Tutoring Policies for JC-PD LLC Online Math, Physics, and Computer Science Tutoring

Affordable Online Tutoring in Computer Programming, Physics, and Math by a Physics PhD + postdoc / Math BS

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JC-PD LLC Tutoring Philosophy, Approach, and Policies

On this web page, JC-PD LLC tutoring philosphy, approach, and policies are discussed. In summary, active learning is preferred, and problem solving is an important focus. This is true for math, physics and computer science tutoring. Rates are provided below. Sessions are always online using my zoom. No free introductory lessons or trials are provided. You will be treated well at JC-PD LLC.

Tutor's Professional Background:

As an adjunct professor, I taught statistics (intro), physical science, and college physics. I am a former teaching assistant or teaching fellow in physics during 5 years in graduate school.

I am a former part-time software engineering consultant using C++ for a US industry in PA (2019). Also, in industry, I have 6 years of experience as a programmer/software engineer. I have 12 years of programming experience in my scientific research at Wash U School of Medicine in St. Louis. Through my dissertation and postdoc, I have 5 years of FORTRAN programming experience. At Wash U School of Medicine, I have 8 years of part-time UNIX system administrator experience.

The programming languages C, C++, FORTRAN, and Java; the operating systems UNIX, Linux, and Windows; and the shell scripting languages bash, csh, and sh are my computer specialties.

Based on 40hrs/week of only programming, I have about 6.5 years of experience with C, 4 years of experience with C++, 2 years of experience with Java, and 1 year of experience with python (primarily tutoring). I have several years of experience with shell scripting. I have coded GUI’s in MFC/C++, JavaFX and Java Swing. I do not tutor data science, except for a relatively easy first course. In total, I have been programming for about 30 years.

I have a past total of about 4 years of part-time tutoring experience in St. Louis, MO for a private company and, in Edwardsville, IL for SIUE. I have additionally about 1.5 years of part-time and periodically full-time experience (2016 - 2017) with online or primarily online tutoring employers. I began this tutoring business in June, 2017, which has been a full-time job. Since November of 2017, I have had more than 2100 sessions with 224 students (as of Dec 2022). Many sessions lasted 2 hours or more. Some students have had many sessions. A few students have been with me for years.

Tutoring Students

I work with students online. I will offer classes online, where students can connect from different locations, and they may share the burden of my default rate. The default rate becomes $40 + $10 for each additional student. E.g., 4 students would each pay 1/4 of $40 plus $30. The maximum number of students online is decided by the students themselves for online subject tutoring. Twenty students are the preferred maximum for an online class. With My Zoom, 100 students can join an online class in real time. (Students must come together on their own and request a class).

JC-PD LLC Tutoring Approach

I practice patience and a perfectly positive attitude toward my students, striving to not judge others.

In sessions, concepts are explained clearly if there is a need. Otherwise, practice is the focus. Active learning is best in any subject. Material and concepts are presented after a relevant practical problem is chosen. Then the required knowledge and problem solving approach and methods are presented. Teaching strategy in test taking is beneficial to many students. Teaching error-free programming techniques is valuable in CS. The approach to physics and math problems should also be an error-free one. In all technical subjects, problem solving should be accomplished in small steps, checking the consequences of each before proceeding.

I want to help students learn problematic material. Beating fear of success is possible through sustained small successes. The only real teaching/tutoring goal is to teach a student everything the teacher/tutor knows so that the teacher/tutor is no longer necessary.

Some students may desire that their homework is completed outside of tutoring sessions. That is possible for the usual hourly rate, but it is not encouraged.

JC-PD LLC Tutoring Philosophy

Learning technical subjects requires problem solving, and learning programming languages requires specifically programming practice. Reading programs, if done carefully, is helpful, but there is no substitute for programming. Just like in mathematics and physics, one must read and actively practice (program) to master the subject. With sufficient programming practice, there is no need to do rote memorization of code idioms -- such things will come naturally. Programming is problem solving, and it is more similar to problem solving in math than in physics, I think. Learning programming is ideally like learning to play a musical instrument. Learning math and physics also require significant practice to by-pass rote memorization, develop speed in problem solving, and develop intuition.

Debugging code without a debugger is also a powerful programming language teaching device, as one of my students noted. I usually do not use a debugger. With proper programming strategies, a debugger is usually not required.

Getting code from the internet is not a preferred approach to programming. It is dangerous to your academic career, and it is not helpful in the long run if it is not significantly modified and understood. I rarely use code from the internet, and I almost always write completely original code to solve a problem. Any code developed jointly during a session should be completely assimilated by the student. It is essential to be able to easily read code in the language at hand.

JC-PD LLC Tutoring Policies

Hourly Rate: $40 for Students; $65 for businesses. In exceptional cases, where I agree to tutor a difficult course with which I am not familiar, I also charge for preparation time at the relevant rate. The amount of time for preparation can be negotiated, and it must be agreed upon with the customer prior to any lessons.

Rate Details:

No call - no show - hourly rate is charged.

Minimum cancellation notice: 5 hours

Late Payments: A collection agency may be used at 90 days.

Tutor's lessons: Online only, by appointment only. No cost-free, first-hour lessons, demonstrations, or trials are provided. Cost-free tutoring by email outside of meetings is not provided. Please try to schedule lessons at least 24 hours in advance. No test/quiz taking or test/quiz assistance, please.

Lessons are usually 1 hour. Live tutoring is charged based on 5-minute increments. Lessons can be shorter or longer than 1 hour.

Payment: (ordered preferrences) (1) BOA Zelle if you have a BOA account (2) Paypal or Venmo (3) check (4) Email invoice – major credit cards or debit cards accepted and ACH.

Closed: Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Easter.