KEVIN

Kevin was the 2003 Teacher of the Year at North Salinas High School, where he taught biology, chemistry, and life science.  While in California, he also worked as a professional tutor, helping students there with math, chemistry, and SAT prep.  He is currently a marine biologist with the Washington state Department of Ecology, supervising the cleanup of toxic sites in and around Puget Sound.  In his spare time, Kevin builds and rides custom bicycles and takes his sailboat out on the Sound.  He has traveled around the world twice, returning with a particular fondness for Scotland and Nova Scotia.  Kevin appreciates getting to tutor one-to-one because it allows him to ensure he knows if he is being effective.  Of his work tutoring math, he says, “Math is a language with its own rules and grammar.  It is hard if you’ve never learned to speak this language.  Let’s start with a few simple words–baby steps.”  Kevin looks forward both to continuing to be a math and science educator and to navigating his way across the ocean by the stars.

Subjects: Math, Stats, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Study Skills

Test Prep: PSAT, SAT I, SAT II, ACT

Students: K – Adult

Kevin’s Teaching Philosophy:

I believe the fundamental goal of teaching is to foster learning. Learning takes place in many different circumstances and contexts. Although everyone is capable of learning, a student’s desire to learn is a vital pre-condition to effectively mastering new concepts and skills.

Humans have multiple learning styles: some learn best in lecture atmospheres, some are motivated by discussion, and others absorb best when they read and reflect on what they have read. There are some that must hear in order to learn and yet others must do. The classroom setting can encourage or inhibit learning depending on the dominant learning style of each student. I am reminded of Mark Twain’s dictum, “Don’t let schooling get in the way of education.”

Accommodating different learning styles creates an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Students take many of their learning habits from the instructor. If the instructor doesn’t show interest in the subject and a passion for learning, students are less likely to put forth the effort to learn in that class.

My job, as an instructor, is to create an atmosphere that fosters learning. I am an instructor because I am passionate about guiding students through the learning process in addition to having a passion for the material I present. One of the best ways to foster learning is to demonstrate those feelings to my students. I encourage learning by creating a relaxed environment for students, stimulating conversation about concepts being presented and organizing material in a way that makes it easiest to understand. I treat subject matter as interconnected, emphasizing that everything students are learning fits together into a holistic understanding of the world, from which they develop their personal worldview.

I demonstrate that learning how to find information applies to all areas of life and I use topics and examples that are multidisciplinary. Finally, I believe that respect for my students is one of the most important things I can show – not only to encourage their openness to the material I am presenting, but also to inspire them to respect each other and all other humans.

One of the most important concepts I hope to impart to students is that learning is a process that never ends. For me, the learning process includes improving myself professionally and making an impact in my life, community and my future.