PrepNow Tutor - Matthew G.
Matthew has worn multiple hats in his life. He holds a BS in political science from Illinois State University, but he studied that field roughly for the same reason he has chosen professions in his life: because it interested him. Indeed, after earning his degree, he chose to take jobs in other fields because various opportunities inspired him. For example, through the years, Matthew managed a car rental branch, sold advertising, fronted a band, waited tables, taught students, tutored students, helped build a recycling plant, inspected homes for pest control services, managed a laboratory to find solutions for oil and waste-water treatment, and renovated homes. He notes, “My many job opportunities have provided me with a wealth of experience that I would never trade for a more financially secure rut.”
Currently, Matthew spends most of his time caring for his children and household. Because he has been lucky to be able to spend so much time at home with his kids, Matthew has been reminded of how much he enjoys working with young minds and imparting them with knowledge. Thus, he is returning to the tutoring career path with renewed vigor and excitement. Specifically, Matthew is adding to his many years of experience in both test prep and math tutoring; he has previously worked both in ACT and LSAT tutoring and in algebra and geometry tutoring for high school students.
Matthew’s tutoring philosophy is built upon levity and adaptation. He says, “From my experience, both personally and professionally, engagement is key to success: if a student isn't interested, they are going to have a tough time absorbing any lesson.” Once Matthew establishes a connection, he argues that he must meet students on their own terms and apply subtly different strategies that are based upon proven best practices. This combination has always yielded positive results for Matthew.
In his spare time, Matthew also enjoys experiencing as many pursuits as possible. In high school, he wrestled and performed in theater. In college, he participated in intramural football and basketball and once lost a tooth as an energetic bystander of an air-hockey match. Finally, in college and since, Matthew has fronted many 1980s-2000’s cover bands, singing and playing guitar and piano in those bands. He is actually getting into songwriting, too, so perhaps fronting a band that plays his own music will be one of Matthew’s next challenges.
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