3rd March 2011 9:00
By Blue Tutors
Of all school subjects, there is one above any other where we hear the phrase “I am completely lost”. It’s possible that many of you reading this will already be thinking about Maths, and it’s this subject more than any other where students feel they desperately need a tutor’s help. The interesting question is: what is it about Maths that creates such fear, and a feeling of uncertainty among students?
Let’s look at English. If you’re able to read and write then it’s likely that you can have a go at answering most English questions, even at degree level. Obviously a novice’s answer is unlikely to be graded very highly, but it’s certainly something that they can attempt. This is different from Maths, where students often have difficulty understanding the question, and have no idea how to begin.
We’re not saying that Maths is more difficult than English, but it highlights the point that students can feel very lost when they don’t understand ideas upon which new ideas are built. The same problem occurs in English, but it’s just easier to cover up a lack of understanding because English generally deals with subjective concepts and opinions.
We think this is important because it suggests that the way many people arrange tuition isn’t the most effective. Most students, or their parents contact a tutor when they’re struggling, when the student says “I am completely lost”, and by this stage there’s usually a whole host of ideas that have passed the student by. At this point students usually have one lesson a week, or even more closer to the exams.
Ideally, students wouldn’t wait until they’re really struggling to seek out a tutor. If they feel uncertain about a subject then it’s perfectly reasonable for the student to arrange just one lesson with a tutor. This might continue so that they have a lesson every 1-2 months, just to ensure that they understand each idea as it arises.