11/02/2022
Here is a tip to the fellow tutors out there. When it comes to teaching students, it’s important to remember that every child is different in terms of how they best absorb new information. Learning styles are crucial to keep in mind - especially with math topics! Here are some examples:
Visual learners do well seeing mathematical operations performed in written form. Early math is very visual, and to this day students are taught to “strike out” digits when borrowing or “carrying over” in the place value system for simple arithmetic. For visual learners, seeing this demonstrated on a whiteboard often comes naturally.
Auditory learners learn best when paired with a vocally descriptive instructor in addition to being given the opportunity to ask multiple clarifying questions after the explanation itself in order to better understand the concept.
Kinesthetic learners tend to understand concepts best with physical demonstrations - blocks, “pizza slices” - these real life demonstrations often translate best to kinesthetic learners and help them understand the mathematical concepts being explained. Younger students in particular often benefit most from hands-on demonstrations when it comes to math concepts.