PrepNow Tutor - Tom H.
Veteran teacher Tom loves puzzles and problem-solving, whether it’s a crossword at the breakfast table or training for a long-distance trail run in the woods. He attended North Carolina State University where he earned bachelor degrees in both science education and chemistry. Tom also earned a master's in science education from NCSU.
Tom started teaching as soon as he’d finished his undergrad program. Shortly after, he took a sabbatical to join the Peace Corps. He served for two years in what was then the Kingdom of Nepal, teaching science education and training teachers for the ministry of education. Upon his return stateside in 1998, Tom went back to work in schools in North Carolina and Virginia as well as at local colleges. He taught in physical classrooms for twenty years before moving to online teaching at the onset of the pandemic.
Tom says he prefers to be “a guide on the side rather than a sage on the stage.” That is, instead of lecturing at his students, he provides the means to discover knowledge. This is done by “presenting relationships and directing students toward connecting concepts via lab activities, simulations, and problem solving.”
“I love helping students bridge from where they are to where they want to be and empowering them to complete the path independently,” Tom explains. As a science educator, Tom wants his students “to understand how systems work, not simply get an answer right on a prompt.” He knows that at some point in their future, they will encounter problems that don’t have a true answer. “They’ll need to be able to account for the factors they can observe and use that information to inform their decision making to address the problem to the best of their ability,” he says. A key tool in that process will be a “strong background in scientific reasoning that incorporates both logical relationships and mathematical accounting.”
Both physically and intellectually, Tom is an avid explorer. “There’s always something new to learn around the corner and I’m eager to see what it is,” he says. Outside of the classroom, this means he runs or cycles a few dozen miles a week. He lets the season and the weather determine if that path is on a road or a trail. He is proud that he’s able to share hikes and various trail-side adventures with his partner and children.
