
Meredith
Certified Tutor
Graduate Degree: Case Western Reserve University - PHD, LAW
Undergraduate Degree: Western Governors University - Bachelors, Mathematics & Education
Spending time with my husband and dog, photography, baking, papercrafts, crocheting & knitting, animal adoption advocacy
ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra
Elementary School Math
GED Math
ISEE Prep
ISEE-Lower Level Mathematics Achievement
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
To help encourage students to become independent learners, I assess prior knowledge and then build upon it by asking a lot of leading questions as we work through problems together. Since this process enables them to arrive at the answers more independently, it bolsters their self-confidence in the material as well as their problem solving abilities. This makes it easier for them to believe they can calculate the answers to future problems with less and less help as time progresses. Also, after they have completed several examples correctly, I ask them to pretend I am a classmate who doesn't know how to solve the problem, and ask them to explain the solution process step by step, since one true way to demonstrate you have mastered material is to be able to explain it to others.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I provide lots of positive reinforcement and feedback to my students as they are working through solutions to stay motivated. Everyone needs a cheerleader! I also like to draw upon examples of how the material they are learning has practical value in the real world and can help them attain any personal goals they have set for themselves.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Whenever a student exhibits signs of struggling with a concept, I try to pinpoint the exact point in the solution process where their confusion begins and pick up from there, slowly proceeding step by step. If they are still lost, I ask questions to assess prior knowledge and determine if they are lacking prerequisite concepts necessary to understand the steps involved, then strengthen any weak skills that exist in a student's content knowledge with instruction so they are able to return to the skill at hand and successfully master it.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
To help verify that students understand the material we have covered, I frequently ask them to describe each step in the solution process out loud to me and explain the reasons behind each one while they are performing the calculations. This assures me that they understand the rationale and theory behind each step as well, appreciating their significance in leading the students to the correct answer.