I’m Ian, a recent graduate of Mathematical Finance from the University of Waterloo. I’ve loved teaching others and helping them learn since 5 years ago, and I’ve loved math since 10 years before that. To me, math is the tool that allows people to both express the properties of the world and communicate them to others–how many, how large, how small, how long. Far from a dry blackboard with strange letters and stranger symbols, math can be just as fun as it is useful.

“I’m not a numbers person.”

No one is. Like other skills,  math ability is the result of learning and not some inherent trait.

“There’s too much to memorize.”

 Because math is taught like a dozen different concepts, when it could be presented as 4 variants of 3 ideas instead.

I believe that math can be made both easy to understand and fun to learn, which are the two guiding principles I use whenever I help students learn. Unfortunately, it gets bogged down in oversized classes, overworked teachers, and standardized curriculum. I find it strange that 30 students who all learn differently (some visually, some with hands-on examples, some with independent inquiry) are all expected to learn from the same textbook and teacher. This is why tutoring is so powerful. It gives the unique student the personalization and distinct teaching style they deserve.

Outside of math and tutoring I play the clarinet. I also enjoy cycling, swimming, playing chess, reading both non-fiction and science fiction, investing in equities, and visiting museums. Life is about learning and exploring, after all! I’ve tutored students from elementary school to high school, in math ranging from Prealgebra to Calculus.

            Looking forward to working with you!

***

• Middle School and high school math ranging from 5th-12th grade, Pre-algebra – Calc BC.
• Contest math: as an ex-USAMO qualifier, Ian can train contestants in anything from the AMC8 to the AIME.