PrepNow Tutor - Matthew J.
A caring and highly experienced tutor, Matt holds a bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, in mathematics from Dartmouth College and a master's degree in biostatistics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected to the Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society. For ten years, Matt worked as a research statistician for medical studies at Research Triangle Institute and Duke University. He later transitioned to being a stay-at-home father and part-time math teacher at a Montessori school.
Matt's first real experience teaching was when he was a teaching assistant at the University of North Carolina. He enjoyed it so much that it was intuitive that he'd ultimately return to education after leaving his medical research career. "I love helping a student get to the point where some new concept suddenly makes sense," Matt says. Growing up, Matt remembers several teachers who made a great difference in his life and he hopes that his students will remember him as well. "I see tutoring as a chance to make a meaningful impact on a young person's life," he says. "I think that, as a tutor, I can help students who have difficulty doing well in a traditional classroom setting by itself."
In addition to teaching middle school for nine years, Matt has been tutoring math for two decades--working with students from elementary school up to high school. For the past two years, this tutoring has included the math sections of the SAT and ACT. He also has experience teaching reading and writing to younger students, and tutoring the language arts sections of the SAT and ACT. Additionally, Matt has taught home-school students algebra 2 and AP Statistics.
"I have been described by other tutors as being very kind and patient with younger children, and I also work well with high school students, some of whom are doing very well, and others who are struggling," Matt says. "I have received many compliments from my supervisors and from students and their parents."
Matt believes that all students are capable of great improvement. He always tries to teach the "why" of the concept instead of just a formula. "I have had first hand experience as a parent of children who try hard but have difficulty succeeding, so I have a place in my heart for kids who deserve extra help. I see my role not ultimately to teach math but to instill confidence in the student so that they can become a lifelong learner of many subjects." One of Matt's favorite teaching moments is when students gain confidence in themselves.
Matt was on the tennis team in high school. He enjoys many outdoor sports, including mountain biking, soccer, basketball, kayaking, cross-country skiing, and tennis. He likes to observe the night sky with his telescope, read, watch movies, and listen to music. "I love my little chihuahua, Stella. I don't see how so much energy and happiness can fit into such a tiny body!"
