Math Tutoring For Grades 5 through 9

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. That many math teacher/tutors do the work they do because math was easy for them. Their students however, are often the ones who need other strategies than the people who easily soak up math. This doesn't mean they can learn math, but they might have to tackle it in a different way. So, ask your tutor about their ways how to reach your specific child.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. I know how to work with children and young people. There are math skills, concepts, strategies to teach and learn, but as important, a teacher has to "get" her students. She needs to know development stages, learning styles, typical behaviors and how to deal with them, and much more. I have worked with math students for some fifteen years and with children over 20 years, and know how to reach them and teach them.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love the "aha" moments I get when a student starts to understand what he/she thought was impossible to get. Most of all, I want students to become empowered learners.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. I'm actually amazed how few concrete math questions my clients ask. Before I work with a student I offer a free initial phone consultation during which I ask what help they're seeking. Then I follow up with a get-to-gether and an informal assessment. All is individualized and I respond to whatever this parent and this child needs.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. This happened just yesterday when I was working with a 6 grade student. We were working on his homework assignments and all went quite smoothly until the very last problem when Ian blanked and seemed stuck. The lesson was almost over and I knew five minutes wouldn't be enough to get him through this. Since I didn't have a student scheduled afterward, I decided to go as long as we needed to. It took us almost half an hour to break through. This felt good for both of us. Ian's mother who was waiting for him in the next room and could follow our process, was very pleased, commenting how amazed she was that her impatient son would collaborate the way he did. I wasn't that surprised. Over the years I've observed how willing students often are to go deeper when their needs are being considered.