My goals for this site are to have it:
– Offer helpful approaches to topics that are frequent stumbling blocks for students.
– Encourage both students and teachers to approach math conceptually as well as procedurally.
– Let folks who find math challenging at times know that they are not alone, that many people who appear to be “good at math” still experience the same challenges
– Encourage people to be patient with themselves as they seek to master new concepts and skills. Patience and perseverance are two critical attributes when seeking to master any concept or skill.
– Encourage people to ask questions (of me or others) and engage in dialog with others (either written or verbal) about quantitative topics. I often learn a great deal more about a topic by writing or talking about it than I do by just reading about it.
The background that led me to start this site includes:
– Tutoring math students in Yarmouth for 26 years
– Teaching high school students both full-time and as a substitute
– Teaching adults at community services, trade show, and organizational workshops
– Serving as Board Treasurer for Breakwater School and The White Mountain School
– Working in software development, strategic planning, product management, marketing consulting, and computer consulting
– Volunteering on the Yarmouth “Economic Development” and “Royal River Corridor Study” Committees, as a mentor for small businesses through SCORE and the Maine Center for Entrepreneurs, and as tech support for Yarmouth Cares About Neighbors (YCAN).
I received a B.Sc. in Applied Mathematics / Computer Science (Harvard 1979) and and MBA in Marketing and Finance (Univ. of Chicago 1984), speak French somewhat fluently, and play Flute as part of an English Country Dance band and an Irish Session in Brunswick.
