Devi Argi

I grew up in Cupertino, CA, and moved to North Carolina in high school. I got my degrees in chemistry and political science from NC Sate University in Raleigh, NC. Throughout high school and college, I loved studying almost every single concept I was taught in chemistry, regardless of whether it was difficult. I strongly believe that everyone truly belongs in whichever subject they love, and success in that subject isn’t defined by how easy or hard it is for them. The structure, reactivity, and properties of molecules and substances are central to so much impactful research, and we need so many more people to love chemistry and seek to make a positive impact with it. High school is a great time to get interested in chemistry, and K-8 is an even better time!

Since my early days in college, I knew I wanted to teach chemistry, so I could spark the same light in fellow students as my professors sparked in me when teaching chemistry. My personal teaching philosophy in chemistry is to maximize the use of tangible metaphors, relatable analogies, and aids that span all forms of learning, including visual and audio. I have more than 3 years of experience teaching chemistry at all levels, from high school to advanced college chemistry (general and organic). I’ve taught in a variety of environments as well, from serving as a teaching assistant supervising organic chemistry labs at NC State, to scheduled and drop-in tutoring sessions for organizations focused on improving outcomes for underserved and underrepresented students, including a year and a half with Women in Science and Engineering Village and another semester with Federal TRIO Programs at NC State.

Each experience strengthened my commitment to prioritizing conceptual understanding first through high-level ideas that are relatable, and reinforcing deeper concepts through continuous practice. A sense of accomplishment is also essential for students to be motivated, and I do my best to ensure students are able to feel like they’re making progress and that their abilities to answer useful questions has improved every week. Most importantly, the big picture of where each abstract concept or idea is legitimately used for something useful, in industry, research, medicine, or even daily life, is something I strive to convey during each and every lesson. Every 1-on-1 session will involve this appropriate background, an initial overview of the concept at hand with appropriate usage of metaphors, analogies, and teaching aids, and guided examples and worked-out practice problems of gradually increasing complexity.

Students often have a common problem due to excessive information dumped on them in disorganized ways, and my approach is well-structured, while still remaining fluid and responsive to the student’s particular needs, enhancing and using their strengths to improve their weaknesses. For example, drawing a simple analogy between electronic quantum numbers and an apartment renter’s address helps alleviate the confusion of this abstract concept caused by excessive information dumping or getting caught up in details. Another common issue results from underdeveloped mental skills like depth perception and visualization. I use molecular model kits to aid the student in understanding concepts which depend on such skills, like stereochemistry and molecular symmetry.

Outside of tutoring and preparing for law school, I am an active member of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, advocating for action on climate change! I also learn Bharatnatyam, a South Indian classical dance form, and enjoy writing, drawing, and painting.