By the time many students seek tutoring help, they are often in panic mode. I first try to calm students down, and then show how math and physics problems can be broken down into very manageable parts. Often teachers or even textbooks move too fast or make things more complicated than they need to be. These subjects should never be intimidating, and with a laid-back, non-pressure approach, students can learn to not only master math and physics but to have fun in the process.

First I assess how the student feels and what the challenges have been. Then we need to review what the student needs to be doing right now in the class. We might have to review previous concepts and material the student did not understand sufficiently to build a stronger foundation in getting "up-to-speed."

The specific skill development and strategies that apply to math and physics are too often not adequately covered in normal classrooms, and students end up being "thrown in the deep end" to "sink or swim." A student can become an independent learner by developing good strategies on how to handle math and physics problems. These types of problems are different from other subjects students engage in, and so require a different mind-set and set of skills.

When students experience themselves being successful with problems and "getting" concepts that were formerly insurmountable, they usually become super-motivated! Seeing the inevitable improvement in test scores and grades is also quite motivating.

When a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, the first thing to do is to back up and slow down. If the student is not learning a skill or concept the way it is presented in the student's classroom or textbook, I would try different approaches from different angles until the skill or concept "clicks" for the student.