What does math tutoring look like?
Having worked as a math tutor for many years, I will be the first one to tell you that math tutoring does not look the same across the board. Since we work with a wide variety of students, we have a wide variety of “typical” math tutoring sessions.
A few common tutoring types that we do see for example are – students that struggle with math are working to shore up foundational knowledge and keep up with the class – students that are doing fine in math but want that extra support to get a higher grade – students who are excelling in math and are looking for a challenge and a deeper understanding of the content they see in class.
The approach when going into these sessions will change depending on what type of student we are working with (for example: a student that is struggling in math will generally benefit more from routine review of content whereas a student who is doing fine will generally benefit from more analysis of their work and understanding to see what is holding them back), but the one unifying factor for all situations is that we, tutor and student, are sitting together and discussing math with the goal of providing math help.
What does “discussing math” mean?
If someone says the phrase, “discussing math,” the picture that may come to mind is ancient Greek philosophers theorizing over puzzling math ideas. While this is an example of “discussing math,” it seems a bit too formal and haughty for what actually goes on in a typical math tutoring session. When a tutor and student are sitting together and “discussing math,” it is a much more relaxed setting – maybe with snacks and good drinks – where a tutor and student have a real conversation about math.
A tutoring session is not a lecture; we are here to deepen a student’s view in math and to have a real dialogue in this subject. As such, there is a back and forth, question and answer (questions posed by and to students), puzzlement and aha moments. This is what makes math tutoring so fun – getting to talk with people about a subject that fascinates us!
Why is “discussing math” a notable thing?
A certain element of discussions is present in most classes a student will take in school. In science, there is a history of discovery and a personification of ideas that goes on to connect with the material. History asks students to discuss connections between events and share their perception. In foreign language classes, students are encouraged to discuss and interact in their new language. In English classes, it is a rare sight to not have an in depth discussion about a literary topic. But when it comes to math, this is not so much the case.
Students are generally going to class, hearing the teacher talk about the new concept, (maybe asking questions), and doing homework practice problems. In our current math classroom setup, there is little room for students to get together and discuss math amongst themselves. Then with this lack of communication, there isn’t a source for students to naturally deepen their own understanding and curiosity for the subject.
This is where working with a math tutor differs. Students come in and they can freely express their understanding and confusions on the current topic with a qualified professional who can carry a full conversation that can keep the student engaged and alter their view of math. This, is a large reason why math tutoring is so effective to help students of all levels improve their math competency.
