Frustrated by Fractions?
Anxious about Algebra?
Paralyzed by Proofs?
Terrified of Trig?
Clueless about Calculus?
Stressed about Tests?
Don't Worry. I Can Help.
It pains me when I hear people say, "I can't do math." With the right teaching, a supportive environment, and the desire to succeed, everyone can do math. Better, everyone can understand why math works, not just memorize its procedures.
My mission is to raise my students' mathematical confidence so that they continue to take higher mathematics courses in high school and beyond. Success in such courses opens career possibilities in finance, economics, medicine, science, and many other exciting fields.
I am particularly passionate about helping girls feel more successful in math. If your daughter thinks that girls cannot do math, I would love to work with her and serve as a powerful female role model.
A San Francisco Native Who Knows Our Schools
I was born and raised in San Francisco. I attended Convent of the Sacred Heart, Presidio Hill School, A.P. Giannini Middle School, and St. Ignatius College Preparatory. I have six years of middle and high school classroom teaching experience in Bay Area schools, including at the Urban School of San Francisco and The Hamlin School. I have been tutoring math since 2011, so I know many schools in the area, and am familiar with their math programs. If your child attends Hamlin, Urban, or the Bay School of San Francisco, I already have the necessary permission on file to meet them on campus.
Please see my résumé for a full list of the schools I've worked with and the classes I've helped support in the eight years since my business launched in 2011.
An Accomplished Scholar
I graduated from St. Ignatius College Preparatory among the top in my class. I was a National AP Scholar and earned top scores on standardized college entrance exams.
- SAT Verbal: 750
- SAT Math: 800 (top score possible)
- SAT Subject Test Math Level 1: 770
- SAT Subject Test Math Level 2: 790
- AP Calculus: 5 (top score possible)
I graduated Magna Cum Laude from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in Mathematics and a secondary school mathematics teaching credential. I earned the ETS Recognition of Excellence for scoring among the top 15% of teaching candidates who took the PRAXIS II Math Content Knowledge exam. I also earned the top possible score on the PRAXIS Math Proofs, Models, and Problems exam.
An Experienced Teacher and Tutor
In addition to my six years of classroom teaching experience, I also have specific expertise as a standardized test prep tutor. This means that I can teach crucial strategies for success on multiple choice exams, as well as the mathematics content. When the SAT changed its format in 2016, I sat for the new exam so that I could see first-hand what changes my students should expect. Since then, I have had two students earn 790 on the math SAT.
Though I primarily work with middle and high school students, I have worked with students from second grade through GRE prep, helping them improve their confidence and competence with mathematics, and helping them find joy in this subject that I love.
Academic Classes
- Middle School Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Algebra 1
- Geometry
- Algebra 2
- Integrated Math 1/Math 2/Math 3
- Trigonometry/Pre-Calculus/Functions
- Probability and Statistics (AP and not)
- Calculus (AP and not)
I Know How it Feels to be Frustrated
When I was in middle school I was not adequately challenged by the math curriculum, bored after years of repetitive instruction on a narrow list of topics. I found the enrichment I needed through Stanford's Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY), where I was able to learn at my own pace, completing Algebra, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus in a period of 16 months. Sometimes teaching myself from the textbook worked fine, but other times I found such isolated study very frustrating. Though EPGY provided me with a tutor whom I could contact by phone or email, I needed someone I could talk to in-person, someone who could explain concepts in a way that a teen could relate to. I relied on my strong memory to retain formulas instead of truly understanding the patterns and relationships behind the concepts.
I have since come to understand that different students learn in different ways, though most textbooks only teach a concept one way. My own understanding of math became much deeper when I learned how to teach it, how to draw connections between branches of mathematics, and how to make abstract ideas accessible through visual and concrete models. My students love my random mnemonic devices, songs, and other strategies for memorizing key concepts.
I know how it feels to be frustrated by math, both when it is too boring and when it is too challenging. With over fifteen years of teaching and tutoring experience, I have learned many strategies for easing this frustration.
I Love What I Do
Tutoring allows me to get to know each student as an individual, and to watch that student grow over time. I find it incredibly rewarding that families value our work together and so keep me on as a mentor to their children for many years. I've had several students from seventh grade through high school, and it is a joy to watch them progress from trouble with fractions and integers through success in AP Calculus!
Why You Should Work With Me
What sets me apart is that I have a knack for explaining complicated ideas to others. I use pictures, hands-on models, dynamic computer simulations, a 3D pen, games, graphs, variable equations, and numerical examples to explain concepts in a variety of ways. I also have a variety of songs and other mnemonic devices at the ready to help students memorize key rules and formulas. I will customize lessons to suit the student's learning style. I enjoy puzzling through challenges and love the satisfaction that comes with solving a tough problem. In short, I love studying mathematics, as I am in awe of its beauty, order, and logic. I love sharing this enthusiasm with my students, and nothing makes me happier than when a student tells me they finally "get it!" I strive to ensure my students know why math works the way it does, not just memorize routines to follow.
A lifelong learner myself, I continue to grow by attending the California Mathematics Council South Conference where I've been an attendee as well as a presenter. I took the new SAT when it was released in 2016, I taught myself to code programs for the Ti-84 calculator, and I took an online AP Statistics course to round out my own preparation.
In my free time, I enjoy making art out of math through my knitting. I also enjoy teaching knitting classes at local yarn shops.
Enrichment
I discovered my talent for mathematics at a young age so I know first hand how frustrating it can be to be bored in math class. That is why I also offer math enrichment for gifted students who are eager to spread their wings and soar to new heights.
Perhaps you want to qualify for a Johns Hopkins CTY summer program and need to take the SAT. Perhaps you want a leg-up at the next MathCounts competition. Maybe you would like to move up to the honors track at your school and want to work over the summer to catch up. Whatever the reason, I look forward to studying fun and challenging mathematics with you.