I am currently teaching a high-school student, 1st grade Social Science. He is weak in mathematics. My initial strategy was to explain basic concept but with high repetitions, so that he can have a strong foundation. Initially, I gave "Solving 1 Variable Linear Equations".

It has been 4 months (2 hours a week in 1 day), and we have discussed up to "Solving Inequalities with Square Roots: $\sqrt{2x-3} = x + 1$... etc." Until recently, I give him an easy problem of solving 1 variable lin.eqn, which we have discussed many times before, and he still has not got strong understanding of the concept. He keeps asking easy stuffs like : "$-2 + -4 = -6$.. right?" or "$2 + x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3) \implies x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3 - 2)$...right?".

How to solve this problem?

What I have tried:

• Using markers with different colors to indicate different terms so that the written solution looks clearer.

• Told him to become independent with respect to me as tutor. To get used to mathematics and read the book.

• Repeat exercises of basic concept (1 var. linear equation) many times.

• I also often give extra hours.. (up to 3 at most). Because I am getting paid only for 2 hours, and I am afraid my method won't work for 2 hours.

Impact:

• He is improving, but not enough to get good marks (or even average). If I continue the method, there could be two possibilities : either he will be good in the long term, or... not.

• But still does not show good understanding of the concept. Very stiff, it seems that he thinks mathematics as instructions that have to be memorized.

Particular Questions:

• Should I go back to the very basics, teaching arithmetics, understand brackets, etc..? What book or article is good for this..?

• From my experience, I understand mathematics not through tutors but by reading math books. So, is it better to teach the student: how to read math books?

Thanks.

I am currently teaching a high-school student, 1st grade Social Science. He is weak in mathematics. My initial strategy was to explain basic concept but with high repetitions, so that he can have a strong foundation. Initially, I gave "Solving 1 Variable Linear Equations".

It has been 4 months (2 hours a week in 1 day), and we have discussed up to "Solving Inequalities with Square Roots: $\sqrt{2x-3} = x + 1$... etc." Until recently, I give him an easy problem of solving 1 variable lin.eqn, which we have discussed many times before, and he still has not got strong understanding of the concept. He keeps asking easy stuffs like : "$-2 + -4 = -6$.. right?" or "$2 + x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3) \implies x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3 - 2)$...right?".

How to solve this problem?

What I have tried:

• Using markers with different colors to indicate different terms so that the written solution looks clearer.

• Told him to become independent with respect to me as tutor. To get used to mathematics and read the book.

• Repeat exercises of basic concept (1 var. linear equation) many times.

• I also often give extra hours.. (up to 3 at most)

Impact:

• He is improving, but not enough to get good marks (or even average). If I continue the method, there could be two possibilities : either he will be good in the long term, or... not.

• But still does not show good understanding of the concept. Very stiff, it seems that he thinks mathematics as instructions that have to be memorized.

Particular Questions:

• Should I go back to the very basics, teaching arithmetics, understand brackets, etc..? What book or article is good for this..?

• From my experience, I understand mathematics not through tutors but by reading math books. So, is it better to teach the student: how to read math books?

Thanks.

I am currently teaching a high-school student, 1st grade Social Science. He is weak in mathematics. My initial strategy was to explain basic concept but with high repetitions, so that he can have a strong foundation. Initially, I gave "Solving 1 Variable Linear Equations".

It has been 4 months (2 hours a week in 1 day), and we have discussed up to "Solving Inequalities with Square Roots: $\sqrt{2x-3} = x + 1$... etc." Until recently, I give him an easy problem of solving 1 variable lin.eqn, which we have discussed many times before, and he still has not got strong understanding of the concept. He keeps asking easy stuffs like : "$-2 + -4 = -6$.. right?" or "$2 + x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3) \implies x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3 - 2)$...right?".

How to solve this problem?

What I have tried:

• Using markers with different colors to indicate different terms so that the written solution looks clearer.

• Told him to become independent with respect to me as tutor. To get used to mathematics and read the book.

• Repeat exercises of basic concept (1 var. linear equation) many times.

• I also often give extra hours.. (up to 3 at most). Because I am getting paid only for 2 hours, and I am afraid my method won't work for 2 hours.

Impact:

• He is improving, but not enough to get good marks (or even average). If I continue the method, there could be two possibilities : either he will be good in the long term, or... not.

• But still does not show good understanding of the concept. Very stiff, it seems that he thinks mathematics as instructions that have to be memorized.

Should I go back to the very basics, teaching arithmetics, understand brackets, etc..? What book or article is good for this..?

From my experience, I understand mathematics not through tutors but by reading math books. So, is it better to teach the student: how to read math books?

Thanks.

I am currently teaching a high-school student, 1st grade Social Science. He is weak in mathematics. My initial strategy was to explain basic concept but with high repetitions, so that he can have a strong foundation. Initially, I gave "Solving 1 Variable Linear Equations".

It has been 4 months (2 hours a week in 1 day), and we have discussed up to "Solving Inequalities with Square Roots: $\sqrt{2x-3} = x + 1$... etc." Until recently, I give him an easy problem of solving 1 variable lin.eqn, which we have discussed many times before, and he still has not got strong understanding of the concept. He keeps asking easy stuffs like : "$-2 + -4 = -6$.. right?" or "$2 + x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3) \implies x = 3(\frac{x}{2} + 3 - 2)$...right?".

How to solve this problem?

What I have tried:

• Using markers with different colors to indicate different terms so that the written solution looks clearer.

• Told him to become independent with respect to me as tutor. To get used to mathematics and read the book.

• Repeat exercises of basic concept (1 var. linear equation) many times.

• I also often give extra hours.. (up to 3 at most). Because I am getting paid only for 2 hours, and I am afraid my method won't work for 2 hours.

Impact:

• He is improving, but not enough to get good marks (or even average). If I continue the method, there could be two possibilities : either he will be good in the long term, or... not.

• But still does not show good understanding of the concept. Very stiff, it seems that he thinks mathematics as instructions that have to be memorized.

Particular Questions:

• Should I go back to the very basics, teaching arithmetics, understand brackets, etc..? What book or article is good for this..?

• From my experience, I understand mathematics not through tutors but by reading math books. So, is it better to teach the student: how to read math books?

Thanks.