Much of the difficulty experienced by students of all levels and abilities turns around the language used to explain mathematical concepts. For mathematicians, precision to the point of pedantry is a virtue, not a flaw. In fact, math becomes a perfect training ground for basic reasoning skills thanks to this careful attention to detail, which allows for very subtle distinctions. However, a student exploring the material for the first time can be hampered by all the subtleties, if they are presented all at once, and is usually better served by starting with the obvious and gradually exploring each facet of the material, one at a time, until they can build up the more nuanced understanding of the topic, on their own.
The core tenets of my approach to teaching are based on solid pedagogical research and include:
- - fostering a growth mindset;
- - explaining the importance of mistakes, and how to learn from them;
- - understanding that improvement comes at the point of optimal resistance;
- - regular, appropriate & diversified practice;
- - distinguishing between recognition and recall;
- - the advantage of complex conceptual relationships when it comes to recall;
- - the importance of narrative to successful retention;
- - using non-technical verbal communication as a measure of mastery;
- - scaffolding the exploration of new topics (setting students up for successful discovery);
- - learning to apply existing knowledge to new topics;
amongst many others. These principles are woven into every session and can make all the difference to students, not only in math, but in any subject.
