How many times have you heard someone (maybe yourself) say, "I never really got the hang of math?"
It seems to be okay, even "cool," for people to be bad at math. But there's no reason for this. Math is not a meaningless collection of rules and symbols. Math is a key skill and a worthwhile subject.
The examples are countless: finding the "best buy" at the store, calculating sales, approximating values, organizing budgets, planning trips, designing new spaces, forming and following logical arguments, or, maybe most importantly, knowing when something is illogical and doesn't make sense. Through studying mathematics, students can learn to process information and make decisions based on data and established facts rather than through gut feelings and bad info.
Some students aren't really reaping these benefits. Maybe the class is moving too fast, or there are holes in their basic math knowledge. Problems can come from poor organization or weak reasoning skills. The sources of the issues are numerous, but the solution can be much simpler.
Hire a tutor.
I don't mean to hire that high schooler down the street who scored well on the SATs and got an A in trigonometry. I mean hire a professional teacher.
Professional teachers aren't just knowledgeable in their field; they have training and experience working with students. They also understand how schools, grades, textbooks and tests work. Unlike the business major in college looking to earn an extra $20, a professional teacher has patience and empathy for student problems and concerns. Teachers diagnose learning difficulties on a daily basis.
Invest in a quality tutor to get quality results. As a certified PA Math (7-12) teacher, you can trust that I have the knowledge, skills and experience to address your student's and your needs.
Ms. S's Bio:
I've taught and tutored in several math subjects across a broad age group. In college, I tutored elementary students in basic math and reading. After college, I took on two students in physics and calculus. While earning my graduate degree in Math Education, I tutored student athletes at the University of Pittsburgh in subjects ranging from Algebra 1 to business calculus.
I'm currently employed at Quaker Valley high school teaching Geometry. Throughout the day, I work with students from other classes, as well.
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