Math Tutor Wisdom

Elliott Rachlin

Level III Project

March 5, 2006

Topics:

Introductory Comments

1. Students’ names

2. Approach quiet students

3. When students want to provide back-story

4. Tutor/student combinations vary in quality

5. Material not fresh in the tutor’s mind

6. Shall I try to tutor my own children (or my adult friends)?

7. I am good at math. Will I make a good math tutor?

8. Write page number and problem number on examples

9. Avoid “shortcuts” and other destined-to-fail approaches

10. The occasional disappointment

11. Too many numbers?

12. Where did the Quadratic Formula come from?

13. Tickle your student’s fancy – and answer the question, “What’s all this Calculus good for, anyway?”

14. Variation in student styles

15. Singing on-key and off-key

16. Drop-in tutoring is the hardest

17. How to accept praise

18. More about praise – and criticism

19. The best and the worst?

Closing Comments