Background check

Teaches online

Teaches Elementary, Middle School, High School, College

Age: 12+

Speaks English, Japanese

Teaching since 2014

Ph.D. Candidate, Bioengineering and Computational Biology D.E.

Student Favorite
2 Repeated Students

Learn Algebra 2 from a Berkeley PhD candidate and AI engineer

I view algebra like a game: there are simple rules that govern what you can do, and if you know and understand the rules, the game is a whole lot easier. If algebra seems to be a struggle for a student, I can help them identify the basic concepts (i.e. rules) on which they need to strengthen their understanding. Algebra is an essential tool I use to solve a myriad of problems every day as an engineer, and so I am intimately familiar with its many different topics, and perhaps because I understand its value, I genuinely enjoy teaching algebra to others. I remember what it was like to personally struggle with algebra, and I know the most common pitfalls which make it seem more difficult than it actually is. Because of this experience, I am quite adept on picking up on my students' weak points, and helping them clear up fuzzy understandings of the rules of algebra. I started teaching algebra six years ago when I first started teaching it to myself. Since that time, algebra has been the subject I have tutored the most, and I believe I have become quite good at helping students master concepts that were once most challenging for them. My goal is to help my students not only raise their algebra grades to all As, but more importantly, to help them establish a rock-solid base in algebra on which to build higher math skills. I do this by: 1. Providing each algebra student with a thorough, in-depth review of the basic concepts in which they have not yet mastered 2. Demonstrating central problem-solving techniques that are essential for all levels of math (and science) 3. Providing them with practice problems to do in between our sessions so that they have the opportunity to solidify the information and skills they learn. There are amazing careers waiting for those who are educated in higher mathematics, and everyone should have the opportunity to pursue them. It all begins with a solid foundation in algebra.

Instructor details

Subject

Location:

Teaches Online

Teaching Hours

Monday

9 AM-11 AM

12:45 PM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Tuesday

9 AM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Wednesday

9 AM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Thursday

9 AM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Friday

9 AM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Saturday

9 AM-6 PM

7 PM-9:30 PM

Times are shown in your local timezone (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)

Pricing

30 minutes

$45

45 minutes

$68

60 minutes

$90

About Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Hello there! My name is Colin, and I have nine years of experience tutoring math and science. I am a PhD candidate in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco joint bioengineering program. My strong background in STEM qualifies me to tutor math and science up through lower-division college courses. Aside from my academic qualifications, I believe that it is my genuine passion for math and science that makes me an effective tutor for students of all learning styles. As a tutor, my goal is not to impress students with how much I know. Rather, my goal is to show my students how easily math and science concepts can come to them when they are presented the material in a straightforward way. The late physicist, Richard Feynman, posited that the ability to explain complicated ideas in a simple manner is the true mark of understanding. I agree with this assertion, and I make it my goal each tutoring session to explain even the most complex phenomena in a simple way, so that my student will come away from the lesson with confidence that they grasped the information. Additionally, I emphasize a strong understanding of the fundamentals because both math and science are heavily inductive disciplines; many of the theorems and laws are founded on other, more fundamental principles. I have personally experienced the discouragement of trying to learn material that is beyond my level of preparedness, and so I can empathize with students who are in that boat. Fortunately, I have learned that the remedy is always a return to, and a strengthening of, the basics. That is the approach I take with students who find themselves struggling in a course. My online teaching platform is a “black board” drawing program that my students can follow along with as I explain concepts and solve problems. I simply share my screen with them during the session and at the end I take a screenshot of the notes and email it to my students for their reference. I hope this brief explanation of my qualifications and teaching style has provided a clear image of what you can expect from me as your tutor. I am eager to hear from you and help you succeed in your academic goals!

Colin Videos

Watch free videos from your favorite instructors, on-demand, anytime

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

SAT Math: When to use the Polynomial Remainder Theorem

Middle School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Calculus II/Calculus BC - Integration by Parts: How to Recognize When it's Really a U-Sub

Middle School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Quadratic Equations - Completing the square: Solving for the roots

Elementary

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Quadratic Equations - Completing the square: a more complicated example

Elementary

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Quadratic Equations - Completing the square: a simple example

Elementary

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Calculus II/Calculus BC - Integration by Parts: Another Wrap-around Example

Middle School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

How to solve: Solids of Revolution - Disk Method

High School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Principle Component Analysis by Hand

College

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Integration by Parts: Definite Integral Example

High School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

The Tabular Method for Integration by Parts

High School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Introduction to Integration by Parts

High School

Colin S.

4.9

(112)

Properties of logarithms

High School

ReviewsWrite a review

96%

4.9

112 Reviews

Melita

Online

I have been working with Colin for the past two semesters as a sophomore in college. He has helped me with both my 1st and 2nd physics courses, both of which I have received an 'A' letter grade in. Colin is super helpful at answering any questions you might have and if you are struggling with understanding a concept he will try to find new and helpful descriptions until you are able to understand it! There were several times throughout this past year that I was struggling with a specific homework problem or concept and he would go over our lesson time or send me an in-depth video recording of him answering my question/explaining an example to help me succeed. I'm forever grateful!

Posted Apr 18, 2024

Vivek

Teacher's studio

Extremely happy with Colin as he helped our son for his test-out. He has a clear understanding of the subject matter and a very effective way of explaining it. We will continue using his expertise for duration of my son's schooling and when ever he needs help. Five stars and 2 thumbs up!

Posted Jan 15, 2024

Danna

Student's home

Colin is an amazing teacher that helps you understand the most confusing equations, lessons, homework, and labs! He can easily connect with you with many resources that will help benefit you outside of lessons, and dives into problems with deep analysis to help you better understand it.

Posted Jan 14, 2024

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Experience

Math and Science Tutor

Jan, 2014 - Present

Independent

I have been tutoring math and science subjects through online platforms since 2014, and have provided over a thousand hours of tutoring to students of all ages and educational levels.

Graduate Student Instructor

Jan, 2023 - Jun, 2023

University of California, Berkeley

I was a GSI for BIOENG 115 Tissue Engineering Lab: This class provides a conceptual and practical understanding of cell and tissue bioengineering that is vital for careers in medicine, biotechnology, and bioengineering. Students are introduced to cell biology laboratory techniques, including immunofluorescence, quantitative image analysis, protein quantification, protein expression, gene expression, and cell culture.

Graduate Student Instructor

Aug, 2022 - Dec, 2022

University of California, Berkeley

I was a GSI for BIOENG 131 Introduction to Computational Molecular and Cell Biology: This class teaches basic bioinformatics and computational biology, with an emphasis on alignment, phylogeny, and ontologies. Supporting foundational topics are also reviewed with an emphasis on bioinformatics topics, including basic molecular biology, probability theory, and information theory. I helped students with coding in Python for homework assignments, as well as answer general questions about course topics.

Essay Writing Tutor

Aug, 2014 - Dec, 2014

San Diego Miramar College's The PLACe

At the PLACe I helped students in various English and humanities courses with their essay writing. Generally, students would ask me to read their drafts and I would advise them on grammar, syntax and structure.

Math Tutor

Jan, 2014 - Dec, 2015

San Diego Miramar College

I was a tutor in the Math Lab at Miramar College. Here, I tutored pre-algebra through multi-variable calculus.

Education

B.S. in Biomedical Engineering

Aug, 2015 - Dec, 2017

University of California, Berkeley

Ph.D. Candidate, Bioengineering and Computational Biology D.E.

Aug, 2018

UC Berkeley-UCSF

Awards

Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship

May, 2015

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Stem Cell Engineering Pre-doctoral Fellowship

Jul, 2019

NIH/Berkeley Stem Cell Center

Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholarship

Jan, 2018

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Jack Kent Cooke Summer Internship Stipend

Jun, 2017

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Affiliations

Phi Theta Kappa

Mar, 2014

The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa shall be to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. To achieve this purpose, Phi Theta Kappa shall provide opportunity for the development of leadership and service, for an intellectual climate for exchange of ideas and ideals, for lively fellowship for scholars, and for stimulation of interest in continuing academic excellence.