Math University Tutoring
Ida McKenna Phillips
Certified Teacher & Tutor
"Pure mathematics is, in its way,
the poetry of reason."
- Albert Einstein
Throughout my own education, I found that I was fluent in the logical language of math. It is now my joy and privilege to help others decode the mysteries of math and understand its beauty. My style of tutoring is very relaxed, and although my focus is always to help my students understand the material, I make sure they also have fun in the process. Doing math for an hour or more might usually seem like a chore, but my students always end their session smiling, feeling confident, and with a sense of accomplishment!
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Want to learn more about me and the ideas behind my teaching strategies? See below!
PHILOSOPHY
/ GROWTH MINDSET IN MATH
01
We've all heard it and some of us have probably even said it ourselves- "I'm not good at math." It's a common sentiment that math is an inherent skill which you either have or you don't. However, just as with any skill, time and hard work can improve performance even without a natural affinity for math. If a student does not like math or has a hard time understanding math concepts, they can still be successful as long as they are willing to put in the effort to get better.
/ PERCEPTION & EXPECTATION
02
There is a documented phenomenon called 'math anxiety' which causes a paralyzing sense of frustration and/or confusion when presented with a math problem. This, rather than lack of ability or intelligence, is what hinders most students from succeeding in math, especially advanced secondary and college-level subjects. My goal is to break the paralysis and present even the most complex mathematical concepts in the simple terms. By doing so, my hope is that not only will my students understand the necessary processes to solve problems, but they will also gain the confidence to banish their own fear of failure and achieve success.
03
/ INDEPENDENT THINKING
The traditional model of teaching considers the instructor as the source of knowledge and students as vessels to be filled with this knowledge. On the contrary, I hope to facilitate learning by illiciting students' prior knowledge and helping them make connections to new concepts. This ensures that students take ownership of the material and truly understand each idea. Throughout our sessions, we constantly build on this network of knowledge.
BACKGROUND
01
/ PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Although I have always had an affinity for math, my original chosen career path was in the arts. I attended the University of Central Florida and received my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Emerging Media with a concentration in Character Animation. The last two years of my degree were spent working on an animated short film called Celestial. My creativity and artistic ways of thinking help me breathe new life into mathematical concepts and make learning more fun!
/ EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION
02
Despite the fact that my degree does not relate to the field of education, I have a lot of experience with the public education system. My mother has worked as support staff in schools my whole life, and I personally progressed through Florida's public school system, graduating from Suncoast Community High School in Palm Beach County. In high school, I went through both the International Baccalaureate (IB) and Advanced Placement (AP) programs. I've also worked as a certified tutor for over 15 years at the primary, secondary, and collegiate levels.
/ TEACH FOR AMERICA
03
After finishing college, my entree into teaching was through a social justice program called Teach for America. They seek to rectify the inequity in the public educational system by infusing schools with new, innovative teaching strategies. In TFA, we believe that all kids deserve a phenomenal education, despite geographical location, socioeconomic status, ethnicity or social standing. I joined TFA because I believe that education is the key to social mobility, and the vast disparity in the quality of public education hinders this inherently American ideal. I hope to help my students navigate the treacherous waters of our country's educational system and pursue their individual goals, whatever they may be.