First, it helps to be flexible. A student will always want to try doing a problem their own way. You have to know how to handle all techniques and explain things differently. Also, you can either go fast or slow. When you go fast, the good students get ahead, but you can always go slower by breaking the problem down into more steps. There’s nothing you can’t teach whatsoever; there’s just a limited amount of time. However, with 4 hours per week my students are doing well. You also have to be flexible in deciding how you will teach the subject, based on what you know about the students.
Attendance is the number one factor. It’s really simple; if they attend, they get all the concepts in the block section. If they get all the concepts, they know how to do the problems. If they know how to do the problems that’s how I can help them the most on the test. The test is an IQ test and they will have to get creative with what they learn. However, I simply try to cover all possible problems and then they’ll be ready.
Another factor in how they’ll do is, unfortunately for some of them, speed. I have always been very fast at mathematical calculation, reasoning and creativity. My students are always slower than me. Some of them will have a harder time than others due to the factor of time. The best way to fix that is for them to familiarize themselves with the problems and practice them. That is something I don’t often succeed in getting them to do. I know I don’t often succeed in getting them to do that because when some past subject comes up, they want to do it again. In fact, we find ourselves repeating many things over and over. That’s what I’m there for though.
Of course, accuracy is important too; you should tell them to practice and memorize each concept and that way they can get them right.
These students I am told have bachelor’s degrees from other countries and are looking to get VISAS in America. I think they learned everything there, but have forgotten how to do it without reminding. When the teaching starts, they can be very basic, but once the teaching starts going, they dramatically pick up the speed.
Really listening to the students goes a long way. It helps many times over when you know how they want to be taught and what their strengths and weaknesses are. It saves time and increases efficiency of teaching. It gives them confidence which is just as important as skill. It helps you feel what they’re feeling.
Never miss an opportunity to congratulate a student. Even if they get the answer wrong, you might notice what they got correct and congratulate them for it. Always try to be an emotional support.