Hi, I’m Mike. I tutor junior high and high school students for the USA Computing Olympiad.
I’m a Caltech grad and former developer for NASA/JPL. Teaching is my true calling! I love helping students learn skills they can take with them for the rest of their lives.
What your student will get
General problem solving strategies that work in many situations, not just USACO.
Thorough knowledge of the language they’re using and past problem strategies.
A methodical debugging approach.
Who I work with
I specialize in working with younger and beginner USACO students. I can work remotely anywhere in the country or in person in the Pasadena, CA area.
My teaching philosophy
I focus on making my students better teachers to themselves so that they can feel more confident working on their own. I do this by encouraging their curiosity and powers of observation.
“Mike teaches competitive programming to my son who’s in 8th grade. He focuses on learning by discovery rather than a formulaic approach to problem solving. He leads an interactive problem-solving session with my son that challenges him to think hard about multiple approaches to solving. His coaching with Mike has enabled him to qualify for the USACO Silver level.”
— Badri, father of 8th grader
Mike is knowledgeable, responsible and a very talented teacher. He instantly knows what his student’s needs are and works patiently to elevate them. I’m seeing a difference in my son’s confidence and love for the subject.
—Wen, mother of 7th grade student
Mike often uses real world examples to find ways of relating the material to something concrete and understandable. He encourages and helps you to use problem-solving skills. As a tutee, you are an active participant in the lesson, and not just an observer/listener.
— Erica, high school junior