graduate Degree: University of Florida - Masters, Business Administration and Management
In my spare time, I like to watch TV and movies, especially when time travel is involved. The idea of time and time travel is fascinating to me. I also like to books that take a classic story and re-imagine them into different contexts, places, and times. I am currently reading "Cress", the third book in the Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. "Cress" is based on the story of Rapunzel and is woven into the previous novels "Cinder" (based on Cinderella) and "Scarlet" (based on Little Red Riding Hood). In addition to reading, TV, and movies, I like to do counted cross-stitch and crochet. I am also teaching myself how to knit.
- 10th Grade Math
- 11th Grade Math
- 12th Grade Math
- 6th Grade Math
- 7th Grade Math
- 8th Grade Math
- 9th Grade Math
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Arithmetic
- Business
- College Algebra
- Elementary Math
- Geometry
- Homework Support
- Marketing
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Other
- Pre-Algebra
- Test Prep
- Trigonometry
- UK A Level Prep
- UK A Level Accounting
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I work with my students to help them make connections between classroom learning and life outside of school. I seek to provide them with the tools they need to handle issues they will encounter in daily life, as well as the tools they will need to progress their learning of mathematics. Moreover, I do so by designing learning activities that capitalize on the diverse learning styles and experiences that students may have; I seek to make learning an active process by using students' own experiences as a source for contextualizing mathematics.
What is your teaching philosophy?
My role as an educator is centered on providing each of my students with the best possible education. I believe that this is best accomplished by motivating students to be passionate about their own learning and, as such, I strive to inspire my students to take ownership of their learning by leading them to explore new ideas, take risks, and think independently and critically about the world in which they live.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I believe in providing students with multiple opportunities and modalities to demonstrate and communicate their learning. My experience as a student, and as an educator, has taught me that learning is a process, and that our knowledge can be communicated in an uncountable number of ways. Therefore, I believe in giving students varied options to communicate their knowledge, as well as multiple opportunities to demonstrate mastery of learning objectives.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
duplicate
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
duplicate
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I approach the learning objectives of mathematics on many levels by addressing the small details, as well as helping students see how the content fits into a bigger idea or life skill.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I work with my students to help them make connections between classroom learning and life outside of school. I seek to provide them with the tools they need to handle issues they will encounter in daily life, as well as the tools they will need to progress their learning of mathematics.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I believe that the skills of critical thought, inductive reasoning, deductive reasoning and justification learned in mathematics courses are crucial to a student's success -- both inside and outside of school.