Daniel's Approach

The main things I wish to convey to my students are the following:

• Knowledge is power
• The love of learning
• How to self-learn through technology and the Internet

We live in an amazing age when it comes to accessibility of information. What used to require a 4-year degree can now be learnt through Youtube. My goal is to guide the student to becoming self-reliant, and self-motivated.

Top Qualifications

STEM

Daniel has a Masters in Theoretical Physics (with Distinction) from Imperial College London, UK, and a PhD in Astrophysics from Oxford University, UK.

Daniel has held research positions at Oxford University, Johns Hopkins University, and currently works as a software developer within the physics department at the University of Maryland.

Humanities

Daniel also has a Masters in Jewish Studies from Oxford University, and is active within the following subjects: philosophy, theology, history, languages.

Experience

Daniel has tutored undergraduates and high-school students.

Specialty Subjects

Computers and STEM

Daniel has been fortunate to study a lot of interesting subjects at world class universities. However, the single most intellectually satisfying experience of his life so far came through a free online course explaining how a computer works (which anyone can access for free on YouTube called Nand2Tetris).

Now Daniel wants you and your kids to realize just how amazing the resources and opportunities are now for anyone to learn. Gone are the days when you need a degree to learn about computers and STEM subjects; the Internet has so much amazing content now that anyone with the time and motivation can master the skills needed for a lucrative and intellectually fulfilling career in the world of technology.

That's where Daniel comes in. If you're an absolute beginner then he'll first introduce you to using the command line and get you working towards building a personal website with simple HTML. You'll then make the website dynamic with a some PHP, and then start adding visual effects with javascript. He'll help you set up a blog, and you'll begin writing tutorials about what you've been learning as a way to reinforce the concepts, and to get you engaged in the world of 'open source' knowledge and software.

You'll then start programming simple games in javascript that you'll embed in your personal site and share to github. Along the way you'll learn how to set up and administer a server (either in the cloud or on a home machine such as a raspberry pi), and to work with databases.

While there's no end to the projects and technologies Daniel can introduce you to, his ultimate goal is to teach you how to teach yourself in order to set you on an upward spiral of curiosity => learning => more curiosity =>more learning, etc.

One of the great benefits of learning to program is that it greatly complements your math skills. Kids often wonder why they'll need algebra and trigonometry in life, and there is no clearer place to show these skills in action than in programming. (Even making a simple game like pacman involves a fair amount of algebra and trigonometry.) Daniel will use these opportunities to teach or reinforce the student's grasp of mathematics, and set you on the path to excelling at exams.

Digital Fluency

“Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you just want to pursue a career in the 21st century, knowledge of computers is an essential skill to learn.” - Stephen Hawking

No matter the subject, Daniel strongly believes that every student needs to learn it along with best computing practices. For example, all students will be encouraged to learn/practice touching typing with a free site like The Typing Club.

Whether meeting online or in person, much of the materials will be viewed on a computer. By monitoring the student's habits at the computer, Daniel will be able to advise on speed, organization and efficiency -- skills that will add up to vast amounts of saved time over the course of the student's life!

By the way, do you or your kids feel lost when it comes to computers? If you have come here in search of help in a subject other than computing, Daniel recommends that you consider also hiring him to design lessons specifically to open up your understanding and potential in this valuable and intellectually rewarding skill set.

Project Portfolios

Whatever the subject, Daniel encourages students (especially middle-school and above) to work towards projects that they can share publicly as part of a personal portfolio (primarily on github or on a personal blog).

Why projects? Completing shareable products helps 'de-abstract' the learning process. Theory often comes through doing, and working with a goal in the form of a project that you can share with others makes the learning process more interesting.

Why public? To help you stand out when applying to college or future jobs. Modern employers don't just want to know what your grades are, they want to see products that you have created yourself. (Sharing your projects publicly can also create impetus for quality, much as playing an instrument at a music recital.)

Even with subjects like English, Daniel encourages students to start a blog in order to document what they learn, and to try to convey their new knowledge to a (hypothetical) audience. This is an age-old pedagogic approach summarized by the saying "I teach in order to learn".

Safety & Review

As a parent himself, Daniel knows how important it is to find tutors that you can trust with the safety of children and teenagers at an impressionable age.

Daniel, as with all tutors in his network, are vetted for clean criminal records, and provide the option of having recordings of all meetings in order to give parents/guardians peace of mind as regards their children's well being and the competency of the instruction, as well as to enable the student to reference lessons learned. Please note though that recordings are for your usage only and are not to be made public without permission.

Parents/guardians are also given the option to set up the email/messaging account through which communications with the student will happen.