Tom Leong
As a member of the OSSS, I hope to improve the overall college readiness of our students, advance their academic performance, and instill into them a love of learning. Our goal is to provide individualized, high-quality tutoring in all subjects that complements and supports their education in the classroom. Along with the Learning Enrichment Specialist, I oversee the day-to-day operations of our tutoring program. We participate in the recruitment, training, and supervision of more than 200 tutors every semester who satisfy the more than 2500 tutoring requests received every year.
As the math specialist, I also tutor and teach mathematics. Mathematics can be taught to all students. I wish to do just that all the while assuaging any anxiety students may have, creating an environment that encourages student learning, and conveying the beauty and simplicity of mathematics. In working with students, I have two objectives — one, students should develop a conceptual understanding of the ideas forming the basis of the mathematics they are learning, and, two, students should develop the rote algorithmic skills to carry out the calculations necessary to do the mathematics. Furthermore, students must know the conceptual understanding should take precedence over the rote algorithmic skills, and vice versa.
Outside of work, I like to do math, in particular, I study combinatorial geometry and geometric combinatorics. I love trying to solve math problems that I cannot solve. Outside of math, I enjoy struggling with the Indy and the Grauniad while crankbait trout-fishing with 6-lb test from a sit-on-top kayak floating on Tobyhanna Lake along with Moka, my mame shiba inu, while listening to John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman call the Yankees game on the radio.
Center for Teaching Excellence
Contact Us:
- The Center for Teaching Excellence
- 800 Linden Street
- Scranton, PA 18510
- The University of Scranton
- Phone: 570.941.4038