Experienced math tutor and future educator who loves working with students in classes up through calculus, middle school through college.

Find out more about Tawny

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I have always excelled in mathematics, but I began to discover my love for the subject in my sixth grade Pre-AP math class. My teacher made the class and material so engaging and filled the year with projects and fun memorization tricks, many of which I still use and may implement in my tutoring sessions from time to time! I began tutoring in eighth grade when I was in Algebra 1 and continued throughout high school, tutoring via Mu Alpha Theta and helping others in my class. I decided I wanted to continue tutoring and began professionally tutoring in 2019.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I am a mathematics tutor, and I love STEM. My focus is on math, but I will occasionally add on an additional subject with an existing client on a case by case basis. Calculus is my favorite, but I also love algebra. I currently offer tutoring for pre-algebra and up, as well as test prep. Tests that I have helped students prepare for include but are not limited to the SAT, ACT, GED, and PRAXIS exams.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  The teacher that truly inspired me is Mrs. Pritchard, my sixth grade Pre-AP math teacher. She had a warm heart and a great personality. She had all of her students engaged in the material and the work, and is a big part of the reason I decided to pursue my secondary mathematics education certification. She is definitely a huge part of why I love math!

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  I think a good tutor needs to be knowledgeable, a good listener, patient, clear, consistent, open to feedback, flexible, and honest about their limitations.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  As a college student, I had to take some of my math courses online via zoom due to the pandemic. Through this experience, I have learned about many of the uses of technology that I now incorporate into my tutoring sessions. My online math courses included groupwork, in which I had to attend zoom meetings where we utilized zoom's whiteboard feature. I also learned about other resources that my students find helpful, including a free TI-84 graphing calculator app for iPhone. Although the pandemic brought us many challenges, it has also brought us valuable resources that weren't available to us before.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject?

  I hear people talk about how some people are "algebra people" and others are "geometry people." I am definitely an algebra person! Geometry definitely did not come as easy to me as algebra, and a big part of that is because of the proofs in geometry. Proofs in calculus are a completely different story though. I can do calculus proofs just fine (and I can do geometry proofs now of course) but geometry just has so many theorems that it's hard to keep up. That, coupled with other nonsense in geometry, is the main reason why I tend to tutor algebra, precalculus, calculus, etc, a lot more often than I do geometry.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  Whether we like it or not, education and students have changed so much because of the pandemic. I am passionate about the students! They are people first before anything else, and I believe that it is crucial that everyone gets the support that they need. I am pursuing my secondary mathematics teaching certification, as I want to combine by love of leadership and mentoring with my love for math!

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering this interview questions :-P)?

  I am a Superprof because I care about my students and root for them to succeed in school and in life. I am available to help or for quick check-ins between lessons, and I meet students where they are and help them feel empowered to reach their goals. Education is the foundation for the future and I am honored to be a part of making a difference in my students' lives.