Hey everyone! I had the pleasure of observing Sam’s session with his Year 10 Maths student, Ned. They worked on content related to the student’s upcoming exam including calculating the composite volume of cones, pyramids and cylinders, surface area, conversions between units such as megaliters, kiloliters, and precision/error.
Sam began by going through complex textbook questions and breaking them into manageable steps where he was able to guide Ned through the calculations to solve each question. When a question required rounding to the nearest cubic meter, Sam asked Ned to walk him through his approach first, letting him give it a go on his own before then providing feedback and highlighting areas where he could improve his response. Further, Sam encouraged Ned to break down each step when answering questions to maximize his marks by showing him that he could earn points through clear working out.
Sam was consistently encouraging of Ned’s efforts to reinforce his confidence in answering questions. He used a variety of resources including the whiteboard, textbook examples and Ned’s workbook from class to expose the student to a variety of different questions ranging in difficulty. Throughout the session, Sam encouraged the student to answer questions on the main whiteboard as this provided a space for active learning where the student could see his problem-solving process in action.
Sam also tackled tricky word problems by getting the student to visualise the scenarios presented in each question making abstract concepts more tangible. When Ned asked questions Sam answered them efficiently by ensuring that each response built on Ned’s understanding of the topic. They completed several questions together on the whiteboard, with Sam guiding Ned step-by-step to reinforce each concept.
Towards the end of the session, Sam shifted his approach by encouraging Ned to take the lead by walking him through each question rather than solving it directly. This method allowed Ned to articulate his thought process and identify each step required to reach a solution enabling a deeper understanding. By allowing Ned to take the “driver’s seat”, Sam ensured that he left the session feeling more confident and prepared for his exam.
Overall, it was a well-structured and engaging session. Great work, Sam! 😊
Charlotta Mackay
