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Math tutoring is a relatively simple concept\u2014a tutor helps your student overcome challenging subject materials, improve self-confidence, and become more resilient learners. It\u2019s a highly beneficial process that builds important soft skills. But do students really need math tutors in grade 11 or 12?<\/p>\n
At the grade 11 and 12 levels, math becomes optional. Students get a more control over what math to take and, by grade 12, whether they want to take it at all. This makes it easy for students and their parents to see math as less necessary, especially when they find it a personally challenging subject.<\/p>\n
Regardless of how tough math is, raising a teenager is harder! Every parent has experienced the struggle between helping their child prepare for their future and simply letting them be who they want to be in that moment of time.<\/p>\n
How far do we push our kids to be their best? How do we coach them towards a future that\u2019s full of potential, opportunity, and endless unknowns? What do we say when our teenager doesn\u2019t want to take math anymore? Ignoring math isn\u2019t in our children\u2019s best interest so let\u2019s talk it through!<\/p>\n
The reality is that most high school students don\u2019t know what they want to do when they\u2019re older and that\u2019s perfectly okay. Chances are most of us aren\u2019t doing what we thought we would be doing when we were 15, 16, and 17, and that\u2019s okay too!<\/p>\n
In these times of great uncertainty, there are two things we can do to help our children out:<\/p>\n
Math is one of the subject areas where guidance is often needed. \u201cMath is difficult!\u201d How often do we hear that? It doesn\u2019t come naturally to all kids (or you, as their parent). This lack of ease causes students to take the minimum number of credits they have to or they take it and feel very overwhelmed and helpless. Either choice leads to a diminished self-confidence, which doesn\u2019t only affect their performance in math, but across all subjects.<\/p>\n
For students that math comes naturally to, the issue in the higher grades of high school math is that the pace is difficult to keep up with. Curriculum expectations, being what they are, mean that the speed at which the course material is delivered is quite rapid. A concept is introduced and typically tested on in a very short time period. Then, the next concept is introduced, and so on and so forth. If your child gets stucks on a particular concept, there isn\u2019t time spent to go back and review it; the class just moves on. So, who helps even the naturally gifted math student in such cases?<\/p>\n
Another key issue is that math homework is not usually corrected for understanding. If something isn\u2019t understood, it\u2019s marked wrong and the class moves on. If this leads to frustration for those that are naturally gifted in math, how do you think those feel that didn\u2019t want to take math in the first place?<\/p>\n
When a teacher solely relies on the materials they are using to provide examples to the kids, it’s often explained using a textbook or workbook. But what happens when the way it\u2019s explained doesn\u2019t make sense to the way your child thinks? Teachers don’t have time to prepare alternative methods of teaching. Who then teaches the concept to your child in a way that they do understand it?<\/p>\n
Let’s quickly look at another challenge facing students today: semesters. What happens when your child has math in semester 1 in his grade 10 year and semester 2 in his grade 11 year? Or, in semester 1 of grade 11 and semester 2 of grade 12? In both scenarios, your child would not have math for an entire year! Think of the way math is taught as described above and, then, think of your child sitting in that class feeling lost and helpless.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t do well in math so I can\u2019t help my child.\u201d …If that’s how you feel, you’re not alone! Many parents struggle with math. But that doesn’t mean your child has too. It\u2019s up to use to give our kids the resources and advice needed to thrive. Encourage math education and then give them the tools they need to succeed in it!<\/p>\n
First, let\u2019s talk about why math is important so you can encourage math with a little more confidence, and then we’ll discuss how a math tutor can be one of your most valuable resources.<\/p>\n
All math is not equal. There are several different types of math courses being offered at the grade 11 and 12 levels in British Columbia. So, what\u2019s the deal?<\/p>\n
The B.C. Graduation requirements say that our students need a 4-credit Math 11 or Math 12 course to graduate. That sets the bare minimum requirements for each student. However, the curriculum allows for several types of math, which vary from school to school.<\/p>\n
The most common math courses your student will consider are:<\/p>\n
While additional math courses may include:<\/p>\n
As a quick reference point, Pre-Calculus was formerly called \u201cPrinciples of Math,\u201d and Foundations of Mathematics was \u201cEssentials of Math\u201d when many of today\u2019s parents were in high school.<\/p>\n
Students essentially choose to follow a more academic route with Pre-Calculus or a more basic life skills route with Foundations of Math. In either scenario, this math education is important.<\/p>\n
While kids don\u2019t technically have to take math to get into university, Pre-calculus opens a lot of doors for their future. Pre-calculus is considered a core course by many post-secondary institutions and, for that reason alone, prestigious universities make it a prerequisite requirement for most of their programs\u2014including programs that have nothing to do with mathematics.<\/p>\n
Even if students don\u2019t need pre-calculus for their desired undergraduate studies, it may become a problem if they try to transfer universities or if they decide to pursue studies in teaching, medicine, dentistry, engineering, and so forth at the graduate level.<\/p>\n
As of February 2019, here are the general math requirements for admissions into most programs at a few universities in British Columbia. (Please note this is not an official list in any capacity and you should absolutely confirm the requirements for your child\u2019s potential programs directly with the school!)<\/p>\n