An Account of Math Tutoring

at Tacoma Community College MARC. New tutors shouldn't have to start from scratch every time. Let this be a place to compile any useful tidbits of insight, things we learned while tutoring, or other points we just wish to pass on. Naturally, fun or interesting observations are allowed, along with any glimpses of the real work of the craft.

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Why we show our work

This one was a bit interesting. Every once in a while I get a student that questions the entire methodology in place for doing math outside of chunks of fast mental math. Goodness! Let’s talk about math, but more importantly, scientific progress and the nature of humans and our finicky minds.

Caption: The student was faced with a question of basic unit conversions for a nutrition class. 

Frustrated with having to do any process other than the “mental math” he was raised with, I began one of the hardest parts of math tutoring (or any sort of civil service): communicating how humans must commit extra time and energy to integrate with the rest of their community. Yes, if you want to be a part of something bigger, then your work must not only be logical but legible, comprehensive, and sensibly familiar. 

To be continued...

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How did we not cover differentiating the product of more than two things?? Why does our book not point this out? Fortunately, a patient patron took the time to Google this. Perhaps it should be on our handout.

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Liam, 2018. Boogie Board.

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Clarity is undervalued.

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Most students tend to forget to perform this simple check when performing a test. It can be difficult to recall due to not following a clear rationale, as well as being deceptively simple.

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This patron made sure I knew there was a giraffe...

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Dedicated.

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This turtle just deserves a shout-out.

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Visualizations are Important

We will always get some business calculus students despite there being a math center just for their needs in their own building. Yet, they always come here. I asked one why they chose to come to us. This student replied that we have a better learning environment. Students want to come in because we are slightly more chaotic. By being less rigid, are we showing that you are supposed to come in and use the rooms?? 

This student was struggling with this SSE concept, where you are are given an equation that is supposed to predict the behavior of a set of data along with a set of observed points. However, this homework question involved comparing TWO equations to determine which is a more accurate prediction. The student’s comprehension was actually hinging not on their own interpretation, but on a confusing visualization that the instructor had created. We made a new visual table that shows the process and the outcome (in red). 

This is a great opportunity to remind tutors and students alike that the brain is wired largely for visualization far more than any other faculty. Our visual neural pathways are the largest and most cross-connected/influential system. This student could have read the book’s explanation repeatedly until they memorized something just long enough to make sense of the problem, then move on not likely retaining the information. Students like good visualizations. An ounce of organization in a table can change its functionality completely. 

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Post # One

Opening this page with one of those equations that is apparently standard in “the field” but not likely to mentioned in a class that sees mostly engineering students. The mysterious Si(x).