Hoffman Tutoring Group

Did you know I have an Instagram account? Instagram is where I now post most of my videos and informational posts. If you don't' want to miss anything, consider heading over to IG and giving me a follow! www.instagram.com/hoffman.tutoring.group

Did you know I work with expat families?

A few years ago I was referred to some expat families and it ended up being the BEST connection. Here's how I help US families living abroad with unique needs:

- For families planning to return to the US soon, we work using their state's math learning standards to make sure their kids are aligned with what they will be learning in their new classrooms.
- For families with advanced learners, I help them continue their curiosity and learning past what they're getting in the classroom.
- For expats that are homeschooling, I prepare lessons, homework, and support to help them meet their education goals while keeping on track with US standards in the case of an imminent return.

I learn so much from my students who live abroad and I'm so grateful I get to work with them! If you're an expat interested in tutoring help, check out the link in my bio to set up a free consultation call today!

In case you like math puns as much as I do. Happy Valentines Day! Share with someone who deserves a great day.

If you're looking for a way to show your love for math this Valentine's day...I've got you! Check out these cutie math pun valentines. Easy to print and pass out to your students, friends, or random people on the street. Check out these printable cards in my TPT store (link in bio).

If your child struggles with word problems, it might not be their math ability...let's dive into the skills needed to successfully solve a word problem.

1. On or above grade level reading skill. Many word problems are written at or above grade level. This means a child who is still building up to the reading level of their grade may have difficulty reading and understanding the word problem.

2. Reading comprehension. In order to understand and solve a word problem, students must have good reading comprehension. This means they can read the words fluently, process them, and understand what the problem is about and what it's asking them to find.

3. Executive functioning. For some word problems, students will need to read, comprehend, make a multi-step plan, carry out all steps and then arrive at the answer. Students who struggle with executive functioning may have trouble making it through this whole process without losing track of their thoughts, the process, or get distracted altogether.

4. Organization. Some students struggle to organize their thoughts on paper, leading to increased mistakes and what might sometimes look like incoherent work.

If you think your child is struggling with one of these, there are things you can do to help. Comment WORD PROBLEM for a list of accommodations and activities that could help your child show their math knowledge when they're struggling with word problems.

If your child struggles with word problems, it might not be their math ability...let's dive into the skills needed to successfully solve a word problem.

1. On or above grade level reading skill. Many word problems are written at or above grade level. This means a child who is still building up to the reading level of their grade may have difficulty reading and understanding the word problem.

2. Reading comprehension. In order to understand and solve a word problem, students must have good reading comprehension. This means they can read the words fluently, process them, and understand what the problem is about and what it's asking them to find.

3. Executive functioning. For some word problems, students will need to read, comprehend, make a multi-step plan, carry out all steps and then arrive at the answer. Students who struggle with executive functioning may have trouble making it through this whole process without losing track of their thoughts, the process, or get distracted altogether.

4. Organization. Some students struggle to organize their thoughts on paper, leading to increased mistakes and what might sometimes look like incoherent work.

If you think your child is struggling with one of these, there are things you can do to help. Comment WORD PROBLEM for a list of accommodations and activities that could help your child show their math knowledge when they're struggling with word problems.

HOWDY! I've gotten quite a few new followers this year, and I wanted to take the time to introduce myself. I'm Zoie Hoffman, a math tutor, educator, and loud "new math" supporter. I started a tutoring company over ten years ago, and over time saw the need for personalized math support for students in K-8th grade. Along the way I began sharing math tips, tricks, and perspectives with parents and teachers here on Instagram. I love talking about the "new math" and how we can use it to foster the growth of skills and confidence in young learners. As a kid who also struggled with math learning throughout my elementary, middle, high school and even college years, this is something that's near and dear to my heart.

Some other perspectives I bring into my work - and just fun facts about me:
- I have twin kindergarteners
- I've lived in many different areas of the country, giving me the chance to meet many different kids of people.
- I love the outdoors! Catch me hiking the beautiful hills here in Boise and camping every chance I get.
- I'm an avid reader who aims for 50 books read a year

I would love to hear about you and why you're here! What types of tips are you looking for?

Something you might not know about me is that I'm a longform content girlie. I prefer to watch a long video, read a long book, or listen to a long podcast over a soundbite or reel any day. Because of this, I decided to lean into longform content to help more parents get their kids the math education they need. If you haven't already, go check out my YouTube channel by visiting the link in my bio or by searching "zoie the math tutor". I push out at least two videos a month - one focused on helping parents understand math education and one with a fun math activity or exploration for kids! I can't wait to see you there!

Place value is the phonics of math. This means kids should be consistently building upon their place value knowledge as they move through the grades. Here's a peek at how knowledge of place value progresses by grade from Kinder to 5th.

K- students in kindergarten work to recognize and count quantities from 0-20. Kindergarten students also work on representing numbers from 11-19 in tens and ones.

1st - Students in 1st grade learn that in a two digit number the first number represents groupings of ten, and the second number represents ones. Students will often bundle "ones" to make groupings of ten. They will also use this knowledge to begin comparing and operating with two digit numbers.

2nd - Students in 2nd grade extend their place value knowledge to numbers up to 1000 with a focus on a grouping of ten tens being one hundred. They will use this knowledge to begin comparing and operating with numbers up to 1000.

3rd - Students in 3rd grade begin using place value knowledge to multiply two digit numbers as well as continue honing their addition and subtraction skills with numbers up to 1000

4th - Students in 4th grade are introduced to the decimal system, and therefore discover the place value past the decimal with a focus on tenths and hundredths along with their fraction equivalents.

5th - Students in 5th grade expand their knowledge of decimals by working with tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. 5th graders also begin to explore multiplying and dividing by powers of ten and how this shifts the place value of the numbers they're calculating with.

Let's talk about timelines. And no...not like alternate timelines.

Timelines resemble number lines and can be a great tool for helping students visualize time and how it passes. Students can use timelines to count by hours and minutes and solve time-related problems.

Time is a tricky concept for some kids because the 60 seconds to 60 minutes to 1 hour can often be confusing. It can also be tricky for students when they have to switch from AM to PM.

How could your child benefit from seeing a timeline?