“Our son Adam is a high school Junior who was falling behind on AP Calculus and was having major anxiety under the weight of his homework. Joe met with Adam with over several weeks. He enjoyed the tutoring sessions and his confidence greatly improved. Adam is now ahead of the game.” – Andrew, Normal IL
General
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“Thanks for all of the help you gave me this semester. It helped me a ton, and I probably couldn’t have done it without your help!”
Zach from Normal, IL -
“I did much better when I retook the test. In fact, not only did I not have to take a remedial math class, I actually tested out of two additional math classes (essentially saving me $1,700). Anyways, I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with how things went.”
Sam from Heartland Community College -
“You helped me with AP Calculus AB this past semester. I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to tutor me. While I didn’t get my C in the class up to a B like I was hoping, I did get a 4 on the AP test. I couldn’t have done that on my own, thank you for all the help.”
Luke from Normal Community West High School -
“I’m very happy with how things are going. I think my 8th grader is getting a lot out of your sessions and he is definitely more confident. I appreciate your help!”
Gus from Normal, IL -
“Thank you so much for helping my son with Geometry this past semester. He ended up with a B which I thought would be impossible given that he had a D before you started working with him halfway through the semester. Your ability to explain the concepts in a way that he finally understood them and could apply them was truly amazing. So wish we had come to you earlier. Thanks!”
Lisa from Normal, IL -
“Our son really appreciated your help in Calculus 2 and spoke highly of you and the way you helped teach him. His mom and I just wanted to say thank you very much!!”
Clif from Normal, IL -
“Thank you again for working with me. I ended up getting a C on the College Algebra final and a 75% in the class, which I am very pleased with compared to how it could’ve been.”
Brad from Illinois State University -
“Thank you so much for helping my son with his Honors Calculus. He was really struggling and resisted help. However, he quickly trusted you and has improved his scores by a letter grade. He would not have passed this class without your help!”
Brenda from Normal, IL -
“My daughter has benefited from working with you, has alleviated a great deal of stress as a result, and we both appreciate the experience very much!”
Anne from Normal, IL -
“You were instrumental in helping me through this class. I only wish I had contacted you sooner. If I where to give anyone advice when struggling in a math class is to get help sooner rather than later, and give them your number. Thank you so much!”
Sheila from Heartland Community College -
“I am so proud of my daughter that she ended up with a B+ (89.5%) in math. I feel like she has a better understanding from your help on how to use IXL.”
Amy from Bloomington, IL -
“My daughter’s geometry grade went from an F to B+ by end of semester! You’re a math stud!”
Angela from Normal, IL -
“My son’s making progress. He’s happier all around this semester and he said it’s the math, so thank you!”
Carol from Normal, IL -
“In three weeks with you my son’s geometry grade has gone from an F to a C! We are very happy!”
Susana from Normal, IL -
“Thank you for all of your help and you would be happy to know that I received an A on my last Geometry test!”
Addi from Normal, IL -
“I just wanted to let you know that I got a 91% on my math final and finished with a 97.7% in the class! Thank you so much for helping me this year I really appreciate it!!!”
Sarah from Normal Community High School -
“Thank you so much for working with my son this past year. He pulled off the A. :)”
Deb from Normal, IL -
“Thank you for all your help with my son. He liked working with you! I might have to call on you again. 🙂 Thanks again!!!”
Sandy from Normal, IL -
“Kids are looking forward to your assistance again this fall and my son scored an “A” on his geometry final!”
John from Normal, IL -
“I wanted to let you know that Brian got a C in calculus and we were thrilled. Thank you so much for coming to the rescue. I feel that if we had found you sooner he would have had a good chance of getting a B or even an A. We are very grateful for all your help and will be sure to keep your number on hand in case Brian needs more math help in the future.”
Peggy from Elgin, IL -
“My wife and I appreciate the assistance you have provided our son. You have given him the confidence to tackle some of the more complex problems that he may have rushed through in the past. Your calm and personable demeanor has been a nice fit for him and he enjoys coming to work with you. He got a 92% on his last quiz!”
Kirt from Normal, IL -
“You made an incredible difference for my son! He got an 87 on his Precalculus test. That moved his grade back to a B. We are so happy about that! Pretty good for missing nearly 15 days of class.”
Jerri from Bloomington, IL -
“My daughter got a 97% on her college statistics test and my son got an 85% on his honors geometry quiz. Thank you for your flexibility and for all you’ve done for our kids!”
Carol from Normal, IL -
“Thank you! You have been a tremendous help to my son!”
Alana from Normal, IL -
“Just wanted to let you know my son got an 85 percent on his AP Calculus final and a B for the semester which is weighted as an A. I know how much working with you helps! Thank you.”
Karen from Bloomington, IL -
“Our session was really helpful and I ended up getting an A on my quiz!!”
- Molly from Illinois State University, Blog Author -
“After failing trigonometry twice, I ended up 2 points away from getting a B this semester. I just wanted to thank you one more time. I definitely could not have passed without you.”
Joe from Illinois State University -
“My son got a 24.5 out of 25 on his latest Algebra 2 quiz! Thanks!”
Ellen from Normal, IL -
“This statistics course was a pre-requisite for many classes he is taking in the spring, so it’s a huge relief. I want to thank you personally for helping him get through this course. Without your help, he would be in a very different situation.”
Scott from Rockford, IL -
“Thank you so much! They feel much better about the final.”
Anne from Normal, IL
Joe McDonald
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“Thank you so much for all of your help! She landed with a B in precalc! Yay!” – Kris, Normal IL
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“I’m pleased with the B. I do think our son worked hard and I think he has been accountable to Joe. My husband and I want to continue to use Joe during the fall semester and likely spring. I have discussed with our son and he agrees. The accountability factor is huge. We both also appreciate that Joe shares info and keeps us updated.” – Michelle, Bloomington
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“I just enrolled and paid for college – I wouldn’t have gotten here without your help in math!” – Kate, NCWHS
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“I just received my score for my AP Calculus BC exam and I got a 4! I want to thank you so much for your tutoring this year I couldn’t have done it without you and I’m grateful for your help.” – Henry, NCWHS
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“I want to say thank you for being one of the best professors I’ve ever had. You seem like you genuinely care about each student’s grade and understanding of the subject. I’m grateful to have had such a great teacher all around! You are so kind and inspiring. I cannot say thank you enough.”
Lauren from Illinois State University -
“Hey professor, just wanted to say thanks for a great semester. Your MQM 100 class was well taught and easy to understand.”
Konnor from Illinois State University -
“Hey Joe, I’m just messaging you to thank you for being such a kind and caring professor. I admire how much commitment you give to all your students and how much you genuinely care. It’s hard to get a professor that treats their students the way you do. I hope you have a great summer and hopefully I’ll see you around campus next year!”
Kel from Illinois State University -
“I’d like to extend congratulations to our newest colleague, Joe McDonald, for being awarded an Impact Award via a student nomination. Joe has been teaching MQM 100 for us, and he also teaches for the Math department—but I suspect the nomination came from his MQM 100 teaching because the award focuses on helping freshmen students. Well done, Joe! Many thanks on behalf of all your students and colleagues.”
Roberta Seelinger Trites, Chair of MQM Department at ISU -
“I took my final this morning and got a 19/20 on it putting my overall grade above the 90 points needed for an A. I wanted to thank you for teaching this semester, I was really nervous about taking a stats course because this is the first one that I had ever taken. But thanks to you I felt like I really understood the materials and learned a lot this semester. Going online was tough but you made it seamless for me as a student so I was able to continue to learn and understand the material.”
Ben from Illinois State University -
“Joe has been one of the best tutors I have had. In the beginning of the semester I was using him to help me with math. However, as the year went on I realized I needed more help in physics than math. He was quickly able to switch over and help me. I have done so much better in the class thanks to him. He is very good at breaking things down and giving many examples. I would highly recommend Joe for math or physics tutoring!”
Sara from Illinois State University -
“Increased my GRE math overall score by 5! Thanks again for your help! It paid off!”
Molly from Illinois State University -
“You have been immensely helpful. Thanks so much!”
Lyn from Normal, IL -
“Thank you so much, you have really given me so much help this past year. I failed MAT 120 last semester and working with you, got it up to a B this semester. I really appreciate it!”
Frank from Illinois State University -
“I can’t thank Joe enough for helping me pass my CLEP exam! The last time I was enrolled in in a math course was over 4 years ago. I was so nervous to jump back into math, but Joe made me feel so comfortable. I really appreciated the positive reinforcement he used during our sessions. I am truly grateful for awesome math tutors like Joe who take precious time out of their day to help struggling students strive to success!”
Samantha from Normal, IL -
“Thank you so much Joe!! I appreciate your patience and good work with my son. He is doing a lot better this year and your tutoring is a big factor.”
Julie from Bloomington, IL -
“Joe has been tutoring my son in Algebra for the past few weeks and has done an amazing job. My son feels so much more confident about his math skills and his grades have shown a great deal of improvement. Joe is always on time and prepared. He is very patient and puts my son at ease. My son was really reluctant to use a tutor but now really values Joe’s help. I would highly recommend Joe as a math tutor.”
Leslie from Normal, IL -
“Over the summer I decided to take calculus two at Heartland and after a week in the class I felt myself starting to struggle. I reached out to Joe and within a few days we had a regular study session set up to happen every week. I brought homework, text questions, and even difficult extra credit problems to work on. Joe worked with me until I understood everything perfectly and by the end of the summer I had achieved a B. Next semester I am taking Calculus three and as soon as I start having trouble I know I am going to call Joe!”
Brock from Bloomington, IL -
“I started to receive tutoring from Joe towards the end of first semester my junior year. I had been struggling in Precalculus and was in between a C and a B for most of the semester. Because Joe met with me every week and spent countless hours helping I was able to get a B and sail through the final. Joe’s further help of explaining certain problems that seemed impossible allowed me to achieve an A second semester. I would recommend Joe to any student who needs a little or a lot of math help.”
Breanne from Bloomington, IL -
“Joe is VERY SMART! He knows exactly what I’m doing in class without having to look at the book most of the time. Also, he can explain it better than my professor. Not only does he know his stuff, but he is very welcoming to any last minute changes in my schedule, or meeting at later times if necessary. He is VERY VERY accommodating to my schedule. Joe will go to whatever location you desire. I couldn’t have picked a better person to work with! He makes you feel so comfortable, I even talk to him about personal life. It seems like he’s a part of my family in a way. I could have not asked for a better person to work with! I will definitely be recommending Joe to ALL of my friends struggling in Math!”
Doug from Illinois State University -
“My son got his highest Trigonometry test grade of the semester after one session with Joe! Joe was a confidence-builder.”
Tricia from Bloomington, IL -
“Joe….you have been the perfect tutor for my son!!! Thanks FOR EVERYTHING!!!”
Jeani from Normal, IL -
“Thank you Joe. I hear lots of positive comments about your tutoring. Thank you for doing such a great job with our students!!!!!!”
Ms. Carter, Math Teacher at Normal Community High School -
“Joe is extremely helpful. Just going once a week raised my test and quiz scores. He is patient and very friendly and easy to work with.”
Danny from Illinois State University -
“He really helps my understanding of the units. My grade has gone up since I’ve started tutoring with him and it’s really easy to ask him questions. He’s really great.”
Brandi from Normal, IL -
“Joe has been an enormous help with my College Algebra class. When I started seeing Joe, I felt helpless with math. I felt like I was never going to be able to “get it.” I have always struggled with my math classes and have seen numerous tutors. None of them have helped the way Joe has. He has a very clear, concise, step-by-step approach that was very easy for me to understand. My grade when I started seeing Joe was a 49%. My grade after 8 weeks of meeting with Joe is a 75%.”
John from Illinois State University -
“From the first time I met with Joe, I knew he was a knowledgable professional with practical experience. Joe is patient and thoroughly explains the concepts and step-by-step calculations. He was very responsive to my learning needs as a graduate student in an accelerated program. Joe provided the additional support and confidence I needed to successfully complete the course and keep my GPA goal on track.”
Misty from Southern Illinois University -
“After the past month or so, my math grade has gone up a significant amount. Joe has been a great tutor and is always listening to what his students have to say no matter what the question is. Personally, he has helped my grade go up a whole letter grade within the month. He has helped me understand math a lot more. I have nothing but positive things to say about him. I’d recommend him to other students over and over again. He is very educated on all different types of math and knows exactly what he’s talking about. He’s been an amazing tutor.”
Andy from Illinois State University -
“Joe is such a great tutor and an even better guy. He connects with you on a personal basis and makes it a comfortable learning experience. He not only knows high school level math like the back of his hand but he helped me pass college level math courses. He’s a terrific tutor and I would definitely recommend him if you need help with math.”
Matt from Illinois State University -
“Joe is an amazing tutor. I have been going to him this semester and am now expecting to receive a B in my Business Calculus course which I failed last semester. He is very easy to work with and is always willing to put in some extra hours of studying with you. I have worked with other tutors before, and none of them even compare to Joe. He is very good at what he does and he genuinely cares about helping you to get a good grade. Thank you for all your help.”
Chris from Illinois State University -
“Joe is by far the smartest guy I know in the field of math, and teaches it better than any other tutor I’ve ever had. I absolutely recommend him to anyone who is having trouble with any type of math class. He’s very flexible with his hours, and really cares about you understanding the material. If you need a math tutor, go to Joe!”
Mike from Illinois State University -
“Joe is an amazing tutor. He has been helping me so much with my math. He doesn’t get mad/frustrated with you if you don’t get the problem or don’t figure the problem out correctly. He is also very flexible if you ever need to reschedule. I definitely recommend him.”
Mykala from Danvers, IL -
“Joe McDonald is an exceptional tutor and has great charisma. He really has helped me from a point where I was studying fruitlessly to a point where I am now full of confidence about my math. Easy recommendation to anyone considering him!!”
Jonathan from Normal Community High School
Amy Max
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Just in the past 2 weeks my child has been excited because she’s remembering what you taught her and things are making sense to her. She did her homework all on her own without being asked or reminded the day after her session with you last week. I’m going to call that a win! So yes, I def think she’s starting to feel more confident and that’s why I decided to schedule a few more sessions with you. You seem to be the first one who is reaching her and really helping her learn math.
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Amy tutored my son in Algebra for the majority of his eighth-grade year. His confidence and test scores greatly improved with her help! We appreciated the weekly communication with his teacher so that each session helped him prepare for the upcoming week. Amy has also been helping him prepare for Geometry so that he begins high school with a boost of confidence.
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Ultimately, I want to continue to see my son remain excited about math and move forward in developing character and responsibility for getting the work done. I highly recommend Amy Max to help others looking to reach their educational success.
Teresa, parent of a child that Amy tutored for 5 years -
My son is more focused and motivated because of Mrs. Max. He takes greater ownership of his assignments and has a real desire to succeed. She teaches methods to improve organizational skills, self advocacy and ways to become an effective learner. After working with Mrs. Max, he grasped more easily the steps to compete his assignments. He learned how to set measurable goals and how to gauge the time it takes to complete tasks. This not only benefits math but also provides the knowledge of being successful in other school subjects.
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Mrs. Max is so much more than a tutor. She is incredibly knowledgeable across all grade levels and helped my son develop into a confident student. She is invested in his continued progress and regularly reaches out to teachers to become aware of tests, quizzes and assignments so that his preparation is complete. She genuinely cares and makes herself available.
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We have worked with Amy for 2 years. In that time our son went from dreading math to feeling really comfortable with it. His confidence is not only helping with his grades but also his self-esteem and attitude toward school. He really appreciates the way she can take something complex they may have rushed through in class and explain it in a manner that he can grasp at his speed. I really appreciate the attention she provides our son and her willingness to be flexible in her approach.