Math can be overwhelming at any level for anyone, but whether you’re dealing with the horrors of algebraic formulas or the complexity of calculus concepts, the right tutor can make all the difference in turning a subject you understand nothing about to one you aced.
At Marks Education, we understand that every student is different, and therefore no session is the same, but we still wanted to put together this helpful guide, based on an interview with tutor Anthony Celino, to help you understand what you can expect in a personalized math tutoring session, and to ultimately decide if it’s what is best for you and your family.
A Math Tutoring Session Guide
Math tutoring at Marks Education, much like our humanities tutoring, is structured yet adaptive, focusing on the student’s immediate needs and long-term understanding. Anthony, with his background as a math teacher, brings a teacher’s instincts to every session. This means a structured approach with lesson plans tailored to each student’s needs. Math sessions remain flexible to address what students are currently learning in their classes, but the Marks team knows it helps to have a game plan when entering any session.
Sessions typically begin with a 5-10 minute conversation, giving students the chance to relax and feel more at ease. Anthony believes that starting with a light-hearted conversation, and occasionally injecting humor, significantly reduces students’ stress and makes the learning environment more welcoming.
Preparation and Materials
To make the most of their sessions, students are encouraged to come prepared with specific topics or problems they’re struggling with in their classwork or assigned practice problems. Many students come to us looking for math homework help, while others are looking to get ahead or catch up on past units, either way, it helps to know what you want out of the session and to prepare appropriately.
Unlike traditional classroom settings where a teacher usually lectures, tutoring sessions at Marks Education are hands-on and focused on practice. Anthony has an extensive collection of practice problems from his time as a teacher but also utilizes resources for customized engaging and targeted practice sets. These are great methods to getting hands-on practice, with guided expert help.
There are typically three phases of learning in any session.
Catching Up: For students struggling with previous week’s topics, the session may focus on bringing them up to speed and building a solid foundation. It’s hard to feel confident about new content if you’re still struggling with previous weeks’ topics.
Mastery of Current Topics: Once a student is brought up to speed, tutors may shift to helping them master what they’re currently learning in class. Naturally, this will look different for each student, but generally it means applying concepts through practice problems, worksheets, tests, and visual explanations until the student feels confident.
Getting Ahead: In the event that a student is caught up and current on their material, tutors will look to upcoming topics to give them a head start. Getting ahead isn’t just valuable in the sense that you’re doing well enough to progress, but also because it makes future class work feel like a review.
The Role of Tutoring
We’ll end this article with the fact that tutoring is meant to supplement classroom learning, not entirely replace it. Anthony and the tutoring team at Marks Education work to support the instruction students receive in school, rather than serving as the primary source of teaching. While we have instruction programs centered around making developments outside of your coursework, regular classroom attendance and participation are essential to seeing real results in any tutoring sessions.
Contact us to learn more about our packages, schedule a consultation, or discover our summer math intensive programs.