I had the chance to sit in on a session with Patrick and a student working on fractions and factoring, which turned out to be incredibly insightful. The lesson began with Patrick helping the student review some recent exercises, where they worked through simplifying fractions and factoring quadratic expressions. Patrick made sure to go over each step methodically, reinforcing key concepts like the greatest common factor (GCF) and how to identify factors of binomials.
Patrick also used the session to address common mistakes the student was making, particularly with factoring trinomials. He took extra time to explain the difference between simple and complex factoring, breaking down the process of finding factors and checking the work through substitution. Patrick’s approach was very hands-on; he walked through each problem with the student, ensuring they understood how to arrive at the correct solution.
What stood out to me was how Patrick made the content accessible by asking the student guiding questions and encouraging them to explain their thought process. This helped identify any gaps in understanding and reinforced the key strategies for solving fraction and factoring problems.
Overall, it was a productive session where the student not only practiced specific skills but also built a stronger foundation in understanding fractions and factoring, which will be crucial for future topics and assessments. Patrick’s patient and interactive teaching style created a positive and engaging learning environment.
Tynan Philmara
