James Tyhurst

I was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas, and I spent my early childhood reading books, building structures, and operating computers. From a young age, I liked to disassemble objects to determine their functionality. I ultimately earned scholarships to attend the University of Arkansas, where I completed my bachelor’s degree in systems engineering with a focus on mechanics.

I began my teaching career after developing a spontaneous interest in Mandarin Chinese. I became a foreign teacher in the city of Nanjing teaching English as a Second Language. I found that I enjoyed sharing my own knowledge and watching my students grow and succeed. Now, at AJ Tutoring, I enjoy teaching Algebra and Calculus and helping students find the same passion that I have for the subjects, as well as supporting students with their SAT, ACT, and PSAT preparations.

During my time in college and beyond, my imagination was stimulated by classes and videos that taught me about limits, derivatives, integrals, functions, and other mind-blowing mathematical concepts. Calculus interests me because it allows us to grapple with rates of change and therefore calculate the dynamic world that we live in. I especially enjoy helping students realize how their understanding of each subject informs the other.

I believe in the importance of guiding students using visual and intuitive methods to help them truly grasp the underlying concepts, rather than just memorizing formulae and notations that otherwise have no meaning to them. I also work to help students understand how the material they study has real world applications and to help encourage their innate curiosity.

When I’m not teaching, I enjoy studying philosophy, journaling, studying foreign languages, playing video games, and painting.