prealgebra Articles

Ken B., known as "The Best Little Tutor In Texas", has just surpassed the 400 hour tutoring mark in Houston, Texas! What makes Ken so good and popular in Houston? It is because of his diverse background and of being able to do the following: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, physics, computers, and computer programming. He can help a student in many many different areas. Ken does both high school and college and does regular, honors, IB, PAP, AP, etc... All that is quite a talent. Ken says that the subject most tutored in the past several months is statistics, and the reason for that is that most teachers use the 'dump' method...they 'dump' a copious quantity of power point files onto the student but the teachers do not really teach how to 'do' the problems...he has seen the same trend with other subject areas, and this is most unfortunate for students taking the classes...so, if you need to get on top of your mathematics and science courses (except of biology), then Ken in Houston is the person to contact.

As I said in my previous post, math has become a problem for so many students. Parents are frequently at a loss as to how to help their child in math (or pre-algebra, algebra, or ASVAB) as well. Why is math so difficult and scary for so many students? Is it because math is inherently more difficult than English and History? Is it because you "just can't understand or learn math"? Are pre-algebra and algebra too hard to learn? Is it the teacher's fault you haven't been able to comprehend math? If you are trying to get ready for your ASVAB is it too late to learn math? The answer to all of these, of course, is a resounding "no"!

You just need to find the right tool for the job. After all, a master carpenter would never succeed if he tried to cut a board with a hammer instead of a saw. The right study skills and right tutoring session can help you succeed. You really can become successful in math, pre-algebra, algebra, study skills and test taking! Would you like me to help you develop into a high achiever? You do not need to feel like a failure; you actually were built for success!

Math can actually be fun. As I said yesterday, understanding each concept gets you to the next level, like levels in a video game; it is all related. If you are struggling, I would love to tutor you so that you can reach the top level! Don't live in fear of the Math Monster. You can tame that monster--make math your friend! I do not believe math is beyond your abilities. Look at all that you learned in your first few years of life! You learned to communicate by learning an entire language, you learned to walk, feed yourself, and learned your role in life. So if you learned all of that, I can teach you how to learn math.

Let's get started!

Math has become a problem for so many students. Parents are frequently at a loss as to how to help their child in math, as well. Why is math so difficult and scary for so many students?

Is it because math is inherently more difficult than English and History? Is it because some people "just can't understand math"? Is it the teacher's fault? No to all of these, of course.

As my mom has always told me when I had difficulty with a subject and told her I couldn't learn that subject; "It's the same muscle, the same brain. If you can succeed in one area, you can learn to succeed in another." You need to find the right tool for the job, just as a carpenter would do!

So, let's look at where your struggle is. If you are struggling with solving for an unknown in an equation, and it looks like weird mystical magic, you must look at the concept behind it. Where does it begin? Do you remember memorizing your addition and subtraction facts? Your multiplication and division facts? Yes, that is what is behind solving for unknowns. In math it is important when problem solving to figure out what you DO know in the problem. Lay those out on your sketch or in your formula. Sometimes this helps you make that leap and see what to do next.

Before you leap, though, be sure to carefully look at what you are trying to determine. Don't panic, you can figure it out! If you do not know which method to use to solve the problem at this point, review the concepts. Can you see it now?

Math can actually be fun! Getting each concept gets you to the next level, like in a video game. It all builds and is all related. I would love to tutor you so you can reach each level. As one of my students says "Wow, I am a smarticus after all!". Yes you are!

It isn't too late. You can learn how to be superb at math! What are your thoughts about building your math levels concept by concept?

Do you find yourself giving up or procrastinating on your reading and studying? Does it seem like there is an endless amount of work to finish between now and Christmas? I know you have heard a million times, "break it into smaller pieces". Maybe you need another way to do that.

Here is a way that has worked for some of my students. Let's say you have 9 chapters in your history textbook to read and understand by the end of the semester (and 3 exams---3 chapters per exam). Rather than be overwhelmed by that concept, what you can do is make up 3 separate index cards (one per exam--and write which chapters must be covered for that exam). For now, just refer to the card for the first exam. Take 3 post-its (and write 1 chapter on each). Stick the post-its on the exam card. Pick a deadline for each chapter. As soon as you finish a chapter--throw the post-it for that chapter away. There is something very satisfying and empowering to be able to pitch that post-it.

As soon as you feel like procrastinating, odds are you are focused on the 9 chapters. Re-focus! Grab your chapter cards. Tell yourself---I will finish 1 card; I will throw away post-its.

This may sound like an idea that cannot work. But it gets around the mental blocks that we tend to create and then use to procrastinate. This concept worked great for one of my students. He just couldn't get started on his reading assignments. As a matter of fact, we took a step backward from this strategy. I made a card for just 1 chapter. If the chapter was 21 pages long and he had a week to cover it, I would direct him to read only 3 pages a day. I added that if he knew he needed to take a day off during that week, he needed to have his page count for the week taken care of anyway. We would make a game of it, and try to estimate how many minutes it would take to thoroughly read those 3 pages. He began to see that no matter how huge the reading assignments, he could break it down into manageable sizes. If he had to read 140 pages during the week, but he could only bear to read 5 pages at a time, he needed to read 5 pages 4 times a day. Guess what? He quickly decided that he would rather read 20 pages at a time and be done for that day. But even if he needed to read only 5 pages at a time, he could get it done. Get the challenge or mountain down to the size where you almost laugh and say---of course I can do that much!

Success breeds success. Baby steps to the end of the course.....as one of my favorite students says, "slow and steady wins the race"!

You can succeed! Let me know if you try my techniques! I would love to tutor you and get you on your wonderful road to success!

One of the hardest things for students to do is to keep re-writing steps they already know how to do. So often, we get used to doing something, so we shortcut and skip steps, because *we know* what those steps are. But someone else, reading through your page, doesn't understand how you went from point A to point D without seeing point B and C, too. So one of the easiest steps I make my kids (in my classroom, and those I tutor) do is to write down their process - sometimes even making them write it in words.

For example, when working an algebra problem of 3(x-2)=18, I'd make them do all the work:
3*x - 3*2=18, distribution to get rid of the parentheses
3x-6=18, multiplication
+6 to both sides, to get the x term by itself
so 3x = 24
divide both sides by 3, to solve for x instead of 3x
x = 24/3
x = 8

Now, I wouldn't make them write it down with words all the time, but on a test or quiz that might be a 10-point question. And the first few times they learn a new process, I would *definitely* make them do it. Review the above equation. Can you see how much easier it would be to do the next problem, say, 5(x+3)=52, if you had the one above to look at and get the process from? The words help SO MUCH!