PrepNow Tutor - Todd H.
A conscientious, deliberative, and highly analytical tutor, Todd has a passion for learning new things and developing methods to improve processes or solve problems. "My greatest joy, however, is seeing the spark of recognition when someone grasps a challenging concept that has been eluding them or suddenly sees a concept from a whole new perspective," he says. Todd holds a BS in naval architecture from the United States Naval Academy, an MS in astronautical engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School, an MA in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College, and an MBA from Florida State University. He also has a Graduate Certificate in Public Financial Management from American University. While at the United States Naval Academy and the Naval War College, Todd graduated with merit and distinction. At the Naval Postgraduate School, he earned the Space Systems Engineering Award and was a member of Eta Kappa Nu for academic performance. At Florida State University, he was a member of Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi for academic performance.
Todd is a retired Nuclear Submarine Officer with over twenty-two years in the United States Navy, where he served in a variety of roles and visited many parts of the world. After retiring from the Navy, Todd was an operations manager for Amazon but ultimately left that to work as an engineer for a semiconductor manufacturer, where he continues to work full time. His time in the Navy gave him extensive practical experience working with an extensive array of technical equipment based on a broad range of physical principles. "These roles have afforded me the opportunity to employ math and physics in a practical setting on a daily basis," he says. "The routine employment of math in a practical context gives me a different perspective and a straightforward approach to problem-solving that my students find helpful."
Todd has been tutoring for over two years, primarily online, and with a focus on SAT prep. He has also tutored ACT, PSAT, SAT, physics and math level 2 subject test, AP calculus, AP physics, and the New York High School Regents Exams. In addition to the underlying concepts, Todd covers test-taking strategies to help students make the most of their time during the exam. With respect to academic subjects, he has tutored primarily physics at the high school and college levels, but also math (algebra II through calculus), engineering, and economics. "I have always enjoyed explaining things to people and I particularly love the excitement that comes when someone suddenly grasps a previously elusive concept or makes a connection that blows their mind," Todd says.
When asked about his tutoring style, Todd notes that he does not particularly enjoy lecturing but prefers ongoing dialog so he can continuously assess the effectiveness of his approach and adjust it accordingly, speeding up, slowing down, or changing direction, as necessary. As such, he tends to ask a lot of questions. "That helps keep the student engaged while facilitating my identification of the particular aspects that are giving them trouble so I can focus on those areas," Todd says. "I also prefer to use questions to lead a student to the right answer rather than just give them the answer. I believe that helps them remember it." Once the problem and its method of solution are understood, Todd supplements with tips, shortcuts, or the effect on the solution if the question is asked slightly differently.
In high school, Todd ran track in high school to support his application to the United States Naval Academy and improve his self-discipline. He has also participated on the debate team in high school and was an Eagle Scout. He enjoys reading, playing games, and watching movies. "I have visited 16 different countries, but despite living in Southern California for several years, Mexico is not one of them."
