Timothy

Certified Tutor

I am a graduate of Texas A& M University with a BS and MS in Chemistry. In the pursuit of my BS in Chemistry I became interested in teaching high school. I had a great experience in high school with some great science teachers who loved their craft and science. Instead of getting certified as a science teacher after my BS I decided to obtain my Masters degree and at the same time work on my Texas Certification in Science. I taught undergraduate labs in grad school which was valuable teaching experience. After completing both programs, I began my first teaching assignment in a small rural school in Texas. It offered me the opportunity to teach Chemistry which was my passion. I also taught Physics and Physical Science. I taught for two years and left teaching reluctantly for eight years to work as a chemist. The experience of real-world chemistry was invaluable but I wanted to return to teaching. I moved from a rural area outside of Houston into the inner city and took a position as a Physical Science teacher in the high school in my neighborhood. After I taught Physical Science for two years, I was given the opportunity to teach chemistry and a few years later Chemistry and Physics with primarily Honors students in both subjects. Teaching these talented and motivated 11th and 12th grade students was my ideal job which I poured myself into every day. We started a science club at our school and students loved learning and exploring science on field experiences ranging from weekend camping trips, beach cleanups and Texas Medical Center visits. I loved seeing my inner-city students become totally engaged learning science informally often outside of the city which many of them had not ventured much.
My teaching philosophy is that every student can learn and master with understanding the chemistry or physics content we were studying. I see my role even today as not the wise dispenser of science concepts but rather a facilitator in my students learning journey to mastery. My best teaching is done when I am working one on one with my students in guided practice time or after school or Saturdays. My classroom was always open after school and my students had my cell number to ask for help whenever they got stuck at home. I usually had an average 5 to 10 students after school or on Saturdays.
As the AP Science program evolved at my school, I began to teach AP Physics B or 1 (Algebra Based) and AP Physics C Mechanics (Calculus Based). These classes were challenging for all of my students but I saw them as an opportunity to even better prepare my students for the Physics and science they would face in college. My students rose to the challenge and as my classroom and the courses moved from the traditional lecture/lab experience to more inquiry-based instruction I saw my students grow and excel in Physics. Science Fair and projects were also a big part of my teaching. After 34 years at the same high school in Houston I decided to retire to spend more quality time with Janet, the love of my life. I miss learning along with my students today and in a limited basis I see this tutoring role an opportunity to help students learn science. I love traveling with Janet and certainly enjoy our cat family which keep us occupied and sometimes rolling in laughter.