Tutoring & Private Instruction  /  Kansas City

Patient tutoring.
Shaped to you.

One-on-one tutoring in math, physics, electronics, programming, and Spanish. We start with what's giving you trouble — and shape the work around it from there. In person around Kansas City, or online.

01Subjects

What we cover.

The subjects we work in regularly. Each one is shaped to what you're actually stuck on — sometimes a missing prerequisite, sometimes a misconception, sometimes just needing to see it from a different angle.

Math & Physics

Pre-algebra through calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations; classical mechanics, electrodynamics, and waves. Comfortable depth across the range — straight talk when a topic is outside it.

Electronics & Circuits

From Ohm's law through transistor circuits and op-amps. We can stay on paper, or get on a bench when it helps the concept stick.

Programming & Web

From your first lines of code through shipping a real project. JavaScript, C/C++, PHP, SQL, and the modern web stack — picked based on what you're trying to build.

Spanish (Intermediate)

Beginner-to-intermediate conversation, grammar, and reading. I'm self-taught to CEFR B1 — honest about where we stop and when it's time to find someone more advanced.

02In Depth

Where we tend to go.

This isn't a syllabus — each session shapes around you. It's a map of the territory we can dig into, in any order, when you need it.

Math & Physics

When physics feels impossible, it's often because the algebra or trig underneath isn't solid yet. We can work the layer that needs the work — sometimes that's the physics in front of you, sometimes it's three steps back.

  • Algebra & pre-calc — functions, exponents, trig identities
  • Calculus I–III — limits, derivatives, integrals, series, multivariable
  • Mechanics — kinematics, dynamics, energy, momentum
  • Oscillations & waves — SHM, coupling, sound, optics
  • Electromagnetism — Maxwell, Gauss, Ampère, Faraday
  • Thermodynamics — gas laws, entropy, heat engines
  • Modern physics intro — relativity, quanta, atomic structure
  • Lab & problem-set support — homework, exam prep

Electronics & Circuits

Some people learn electronics from the math down; others by building first and naming things later. Either path works here — we'll figure out which one fits you. Pieces of a full electronics lab can come on-site as needed — oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer, function generator, supplies, MCU programmer, and a deep parts inventory.

  • DC fundamentals — Ohm's law, Kirchhoff, networks
  • AC circuits — phasors, impedance, RLC, resonance
  • Mesh & nodal analysis — solving real circuits cleanly
  • Diodes & rectifiers — ideal, real, clamping, clipping
  • Transistors — BJT, MOSFET, JFET bias and analysis
  • Op-amps — gain stages, followers, instrumentation
  • Filters & compensators — active/passive, RC, RLC, lead/lag
  • Microcontroller projects — Arduino/ESP, sensors, I/O

Programming & Web

We can start anywhere — your first lines of code, a stuck homework problem, or a project you're trying to finish. Two decades of writing production software means I've seen most of the walls you're likely to hit.

  • Programming foundations — variables, control flow, functions
  • JavaScript & Node.js — async/await, modules, npm
  • HTML, CSS & the web — layout, responsive, semantics
  • C & C++ — memory, pointers, structures, basic STL
  • PHP & SQL — server-side scripting, query design
  • Databases — schema, joins, indexing, normalization
  • Working with AI tools — using LLM agents for real work
  • Project mentorship — design reviews, ship your idea

Spanish (Intermediate)

Self-taught means I remember exactly where the bumps were. Good for absolute beginners through about my own level (CEFR B1). I'll tell you straight when you're ready for someone more advanced.

  • Pronunciation & the basics — sounds, greetings, courtesy
  • Present, past, future — regular and key irregulars
  • Subjunctive intro — when and why it shows up
  • Vocabulary by theme — travel, food, work, family
  • Conversation practice — speaking with patience
  • Reading practice — short stories, articles, song lyrics
03Sessions

How sessions work.

One-on-one only. Parents or siblings are welcome to sit in. Sessions usually run an hour at $60/hr, billed after each session — no packages, no commitment beyond the next one.

01

In person

Around the Greater Kansas City area — any subject works in person; pick whichever format fits your schedule and preference. Visits beyond a 15-mile radius from Grain Valley, MO add a mileage surcharge at the GSA standard rate (72.5¢/mi in 2026, round-trip).

02

Online

Zoom with shared screen and a tablet for handwritten work. Same depth, no commute, recordings on request so you can re-watch the tricky bits.

03

Project mentorship

For self-taught builders — a steady cadence of design reviews, working sessions, and unstuck-you calls on something real you're trying to ship.

04The Instructor

Who's teaching.

You're learning from Rich Lowe — a U.S. Air Force veteran and career engineer, and the person who sits across from you every session. No assistants, no rotating tutors.

The background is wide on purpose — formal instructor training at the Air Force, two years teaching electronics at the Keesler schoolhouse, a physics degree from LSU, and two decades writing production software in C++, Node.js, and PHP. The breadth matters because real understanding usually arrives by an unexpected route — a calculus idea that finally lands through a circuit, an electronics one that lands through a sketch. There are a lot of angles to try.

But the work starts with you. Tell me what's giving you trouble and we'll dig in there; or if you're not sure what's missing, we'll find it together over a session or two. Getting to know how you think is most of the job. A bonsai is shaped slowly and on purpose — but always toward the tree it's becoming, not to a template.

StudioBonsai Horizons, LLC
InstructorRich Lowe
BasedGrain Valley, MO
ServingGreater Kansas City & Remote
SessionsOne-on-one only
Rate$60/hr
OwnerVeteran-owned
05Get In Touch

Intuitive. Experienced. Easy to Work With. — Let Us Help You

Let's talk.

Tell me about yourself or your student — what they're working on, what's giving trouble, what you're hoping to get out of it. The first 20 minutes are a free conversation. No commitment.

Prefer to call? (816) 800-2229