Tips for Maths Tutors

Teaching maths is not a walk in the park. In fact, it is considered to be one of the most difficult subjects, especially for students who are left behind in class and need more support from their teachers. More on that here. Ideally, teachers would be able to customise lesson plans based on the needs of individual students. In reality, teachers do not have the time or resources to do this to the extent needed by many.

For tutors, there are standard procedures that you can implement to ensure that your students are getting the most of each tuition session, including:

• Always look at the problem in the book and ask your student to explain the procedures they are using to solve the problem.
• Troubleshoot any misconceptions
• Determine what your student currently know and build on that.

Here are some additional tips to consider:

• Be a guide

As a maths tutor, you should guide your student through the solution process and not solve the problem yourself. It is essential to ask your students questions that will lead them to the correct steps. If your student cannot answer the problem and asks for help, you should look at what they have done so far and locate the error. If they become stuck, provide an explanation and see I they can apply the information to the current problem.

It is advisable to give students a similar problem to help them consolidate a skill they had some trouble with. This ensure that they have a firm grasp of the concepts or procedures to lead them to the correct answer.

• Always discuss the concepts

The main goal of tutoring is to help students become independent learners. That is why it is important to discuss key concepts rather than just procedures and processes. For example, you should explain why it is essential to follow the “order of operations” rule rather than just showing them how you would solve a problem. If your students understand the concepts, it will be easier for them to remember the procedures.

• Encourage them to attend class

Some students think that having a tutor is enough to be good in math, but they must realise that a tutor is not a substitute for attending class or completing homework. The time spent with a tutor is supplemental to classroom time and should be used to consolidate concepts learnt in class.

• Address maths anxiety

As a maths tutor, you will encounter several students with varying degrees of maths anxiety. That is why you need to avoid phrases that may intimidate them, like “this is easy.” It is much more useful to tell them, “I know you can learn this,” because this will motivate them to learn the concepts and procedures no matter how hard it is for them.

Overall, these are just some of the ways you can help your students learn maths. Always remember, a good maths tutor is flexible and customises their lessons based on their students learning needs.