Borland Educational

Tech

Texas Instruments TI-30X IIS Solar Scientific Calculator
Basic, no-frills, old-school scientific calculator. Traditional key layout and functions. Solar powered. The Ti-30X family of low-cost calculators has been a staple since 1976.

Texas Instruments TI-34 MultiView Scientific Calculator
Two-line display, additional functions/features. Math Print allows normal input of fractions, roots, exponents, etc. Not quite a graphing calculator, but close.

Ti-84 Plus CE Graphing Calculator
Huge advance over old Ti-84 calculators. The new standard. Color graphs + superior os + 3x speed + 3x resolution + 6x memory compared to Ti-84 Plus SE. Get this math monster!

Case for Ti-84 Plus CE
Protective case for the Ti-84 Plus CE calculator. Plush lining and hard exterior guards agains scratches and dings. Internal pocket for accessories.

Ti-Basic
The user-friendly Basic variant used to program the Ti-84 family of graphing calculators. Easy learning curve. Developer site here.

Ti Connect Software
Connect your Ti-84 graphing calculator to your computer for backup of programs and data, os management, easy writing and editing of code, taking screen pics, etc.

TurboScan
Indispensable free scanning app converts photos into accurate b/w scans. TurboScan homework, white boards, notes – then email scans to teachers (cc yourself, just in case).

Camo and Camo Studio
Free, cross-platform software apps for Mac, PC, iOS, and Android that turns phones into web cams for use in 2-Way Tutoring. All you need now is a cell phone stand.

Tools

Adjustable Desktop Cell Phone Stand
Turn your cell phone into a document camera for streaming hardcover materials, handwritten math, and more using Zoom or other online video conferencing service.

Maped Technic Compass
Dedicated compass with handy extension. Holds external pens, pencils, markers. Useful on all surfaces (paper, chalkboard, whiteboard, etc.).

Deli 8601 Stainless Steel Drawing Compass
Inexpensive compass with lead and case. A beautiful instrument. Small form factor. Good quality. Great price.

Bullseye SAFE-T Compass/Ruler Combination
Clever, inexpensive combination short ruler and compass. A must have, basic math tool. Saves space and makes geometric constructions easier.

Pentel Sharp Mechanical Pencil, 0.7mm, Blue (P207C)
Good all-around pencil for mathematics, drawing, and handwriting. Use with a dedicated eraser (built-in erasers disappear quickly).

Staedtler Mechanical Pencil Night Blue Series, 0.7mm
Best pencil for serious students. Advances lead in tiny increments to avoid breakage. Awesome balance, solid feel, beautiful look. Worth every penny.

Cross Classic Century Classic Black 0.7mm Pencil (250305)
The Cross Century in black is the Rolls Royce of mechanical pencils. Write with a Rolls for under $50! Matching Cross pen and pencil set (250105) here.

Pentel Clic Retractable Eraser, 3 Pack (ZE21BP3M)
Convenient “eraser pen” design. Lasts a very long time without refilling. Pair this with a high-quality mechanical drafting pencil, and you’re all set.

Staedtler Mars Plastic Erasers, Pack of 4 (52650BK4)
A trusty eraser matters, especially on high-stakes standardized tests. Staedtler drafting products are professional grade. Nothing better.

Pilot Frixion Ball Clicker Erasable/Retractable/Refillable Pens
Erasable pens producing nice lines that last and actually erase months later. Eternal "friction" eraser. Refills reduce waste. Various colors. Widths: .38mm-1mm.

Paper

Mead 59878 Cambridge Stiff-Back Planning Pad, Quad Ruled
Standard 8.5x11.5 quarter-inch graph paper. Very fine light blue lines, good quality paper, nice feel, soft cover, top-stapled pad. Reasonably priced.

Free Online Graph Paper Templates
Produce print-ready pdf files to have custom graph/dot/isometric/log/polar pads printed at your preferred local or online printer. More here and here.

Reviews

“Standardized tests are a necessary step in applying to colleges, and, with his support, I was able to achieve the scores I needed to be competitive. I am currently finishing a degree in physics at the University of Chicago and am immensely grateful for his help four years ago. His test taking strategies have also been very useful on the GRE while applying to graduate school physics programs. Thank you again, Chris!”

Ben F. (Student: 2013)

"[Chris’s] methods are extremely effective and he is one of the kindest, most supportive men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.

"Working with him has been one of my best academic experiences and I congratulate Chris on his hard work and dedication to the success of his pupils."

Harrison M. (Student: 2017)

“His competence, compassion and ethics as a tutor are exemplary.

"Chris is a wonderfully friendly, sincere and caring human being. His personality is delightful, making the sessions enjoyable.”

Judy S. (Client: 2006)

"The students benefited from [Chris's] assistance, and we found him very personable, helpful and eager to learn new teaching techniques and philosophies.

I feel he would be an excellent addition to any tutoring staff."

Linda N. (Employer: 1980)

"I enjoyed working with Chris because he could explain things I did not understand and make them clear to me. Chris was very patient when it took me a while to understand things."

Martha S. (Student: 1993)

“Chris is a phenomenal math, PSAT, and SAT tutor. I studied with him for over three years and am so grateful for all of his invaluable knowledge and the confidence that he instilled in me as a math student.

"Now, years later, the same standardized test-taking skills that he taught me for the PSAT and SAT are helping me immensely in my LSAT prep.

"Chris is patient and efficient in his teaching. I would highly recommend him to everyone!”

Gary C. (Client: 2016)

"Chris Borland tutored my son and did an excellent job. He obviously is a very well qualified teacher and I recommend him without reservation."

David C. (Client: 1980)

Chris is also incredibly supportive, and recognizes when confidence is lagging. He holds his students accountable by giving them specific work and challenges and also rewards their gains, and is able to pivot his teaching style if a certain way of explaining things isn't working.

"I highly recommend Chris to any student who is studying for a standardized test ..."

A.S.M. (Client: 2021)

Most importantly, you taught Joey to understand that hard work does reap its own rewards. Joey did well enough in school and on the SATs to gain acceptance to a number of UC Schools, of which he chose UC Davis to attend. Thanks Chris for you effort and diligent tutoring of Joey the last three years, we really appreciate all that you did for him.

Larry L. (Client: 2005)

"Chris tutored my son for the SSAT test and … it was worth every penny. My son responded very well to him and developed learning strategies that [he's] using to this day."

Michal V. (Client: 2014)

"[Chris] has a keen sense of the orderly nature of learning, and did a particularly good job of helping students with the organizational work needed to excel at math ... one of the best young teachers I've seen."

Bruce S. (Administrator: 1985)

"[Chris] is patient, understanding, enthusiastic and always guides Andrew in the learning process with a very positive attitude. If Andrew gets distracted, Chris is able to guide him back to the subject at hand by being assertive, yet respectful. His focus on Andrew's progress has resulted in a very noticeable improvement in Andrew's skill level in Algebra, his attention to detail, his neatness, and his self-esteem..."

Karen C. (Client: 1999)

"Chris Borland has provided test prep tutoring for two of our three children, one for the SSAT and then the ACT, and the other for the SSAT. They both dramatically improved their scores as a result of his tutoring and were accepted to their first-choice schools.

Jennifer C. (Client: 2020)

"Fantastic tutor. We set a goal for my SAT score, and with Chris's help I got there. Has years of experience and knows the test inside and out. Cannot recommend more highly."

Jack R. (Client: 2014)

Chris is patient, knowledgeable and was helpful in identifying my weaknesses and addressing them. My work with Chris on test prep also helped me in the classroom resulting in improved grades both my junior and senior years. He is easy to work with and never made me feel stupid. I highly recommend Chris Borland for test prep and math tutoring.”

T J (student: 2018)

"Chris Borland tutored my l4 year old twins for several weeks before they took the SSAT test for entrance into private schools. He has a very good rapport with kids and makes the sessions fun and interesting.

Chris's strategies about standardized test taking proved to be excellent. Both boys improved their scores significantly and openly attributed their success to their work with Chris..."

Anne C. (Client: 2003)

“Worth every penny!

"As the high school application process in SF is already stressful and time consuming, I was looking for an efficient strategy for my B/G twins to prepare for the SSAT. Chris has deep experience with test prep and presented a very clear, efficient, and effective strategy for the twins to follow. His approach resulted in a huge increase in test results.

"We would highly recommend him to anyone for standardized test prep!”

Irene L. (client: 2018)

Knowledge is Power