Your Questions Answered
Who is Cleantech Tutor?
 I am a former GE power systems engineer and veteran classroom instructor, private tutor, and educational mentor with degrees in Engineering and Sociology who is convinced that our emerging "cleantech" future belongs to "solutionary" students who value and nurture multi-dimensional intelligence and who want to make a positive difference in the world. What am I talking about? A lot more than simply grades, test scores, and community service hours!
Those students who can master fundamental math and science concepts and who are prepared to act with high levels of ethics, courage, compassion, curiosity, creativity, and environmental awareness will emerge as leaders in the 21st century.
What does "cleantech" mean?
Cleantech refers to the broad range of clean(er) trends and technologies—and social values—that are emerging to address rising food, water, and energy prices; resource shortages; human health issues; income and wealth inequality; and global environmental concerns. These new-paradigm fields include renewable/distributed energy systems, recycling, green buildings, energy-efficient buildings and transportation, plug-in cars, online education, cloud computing, lateral power structures and social networking, the smart grid, bioengineering, biotechnology, nanotechnology, organic foods and nutrition, fresh water conservation/management/filtration, corporate accountability, and government transparency.
How do you define your role?
 As a tutor and mentor, I serve as an educational and motivational lifeline that keeps students from drowning in the abstract, confusing, and complex concepts that are frequently introduced in Math, Chemistry, and Physics courses. Let's face it, those of us who have ventured forth into these tricky waters know that the passage is not always blessed with fair winds and following seas! How much do you charge and what forms of payment do you accept?
Though I am a seasoned professional with deep and diverse credentials (see below), I offer very affordable tutoring/mentoring rates with discounts for regular, weekly students and for small groups:
- FREE - First "get-to-know-you" meeting with a new student
- $10/half-hour for online whiteboard tutoring using the Online Interactive Whiteboard
- $20/hour for online whiteboard tutoring using the Online Interactive Whiteboard
- $30/hour for regular, once-a-week in-person tutoring/mentoring
- $40/hour for occasional, as-needed in-person tutoring/mentoring
- $50/hour for small-group tutoring and teaching
What's the catch?
- I am selective—I only work with students interested in cleantech-related concepts and careers.
- I require pre-payment via credit card, debit card, or PayPal before I commit to a tutoring session.
- I do not provide in-home tutoring—I expect my students to meet me halfway in their efforts, including traveling to a mutually convenient location, when we meet in person. Or we can simply work online using the Online Interactive Whiteboard.
Where would we meet for in-person tutoring/mentoring?
In Boca Raton, I typically meet with students at these talk-friendly public locations:
- Barnes and Noble Cafe (University Commons across from FAU)
- Whole Foods (Glades Road across from FAU)
- Starbucks (any convenient Starbucks location)
- Panera Bread (The Shops at Boca Center on Military Trail just south of Glades Road)
- Boca Raton Public Library
How do I contact you?
- Your full name
- Your cell phone number (so that I can send you appointment reminders via text messages)
- A brief description of the courses or topics you need help with
- The days/times you will be available for tutoring
For routine communications after that, other than phone calls during online tutoring, I prefer text messages to my cell phone: 561-926-0921
What are your qualifications as a tutor and mentor?
First and foremost, like any authentic educator, I am somewhat of a professional student myself. And as a lifelong learner, I am comfortable working with students of all ages. In my formative years as an aspiring engineer, I was particularly intrigued by notoriously difficult technical subjects like Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics, Electronics, and Computer Science. But I was equally fascinated by how culture shapes our thinking and values.
After graduating from Southwest Miami Senior High School, I went on to earn an unusual mix of undergraduate degrees in Engineering Science and Mechanics (Georgia Tech — BS with Highest Honors) and, a few years later, in Sociology (BA, University of Florida), which led to a uniquely diverse range of careers and hobbies:
- Career college Internet Programming (Java) Instructor
- Corporate trainer
- Power systems engineer
- Product planner
- Internet software programmer and courseware developer
- "Dot-com" software team lead
- Independent technical writer/communicator
- Marine electrician
- Boat designer/builder/captain
- Ocean sailor
- Scuba diver
- Private pilot
- Classical/jazz guitarist
In each of these endeavors, I always naturally gravitated toward the role of teacher and mentor to others, following a few steps behind me, desiring to pursue these same interests and requiring only some new knowledge or skills, or a healthy dose of motivation and coaching.
Now while it's true that many professional educators can adequately teach the three Rs (reading, writing, and arithmetic), few have the background, interests, and life experiences to leverage the fourth, and most important "R" of them all — relevance! Having worked for large, progressive, successful corporations (GE, FPL); small Internet startups (HotOffice.com); and as an independent software instructor, I have direct experience with the wide range of possibilities available to anyone with a solid math and science education. 
Furthermore, to formally prepare for the unique challenges of teaching math and science, I acquired from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence ( ABCTE):
- Certification in Physics (June of 2009)
- Certification in Mathematics (July of 2010)
(Note: ABCTE teacher certification includes a complete background check and verification of college transcripts.)
Want more specifics? You can view my full resume here. Why did you choose Math, Chemistry, and Physics as your primary subjects?
I have three good reasons for wanting to help people with these complex subjects:
- Math skills and a basic science education are requirements for just about all of the most rewarding careers in law, medicine, technology, science, engineering, business, politics, journalism, and education.
- Learning physics, in particular, can be fascinating for its own sake, because it reveals what a truly incredible (as in "impossible-to-believe") universe (or multiverse?) we inhabit.
- Thirdly, and in my opinion most importantly, we need a technically minded and science-literate population to intelligently and creatively address, at a fundamental level, the great challenges of climate change, resource depletion, pollution, and collapsing ecosystems and the necessary transition to a cleaner, greener, sustainable energy economy.
What is your favorite quote?
Naturally, as a fan of physics (and bikes), my favorite quote comes from the famously imaginative mind of Albert Einstein:
Life is like riding a bicycle.
To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
Would we share any common interests?
I hope so. Are you into bikes, boats, books, or music?
Do you a have problem with spelling?
No, I do not. I know that "Phacts" (as in my "Physics Phacts" page on this site) should be spelled F-a-c-t-s. I'm no phool! |
