Oftentimes when students are assigned homework the problems are assigned in blocks of the same type of problem. Initially, when learning a new concept this type of repetition is very helpful however when it comes to studying for the test it is not. When doing 10 of the same problem in a row it is easy to go on 'auto pilot' where you are no longer thinking critically about the problem and how it fits into the larger whole of what you are learning. Those particular problems just represent a small slice of the pie and without tying it together with the whole meal of the chapter, the individual concepts are quickly forgotten. So, alternatively, when studying for a test try to practice the problems in a more random order for greater comprehension and retention.
Finals are around the corner and another strategy is reviewing your old quizzes and tests. What you want to do is not just look at the tests, but rather, cover up the worked out solutions with a piece of paper and try solving the tougher ones again. Just looking at the work you did previously is not as effective as actually working through the steps again. Hope you find these ideas useful. Let me know how they are working for you!
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As a child we learn rapidly because everything is new to us and we are curious as to how it all works, right? We repeat the same things over and over to see if we get the same results and it helps us learn and remember. We do all this naturally as a child but somehow for many students that natural curiosity is buried. It may not have been a student's idea to learn factoring, trigonometric identities, or the surface area of a cone so there is a subtle resistance that slows down or may even inhibit the learning process. Try for a moment to 'pretend' that it actually was your idea and 'become' curious as to why math works the way it does. How can one do this? See what happens if you change one of the numbers in the problem. How does that alter the result? How about changing that positive to a negative? What does that do? How about working the problem backwards from the end to the beginning. If you are factoring follow that up by foiling. Check your results by substituting them back in. Why does it make the equation true? In conclusion, try to be more curious. Explore this transitive property(law of syllogism): if you are more curious then math becomes more interesting, if math becomes more interesting then you have more fun doing math, if you have more fun doing math, then math becomes easier, if math becomes easier, your math grade becomes higher, if your math grade becomes higher then your self confidence will grow, if your self confidence grows then you will realize that you have untapped potential, if you realize you have untapped potential then you will realize that you are on your way to accomplishing your goals and will enjoy doing so because your curiosity has made you aware of how interesting life is. Wow! It might even be true but I only guarantee up to the increased math score : ) Please let me know of your experiences and results if you try this process.
In one sentence: create your own math problems then solve them.
Oftentimes students are thinking, "I wonder what problems the teacher is going to put on the test?" Think about the problems that you hope are not on the test and start creating exactly these same problems yourself. Just the process of creating the problems will help you to think through the whole process more clearly and will help you in recognizing what is being asked and what is needed. Then when you actually solve the problem you will have that type of problem down and it will become a part of your growing math skills. Everyone enjoys a good story. Through storytelling we can learn and it helps us more easily to remember too. Just a short true tale here about how to make time for math or any subject for that matter. When I was in 9th grade in high school I made friends with a fellow classmate who aside from being really good at school was incredibly strong. One day he happened to share his studying and workout methods and I never forgot it. Very simply, he would do a set of repetitions with his weights then while allowing some time for his muscles to recover he would do some math problems or other school work. Then he would go back to his weights, back and forth like that. When he was resting his mind he was working his muscles but when he was working his mind he was resting his muscles. At 14 or 15 years old he was stronger than most any adult and simultaneously at the top of his classes as well. So you don't have to be a fitness fanatic but I'll bet you there is a way to make time to make better progress with your math. Not everyone desires to be a mathematician but a certain proficiency in math is required for most college degree programs so find a way to make it work!
Cell phones are the biggest distraction I see for students trying to study. Every 'ring' or 'buzz' breaks one's concentration. Even if one doesn't check the text message or voicemail...just knowing it exists is enough to take the student's attention away from the subject at hand. I would recommend just turning off the cell phone and/or putting it somewhere far out of earshot while studying. You can always check who is trying to reach you when you are done. Especially when being tutored you want the time with your tutor to be uninterupted and thus most effective. So consider trying something 'radical' and letting yourself and your attention be free from your 'smart' phone while becoming smarter yourself.
Everyone learns a little bit differently and at their own pace. I am always impressed by students when they recognize their own learning style and what works for them. Some students will tell me, "My teacher does it this way but I like to do the problem this way." I take a look at it and if it is mathematically equivalent and it makes sense to the student I say go with what makes sense to you. Then as the student masters a problem in their own way they gradually become open to doing the problem in perhaps another quicker way. But first, go with what you know. I appreciate seeing all the creative ways that students make math easier for themselves. Some students always prefer their equations to have the variables on the left side of the equal sign and will ask me, "Can I flip this whole equation over?" When I say, "yes of course" I can sense a feeling of relief and ease like they are now recognizing a familiar face when they then approach solving the problem. When I explain math to students I give the student all of the different options that I can think of and they gravitate to what seems the easiest method.
As a math tutor, I must confess, I don't make a good business man. When someone seeks out my help for their child I can tell after 1 session of working with them if I will be able to help them. Some students need special attention that may go beyond just helping them understand math concepts. After working with hundreds of students individually over many years, some just to prepare for a test or two and some that I have worked with for years, I can tell if I will be able to help a student. I respect all my students as people doing their best to improve and learn but some students need the help of someone with special skills and/or they are just in over their head in a math class that is too difficult for them. I won't continue to take someone's money when I don't feel it's beneficial or they need the skills of someone other than myself. So in that regard, I put the needs of my students first and don't consider education just any type of business selling products or services without the customer's best interests in mind.
Try this at your next session with your tutor. Tell him or her, ' my number one priority today is to learn______. Second in importance is _____. Lastly, if there is time I'd like to go over ____." There is a reason your classes in school are anywhere from 45 minutes to 55 minutes long. There is a law of diminishing returns that essentially states that beyond a certain point each additional unit of time spent yields a smaller and smaller return on that time until eventually you are no longer reaping benefits at all. So, while you are alert and mentally rested at the beginning of a session, work on the topics that will help you the most followed by the ones of lesser importance. Keep in mind what you would like to get out of your tutoring sessions and let your tutor know too. In this way you can use your time and your tutoring to your best advantage.
Are you embarrassed that you have to be tutored? Or are you proud that you have a tutor? Or, are you somewhere in between? I tutor a range of students from those that have never been tutored before to students that are tutored in every subject. Some even have an organizational tutor to help them be, well...more organized. If you are one of those students that is embarrassed, I'm here to let you know that there is no need to be. When I was 16 and first learned to drive I had a manual transmission car. My dad couldn't teach me to drive that thing even as much as you can imagine I wanted to learn. Thankfully, my friend who was my next door neighbor was able to teach me in a matter of a few trips around the block. Why? There is just a different dynamic sometimes between parents and their children. A tutor is usually a non-family member that can give you that extra second of patience needed and a student is willing to give their tutor that extra second of attention needed to cross the hurdle from not understanding to understanding. In the end it doesn't matter how you learned something, or necessarily how long it took. Once you understand something that knowledge is yours forever. Furthermore, you don't need to tell people you are being tutored, that is completely up to you. Now if you are one of those that are proud, well then, pass my name along!
It depends. In some situations I like to provide students with some additional resources like a worksheet or two to give them a concentrated look at a topic that they may be struggling with. Students sometimes are a bit resistant to having homework on top of the assignments that they already have from their math class. I try to make it a small number of problems and they usually have a week to do them so it isn't too much and it really helps when they are behind and need to catch up.
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Mario DiBartolomeoHelping students succeed in math for over 15 years. Individualized attention makes the difference! CategoriesArchives
August 2023
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