PrepNow Tutor - James M.
James’s career as a physicist and teacher has been largely influenced by his educational path. He first earned a BA in Echols Interdisciplinary (a student-defined and exploratory major in which James focused on drama and psychology) from the University of Virginia. The skills he learned in this degree helped James to become an excellent communicator and facilitator. James also earned a BA in physics with a minor in math from the University of Virginia and, later, a PhD in engineering physics from the University of Virginia. These technical degrees helped launch James into a rewarding career as an applied physicist, where James has worked in product design and as a project management leader.
His teaching experience began in 2004 when James worked as a teaching assistant in University of Virginia physics and engineering labs. He enjoyed working with and mentoring students, so in 2006, he began his first of six years teaching SAT and MCAT physics courses for a well-known test-prep company. Just a year later, James began teaching physics courses for Thomas Nelson Community College. In addition to all this academic teaching experience, James’s work as a physicist has necessitated that he develop training programs and directly teach methods to hundreds of fellow physicists and engineers.
James is passionate about teaching, and his teaching philosophy is based upon empowering his students with skills that will allow them to do things even he cannot imagine. He says, “I believe no one is inherently bad at any subject—only that they need to find their own best way forward. I, therefore, help students find their core pathways before helping them fill in the world around those pathways.” James firmly believes that if he is successful, students will continue to grow and develop. He has seen this happen, in fact. He says, “One of my proudest achievements is when I successfully teach and mentor others such that I am able to step aside and allow them to lead.”
As one might expect, given his undergraduate degree in Echols Interdisciplinary, James was quite involved in drama in high school and college. In fact, he went as far as to study clowning in college. James also enjoys seeing others perform, enjoying live concerts, particularly those from bands in indie rock, synth pop, and hyper pop. Finally, as a reward for himself after a tough day at work, James keeps a cabinet entirely dedicated to treats, including snack cakes, candy, cookies, and chips—practically everything except items containing coconut.
