Student Help Desk

Are you struggling in this class?  Do you need help? Here are some ways to get the help you need.

Get organized!

• Determine a way to organize your notes, classwork, homework, and study notes (re-worked problems, paper that tutors have written on, etc.) Use lightly lined paper (graph paper would be the best option).  Use a pencil, label your paper and keep your problems in order. Ideally, you should tab each of the sections according to the book chapters for easier studying.  Another good tip is to get the little stick-on flags so that you can flag pages that have questions.  Keep the flags ON until the questions get answered. You may want to have a different colored flag for especially difficult sections so that you will know what to spend more time on when you're studying.

Form a study group!

• The best way to learn a subject is to teach it.  If you can't explain it, chances are that you don't really understand it enough.  Study groups of 2-3 work the best (no more than 4 because individual voices cannot be heard). Talk through the problems, draw pictures, use a chalkboard, etc.  Do as many things that you can think of that will involve different parts of your brain. Pull out the matchbox cars if you have to. Even the most difficult concepts will become concrete if you can verbalize the solution.

Use the book!

• As silly as it may sound, the textbook is an excellent resource for getting help.  Many of the homework problems have a similar example worked out in the section. Refer to lecture notes and your classwork for even more examples.  Besides the examples, most textbooks have extensive resources such as online tutors, discussion boards, solution manuals, CD-ROMs, video tutorials, workbooks, etc.  If you order something, get a rush delivery so that you can start using it as soon as possible.  These resources can be very valuable and are rarely utilized by students. In addition, there are great books at bookstores that can explain the same math concept from an entirely different perspective.

Get professional help!

• Santiago Canyon College has a Math Study Hall and a Tutoring Center with experienced math tutors. Check the top of the syllabus for hours.  Also, there are many ways to contact me if you're having a hard time. I have many contact options specifically so that students can actually contact me for help.  If you really feel like you need a lot of one-on-one help, you may want to consider hiring a tutor. Before you meet with anyone for help, get organized!!  Have your notes neatly in order. Tab the pages that have questions, circle the problems and write a note to yourself next to each problem so that you will know what your question is. You can utilize the time better if you're not re-working problems in front of your tutor while you're trying to find your question.