When It Finally Clicks, Everything Changes

Tutoring built on clarity, kindness, and experience. Let's make things make sense — together.

Meet Derek

Engineer turned teacher turned trusted tutor.

Hi, I’m Derek — and helping students make sense of math, chemistry, and physics is what I do best. I started in environmental engineering, but after two years teaching abroad, I realized my heart was in education. I went back to school, earned my Master in Teaching, and spent over a decade teaching in classrooms before moving completely into tutoring in 2019.

My style is calm, friendly, and focused on clarity. I’ve worked with students who are entirely lost, students pushing for top marks, and everyone in between. Whether you're prepping for finals, trying to pass a class, or just need things explained differently — I’m here to help.

At home, I’m married to my incredible wife, and we’re raising five awesome kids — our daughter (the oldest) and four energetic boys. I understand how hard it is to juggle everything as a student or parent, and how valuable it is to have a patient guide in your corner.

If your student is struggling or just needs a bit of extra direction, I’d love to help.

How I Can Help

Over the years, I’ve worked with a wide range of students — from middle schoolers hitting their first academic wall to high schoolers preparing for major provincial exams to college students tackling tough STEM courses for the first time.

I specialize in subjects that often cause stress and confusion — but with the right explanations, structure, and encouragement, they can make sense. My goal is to help students build confidence, understand the material deeply, and improve their performance over time.

Here’s a closer look at the subjects I tutor:

Mathematics

  • Pre-Algebra through Beginning Calculus

  • Alberta Math 10C, 20-1/2, 30-1/2

  • SAT, PSAT, and Grade 9 PAT prep

Science

  • Chemistry & Physics (High School + College Intro)

  • Alberta Chem 20/30, Physics 20/30, Science 10

Support that meets you where you are — and helps you get to where you need to go.

In-Person

Public library, your school, or local spots like Tim Horton’s.

Virtual

Via Zoom with screen sharing and collaborative annotation, a document camera, and online resources like Desmos, pHet simulations, online textbooks, and more.

What others have had to say about me:

  • Leah B. - Medicine Hat

    “Derek has been an incredible support for my daughter throughout this school year. His calm, patient approach helped her build confidence in math and took a lot of pressure off during a challenging academic period. He not only improved her understanding of key concepts, but also created a space where she felt comfortable asking questions and trying again when things didn’t click right away. I’m so grateful for the progress she made—and for Derek’s kindness and consistency. Highly recommend!”

  • Jamie B. - Tacoma

    "Derek has been a lifesaver for my husband and I. We have two teenage daughters who take algebra one and algebra two. Derek has been working with them for almost a year and the girls never complain about their sessions with Derek. He’s always kind, encouraging and helpful. I highly recommend!"

  • Nagisa K. - Medicine Hat

    “After going through several different math tutors for our grade 11 daughter, we feel so fortunate that we have finally met Derek. He’s extremely professional, personable and responsive.”

  • Harry S. - Seattle

    "Derek has been a blessing, helping our son with middle school cc 7/8 math. Derek is patient and encouraging, and we saw considerable improvement in a short time after tutoring sessions. We look forward to working with Derek next year!"

  • Theri P. - Medicine Hat

    "I am very grateful for Derek! He was so kind and patient. He helped me with Chem 201 and Math 202 courses from the Medicine Hat College. If I needed more help or we didn’t come to a final solution during our session he would email extra resources. Also, his availability was awesome as I signed up for early morning sessions with him through video chat."

  • Darcy T. - Medicine Hat

    "Just recently I had used Derek’s tutoring services to help me write my last exam in power engineering. To sum it up, there’s no way I would have possibly passed that exam without his expertise. I was trying to learn 4 years of various maths in 2 months and with Derek’s patience and knowledge, I was able to pass my exam. Can’t thank him enough for how much he helped me! Will definitely recommend him to anyone I know that is in need of tutoring."

  • Nicole A. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek is an excellent tutor. He was very helpful and essential getting our high school age child over the finish line with grades 11 and 12 math, physics and chemistry. I highly recommend his services."

  • Heather S. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek was a incredible help with my daughters success in understanding and passing physics. Incredible thankful."

  • Barri-Ann H. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek has been a miracle worker for my son in Math and just started on Science. Right from day 1 he had built a friendship and made it easy to get my son to do the xtra work without a complaint."

  • Crystal A. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek helped my son bring his math grade up in just a few short weeks. Forever grateful for his time and help!"

  • Hillary T. - Seattle

    “We are so impressed by Derek's work with our son. Our son is always happier after his sessions with Derek because Derek provides the perfect amount of challenge to keep him curious about new math concepts without giving too much information that could get him frustrated. Our son's performance in math has steadily improved over these past 5 weeks of working with Derek and we are huge fans of Derek's tutoring. Thank you, Derek!"

  • Malcolm F. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek's tutoring services have been a life saver for me while learning calculus. He is personable, and most importantly always comes prepared and is eager to work through and explain each problem I bring forward. I highly recommend Derek and his tutoring services!"

  • Kara S. - Seattle

    "Derek has been a fantastic teacher and was a much needed breath of fresh air with middle school math! My son was struggling and needed help with CC 7/8. We saw a significant change in his confidence and understanding concepts. Derek’s teaching style is easy going, patient, and was exactly what my son needed. I highly recommend Derek for tutoring.”

  • Jack M. - Seattle

    "Derek was very helpful in explaining the core concepts that were involved in my class material and even went out of his way to find additional resources to better help me. Very highly recommend!"

  • Amber H. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek helped my daughter so much with Physics 20. She wanted to quit the class so many times but Derek helped her understand it and allowed her to answer on her own and letting her talk through it and made everything she was struggling with so much simpler. Highly highly recommend!!"

  • Alli P. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek is an amazing tutor with lots of knowledge and and a great ability to teach others! He helped me with my University Physics course and I wouldn't have done well without him!"

  • Corinne P. - Medicine Hat

    "Derek has been a great tutor to our granddaughter in Math and Chemistry for Gr 11 & 12. We are so grateful for his expertise. He has definitely helped bring her grades up! Highly recommended."

  • Sam B. - Medicine Hat

    "Absolutely amazing !!! I would recommend Derek to any one ! Almost instant results. I can't say enough good things."

  • Carol Ann C.R. - Medicine Hat

    “My son was struggling with Math 10-C; after 3 tutoring sessions with Derek he had a much better grasp on the material, did very well on his final exam and was able to move on to Math 20-1 in grade 11.”

  • Andrew M. - Medicine Hat

    “Derek is a fantastic tutor. Very knowledgeable, excellent teaching skills, kind, and wonderfully patient. We have been grateful for all the help he's provided my kiddo through grades 10 and 11.”

Ready to Get Started?

Whether you’re a parent looking for support or a student feeling stuck, I’d love to hear more about your situation.

Fill out the form below to tell me a bit about what you’re looking for — subjects, goals, challenges — and I’ll follow up personally to schedule a free first session.

Let’s see if we’re a good fit.