Service
Service
Embedded Files
Note that both activities are continued service.
Peer Tutoring and Math Support
Peer Tutoring and Math Support
September 2024 - Present
Room 143, Central High School
15 Hours
From the beginning of the school year, I wanted to use my mathematical skills to benefit students at Central. Therefore, I offered my support to Ms. Dragomir, my math teacher, to create step-by-step explanations to math problems that students often struggled with. My primary focus was on the AP Calculus AB and BC classes, as some of the topics in these courses were often confusing and required meticulous explanations. In addition to producing these documents for students, I also led tutoring for AP Calculus AB students during my lunch period, where I worked inside Ms. Dragomir’s classroom to assist students with problems and offer clarifications to some of the explanations that I created.
As a former math tutor, I initially believed that creating these explanations would be easy. I had communicated with my tutees in the past without many issues, as I could verbally and physically direct them through problems. However, I quickly realized that the task was more challenging than I anticipated. It was far more difficult to explain a mathematical concept through text than demonstrating it with verbal cues. For example, I remember writing the explanations for graphical problems, which required multiple steps done in a specific order to find the answer. I found it difficult to convey the order on paper, as the explanation would often become too messy to understand. This contrasted with my experience in regular tutoring, where I could show that order over a period of time, analogous to a video explanation. It also made me realize the role that an individual’s voice can play in explanations, as the voice inflection can be used to suggest if someone is getting closer to the right answer.
Therefore, I worked to improve the clarity in my writing to facilitate understanding of my explanations. (L.O. 1) One method I attempted was to enhance and enlarge my handwriting. I also used less complex language when conveying concepts, in order to explain things in bite-sized chunks. For more complex problems, I would provide visual cues about areas where students may get stuck, such as knowing which and how to apply specific formulas. When I asked my classmates whether these changes were helpful, they unanimously agreed that they greatly improved the understanding of my explanations. Despite mathematics being a STEM class, it was very interesting to have been able to improve my written communication skills through this endeavor. I am very excited to apply these skills in the future, especially in academia, where clarity in writing in research papers is very important — even in non-humanities subjects. (L.O. 2)
Besides my written assistance, I also conducted in-person tutoring sessions during my lunch periods, leveraging my past tutoring experience. These sessions involved me going to Ms. Dragomir’s room and helping her AP Calculus AB students. Since it is often difficult for teachers to provide individualized attention, especially in a large classroom, I was paired with one student during each session to provide them with personal support. As the class worked on various problems — some of which I produced the solutions for — I observed what my tutee did on their whiteboard, so that I could intervene if they made an error. When I explained the mistake, I always framed it as a learning experience, so that they would not be discouraged.
One challenge I realized quickly was that because these tutoring sessions were conducted in a formal classroom, as opposed to a more casual environment, my tutees were often more anxious. Unfortunately, it was difficult for me to create an encouraging environment in such a structured space. I tried to build upon the empathy and encouragement that I developed in my past tutoring experiences, but it showed limited success. I progressively gave more emotional support to my tutees, which eventually lessened their worries, but failed to eliminate it entirely. Nevertheless, I am glad that I gained this on-hands experience in the classroom, as it is highly useful in academia, particularly if I serve as a teaching assistant or eventually become a professor helping students in the classroom. (L.O. 2).
You can access a sample of the solutions I made at this Google Drive, along with the emails sending them to my teacher throughout the year. These documents are the artifacts.
The Signed Community Service Authorization Form can be found here
Spanish Tutoring
Spanish Tutoring
October 2024 - Ongoing
World Language Department, Central High School
10 hours (9 hours in person + 1 hour outside of school)
Since October 2024, I have tutored Ryan Li, a freshman, in Spanish at Central High School. Every week, I meet with him to engage with Spanish through his academic coursework, while working to improve his foreign language skills. As with every course, one of my preeminent goals is to allow my tutees to use their skills in the real world. Thus, We have worked on both grammar and speaking abilities to allow him to apply what he has learned in conversations with Spanish speaking people, rather than merely an academic environment.
While reflecting on my past experiences as a mathematics tutor, I realized that teaching foreign languages requires a more dynamic approach, compelling me to identify my weakness in patience. (L.O. 1) For example, in mathematics, I could instruct my tutee to use a formula to solve a problem, while neglecting to explain its nuances or derivation. Meanwhile, the complexity of foreign language application in vastly different contexts required me to explain the rationale behind how grammar rules function and can be applied in different ways, depending on the situation.
In the beginning, I became impatient with these explanations, but I eventually came to appreciate the salience of educating a tutee to deeply understand a concept, rather than the superficial depth of knowledge that I often provided in mathematics. Through these interactions, I was able to develop and refine my interpersonal and education skills. (L.O. 2) I was also able to assist him with holding conversations in Spanish, by correcting any grammatical issues that arose. I felt that my study-abroad experience in Spain greatly facilitated this process, as I knew how words should be pronounced or if there were unusual colloquial expressions that could better convey what he wanted to say.
Besides in-person tutoring, I also organized with Ryan outside of our scheduled sessions to further develop his abilities. (L.O. 3) For example, I regularly communicate with him through text about his experiences in Spanish class, providing feedback on areas of improvement and weakness. These sessions were especially important during the midterm and finals season, where it was difficult to coordinate a session during school hours. By engaging with him outside of school, I was able to understand how I could plan and organize my future service opportunities to better assist individuals.
The Signed Community Service Authorization Form can be found here.
The photos on the right are some samples of the materials I used to tutor Ryan. They are the pertinent information that I reviewed during tutoring sessions, constituting the lesson plan.
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