I have tutored math and science privately in East Lansing for the last 4 years while a TA for introductory astronomy at Michigan State. Before that, I tutored math and science for 4 years at a SAT tutoring company in Los Angeles while an undergraduate at the California Institute of Technology.
I first try to assess where students are having difficulties and try to explain some of the student's underlying misconceptions. After practice with some example problems, I have the student attempt the problem on their own, guiding their focus through the steps that he or she should take to arrive at the answer. Finally, I try to have the student understand what the answer means in relation to the problem, why the correct answer is reasonable and an incorrect one unreasonable. I avoid, at all costs, just giving students the answer to a problem. Learning the concepts around solving math and science problems, instead of just the execution of a single problem, is a much more enlightening process (resulting in better grades)!
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