I’ve been a natural teacher my whole life in little ways. When I came to Northern Illinois University, I had made the decision to be a mathematics teacher. My first two semesters, I provided free tutoring in mathematics to people on my floor in my dorm, and saved many grades and test scores. Later, someone informed me of opportunities to work for the school in tutoring, and I took a job which I held for the remainder of my NIU career for the school tutoring services, helping students in mathematics from 100 level courses up through some graduate level courses. There were a number of tutoring labs on campus, and students would seek me out and follow me from semester to semester, learning which nights and where I worked. I was usually busy.

As my training to be a mathematics teacher progressed, I discovered that my intended vocation had much more to do with policing students than teaching mathematics, and so while I completed the full training including all classes, testing and student teaching, I left teaching and changed my degree from an emphasis in secondary education to an emphasis in actuarial science.

I passed several actuarial exams, but within a year of graduating, I found myself back to working a tutoring job again, this time at Tutoring Club of Geneva. I very much enjoyed my position there and helped out many students who felt that they were hopeless in their classes become less discouraged and end their semesters on a strong note. After three years, the Geneva Tutoring Club closed, and at the advice of other tutors that I have spoken to that I have seen working with students in libraries and bookstore cafes, I have decided to strike out and seek students independently.