Today, I had the opportunity to observe Konstantina’s one-on-one math session with her high school student. She was teaching trigonometry, focusing on understanding the fundamental concepts and applying them to solve problems. Konstantina immediately created a calm and comfortable environment for her student by asking about his day and making small talk while he set up his work. She then began the lesson by reviewing the key trigonometric ratios and ensuring the student understood the fundamental concepts of the task they were going to work through.
To ensure a solid grasp of the topic, she encouraged the student to draw diagrams for each ratio, labeling the opposite, adjacent, and hypotenuse sides in relation to the angle in question. By drawing these diagrams, she provided a visual representation of the trigonometric concepts which helped the student better understand how to apply the formulas.
Konstantina also excelled at identifying the challenges her student was facing when trying to answer more complex questions by skillfully maintaining relevant conversation throughout the session, which allowed the student to express when he was confused.
She then worked through a variety of practice questions with the student. Most of these were from his textbook to ensure they aligned with what he was learning in class. She gave him time to attempt the questions independently before reviewing his work and asked guiding questions to help him get back on track if he seemed to struggle. If the student made a mistake, Konstantina gently guided him back on track by reviewing his thought process and highlighting where he went wrong.
Konstantina’s approach was interactive and supportive. She asked questions throughout the session to check the student’s understanding and encourage critical thinking. She was very patient, offering hints to guide the student toward the solution, rather than simply providing the answers. Additionally, Konstantina took a strategic and personalized approach to teaching this student. They worked on questions together at the desk, which kept the atmosphere casual and relaxed, in contrast to a more formal whiteboard approach. This seemed to be highly effective in maintaining the student’s attention and encouraging him to engage in the lesson.
Overall, it was a productive and well-structured session, and Konstantina did a fantastic job fostering her student’s understanding of trigonometry.
Jenna Freed
