UCLA Electrical Engineering student, perfect 800 math score on the SAT, 5s in all math APs, As in Discrete Math, Multivariable Calculus

Find out more about Renuka

• When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  Math has always been one of my favorite subjects growing up, and I found myself taking extra classes over summers throughout elementary and middle school. In high school, seeking a challenge, I started taking community college classes to advance my knowledge in many subject areas including math. Along with community college classes, I advanced my learning through AP classes such as Calculus AB and BC. Through helping my friends and classmates in these classes, I found that I had a great interest in using my skills to help those who needed it. After discovering Superprof and meeting my first students, I found passion in teaching and started dedicating more time to tutoring.

• Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach a wide range of topics in mathematics from algebra, calculus, and statistics. My greatest strengths in math are definitely in trigonometry and algebra since the subjects have been drilled into me throughout high school taking college level classes. With my students. I really love to take extra time to get to know them more. Throughout my tutoring endeavors, I have been able to meet so many students from as near as my hometown to as far as across the country. I really enjoy making connections with students from places I have never been to.

• Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  My greatest role models throughout my educational journey have been my Calculus BC teacher and my AP physics teacher who taught me for three years! These teachers really showed me that I really had a passion for math and that math had applications beyond the classroom. Usually Calculus BC and AP Physics 1,2, and C would be difficult classes, but these two really showed me that the subjects could be taught in an engaging way.

• What do you think are the qualities required to be a good tutor?

  To be a good tutor, I believe that one has to be personable and adaptable to new settings since every student learns in a different way. Along with this, one really has to have passion and drive to teach. It is also important to know the topic well and understand how each student learns.

• Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  Before taking challenging math classes such as calculus, I thought these subjects were impossibly difficult and I didn't think I would be able to do well in them. After actually completing advanced math classes up through multivariable calculus, I found that these classes were not as difficult as I assumed them to be. I realize that the difficulty of math really depends on the way that it is taught as well as the way you study. I also found that many people struggle with these courses and can even be afraid of math due to they way they approach it.

• What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or are still facing in your subject?

  Because math is an ever-growing field, there is still so much to learn. Even though I have completed almost every math class in high school as well as community college, there is still so much about the subject that I have not learned. The applications of math go far beyond just learning the subject in school. However, as I continue my educational journey studying computer science, I see how the applications of the math classes I have taken over the years are essential to everyday work.

• Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  Not only do I have a passion for teaching, I also have a passion for learning with my students. I appreciate that math is such a broad field that sometimes when I tutor, I learn new techniques that I haven't heard about in my classes. Each textbook and workbook teaches math in a different way, so I am always learning with my students about new ways to approach problems.

• What makes you a Superprof (besides answering this interview questions :-P)?

  What really makes me a Superprof are my abilities and passion for teaching and the commitment I have for my students' learning and growth.