Pre-calc is exposing holes in my step-son's education. Wtd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Geometry is worthless except for standardized tests. I have a bachelors in stats and a masters in econ, so YMMV. Nothing I did required geometry.

Now...ALGEBRA is the large foundation for calc. One needs to be incredibly comfortable with algebra and the underlying premises in order to do well in calc.

Geometry (and some trig) is half of the ACT's math section.

Right--a standardized test as the PP said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

they are not a non-profit, are they??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did well in college calculus, but I'm far too rusty to be much help, and don't want to be a step-parent/tutor. No way.

What I don't get is how does a tutor identify holes from old material? I've never seen a tutor try to deep dive and seek out holes, they typically just try to help you get through current material. Wouldn't that first require a comprehensive math test, e.g. print off an old ACT math test?

They are professionals. You hire someone to investigate and reteach those things. You don't hire some $45 per hour college kid to go over the review packet. Don't even touch the ACT material. If you want ACT tutoring hire the right pro for that.

Try Wyzant and talk to a few potential tutors on line. Your child is not the first to be in this situation. You can also go on Amazon and buy a used Algebra II book, which will have all the material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

they are not a non-profit, are they??

I believe they are nonprofit, but it doesn't matter. If KA is not a 501c3, you can still donate you just can't take a deduction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did well in college calculus, but I'm far too rusty to be much help, and don't want to be a step-parent/tutor. No way.

What I don't get is how does a tutor identify holes from old material? I've never seen a tutor try to deep dive and seek out holes, they typically just try to help you get through current material. Wouldn't that first require a comprehensive math test, e.g. print off an old ACT math test?

They are professionals. You hire someone to investigate and reteach those things. You don't hire some $45 per hour college kid to go over the review packet. Don't even touch the ACT material. If you want ACT tutoring hire the right pro for that.

Try Wyzant and talk to a few potential tutors on line. Your child is not the first to be in this situation. You can also go on Amazon and buy a used Algebra II book, which will have all the material.

Where do you find and what is a professional math tutor? I've only ever used college kids (for math, engineering students are always a solid bet) or young teachers trying to make extra cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they are not a non-profit, are they??

Yes, they are a non-profit.

http://www.guidestar.org/profile/26-1544963

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't the algebra 1 and 2 tutor hours going to add up pretty fast if he requires a lot of holes patched? This could be a pretty serious and pretty costly endeavor.

They will pay for it now, or pay for it later. If they don't fix this now - he will bomb standardized tests, and he will need to take remedial classes that do not count toward a degree in college.

[Anonymous]

Make sure you get a math tutor to support him in re-learning areas that he missed in previous math classes. There has been such a push for "acceleration" in math that many students are finding out later that there are fundamental concepts that they have not mastered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

This. The diagnostic test nailed my DC's skipped topics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

This. The diagnostic test nailed my DC's skipped topics.

Then what? You work with a tutor to re-learn a year+ of material? What's the play-by-play and how do you nudge a teen to work on material they're no longer graded on? I'm just trying to figure out how to get a teen to tackle something a few times a week for no real payoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did well in college calculus, but I'm far too rusty to be much help, and don't want to be a step-parent/tutor. No way.

What I don't get is how does a tutor identify holes from old material? I've never seen a tutor try to deep dive and seek out holes, they typically just try to help you get through current material. Wouldn't that first require a comprehensive math test, e.g. print off an old ACT math test?

They are professionals. You hire someone to investigate and reteach those things. You don't hire some $45 per hour college kid to go over the review packet. Don't even touch the ACT material. If you want ACT tutoring hire the right pro for that.

Try Wyzant and talk to a few potential tutors on line. Your child is not the first to be in this situation. You can also go on Amazon and buy a used Algebra II book, which will have all the material.

Where do you find and what is a professional math tutor? I've only ever used college kids (for math, engineering students are always a solid bet) or young teachers trying to make extra cash.

Try wyzant.com and have an email discussion with some. You will see what they say about themselves. Knowing math and teaching math are not the same thing. College kids are very inexperienced in general with pedagogy, although some are good. You want an adult. A teacher who can teach through calculus should work. Honestly. This isn't rocket science. Your questions are good ones and you can ask them of the tutor. Try "what experience do you have filling in gaps in preparation? How do you balance ongoing needs with filling in those gaps. Do you have references?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

This. The diagnostic test nailed my DC's skipped topics.

Then what? You work with a tutor to re-learn a year+ of material? What's the play-by-play and how do you nudge a teen to work on material they're no longer graded on? I'm just trying to figure out how to get a teen to tackle something a few times a week for no real payoff.

What do you mean "no real payoff"? Your kid doesn't understand his math and has goals that require understanding this math. The incentive is he either takes the steps to improve his performance or he is grounded (if he takes the steps and doesn't improve, then you reevaluate). Twice a week is plenty.

[Anonymous]

Mathnasium does a diagnostic test and then goes back and fills in the gaps. Really helped my daughter, although she was much younger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Khan Academy - online and free.

It will give you diagnostic tests, and then practice equations where there are holes. The video tutorials are really helpful.

Khan Academy has been such a help to my DD - I donate to them now. What a great free resource.

This. The diagnostic test nailed my DC's skipped topics.

Then what? You work with a tutor to re-learn a year+ of material? What's the play-by-play and how do you nudge a teen to work on material they're no longer graded on? I'm just trying to figure out how to get a teen to tackle something a few times a week for no real payoff.

What do you mean "no real payoff"? Your kid doesn't understand his math and has goals that require understanding this math. The incentive is he either takes the steps to improve his performance or he is grounded (if he takes the steps and doesn't improve, then you reevaluate). Twice a week is plenty.

Just looking at it from the pov of a know-it-all teen. It'll be a tough sell.

[Anonymous]

Your question is whether a tutor can help fill in the gaps.

The answer is yes, if you get a professional, as multiple people have said.

Then your question is whether the tutor can help fill in the gaps and tutor current material.

The answer is yes, if you get a professional, as multiple people have said.

Then your question is how do you convince your teenager.

That is a different questions- what motivates him? Maybe feeling confident taking a test or doing well in school is enough. It sounds like he needs this skills for his career goal, so maybe that is his incentive. Maybe he needs different incentives. Only you know your step-son.

It will cost money, but as others have said- pay now or pay later.