PrepNow Tutor - Kevin M.
Kevin is an award-winning math tutor who has experience working with high school and college-level math students. In 2022, he graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a BS in applied mathematics; later, he earned an MS in applied mathematics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), where he is currently working toward a PhD in mathematical sciences (class of 2027). In addition to tutoring, he performs research for his thesis, which focuses on using dynamical systems and machine learning methods to investigate neural networks.
Kevin first started tutoring while he was a senior in high school, mostly working with the children of family friends who were struggling with geometry and algebra. This led to tutoring more students for AP exams and courses like Calculus AB, Calculus BC, and computer science. In the summer of 2022, Kevin worked as a teaching assistant at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, where he focused on Game Theory and Microeconomics courses at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island. He also spent three years as a teaching assistant at WPI, where he taught calculus, discrete math, linear algebra, combinatorics, graph theory, and differential equations.
"My proudest moment as a tutor was when one of my students told me that they were starting to enjoy math," Kevin shares. "They had always hated math throughout all of their schooling, but now that it was not giving them as much trouble, they were starting to see the applications and beauty behind the numbers and calculations." Kevin received the Teaching Assistant of the Year award from the WPI math department.
Regarding his approach, Kevin generally follows the EDGE method, which he was taught as a Boy Scout. EDGE, which stands for "Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable," works in stages: first, Kevin talks through the problem to ensure he and the student are on the same page; next, he demonstrates solving a canonical problem; then, Kevin uses guiding questions as the student attempts the problem; finally, he allows students to do problems entirely on their own with no input. "My philosophy of teaching is that I want the student to figure out the answers on their own," shares Kevin. "If they aren't sure of how to solve a problem, I will always start by asking to see their notes from class or a previous problem they have done, and then I have them explain that to me so that I can see exactly which part of the problem is causing an issue."
During high school, Kevin was in Boy Scouts, "It's Academic" (a student quiz show), and Model UN. He was also on the swim and robotics teams. In college, he was in a fraternity, played Dungeons and Dragons, and was a member of the College Democrats organization.
Outside of work, Kevin enjoys cooking, bowling, camping, and playing video games as well as Dungeons and Dragons. He's also fond of running 5K marathons and reading history, fantasy, and theology with his ever-regal cats, Sir Galahad and Sir Bedivere.
