Maths and science are frequently associated with each other because mathematics assists in our understanding of biology, chemistry, geology, astronomy, physics, and psychology. In fact, students are required to master foundational mathematics in order to read scientific charts and graphs.

More complex maths like algebra, geometry, and calculus can help students solve problems in chemistry and understand planets' behaviour in astronomy. Mathematics is also important in practical sciences such as computer and engineering science since students will be required to solve equations when developing algorithms and writing intricate computer programs.

Even medical subjects require mathematics like how to precisely calculate dosages or create medical charts that record an individual’s clinical status, history, and caregiver involvement.

How maths comes into play when learning science
Physics and maths are closely connected subjects, and mathematics, particularly calculus, is commonly used to solve scientific problems. In fact, electromagnetism and classical mechanics are all related through calculus. The movement of objects and its inertia, including the total energy of objects can be found using several concepts in calculus.
 
In chemistry, math can be used for a variety of tasks like balancing the equation of a chemical reaction. Mathematical calculations are also essential to explore concepts in chemistry like utilising the dimensional analysis to get the reactions of various elements and the concentration of chemicals in a solution.
 
Chemistry also required calculations for the compression of a gas, energy released in reactions, or the amount of chemicals needed to reach the desired concentration, and quantities of reactants to added.
 
In addition, mathematics also plays a key role in biology, especially in the creation of mathematical models. These are mathematical equations and formulas that can describe or predict natural events. A good example is the behaviour of a particular organism or the changes in their population over time.
 
These mathematical models can be utilised in a variety of ways, but the main goal is to effectively measure a phenomenon without relying too much on raw, numerical data. Even the spreading rates of diseases and frequencies of gene expression can be calculated using mathematical models.
 
Psychology is another subject that needs mathematics, especially statistics since students must interpret tables, graphs, and statistical analyses. They also need to design quantitative research studies as well as reporting results. Statistical knowledge is also vital for critical and analytical skills that psychologists need to understand and study complex human behaviour.
 
Overall, students must learn and understand several maths concepts since these are essential in learning science. Therefore, one must complete several learning activities in each subject so they can develop a better understanding of both subjects.
 
If they pursue a career in science, they will eventually use mathematics in real-world practices, especially in their work.

If your child is looking for guidance in either maths or science, check out our online tutoring options.

Mathematics has a specific language, and students must learn and understand it so they can apply this knowledge when solving mathematical problems. Therefore, students must be able to interpret this language in a range of mathematical contexts before they can develop a deep understanding of it.
There are three required types of vocabulary that students need to be able to solve word problems, and these will include the following:

• Descriptive vocabulary
• Procedural vocabulary
• Mathematic vocabulary

It is essential for students to explicitly learn these types of vocabulary since it will give them the proficiency to move between written, symbolic notation, oral language, and graphs and visual displays. This will develop their familiarity with mathematical grammatical patterns, use of synonymous verbs, logical relationships.
 
How to effectively develop an understanding of mathematical language
There are various strategies that teachers can use to develop the literacy and understanding of their students when it comes to mathematical language. These will include:

• Translating from words to symbols - students must recognise terms or phrases that can be translated into mathematical symbols. In fact, they should be able to effectively perform this translation, especially in situations where symbols are predictable, and scaffolding is provided. Another situation is when they must decide on which prior knowledge must be implement (without scaffolding).

That is why teacher-led discussions must be implemented because this will provide students the opportunity to read worded problems and identify which words can be translated. However, it is important for teachers to explicitly share their thinking and decision-making as they identify crucial mathematical translations and how this translation should be done.

• Helping students understand mathematical terms and notation – teachers must effectively teach various conventions since students must have learned this before they can interpret letters correctly in context. Therefore, these concepts should be explicitly taught to students during the learning and teaching cycle so they can adequately build their knowledge around it.

 

• Mathematical versus everyday words – the aspect of mathematical language may confuse students as it may create ambiguity between several terms used in a maths classroom. Teachers must be able to clarify when they encounter a range of common words that have different meanings in mathematics. A good example is the word ‘square’ which is a special ‘rectangle’, even though some students may classify a square as a rectangle. Also, the word ‘sum’ might be referred to as a calculation, but teachers must clarify that ‘sum’ formally means addition.

Using the power of storytelling and narrative to bolster students’ insights
In math classes, students usually approach challenging word problems by annotating, reading, and writing to get their meaning. Therefore, students must learn how to break the problems down into smaller parts so they can master difficult concepts.

In a classroom setting, teachers must read the problem, then students read and paraphrase the problem. Together, and then individually, the whole class can break problems down, as well as translate them to aide in their interpretation. This method will foster both individual and group learning and bolster their insights.

Lastly, the teacher must also provide an opportunity for students to discuss their reasoning since this can enhance their understanding of the mathematical language, and point out some misconceptions that the teacher can correct along the way.

As educators, our tutors have a good understanding of maths literacy and how to help students learn and apply associated skills. Learn more about our remote tutoring options

In all successful teaching and learning relationships, the relationship between the tutor and student must be built on trust and mutual respect. The main focus of the lesson is tailored to one person’s needs, interests and abilities, so the tutors understanding of each of these aspects is paramount. This also provides an opportunity for the tutor to try a variety of teaching techniques that might help the student to understand a topic effectively.

These are the strategies we’re going to discuss on this blog post, and I’m sure it will provide tutors some inspiration, especially when it comes to alternative and sometimes complementary ways of tutoring.

1. Build rapport and get to know your student well (including interests and preferred learning styles)

Rapport is the glue that makes the tutor/student relationship productive. So, the main aspect of a tuition session is to be able to read your student and make them feel at ease. It’s recommended that you talk to them in a plain but respectful way and ask them about their interests and learning styles. Once rapport is established, students can easily open up, and they may even tell you their struggles, especially when it comes to their academics.

1. Get an idea of the topic which will be a focus so you can prepare

The key to an effective tuition session is a well-prepared and individualised lesson plan, and this can only be accomplished when you know the concepts that your student wants to work on about. That is why collaboration and communication are essential to your success since you’ll need to reach out to your student as well as their parents and map a better plan for learning.

1. Teamwork

Ask your students to highlight, underline or write down any questions or concepts they don’t understand. This way, you won’t waste time trying to assess their prior learning and get straight to the concepts and ideas they are struggling with. If all questions are similar, you might be able to create a summary together after helping them work through the tough questions.  

1. Summarize each idea conceptually with an emphasis on when to use this skill

An effective tutor will always summarise each concept they have discussed with their student. This will emphasise the importance of each idea and when they can use them in solving problems. It could also be useful to link each concept with others that are relevant or may be used in parallel.

1. Demonstrate a variety of revision techniques for your students to use for test and exam preparation

There are various revision techniques, but each student is unique, so one method might be useful while others may not apply to your student. That is why you should demonstrate a variety of techniques to your student and let them use the method that is more suited to them. 

Learn more about our tutoring services here: ​https://www.mathstutorsmelbourne.com.au/online-tutoring.html

If you're planning to become a maths tutor, you need to understand that exceptional math skills are not enough. You might also be good at conveying maths lessons to other people, but there are many things to consider before you become a qualified and proficient maths tutor.

We will discuss all these factors in this article, so I urge you to read on. Before you decide to become a maths tutor, you must first answer these questions:

• Why do you want to be a tutor?

You'll need to get your intentions right before you embark on your journey as a tutor. If your main goal is to make a positive difference in students' lives, so this means you will work with both children and young adults teaching, supporting, and empowering them to achieve their full potential, then becoming a maths tutor is the right path for you.

In fact, if you have aspirations to become an educator, you will most likely succeed as a tutor because you already have the right mindset and traits to become a good teacher.

• Do you have the right credentials/qualifications?

A tutor must have the right credentials and qualifications, so being enrolled in or having an undergraduate education degree is a must. This will give you a significant edge over tutors who have no aspirations to become educators. If you are not yet a qualified teachers, you'll need to apply for a working with children check since this is a requirement for anyone who work with or care for children in Victoria.

Lastly, as a qualified teacher, you will need to register with the Victorian Institute of Teaching, because teachers, who are practising in Victoria are required to register with VIT.

• How do you market yourself or apply for jobs?

There are several ways to get a job in Victoria if you're a maths tutor. You can register on various job portals for tutors like Tutor Finder, GumTree, Airtasker, AllJobs, and Australian JobSearch. Make sure to list all your qualifications, credentials, and experience as well as proofread your bio; you'll want to make a good first impression to your potential employers.

You can also take advantage of social media sites like Facebook where you can find various community groups to connect with. LinkedIn is also a good site for job seekers since you can create a public and private resume or connect with potential clients and employers.

• How do you prepare your maths lessons?

 Once you are hired as maths tutor, you'll want to make a positive first impression and get your students underway on their learning journey. It is essential to find out as much as you can about your student and the math topics and concepts they need help with.

Lessons must be prepared a few days before the actual tuition session so you can adjust the topics needed by your students. The important thing here is to guide your students as best as possible by determining their learning needs and helping them cope with their schoolwork.

Overall, a maths tutor is a fulfilling vocation because you're helping students help themselves by guiding them until they reach their academic goals or become proficient with maths. Click here if you need help determining how much to charge.

Many students dread calculus because they think it’s a subject that is hard to learn and understand. In reality, the main struggles of most students are not with calculus itself, but their lack of understanding with foundational trigonometry and algebra concepts that are commonly applied to calculus.

This is the main reason why it is essential to review past math classes and notes to truly understand the foundational maths concepts that you’re required to know before you take on calculus.

In this article, we’re going to simplify calculus. Get ready to discuss key concepts from trigonometry and algebra, as well as definitions and symbols you must understand.

• Know the definitions

Knowing the different terms and their definitions is essential in calculus since you will be learning things called derivatives, limits, integrals, and other terms that have a conceptual definition. Therefore, you need to understand that one problem can be phrased in various ways. Knowing definitions is essential to your correct interpretation of problems and subsequently, your reasoning and understanding.

• Taking one step at a time

Calculus concepts are taught in a very specific order. We start with limits, derivatives, integrals, series, higher dimensions, and progress to more advanced concepts. The reason for this is that all concepts are grouped together like a ladder, so everything you learn will be based on a previous topic.

It’s recommended that you don’t breeze on a particular topic like limits since it’s the foundation of calculus and everything else will depend on it. You will need to understand the conceptual meaning behind a limit to fully understand next concept.

• Know the symbols

Calculus is full of arrows, S’s, and Greek letters- it’s like you’re reading a foreign language! That is why you’ll need to know all the symbols to properly solve a problem. If you can’t determine their meanings, then will not understand what the problems are asking. No Matter how naturally gifted you are in maths, it s impossible to work through problems if you do not know the symbols or terminology used.
After learning the symbols, you should also know when to use them. Therefore, it’s essential to know all the small details, or you’ll end up getting more confused.

• Start Thinking in 3D

Calculus is considered a journey into the world of three dimensions, so you’ll need to expand everything, and visualising will be your key to solve problems. Although you don’t need to be an artist to succeed, you are required to draw various 3D figures.

• Learn the rules

Like in any other subject in school, mathematics is bounded by rules and you need to follow them to be successful in this subject. One good example is the chain rule, product rule, the quotient rule, u-substitution, and integration by parts. If you don’t know these rules, then you will be limited in your ability to solve problems in calculus.

Overall, practice is the key to your success so solve a lot of problems everyday or as much as you can. Don’t give up, it will become easier once you get the hang of it. Most importantly, do all your homework following what your teacher has covered before the following lesson commences. If you need a tutor to help with your understanding and confidence, find out about their rates.

Holidays are the best time to refocus and recharge, but it’s also an ideal time to get your head around the curriculum. Studying over the holiday break will provide you an opportunity to get a head start when classes begins, so you won’t feel completely lost in class.

This is also essential for Year 12 since you’ll be shifting to higher education, and teachers will expect you to be more independent, so setting a study routine during the holiday will better prepare you for the Victorian Certificate of Education or Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning.

Here are some tips to consider when you’re setting your study routine during the holiday break:

• Set an ideal time to study per day

It’s best to set aside at least 3 to 5 hours a day to study, so you establish your rhythm. The important thing is that you’ve allotted enough time to for studying so it becomes the centrepiece of your day.

• Use a planner in outlining your daily goals

Setting goals is important in any type of endeavour, so we recommend that you list your daily, weekly, and monthly goals. This is best done in a planner where you can outline all your activities and the timeframe required for each task. Accomplishing goals will also motivate you to study and to stick with your daily study routine.

• Dedicate enough time to all your subjects

As you set your study routine, you will also need to divide your time between your subjects. This means you need to devote enough time to all your subjects so that you can cover all of the relevant content. Some subjects may require more study time if you find them especially challenging but be sure not to neglect others. It is particularly important to study for English, as it is considered as a prerequisite to pass your VCE and to enter most courses.

• Create an accountability group

We all know that there are many distractions during holiday breaks so it’s best to get someone to check on you once in a while. We recommend you create an accountability group or join a study group since they will surely remind you when you get together for your study session.

• Exercise daily

To keep your mind healthy, you will need to maintain a healthy body. Daily exercises will not only diversify your activities, but It will also provide you the endurance you need throughout the holiday break.

• Eat a balanced diet

Like exercising daily, you will also need a balanced diet to stay healthy. Therefore, eating nutritious food is essential to get the daily boost you need to continue with your work.

Lastly, don’t forget to spend time every day doing something you enjoy, like going out with your friends and family. It’s a holiday break, after all, so its’ best to relax and not get burnout, while also prioritising your studies.
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Overall, it is essential to establish a solid study routine, so you make the most of your holiday break and give yourself a better chance of achieving high marks during the coming assessment period. If you are becoming overwhelmed, it's best to seek help from a qualified tutor. Find our about the cost of tutors here.

How Much Do Tutors Cost? 
A private tutor is someone who believes they have expertise to teach a specific subject, and they offer their services to students who need academic help. Tutors are usually professors, industry professionals, undergraduate students and teachers who have robust experience in a particular subject area. Therefore, private tutoring rates will vary depending on the location, experience of the tutor, and frequency of the tuition sessions.

However, the tutoring industry is currently unregulated, so anyone can claim they are a tutor even if they don’t have the required expertise and qualification to teach a particular subject like maths and science. In fact, unqualified, unaccredited, and tutors with no experience often charge very low. Some of these tutors are still students who achieved high grades in a particular subject, but this doesn’t mean that they have the capability to guide your child to academic success.

Breakdown of cost depending on the type of tutor:

• Unqualified and inexperienced tutors

These tutors have no experience or aspirations within education, and they usually charge $20 up to $50 per hour. Usually, these are undergrad students who achieved high grades in a specific subject like maths, and they are confident enough to teach the same subject to other students. However, often this persons high grades have a lot to do with a strong natural ability in maths. Therefore, they struggle to break concepts down for struggling students. They also have their preferred algorithms, which they are confident with, but cannot offer alternative algorithms for students to use. We do not recommend that you hire an unqualified and inexperienced tutor because they lack the needed training and knowledge to teach your child.

• Education undergraduates

These budding teachers are not yet qualified to teach, but they have the teaching experience and aspirations to become full-time teachers. In fact, these education student tutors are passionate about teaching, and they have a good understanding of the curriculum. Most importantly, they are currently learning and practising various teaching methods that are explicitly intended to assist students, and they hold a working with children check. They will often charge from $50 to $70 per session.

• Qualified and experienced teacher

These tutors are qualified teachers, and they specialise in the subject area needed by your child. They have years of experience teaching in various private and public schools, which gives them the knowledge and expertise to guide your child in their respective subject in the most effective way possible. So, if you’re looking for an ideal tutor for your child, then you may want to consider hiring a qualified teacher. In most cases, they charge between $70 to $100 per hour.

• Specialist teacher

This group of tutors are also qualified and experienced teachers with a VIT accreditation, but they have an additional qualification in the area of need. For example, a specialist teacher might be trained and qualified to work with children with special needs. These tutors will most likely charge more so you can expect to pay between $90 to $120 per hour.
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As parents, we should provide our children with an ideal tutor that can help them achieve their academic goals. That is why we urge you to ensure the credibility and qualifications of a potential tutor before you make the final decision. Additionally, be wary of cheap tutors since they may not be the right tutor for your child. It’s best to spend a little more as long as you get the value for your hard-earned money.

If you are looking for one of Melbourne's top Maths Tutors, expect to pay $66 for an undergraduate and $88 for a fully qualified teacher through maths tutors Melbourne. 

The effectiveness of private tuition can be mainly accredited to the one-to-one teaching and learning that occurs. The tutor can get to know the student individually, streamlining the lesson to cater for their unique needs and abilities. This provides an opportunity for the tutor to try a variety of teaching techniques that might help the student to understand a topic effectively.

These are the strategies we’re going to discuss on this blog post, and I’m sure it will provide tutors some inspiration, especially when it comes to alternative and sometimes complementary ways of tutoring.

1. Build rapport and get to know your student well
Rapport is the glue that makes the tutor-student relationship productive. So, the main aspect of a tuition session is to be able to read your student and make them feel at ease. It’s recommended that you talk to them in a plain but respectful way and ask them about their interests and learning styles. Once rapport is established, students can easily open up, and they may even tell you their struggles, especially when it comes to academics.

2. Get an idea of the topic/concepts which will be a focus so you can prepare
The key to an effective tuition session is a well-prepared and individualised lesson plan, and this can only be accomplished when you know the topic/concepts that your student wants or need to learn about. That is why collaboration and communication are essential to your success since you’ll need to reach out to your student as well as their parents and map a better plan for learning.

3. Ask your students to prepare for lessons
While in class, or completing homework, students should be actively taking note of the questions or concepts they are struggling with. Ask your students to highlight, underline or write down the questions or concepts they are struggling with so that you can work through this with them during your lesson together.

4. Summarise each idea conceptually with an emphasis on when to use this skill
An effective tutor will always summarise each concept that they have discussed with their student. This will emphasise the importance of each idea and when they can use them in solving problems. Work with your student on understanding the language and when problems like this are likely to arise during problem solving. Link to real life situations if applicable.

5.Demonstrate a variety of revision techniques for your students to use for test and exam preparation
There are various revision techniques, but each student is unique, so one method might be useful while others may not apply to your student. That is why you should demonstrate a variety of techniques to your student and let them use the methods that are more suited to them. The important thing here is for you to show them several revision techniques that they can use for their test preparation.

For those who want to ace their VCE exam, it’s essential to learn and understand the various difficult concepts in the VCE Maths curriculum. For this reason, it is beneficial to enrol in an intensive VCE exam preparation program. All lessons are run by a qualified, experienced, accredited, specialist teacher who has an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter.

The teacher also knows the exam phases and common misconceptions on each concept. That is why it is essential to find a qualified tutor to help you with exam revision, because they will have the capability to effectively teach and help students understand the different revision techniques, concepts, and exam strategies.

Our group sessions are for students who are keeping pace with the course work and want to achieve exemplary results in their exams.

In fact, our Maths group tuition classes will focus on various concepts, misconceptions, and techniques. So, if you’re a student who knows the fundamental skills, but aiming to deepen your understanding and learn the application of these skills, then this program is for you.

Where will the sessions take place?
All group tuition sessions will be conducted remotely via online classrooms, and the maximum number of participants per session is five. We can also guarantee that all the sessions will be handled by our accredited and fully qualified teachers.

When to begin exam preparation?
The VCE exam is still a few months away, but it’s important that you begin your preparation as early as this month. You don’t want to cram and start studying just a month or a few weeks before the day of the assessment. This will overload you with information, not allowing you to effectively process and learn the skills and understandings required.

Therefore, you’ll need to start as early as possible, efficiently working on the following tasks:

• Reference book creation and refinement
• Calculator skills proficiency and efficiency
• Completing past exams
• Completing all tasks set by your teacher
• Asking questions whenever you run into difficultly

Preparing early is a sure way to succeed in the VCE exam, so we recommend that you get in touch with us so we can help you prepare for the coming assessment.

How to get the most out of each session?
We at Maths Tutors Melbourne, aim to provide the most extensive tuition sessions for our students so that they can achieve high scores in their VCE exam. However, we need your cooperation, so you get the most of each session.

Therefore, we urge our students to give suggestions on topics and concepts they need help with. This will help us tailor our lesson plan based on the learning needs of students in each group.
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Since we’re conducting our tuition online, it is essential that your devices like tablet/iPad is fully charged and your computer has the apps or software needed for our group session. You will also need a CAS calculator on hand, note pad, pen, and other relevant documents that are required for our tuition.

According to Galileo Galilei, mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe. This is relatively true since we cannot read or learn anything in this world or the universe itself without learning the letter, shape and other geometrical elements  of maths.

Mathematics is also considered the language of science since it wouldn’t be possible to arrive at a conclusion or solve an intricate problem without it. However, is maths really a language? To answer this question, we need to delve deeper into how the grammar and vocabulary of mathematics are used to construct various sentences.

What exactly is a language?
Language has several definitions, but we all understand that it is essential since it is a system composed of symbols and sounds used in communication. According to the linguist, Noam Chomsky, language is a set of constructed sentences utilising a set of elements that represent events and abstract concepts.
No matter which definition is used, a language will contain the following components:

• The symbols and words will have an attached meaning.
• It will contain a series of symbols and words.
• It will employ grammar and will have a set of rules which outline how it is used.
• There will be several users or a group of individuals who understand the symbols and words.

All these components are present in mathematics since it uses syntax, grammar, and the symbols have meaning, and it is the same throughout the world. Therefore, scientists and mathematicians use maths to communicate concepts and real-world phenomena.

What is syntax, vocabulary, and grammar in Mathematics?
Maths employs various alphabets and symbols that are unique. These elements come together as a mathematical equation. So, it will always contain words that form a sentence. For example:
3+5 = 8

Which can be converted to words as “three plus five equals eight.” Nouns will include the following:

• Fraction (2/3, 1/10, 2/5)
• Arabic numerals (1,2,3,4)
• Expression (5+x, 10x, x2)
• Variables (x, y, z, a, b, c)
• Visual elements (triangle, angle, circle, matrix)

Verbs in math will include symbols like:

• Addition, multiplication, subtraction, division (+, x, ÷, /)
• Inequalities and equalities (=, >, <)

If you create a diagram on a mathematical sentence, you’ll see several elements like conjunctions, adjectives, infinitives, nouns, verbs, etc.

Universal rules
No matter what country you belong to, maths will be interpreted using the same universal structure. Therefore, formulas will always be read from left to right, and brackets will indicate the order in which the elements interact.

Greek and Latin alphabets are commonly used for variables and parameters. Real numbers will use the following symbols: β, a, b, c, and γ. At the same time, integers will be presented by j, k, I, l, m, n. Lastly, unknowns are presented by y, x, z, and complex numbers will be translated using z and w.

Mathematical language as a teaching tool
It is essential to understand how mathematical sentences work together and it will also be helpful when you’re learning or teaching math. Most people are intimidated with symbols and numbers, so by converting equations into a familiar and easy to understand language – math will be a more approachable subject. It’s like translating an unknown or foreign language into something students understand.
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Students typically dislike extracting verbs, nouns, and modifiers from written or spoken language, but it is a valuable skill to have since it can improve problem-solving skills and increase your mathematical comprehension.
Most importantly, since maths is the same in all countries in the world, it’s just right to say that it can be used as a universal language. For this reason, math can be an effective tool for learning and communication because it can break the barriers that exist.
Overall, students learn mathematics using a robust vocabulary that includes symbols, numbers, words, and diagrams. So, there’s a strong case for this concept even if some people don’t accept math as a language; it’s still an effective means of simplifying complicated equations and make math more exciting and approachable to students of all levels.
Teachers and tutors must teach their students the importance of this concept since this can open their minds as they improve their problem-solving skills.