Math

Mathematics is the purest science.  It lacks any dependence on the physical world:  it lies in perfect abstraction.  Other bodies of knowledge, of course, derive their meaning through the application of Mathematics:  one can think of Physics, Chemistry and Statistics as examples.  Math, then, is like a collection of tools, a ‘toolbox,’ if you will.  Without the physical world to apply itself to, such a collection of tools seems pretty, but somewhat feckless and uninteresting.  This is the biggest problem for students of Mathematics.  As a tutor or teacher, one hears the rhetorical question “why must I learn Math?” again and again.  In the students mind, she wishes to assert instead that she would rather not learn Math; it is useless.  The real answer, of course, is that Mathematics is useful; it just needs real-world application to make its wonders apparent.  This is the real work of the good tutor of Mathematics.

Courses I am comfortable teaching:

I also enjoy preparing gifted students for challenge and prize exams, such as the Euclid.