"I am 69 years young, a baby boomer, a child of God saved by grace. I have an MA in history and have been reading it and enjoying it through films all my life. I have a firm grasp of math (not calculus), comparative religion, and basic American government and current events. I play guitar and keyboards well, not professionally, by ear and can impart that understanding and technique to anyone with an inborn ear for music changes and a zeal or willingness to practice.

Passing on these understandings or instructing others in areas where they need help to succeed would be a personal gratification to me and, I think, an enjoyable and rewarding experience for students of any age. I look forward to working with those who already have such interest as well as with those who would rather be out playing. Learning is fun and should be presented accordingly.

I have not seen an SAT test since I was in high school, but the facts of math have not changed. I made a 799 - highest in the class - my junior year at Culver Military Academy in 1967 (although my senior returns were less impressive.) Basic math can be taught visually, and I have the little colored stacking blocks for elementary level use. I have seen online exposes of the manner in which common core is taught. Based on my own experience, I find those methods understandable, as that is what many of us do in our heads when faced with a basic math question. However, my thinking is that those methods come naturally to those who have an aptitude, but are no substitute for the basic math techniques that we all know and which, when learned sufficiently, form a basis for the latest methods. To present averaging and rounding up and down before teaching time honored and successful math basics I find to be putting the cart before the horse and not conducive to forming a the basic skills necessary to advance in math or math-related sciences or social sciences.

History was always my favorite subject. I was drawn to history primarily by my father's interest in it" less...