This week I spent approximately 3 hours with student going over linear equations with slope intercepts problems. Learning sessions took place while at home with minimal distractions. Student was having problems with understanding the linear equations of point slope and slope intercept formulas.  The tutoring took place over 3 different sessions M, T and TR. 

Student wasn’t getting the concept of Y = MX + B given one or two points. I asked him to plot several points on different sheets of graphing paper. He wanted to estimate by slope by counting squares. I told him to graph the 3 slopes his way while I used the slope intercept form to do the same three points. I was finished in approximately 3 minutes while he spent 7-10 minutes on the counting of squares and estimating the slope. After comparing answers, He got 1 out of three correct and I got all three correct. Student worked with M= y2-y1/x2-x1 to slope and plug this in to either point using y=mx+b formula. 

I felt confident that after going through the above mentioned steps that he understood the linear equation to solve slope intercept by using the correct formula. What I could improve on is maybe expanding this lesson into using more points. Slope intercept is pretty straight forward and seems it may be hard to improve on.

The challenges I worked through was habits of trying to read the chart without using the formula. What seemed practical to student wasn’t correct and using an interactive approach and alternative ideas to student seemed to work as discussed in this week’s article. I also believe I worked in changing the student model as discussed in week four’s article altogether changing his perception on how to get the correct answer.

13 Sept 2012,

This week I spent two hours with student going over human anatomy again from previous week. Again the learning sessions took place while at home with minimal distractions. Human anatomy requires memorization and functions of assigned organs and systems’ expanding from what was learned from last week. We spent an hour on human anatomy on two different days spending some time on the cards from previous week. 

  

When talking to student, I asked if he could tell me by elaborating on the subject human anatomy. I could see his hands moving over specific parts of the body identifying specific muscle groups and the locations of major organs as he started to go through the function of each. I believe the student gains strong form of mental model when working with the subject, but has to be directed into this form. At the beginning of his anatomy class he struggled to even put into perspective the location of these groups. I believe that his mental model has expanded, because now he asks questions as to “what if” I breathed in dust or smoke, actually visualizing what the particles are doing to his body.

Being that this is fairly new to me, I think I understand the concept but trying to match to every situation can be a bit difficult. I believe this works well on subjects that require more technical or complex problem solving vs. English or Art classes.  

I believe I reacted better after understanding the principles of the mental model and my approach to different ways to interact with student and expand on student’s model. I think that by understanding his model, and having a clear precise plan to what needs to be taught and learned that we can both better ourselves. It was hard to tell if the lessons made an impact yet or not but as mentioned above I see that he is thinking differently trying to put things together.

My name is Kurt Miers and I am a senior at Marshall University studying Environmental Science. I am also a Retired First Sergeant (U.S. Army). I have 3 boys 23, 20, and a foster son who is 17 years old. I have two dogs which one is named Sarge and the other Annie.

I enjoy traveling, college, beer and barbeques.

6 Sept 2012,

This week I spent approximately two and a half hours with student going over human anatomy  and continuing going over rank structure within the Army and ROTC program. I also worked with student to memorize the ROTC creed for the week of 3 September 2012 through 7 September 2012. Again the learning sessions took place while at home with minimal distractions. Both human anatomy and ROTC learning sessions require memorization at this point. We spent an hour on human anatomy one day and then an hour with ROTC the following day with an additional 20 minutes going over the parts of the human anatomy from previous session.

 
Student did well at memorizing material using a picture of human anatomy but not as well when taking the picture away from him. We made up cards with the terms on one side and the definition on the other with the specific area that it correlated to in the body.  This seemed to help with both remembering the functions and location without using a visual aid. During the ROTC module we went over rank structures again from first week adding the ROTC creed. I explained that by being repetitive in reading the creed and rank structure that memorization will come easier.  

The student reacted well to different approaches to learning set terms, not only visually but by terminology and description of lesson material. Attention span was good throughout study period.  Student states that he is fine without my help, but when left alone for a while I find him struggling or disinterested in subject.

Student seemed to learn faster when not held to one set way to learning the human anatomy and rank structure. I think that it was good to put a question to the student to engage him and let him come up with a solution to learn the material in a more interesting way. I am using the article Questioning and Discussion, implementing talent oriented questions to formulate a strategy to better organize his thoughts.

1 Sept 2012,

Spent two hours total with student going over algebraic and ROTC modules for the week of 27 August 2012 through 1 September 2012. The learning sessions took place while at home without any distractions to avert student's attention. The lessons were broken up into approximately half hour settings to allow for student to keep focus with each subject area while making sure each area satisfied the criteria that his teacher required of him.

During the study time the student was very interested in learning how to figure out how to use algebraic formulas to get the result to various problems. The student has a tendency to want me to give him the formula and work it out with him, but I put the question back to him hoping for him to take the initiative to work it out himself. I realized that once he picked the correct formula, he had a sense of pride in himself to want do it again. I did very little in the assistance to working the problem once he started to gain confidence. However in the ROTC module we went over rank structures of the military and was able to give him insight with why the structure exists.

One of the ways I believe that I could improve is to look over his lesson plan before sitting down to study. I could refresh and come up with questions and research different study aides that may help him other than going with the way that  I am used to doing it. His teacher has different methods that I was trying to explain to him. I had revert to his notes to understand how he was being taught to complete the problem.

One of the ways to improve is along the Questioning and Discussion article is to ask the question better prepare the plan of study and ask questions that would make him think before throwing back a response. Questions like why would you use that formula, or which formula corresponds to the subject question.