I can help guide you through!

I spent the last year teaching calculus here at UC Davis. My primary goal in teaching was to make calculus accessible and to demystify math. I recognize that students come to this course with a wide variety of backgrounds and that many are very nervous about how difficult it might be.

Students say...:

Sofia DeMelo (from MAT 16A) - "Thank you for a great quarter. This was one of the best math classes that I've had."

Cate (from MAT16A) - "I have always struggled with, and dreaded math. I found math classes to be nothing but discouraging and a way to publicly display my incompetence. Eventually I gave up and decided that I wasn't capable of learning it. I settled on a major that only required high school algebra because I thought anything beyond that was unachievable. After transferring to UC Davis I decided I was going to switch my major to Economics and somehow make my way through the calculus courses. I figured there was a chance I'd get lucky and slip through the cracks. Never did I think I'd actually be able to comprehend calculus, or find the homework to be enjoyable and somewhat relaxing! While taking the final today I certainly struggled with some of the problems, but at the same time I couldn't help but reflect on how far I've come thanks to this class. Thank you for all the work you put into teaching this class, I truly appreciate it. Your class has left me feeling prepared and confident in my ability to succeed in 16B."

Aaron Gorelick (from MAT16A) - "John has been tutoring me for the last quarter in Calculus. He has been instrumental in my success in class and my ability to understand the fundamentals of calculus. I am visually impaired and have a learning disability - executive functioning disorder. I particularly struggle with absorbing information visually and abstractly. I’m good at doing the mechanical work like working out algebraic solutions or taking derivatives but I struggle to connect these to higher level concepts or visual information. Unlike most teachers, when John realized that I was struggling to connect concepts through the use of required materials, he went out of his way to create a tailored approach that fits my specific needs. With John’s help, I was able for the first time to connect the visual, abstract, and algebraic aspects in a way that has not only allowed me to do the mechanical work but also to comprehend the underlying meaning and tie everything together."

Sierra Winter (from MAT 16C) - "I found Professor Mahoney’s office hours very helpful. We would go over many practice problems which benefited me greatly. He was able to clarify concepts for me and was willing to explain steps in multiple different ways if I did not understand a certain way. I have always struggled with math and what I liked about Professor Mahoney was that I did not feel judged for needing extra help. Professor Mahoney is very knowledgeable in calculus and the extra help I received from him in office hours was the reason I was able to pass my class.""

What qualifies me to teach calculus?

• I was a math and physics double major in college, and then went to UCD for my PhD in Physics.
• I spent a few years researching various mysteries: the behavior of burning fluids, and the weird world of quantum computers.
• Finally, I spent the last year teaching calculus (16 and 17) here at UCD.

What makes me a really good instructor?

• I value listening. I believe that effective learning comes about through dialog. The first step in that dialog is me listening to you!
• I am a calm and clear communicator. I will explain things to you in plain English.
• I emphasize understanding the basics through pictures.
• We will go step-by-step through every detail until you get what you need.

Rates

My base rate for one-on-one guidance is $60 / hour.

I work with small groups at a discounted rate.

• 2 students : $45/hour each
• 3 students : $35/hour each
• 4 students : $30/hour each

Contact me:

Email: jrmahoney ucdavis edu

Please use the subject line "calculus tutoring".