Princeton by Djkeddie

We are a small tutoring group based in Princeton, New Jersey with offerings in mathematics, science, and test preparation. Our aim is to provide high quality tutoring services across academic disciplines by drawing upon our expertise in scientific and medical research. Following the model of apprenticeship in mathematics and science, our tutoring services are highly personal, effective, and tailored to students’ needs. Currently, we offer:

  • In-person and virtual tutoring services
  • One-on-one tutoring for middle school through undergraduate grades
  • SAT/ACT test preparation and college admissions counseling

Exact offerings are tutor dependent and are described below.

Biographical Information

Henri

Henri Schmidt is a PhD candidate in the Department of Computer Science at Princeton University. Previously, Henri received a B.S. in Mathematics and Computer Science from Tufts University. He has extensive teaching experience having served as a teaching assistant for courses in computer science for over eight semesters. Henri has also tutored students in mathematics and computer science in both professional and volunteer capacities.

Currently, Henri offers tutoring and consulting in:

  • Grade-school mathematics: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, AP Calculus, and AP Statistics
  • Undergraduate computer science and mathematics: Calculus, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis, Data Structures, etc.
  • Introduction to Programming & Data Science: Python, Java, C/C++, and R
  • Test preparation for the mathematics and science sections of the SAT/ACT
Isabella

Isabella Kopits is a second year medical student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where she was awarded a Dean’s Scholarship. She obtained her BA from Harvard University with a degree in History of Science and her Master's Degree from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Isabella has one year of tutoring experience and has previously served as the Clinical Research Coordinator at the Centers for Vulvovaginal Disorders in New York.

Currently, Isabella offers tutoring and consulting in:

  • Grade-school sciences and mathematics: AP Biology, AP Chemistry, and AP statistics
  • Test preparation for the Reading & Writing sections of the SAT and ACT
  • Pre-med counseling and medical school admissions counseling

Educational Philosophy

In the classic text on mathematical pedagogy, How to Solve It, George Pólya writes, "Mathematics, you see, is not a spectator sport." While effective learning of course includes aspects of spectatorship, e.g. in the form of lecture, we agree with Pólya that true mastery of a subject follows mainly from practice. Consequently, our services incorporate practice throughout, with the foremost goal of teaching students to trust and rely on their own reason, intuition, and abilities.

To realize the aim of practice-based learning, we first assess students' strengths and areas for growth. Once identified, we select targeted problems, questions, and concepts for practice. By assisting students in solving and reasoning through these problems, we help hone their intuition and problem-solving skills. In this way, students develop the tools necessary for effective problem-solving and self-guided learning, becoming confident individuals prepared for future challenges.