Paxson Tutoring

Can your 2nd grader add and subtract within 20?

Is this information that can be memorized by repeated practice? Yes, however, what happens when a student forgets one of their math addition or subtraction facts? It is important that a student can reliably use mental math strategies during those moments. Developing mental math strategies also allows students a way of explaining how they solve math problems. This shows deeper understanding of math concepts and is a skill students will utilize throughout their math journey. "I just know" is not what teachers and standardized testing will be looking for as an answer.

In the comments leave emojis that make you think of mental math. This problem goes with standard 2.OA.B.2.

Can your 3rd grader solve this 2-step word problem? To check for deeper understanding, can they follow the directions?

Paxson Tutoring will prompt students to reflect on how they solve math problems. This process leads to students developing a stronger and deeper understanding of math concepts. It also helps them to identify how their own thought process works which makes students recognize their individual strengths! When a student knows that they have strengths in subject, they gain more confidence in their skills and are more willing to attempt challenging problems in the future.

To help make word problems more relatable and modern, leave in the comments something that your student collects! This problem meets standard 3.OA.D.8.

Can your 4th grade student demonstrate their understanding of converting feet to inches and vice versa using the table and solving the word problems?

Paxson Tutoring understands that making problems that connect with student interests can help them stay engaged and even enjoy learning about math. For example: using a trip to the zoo and a student's interest in polar animals as a way to practice conversions.

Leave your answers in the comments. These problems meet standard 4.MD.A.1.

Since the cold weather makes me want a hot pizza, here is a 5th grade level fraction problem about pizza.

At Paxson Tutoring it is important that students can do the work to show why a problem is correct or not; however, it is also important to strengthen a student's number sense, so that when they are presented a problem like this they can look at the images and quickly realize that Chelsea's answer is incorrect. Using number sense, a student should be able to recognize that 11/12 is less than a whole pizza and both 3/4 and 2/3 are greater than 1/2, so 3/4 +2/3 should equal a fraction that is greater than a whole pizza.

Leave the correct fraction and how you got it in the comments. This problem meets standard 5.NF.A.2.

Since it seems like everyone is talking about the upcoming cold temperatures expected for the weekend, here are some 6th grade level problems dealing with temperature.

Write a sentence for each of the following expressions:
0°C > -1°C
-7°C < -2°C
Write an expression that demonstrates the changes in temperature from Thursday to Monday.

Leave your answers in the comments. These problems meet standard 6.NS.C.7b.

Without using a calculator, a 7th grade student should be able to solve this problem.

Paxson Tutoring focuses on using your students strengths to help them solve problems. This can look like working with percentages (10%) or converting to fractions (1/10) or decimals (0.1) depending on what makes sense to your student to use in their own equations.

Leave how you would solve this problem in the comments. This problem meets standard 7.EE.B.3.

Can your 8th grader solve for x and y?
Before attempting to solve this problem, a student needs to understand and be able to use multiple math skills. A few of these skills would include: solving for a singular variable in a linear equation, solving equations using positive and negative integers, and interpreting variables in an equation.

If a student is struggling with a multi-skilled problem (like the one below), Paxson Tutoring focuses on helping them understand and master the previous skills rather than having the student repetitively attempting similar multi-skilled problems. This leads students to be more confident in their math skills and find success, when reattempting similar multi-skilled problems later on.

Leave your answers to the problem in the comments. This problem meets standard 8.EE.C.8b.

Anytime a student is learning a new skill, it is important to be mindful of the impact words can have. When learning how to convert military time into standard time, it is often presented to students as 'just' subtracting 12. By using the word 'just', this skill can be interpreted by the student as easy to do. For a student who struggles with subtracting, it can become a deterrent to even attempt this new skill because they don't want to struggle with something that others perceive as easy.

Paxson Tutoring focuses on using students' strengths when having them attempt new skills. There are various ways to solve math problems, and the easiest way to solve it for one student might look different for another.

Leave in the comments how you might solve converting 16:43 into standard time to see if others think like you! The standard this skill meets is 3.MD.A.1.

The Paxson Household on Richards Ct. has candy and fruit snacks (for our friends who can't have candy) courtesy of Paxson Tutoring 😁 Can't wait to see all the Halloween Costumes! 🎃

Note: Mention Paxson Tutoring and you're in for a sweet treat 🍫🍬🍭

Sometimes the hardest part is figuring out where to start. This is a common obstacle in most student's math journey. Mrs. Paxson helps students overcome this by using language that makes sense to kids and using methods that rely on their strengths.

For example: there are different methods one can use for long division. There is the "Old School" Method that focuses on how many times 3 goes into each individual number and there is "New School" Method or "Big 7" Method that focuses on place values. Both methods find the correct answer; however, finding which method works best for your student is what Mrs. Paxson is trained to do!