PrepNow Tutor - Brandon N.
Experienced teacher Brandon loves mathematics and science as well as any sport involving a racquet. He attended University of Houston for both his bachelor’s in pre-pharmacy as well as his teaching certification. Brandon earned a doctor of pharmacy degree at Texas A&M Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy. After graduation, Brandon worked as a pharmacy intern before turning his focus to teaching. He has taught algebra 1 and 2 at the high school level. He also served as an esports coach focusing on “Super Smash Brothers,” “Apex Legends,” and “Fortnite.”
When he was younger, Brandon attended a Vietnamese school on Sundays. In 2008, he started working as a teaching assistant. He enjoyed it so much that he also tutored chemistry while he was a member of the American Chemical Society in college. After graduate school, he served in the university tutoring center. As such, Brandon is well-versed in teaching mathematics across various skill levels. He has developed various tips and tricks to help simplify difficult math topics.
Brandon’s teaching style is laissez-faire. “I personally believe that people learn best when they learn from a mentor or sage,” he explains. After a lesson, Brandon has his students try half the material on their own before he steps in to correct misunderstandings or mistakes. Once he has course corrected, the student will complete the remainder of the assignment. He calls this a “modern take on the Socratic method.” This approach cultivates independence. Brandon says, “I try my best to embolden students so they not only take charge of their own learning but feel empowered and able to handle the task at hand.”
While Brandon loves “fostering minds” and his successes in conveying mathematical material are vast, he counts his proudest moment as the semester when he helped a student through a severe depressive phase. That student is now flourishing and periodically updates Brandon on their successes. “I actually felt like I made a positive impact on someone’s life, which is what I wanted to do as a teacher,” he explains.
Brandon is a first-generation Asian-American, with dual Canadian citizenship. He loves video games and board games. Most often he spends his time playing FPS and RPGs—usually MMORPGs. Brandon also enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy novels. As a foodie, he often cooks and bakes in addition to watching cooking and eating videos. Brandon is also a fan of both car camping and the timeless hobby of sleeping.
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