Derek
Certified Tutor

9+ years of tutoring

Derek

Current Undergrad, Applied Physics Columbia University in the City of New York
  • I believe learning is the key to success.
  • The perplexing hurdle that prevents learning is not knowing how to learn.

About Me

No matter the goals that define what one determines success to be, one must be able to live a life of continuous learning in order to stay intellectually sharp and keep up to pace with a changing future. Contrary to intuitive thought, learning must be learned. Memorization of material without truly understanding concepts is not learning rather, it is a dangerous road that leads to falsehood of knowledge. My goal as a teacher of any subject is to assist the student to come to their own conclusions through the analysis and use of underlying concepts. The independent determination of concepts marks the skill of learning. It must be known that this is not an easy thing to accomplish and struggling is inevitable; however, persistence through the struggle results in moments of glorifying clarity. As a teacher, my job is to provide the tools necessary to succeed in this way. As a result, I use an approach of teaching in which the use of visual aids and examples allow the student to relate any subject to their personal goals. I believe this approach keeps the student motivated throughout the process of learning. I promise to do my best to teach a student how to teach themselves, think independently, think critically, and become successful as a result.

Hobbies & Interests

Reading, Video Games, Skateboarding, Socializing, Going to Hockey Games

Education

Current Undergrad, Applied Physics - Columbia University in the City of New York

Q&A with Derek

Memorizing equations and answers without truly understanding concepts does nothing but stunt success. Knowing something simply is not enough - one must also be able to think abstractly and critically. My approach to teaching emphasizes critical thinking in order to prepare a student for work, research, and the future in general.
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