Math and science allow us to better understand the complex world we live in, and they often show up in places we would never expect to find them! Math and science are also two subjects many students tend to struggle with in school, so it’s important to establish strong habits using effective techniques guaranteed to make a good math and science tutor.
Good Math & Science Tutors Make Connections to the Real World
“But when will I ever use algebra in real life?” laments the distraught math student as they struggle in their quest to solve for x. Comments such as this are too common in math and science classes, and it isn’t any wonder why. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain a student’s interest in a subject if they’re unable to understand why they’re studying it in the first place, and many teachers can’t or won’t provide the reasons they’re looking for. Fortunately, a good tutor in math and science can be the perfect remedy.
The key to unlocking a passion for math and science lies in making real-world connections. When a student can clearly see how to apply their studies to something they’re interested in, they gain much-needed confidence and a willingness to continue. It’s especially important to make direct connections to the things they truly care about and not just any generic connection because telling an aspiring ballet dancer to picture themselves building a house when working on geometry will hardly give them an incentive to take an interest in the subject.
The Best Tutors In Math & Science Use Easily Relatable Language
When dealing with complicated equations and Latin names, it’s easy to get lost in a sea of information. Good math and science tutors know how to use simple language and relatable references easily understood by everyone to describe seemingly difficult concepts. Watch as your student plays leapfrog with polynomials and expands them without breaking a sweat!
Using common language and well-known analogies makes math and science easier for students to grasp at first exposure. Making a habit of using these techniques also aids in memory retention since it involves adding a little to something that is already known as opposed to trying to absorb entirely new content. All of this culminates in reducing the stress associated with math and science, and stress-free students make great learners!
Focus on Transferable Skills
When it seems impossible to explain why logarithms are useful in the real world, experienced math and science tutors are able to demonstrate the importance of working through them anyway. It is hardly expected that a dental hygienist will need to use the math concepts they learned in their Pre-Calculus class, but the life skills learned as a result of completing it are paramount to the subject matter itself. Even many years down the road, a successful math and science student can look back and take pride in their success and recall all of the hardships they triumphed over in order to achieve that success.
It often goes unsaid, but math and science classes teach far more than just formulas and theories. Due to the nature of math and science classes, students have a chance to hone their problem-solving and organizational skills, both of which are invaluable in all faculties of life. These classes also indirectly teach the importance of perseverance when things get difficult, thus promoting an eagerness to learn, improve, and succeed. Confidence is built through every success, and confidence gives students the drive to reach for their goals and desires. So, good math and science tutors make a point of reinforcing these ideas, and the students are better for it!
Great Math and Science Tutors Cater to Individual Learning Styles
The primary method of teaching used in schools today involves copying notes and completing textbook assignments based on those notes. Even though this practice is so common, it only works for a small percentage of learners! Creative math and science tutors will carefully design lesson plans based on the VARK learning styles of their students, and this helps them achieve great results outside of the classroom. The best math and science tutors use the one-on-one time to the fullest, employing many techniques in regards to each different learning style that simply aren’t possible in a traditional classroom setting.
If a student is struggling with math and science, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t smart enough or can’t do it; it simply means that their learning style isn’t being taken into consideration! Successful math and science tutors are able to present information in a variety of ways, whether a student learns best through the use of pictures and charts or through conducting hands-on experiments. Learning math and science using a preferred learning style empowers students and can ignite a love of learning where there was previously only frustration.
Hooray for Good Math and Science Tutors!
A good tutor in math and science can work miracles when it comes to helping a student understand even the most challenging concepts. Our Twisted Tutors are excited to work with your math and science student, so make sure to contact us to see what your student is capable of!
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