Christine

Certified Tutor

I'm a semi-retired Engineer, Project Manager and City Planner who has worked for several high-tech companies in Silicon Valley for more than 25 years. I've now reached a point in my life where I'm able to consult and work independently, which allows me to devote some of my time to tutoring.

In addition to PMP (Project Management Professional) exam preparation, I'll be tutoring math at all levels from elementary through AP Calculus and Statistics. In the future, as I lessen my consulting workload, I plan to provide assistance with ACT, SAT, GRE and GMAT exam preparation. I will update my profile as I become available for those additional services.

As for my educational background, I have a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an M.S. in Urban Planning from the University of Arizona. I'm also a certified PMP through the Project Management Institute and a Certified Quality Engineer through American Society for Quality.

Throughout my professional career, I've trained coworkers on new methods and procedures, which is how I discovered that I truly enjoy teaching. It's very rewarding to help others learn new skills they can use to succeed and improve their lives. Through my experiences, I've observed that students learn best when context and purpose are given for the subject matter, and when straightforward instruction with relatable examples are provided.

It's unfortunate that too many students suffer because unfamiliar concepts are thrown at them in an unnecessarily complicated way without any explanation as to why they are being asked to learn the information or how they'll use it in their lives. I will address that problem and work with each student to find a learning process that works best for them. Education is not "one size fits all." Everyone has different needs and ways of learning.

In that vein, I recently attended Montessori teacher training and I've been studying the Mortensen Math system. In fact, I'll soon have the Mortensen materials available for tutoring sessions. These methods and materials are not just for children; they have actually helped me understand the concepts I plan to teach in a deeper way. In short, I will use whatever methods and materials I have at my disposal to help all of my students regardless of age or circumstances.