About Dr. Frank

Frank Holleman, Ph.D.
(Georgia Tech – Physics 1985)

I want to teach Physics, Calculus, and Advanced Calculus to students who really want to learn,
The student who can best benefit from my tutoring, is the student who wants to fully understand the fundamentals to be able to solve problems from first principals, instead of just memorizing a set of solutions for an upcoming test.

Build a Solid Foundation
It is important for the serious student to acquire a comprehensive understanding of Physics and Calculus which will enable them to not only get better grades, but more importantly, position themselves with a proper foundation to allow them to quickly and more fully grasp the science and engineering courses that they will encounter later on in their curriculum.

Why I Tutor Students
Eight years ago, I started teaching Physics & Calculus as an independent tutor and came to recognize that I really enjoyed it. This is how I rediscovered the fun and satisfaction experienced many years ago as a Physics graduate student tutoring undergraduate students to earn extra money at the time.

I have found that I particularly enjoy, explaining Physics & Math concepts and the associated equations so students understand their true meaning and significance, …showing them key approaches to problem solving to grow their confidence, …also, encouraging students to see them discover that they are often capable of much more than they have fully yet realized.

Education & Experience
Dr. Frank has worked in technology & research environments in academia, corporate, and self employed entrepreneurial settings over the years. In recent years, because of his love for the subject and interest in helping students, he has tutored over 4,000 hours online and in-person with mostly college students all over the country.

Dr. Frank holds a Ph.D. in Physics
Georgia Institute of Technology
(Georgia Tech).

Here’s what you should look for in a Physics & Calculus Teacher/Tutor…

Teaching Physics & Calculus should be focused on what best empowers students to learn. A quality tutor will guide the student to:

1) understanding a given Physics/Math principle conceptually (e.g., Conservation of Energy or Fundamental Theorem of Calculus) and the underlying concepts that comprise that principle,

2) understanding the associated equations that form the modeling or mathematical representation of the principle, and

3) understanding the application of the principle and equations by solving many Physics/Math problems successfully.

I believe that about half of the effort necessary for a student to learn Physics/Math well is in acquiring a good understanding of the theoretical concepts and associated mathematical equations, …whereas, the other 50% of the effort needed to master Physics/Math is for the student to work many problem solutions to apply what was learned to gain a much deeper understanding. That’s why, after I cover the concepts and equations, I give my students lots of example problem solutions to study.

A good teacher will facilitate learning a concept by first spending time to provide lots of context so that the new concept and associated math are fully appreciated. Context prepares the mind to receive a new concept or equation so what is being learned can be easily related to what the student already knows or has experienced in the past. Context helps the student quickly grasp why the concept is important and stimulates interest and motivation to learn, often making learning Physics/Math fun.

The other necessary component to teaching a conceptual understanding is to convey the aspects of the concept so that a mental picture/movie can be easily formed in the mind of the student. This is achieved by the teacher using illustrative examples, relevant demonstrations, and conveying interesting stories that make the point in a way that can easily be visualized and remembered.

Care should also be taken to explain any new math or provide better insight into the mathematics the student already knows to fully appreciate what a given equation means and how it models the conceptual aspects. A good Physics teacher explains the rich representation of phenomena that the equation conveys. It is important for the equations to be explained for both an analytical and graphical understanding.

Finally, a good Physics teacher is able to show important problem solutions that demonstrate key applications. It is important to show each solution step and explain the corresponding rationale motivating each step so that the student can learn problem solving starting with first principles and then to rely on an in-the-moment evolving logic for subsequent steps, …instead of simply memorizing specific problem solutions. It is also important to teach techniques for setting-up problems properly to facilitate their solutions. For example, determining the optimal location and orientation of coordinate systems when applying vector equations.

It is important to provide advice on different approaches to problem solving and when to use those different approaches so the student has confidence to tackle new problems ongoing.

Finally, a great teacher enjoys seeing their students, grow in their understanding and ability.