Ben B. says, "I can't emphasize enough how grateful I am to have had Max as my organic chemistry tutor. Max has a knack for breaking down complex concepts into bite-sized pieces, and has a no-judgment patience that helps them settle in.
For example, stereochemistry used to baffle me, but Max turned things around in a way that just clicked. There's one session that stands out in my memory. She started by explaining the fundamentals of chirality, R/S notation, and Fischer projections. It got to a point where my eyes were glazing over and Max noticed my confusion. She was explaining enantiomers and diastereomers, and switched her tack for a simple yet effective visual metaphor involving hands.
She asked me to hold my hands up in front of me, palms facing each other, with fingers spread out. She pointed out that my hands were mirror images of each other but couldn't be superimposed, just like enantiomers in chemistry. They're identical in composition but can't be perfectly matched up.
To drive the point home, Max asked me to imagine twisting one hand slightly, so the fingers didn't align perfectly when trying to overlay them. She explained that this scenario represented diastereomers – molecules that share some similarities but aren't mirror images and can't be superimposed. This hands-on visual metaphor transformed an abstract concept into something tangible and relatable, making it so much easier for me to grasp the difference.
Max's approach encouraged me to ask questions without feeling embarrassed about my misunderstandings. Her positivity and belief in my abilities gave me the confidence boost I needed.
Thanks to Max, I felt confident going into me stereochemistry exam, but I also developed a genuine appreciation for the subject. I wholeheartedly recommend Max to anyone struggling with organic chemistry.
Her ability to make the abstract concrete and her walnut-tree like patience worked for me, and I hope will work for you too!"See more
