John - Maths tutor - Nairobi
John - Maths tutor - Nairobi

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John

  • Rate Rs 1,099
  • Response 1h
John - Maths tutor - Nairobi

Rs 1,099/h

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  • Maths
  • Algorithms
  • Mathematics Olympiad
  • Computer Olympiad

Princeton CS graduate and incoming Mathematics PhD teaches math, Python, algorithms, olympiad problem solving, and chess. Available online or in person around Nairobi

  • Maths
  • Algorithms
  • Mathematics Olympiad
  • Computer Olympiad

Lesson location

About John

I recently graduated from Princeton University with a degree in Computer Science, and I am preparing to start a PhD in Mathematics at Arizona State University in mid-August. Also, I went to Alliance High School and got 83/84 in KCSE.
My background is strongly mathematical. I represented Kenya at both the International Mathematical Olympiad and the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad, and I have also helped out in problem solving with students preparing for IMO and PAMO. These experiences taught me that strong problem solving is not just about knowing many facts. It is about learning how to find the heart of a problem.
This June, I have been teaching at the African Olympiad Academy in Kigali, Rwanda, where I taught abstract algebra and helped students with problem solving in preparation for IMO and PAMO this summer.
During my college years, I initially felt discouraged by material that looked difficult and by how prepared some of my peers seemed. But over time, I realized that some classes and topics that sounded advanced were not always deep at the level of the main idea, while some familiar-looking problems could be genuinely hard. This made me more confident in approaching problems by looking for their crux, rather than being intimidated by the subject name.
I also saw this idea outside my own path. People trained in one area often move successfully into another: math students into finance, physics students into software engineering, engineers into physics, and so on. I myself was admitted to PhD programs in different mathematical and technical areas, including some I was not originally very familiar with. To me, this confirmed something I had already begun to believe: problem solving is more general than the objects being studied. The objects change, but the habit of finding the key idea remains.

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About the lesson

  • Primary
  • Lower Secondary
  • O-level
  • +16

    • levels :

    Primary

    Lower Secondary

    O-level

    Upper Six

    Diploma

    Continuous Professional Development

    Master's

    Advanced Diploma

    Doctorate

    Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

    Associate Chartered Accountant

    Chartered Public Finance Accountant

    Chartered global management accountant

    Bachelor of law

    BPTC

    MBA

    Pre-primary

    Post-graduate Diploma

    National Trade Certificate

  • English

All languages in which the lesson is available :

English

My teaching is based on a simple idea: a problem should be ranked by its crux, not by the amount of jargon,notation, or background surrounding it.
An easy problem is still easy even if it comes from a subject with a frightening name like extremal combinatorics. There are easy problems in advanced areas such as Galois theory, and there are very difficult problems from familiar areas such as geometry or arithmetic. What matters is not the label of the topic or the jargon in the problem, but the real idea needed to solve the problem - its crux.
In my lessons, I help students separate the rules of the game from the game itself. The rules, definitions, and notation are important, but they are often not the deepest part. Once a student sees which parts are just setup and which part is the actual crux, the problem becomes less intimidating and more enjoyable.
This approach also helps students learn the basics better. Instead of memorizing rules blindly, they understand why the rules matter and how they are used. My goal is to train students to think clearly, identify the key idea, and become bold enough to attack unfamiliar problems.
In my lessons I usually begin by checking what the student already understands, then we work through problems together, slowly separating the ‘noise’ from the main idea. I also give practice problems when useful.
I am a Princeton Computer Science graduate and an incoming Mathematics PhD student at Arizona State University, starting this August. I represented Kenya at the International Mathematical Olympiad and the Pan African Mathematics Olympiad, and I have also helped train Kenya’s IMO and PAMO teams. I have experience teaching a summer class in mathematical communication at Princeton.
I teach mathematics, algorithms, olympiad problem solving, and chess, online or in person around Nairobi. My lessons are best for ambitious high-school students, students looking to apply to college abroad , early college students, and anyone who wants to become a stronger problem solver.

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Rates

Rate

  • Rs 1,099

Pack prices

  • 5h: Rs 5,493
  • 10h: Rs 10,985

online

  • Rs 1,099/h

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Tutor profile verified

John's email address and phone number have been validated.

levels

Primary

Lower Secondary

O-level

Upper Six

Diploma

Continuous Professional Development

Master's

Advanced Diploma

Doctorate

Association of Chartered Certified Accountants

Associate Chartered Accountant

Chartered Public Finance Accountant

Chartered global management accountant

Bachelor of law

BPTC

MBA

Pre-primary

Post-graduate Diploma

National Trade Certificate

All languages in which the lesson is available

English

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