PrepNow Tutor - Cameron F.
A former scientist turned educator, Cameron has taught all levels of math as well as biology, ecology, and biostatistics. His odyssey in education began during his college career at Skidmore, where he earned a bachelor's in evolutionary biology, ecology, and behavior. As an undergraduate, he began teaching and tutoring students in biostatistics, specifically how to use statistical software. He then went on to graduate school at Iowa State University, where he earned a master's in genetics and genomics. His work in graduate school focused on using bioinformatics algorithms to look at behavioral changes in bees and wasps.
Cameron's passion for teaching and tutoring was ignited at Iowa State, where he taught his first course: introductory biology. In addition to teaching and tutoring at universities, he also has experience working in-person and online at a math learning center. His duties ranged from explaining fractions to 3rd graders to instructing high schoolers in calculus. He's proud to share that at Iowa State, he received the Excellence in Teaching award for his innovative introductory biology class.
Cameron summarizes his teaching style as welcoming. "One thing many of my students said in their evaluations of me was that they always felt welcome to ask questions—and they never felt like I was judging them or looking down on them," he adds. Besides offering a supportive learning environment, he also uses metaphorical descriptions of complicated topics to facilitate comprehension. "While rote memorization can be a useful tool in learning, true comprehension comes from a deeper level of understanding the topic," he explains. He facilitates this deep understanding not only by allowing students to ask questions but also by adjusting his teaching to a student's specific interests and personality.
In graduate school, Cameron served as president of the Graduate Student Organization for the bioinformatics program, which hosted workshops, dinners, and a symposium with guest speakers. The lab he worked in also engaged in community outreach at a yearly "Pollinator Fest", which focused on educational outreach about the benefits of native pollinators and ways to keep them healthy. "In particular," Cameron clarifies, "I ran the 'Wasplove' booth, where I would discuss the ecological role paper wasps play in the environment, and why they are more than just a pest."
Cameron played hockey as a child, as well as in high school. "As a senior, I took a survival living program and learned to survive in nature," he reiterates. Cameron also worked on the school yearbook and fiction magazine. His short stories earned him the Denise Marcil Prize for Fiction from Skidmore's English Department.
Outside of teaching, Cameron loves reading fiction of all types; however, his favorite genres are fantasy and science fiction. "I also love trivia and am on the prowl for a new weekly trivia place to attend," he shares. He also enjoys cooking, gaming (particularly RPGs), and learning Mandarin.
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