Showing posts with label Help in English. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Help in English. Show all posts

Saturday 11 August 2012

Challenging task of making math a fun-loving activity for students


Math has become a very challenging subject especially for tutors to teach. In this article, we discuss about the challenges and some innovative strategies that can be adopted to overcome these challenges.

In my previous blog; I tried to enlighten everyone about the benefits of teaching creatively to primary level students. In this blog; I will try to explain the importance of making math an interesting subject for students to learn. Remember the key to teaching small children is to think like a child, and come up with creative solutions for children. Hence; in order to get in-depth of this topic I will visualize the things I used to enjoy during my childhood days and come up with innovative solutions for building proper sense to the proceeding. So, let us start this amazing journey of self-realization. 

When I was a child my mother used to make me study math as if every calculation and every problem had an in-built magic in it. The key to finding the answer was to go through the problem carefully and understand the requirements and get the task completed. For example; I used to find retaining the math tables quite difficult. Since I was very good theory; it was natural to have a weakness in remembering numbers easily. I used to hate math like anything. But one day my mother shared a secret with me which changed my approach towards Math. I was finding it difficult to remember the tables of 9; and she told me that there is a magic in the table of 9. I was not convinced. She explained me that every time you multiple 9 with a number the addition of the both the digits will always come to 9. Let me give you an example. When you multiple 9 with 2 you get 18. When you add 1 + 8 it comes to 9. Similarly when you multiple 9 with 3 the product is 27 which adds to 9 i.e., 2 + 7 comes to 9. Likewise in the end it was very easy to learn the table. This was really an amazing experience for me. It was as if I had discovered something significant. Since I was very young it was natural to get excited with the discovery. Since that day I tried to enjoy solving math problems; and treated them as an opportunity to unveil a magical experience.

Now when I look back and remember those days, I feel that nowadays tutors do not consider these teaching techniques while explaining problems to students. They just try to explain the problem theoretically which is not good. I mean you should think from the perspective of the child. Normally any other subject is easier to teach except math because you cannot practically make the student visualize things like you can do in English and History by creating stories and making students interested. But there is a work around to this problem. Rather than seeing this as a problem, you should take this an opportunity to showcase your creativity in enhancing the knowledge of students. But I am yet to come across a break through math application which can make the teaching experience a blessing for children. 

Normally it is usually the same theoretical explanation of the problems which is then explained in the form of presentation when we speak about online tutoring. This does not help children. It makes their task even tougher. Because now they know the solution but they have to understand the steps/method used by the online tutor by themselves. In a lighter vein; this is like enticing a child with a chocolate in your hand without giving him the clear-cut explanation that they will have to reach at your height to get that chocolate. So the problem remains the same.

In addition to this, I have played a lot of math games like: Dress Up Math, Skater Math, Prime Landing and Quick Math among others. The purpose of these games is absolutely right, but these games cannot practically solve the problem of retaining the methods of calculation in the minds of children. This makes my point even more relevant. Even though through these games children can learn about math the sole objective of making them remember the methods of calculation is lost. What we are looking for is a long term solution rather than a quick-fix solution. 

Now you might be questioning me: if I had the answer to this problem; would I have read your blog? You are absolutely correct in that regards. Because normally online tutors do not have proper explanation to give for this question. But do not worry as I will try to find out a solution to this problem by the end of this blog. So you do not have to worry about wasting your precious time on reading this blog without getting the correct resolution for this problem. Being an online tutor makes it even harder to accept the facts that although technology has enhanced the e-learning courses to a great extent, there is still a lot of potential in terms of growth for math tutoring.

Let me shift my attention to the solution of the problem, rather than explaining the problem in greater detail. Like I explained earlier, treat math like magic. Always try to use creativity in depicting the course to the students. Because children do not like orthodox methods of teaching and that is well-known fact amongst tutors. If you are a tutor and do not accept this fact then it will be very difficult for you to understand the techniques; that I am going to discuss now. So if you do not agree with me stop reading the blog because you already are aware of the likes and dislikes of children; and there is no need to change your perception. But if you are in-sync with my ideas scroll down to see some of the basic techniques; that can create revolutionary changes in the teaching domain as far as math is concerned.

The methods that I am going to discuss are not new. They are already there to be seen but we have lost our innocence that a child has to understand these techniques that can work wonders for online tutors in near future:

  • Critical thinking: One of the basic elements which differentiate the teaching pattern in Math learning and English is that you do not have the scope for fictional work in Math like in English. Hence, it becomes very difficult to stimulate innovative strategies while teaching Math learning. Hence, it becomes very important to inculcate critical thinking amongst children at an early age. Now you might be wondering what exactly I mean by critical thinking. I will explain it with the help of an example. Imagine you are 6 years old and are having difficulty in solving a problem of division and need to get solution of dividing 250 by 5. Now right now it might seem a simple problem but if you are a 6 years old child it is very difficult to get instant solution to this problem. Remember we need to encourage children to use their mind creatively to get the desired solution. So in this case, we can ask the child to get their favorite comic books together. Assuming that the number of books are more than 100 ask the child to assume 1 comic book equals to 5 points and they need to count up to 250. Once they are done with the activity ask them to count the number of comic books that cumulate to the figure 250. The figure that they get i.e., 50 will be the solution to the problem. I know that this is a very lengthy process but it will enhance the creativity amongst children. They can then use different tools to get product of two numbers or divide two numbers to get the desired results.
  • Development of cognitive skills amongst children: I have already discussed in my previous blog that during the formative years of a child, it is very important to develop and enhance creativity in them. For that cognitive skills play a very important role. I know that you are aware of the definition of cognitive skills and are wondering how it is useful in math teaching? I will be explaining it in just a moment. But first of all let me explain the importance of cognitive skills development in child in my own words. Cognitive skills represent skills including attention, memory, processing and understanding language, solving problems and making decisions. Hence, it includes the overall development of a human brain at a very early age. Now there are two kinds of memory in a human brain: long term and short term/working memory. Long term memory is useful to recall information that has been stored in the past. While working memory/short term memory holds the information for immediate attention and helps in solving mental calculations. Hence, for math education both of them have equal importance.
Now the question is how to make children apply both memories in math calculation. This is a very important question and the answer is quite simple. Let me explain with the help of a practical example. Go back to the memory lane once again; and imagine that you are a 9 year old child. You are facing difficulty in solving a problem on fractions. For example; the problem is related to greater or lesser than sign and you are not sure which one of the two fractions is greater than the other one. The problem is determining which of these two fractions is greater than the other. The fractions are: 4/9 and 5/8. I know you are jumping of the chair and are saying this is a very simple problem. But if you imagine yourself in place of a 9 year old child; this can be a very complex problem. But do not worry. The solution is very easy. Ask the child to get 9 pieces of a chalk ask him to divide it into 4 parts. Then ask him to get another 8 more pieces of chalk. Again ask him to divide it into 5 parts. Once the activity gets over ask him which one of the two chalks has the greater pieces the answer would be solution to the problem. In this case it will be 5/8. Likewise; children can use their favorite objects to learn math in a very creative manner. This will not only make them use their working memory to get the activity done; but it will also help them to register the process in their long term memory. Hence, this activity will certainly help them to build their cognitive skills in a creative manner. That is the sole objective of my blog.

I would like to conclude this blog by stressing the points mentioned in this blog. It is very important to encourage children to use their brains creatively for Math education. Because without creative solutions there cannot be any innovation; and like I started my blog by mentioning a magical trick; the end also has to be magical. You can create this magical ending by contributing your enriching thoughts and ideas to make Math education a success in the coming years. 

To share your views on innovative strategies for Math education by following us at: http://www.facebook.com/PracTutor, http://hardik.practutor.com

PracTutor
12806 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243-2311
United States



Friday 3 August 2012

3 Key Criteria for Selecting the Right Online Tutoring Service

Parents are always in a fix while determining the right online tutoring service for their child. In this article, we look at different criteria which help parents in deciding the right online tutoring service for their child.

In this age of fierce competition, parents are always looking for an online tutoring service that can provide optimal results for their children in a very convenient manner. Normally we find that children who are slow learners benefit the most out of online tutoring service. Now with so many online courses available in the market it becomes very hard to select a good tutoring company because one bad experience can break the confidence of the parents about online courses in general. Let us look at some of the criteria for selecting the right online tutoring service:
  • Package: Tutoring companies always ask the parents to choose a package plan for online tutoring. Always look carefully at the services offered by the tutoring company and then take a decision after evaluating the pros and cons of the course. It is also recommended to opt for unlimited features while opting for the online tutoring service for the first time. The major benefit of opting for unlimited feature is to give enough scope for your child to get regular feedback and solve queries from online tutors. After your child has shown considerable progress you can opt for the limited version. The major advantage of this strategy is that you can gauge the services of the online tutoring company in the first go. If they are not able to give proper services with all the features it means that their highest bar is not good enough. It also signals that their course is quite bad and their support is pathetic. The other advantage of adopting this strategy is your child will get immediate attention from online tutors which will help them make quick progress in studies.
  • Great Content and compatible tools:  We all know that content is considered to be the king of online market. Hence, good content will always be a winner for a reputed online tutoring company. A good online tutoring company will give tests, notes, sample papers and mock tests to the students. Always ask beforehand to the online tutoring company to provide the entire curriculum and flow of teaching pattern. Usually an online tutoring company will give vague answers when you ask for exact course curriculum and the list of events planned. If that happens do not opt for that company.
    Always check if the online tutoring company is providing live classes using virtual classrooms. Also ask about the technology used and the process you need to follow in order to get started with the course. It is always better to ask whether there is a need for a software download or purchase something additional for running the course. A reputed online tutoring company will always see to it that they have latest software technology and an interactive virtual classroom which providing the course.
  • Evaluation techniques:  Lot of time online tutoring companies promise lot of things but they fail to achieve the targets specified earlier in terms of feedback mechanism and evaluation techniques. Good online tutoring companies always provide a proper evaluation technique that measures the progress of the child and sends periodic reports to the parents. In case the child is not able to score the desired marks, they should provide the facility of extra classes or extra help from online tutors so that the basic purpose of the course is achieved.
To learn more about PracTutor follow us at: http://www.facebook.com/PracTutor, http://hardik.practutor.com

PracTutor
12806 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243-2311
United States
http://www.practutor.com

4 Classic Way to Study Without Being Distracted

In this highly competitive education system, students are always striving for their best whether in tests or quizzes. In this article; we look at some ways through which they can study without being distracted.

In this age of 21st Century Learning; students often find it difficult to concentrate on studies due to various external factors. But when it comes to tests students have to start preparing for it as soon as possible. They have to avoid being distracted and concentrate on their studies. Let us look at various ways through which students can study without being distracted:
  • Study outdoors:  Take the necessary study material and go outside. Do not take the computer with you. I find it extremely convenient to read, write and study outside without any difference of TV, music or internet.
  • Make use of paper:  Paper is far less distracting than computers. If you wish to study typed it is advisable to print them and then study avoiding the computer. This will help you to study without any deviation that comes from pop-ups in the computer.
  • Keep a check-list ready and write things down:  When you get distracted the best thing to do is to write things down so that it gets registered in your brain. This will help in getting a focused approach on the priority tasks so that it is not left out to be completed.
  • Take some free time out:  Sometimes it is better to take out some leisure time. It helps in getting things sorted out and increases the concentration when you go back to study. You can concentrate a bit harder once you have had some fun time.
Enchanted learning has become of prime importance in recent times. We are already seeing students striving to get their best while attempting a quiz or test. Hence; it becomes very important for teachers and parents to see that students are not distracted from the studies.

To learn more about PracTutor follow us at: http://www.facebook.com/PracTutor, http://www.practutor.com

PracTutor
12806 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243-2311
United States
http://www.practutor.com
http://hardik.practutor.com

Four Illuminating Guidelines For Successful Online Teachers

Online learning has become a trend in recent times. With that the importance of online teaching has increased. In this article; we look at various guidelines which will be helpful for successful online teaching.

Online education has become a holy grail for many K-12 educators. With the advancement in technology, e-learning has become 21st century learning tool which not only provides enchanted learning but it also transforms education to another level. Hence; online teaching has become one of the most important jobs in recent times. There are special sets of skill and attitude required for online teachers. Let us look at some of the key criteria required to become a successful online teacher:
  • Personalized contact: Classroom teaching and online teaching are totally different from each other. In classroom teaching there is a huge opportunity for the students to have one-on-one interaction with their teachers. But in case of online teaching, the only way to make your message personalized is through email. Online teachers need to have a far greater confidence and emotional security in terms of their professional competency. Online teachers need to work hard to personalize their message as far as possible so that students do not think of it as a robotic interaction.
  • Know thy students: It is always advisable for the online teachers to know the strengths and weaknesses of each of their students individually by communicating effectively with the students. This will help them to have clear and to the point communication with the students. They can even track the performance of the student at an individual level.
  • Lose complete control: Classroom teaching enables teachers to gain complete control over the students and get the task done beautifully. However; in case of online teaching, there is no control over the teaching pattern. The students have the choice of selecting independently when to study and take quizzes. Even in traditional classroom teaching there are chances of cheating more so in case of online teaching. But if the online teachers are able to convey their message to the students about the satisfaction and benefits derived from the courses then there is a tremendous potential for them. But if coercive techniques are used to extract information from the students then it becomes very difficult for the online teachers to get the desired results.
  • 24 x 7 support: Online teaching is more of a lifestyle than a job. It is very difficult for online teachers to set reasonable boundaries on their workday. If a student runs into trouble the basic instinct is to help them as soon as possible. Majority of times online support is asked by the student from 10 pm to midnight.
Online teaching is a specialized job. It not only caters to providing innovative education solutions to the students instantly; but it also takes the sphere of 21st century learning to another level.

To learn more about PracTutor follow us at: http://www.facebook.com/PracTutor, http://www.practutor.com

PracTutor
12806 Townepark Way
Louisville, KY 40243-2311
United States
http://www.practutor.com
http://hardik.practutor.com