As a very busy math teacher, I always felt a pit in my stomach when I was told to make of list of students who could benefit from the latest group of volunteer tutors. Experience told me that the tutors had little or no experience tutoring and had absolutely no materials. The burden was on me to find suitable work for the students to work on while spending time with their tutor.The regular class work was too difficult for the student to complete without my help because they were below grade level (that's why they needed tutoring) and the tutors were often so far removed from pre-algebraic concepts and modern math standards, that they were just as confused by the regular curriculum assignments as the students. So, I had to create my own materials for the tutors to use. In my spare time!
This book has a five-page introduction on tutoring in general as well as an overview of the NCTM standards and what is expected at the end of 6th grade. Then the book is divided into six sections: Numbers & Computation, Patterns, Geometry, Measurement, Data Analysis, and Problem Solving. Each section starts with an overview of the concepts to be mastered, ideas for games and other fun activities, then a pre-test, three lessons, then a post-test. There are four pages of review at the end of the book, followed by the answer keys.
This book has relieved much of my anxiety about introducing my students to new tutors. I plan to give them this book ahead of time, so that they will be well-prepared. The material in this book will provide the tutor with the background necessary to teach and enough problems and activities to help the students get caught up on their fundamentals.
While this book is geared for sixth grade and I teach seventh and eighth, it is perfect for my students who are below-grade level in their skills.
