Samuel Muia

I have been a tutor since 2005, teaching Math at all levels - including university students . One thing I noticed is that the Math environment can be exciting and rewarding, but also very challenging and boring. But all these, to some extent, depend on the tutor!

Personally, I always begin by trying to create a rapport with the student. This I do by offering a free first lesson where I give a lot of time to the student to express himself or herself. Besides, I try to be as interactive with the student as possible. This helps me dig out some likes, dislikes, challenges and even interests of the student.

And why do I go into all these depths? Simple. I want to offer personalized lessons to my student. To me there's no one-size-fit-all approach for Math students. Some are fast learners, and others are not that fast. For some students a lot of image-creating (in the mind) is needed for a concept to be grasped, but for others not that much is necessary. I have also learned that some challenges do not shore up during the first lesson - especially if the student is a bit reserved. I always try and watch out for that during the subsequent lessons.

Let me also add that I always try and avoid being that tutor who cannot make a joke! I use the information given to me by the student to create light moments , especially when a concept seems somewhat challenging. This ensures the student is always engaged.