Biography

I was born and raised in San Francisco, and Donaldina Cameron House, a non-profit which supports the Chinatown community, was a significant part of my childhood. My parents made sure I received the proper support in my education by enrolling me in the after-school tutoring program. Eventually, I decided to give back to that community by volunteering there as a tutor myself, working as a supervisor for their summer camp, and teaching weekly origami lessons. It’s from these experiences that I gained my passion for teaching.

I attended UC Santa Cruz, majoring in computer science game design. AP Computer Science in high school was my first introduction to programming, but my passion for creating things has always been with me since I was young, manifesting through activities such as origami and Lego. Computer science proved the perfect match for my interests. During my studies, I had the opportunity to work with a team of ten individuals to program a prototype video game called Willow Wood Refuge. 

My philosophy for tutoring is patience. Learning can sometimes be slow, and not everybody will pick things up on their first or even tenth try. It is important for me to vary my explanations and approach until my students reach an understanding of the concepts. I appreciate the 1-on-1 tutoring format as it allows me to adjust to each student without leaving other students in the class waiting or needing to move on before a student is confident. I’ve found that the main difficulty that computer science offers for many students is the abstract concepts, ways of thinking, and jargon it requires. Therefore, I prioritize building student’s confidence in these areas and developing their practical understanding of the material. It is this understanding that allows students to succeed both in their classes and on the AP exam. 

Other than tutoring, I enjoy programming projects, origami, and gaming.