Independent Studies Guide for Mt. Everest
Academy
A Guide to Independent Studies in Math
Back to The
Math Page at Mt. Everest
Academy
- WORK AT HOME: At home,
students must use the textbook, and any other supplemental
materials they would like, to learn the specific concepts and
procedures to use those concepts.
- The textbooks are very good at explaining concepts and then
showing examples to illustrate those concepts.
- Families also can provide support by helping a student
learn and practice, checking work and helping find mistakes,
and collaborating to set up an effective study schedule.
- STUDY SCHEDULE:
Students will learn best if they set up a schedule to
complete parts of the chapters each week, and schedule their
months so there is time to review before the test (4 days to a
week for review and practice is a good recommendation).
- ANALYZE: Students need to
study the textbook instruction carefully, reading it
carefully using their ability in language comprehension, and then
analyze the examples in detail, taking the examples apart
to examine and understand exactly each and every step that
the textbook shows.
- MAKE NOTES: Students will
help themselves learn better if they take notes on the textbook
instruction and examples. The notes should be set up such that the
student is reviewing the concepts and procedures, even listing
things to memorize--and then doing so.
- EXERCISES: No one really
likes to do lots of math problems--but just like practice for a
sport, students have to practice their new math skill, whatever a
section teaches. So, practice, practice, practice on the problems
at the end of each section--but do the problems strategically:
- Do a group of problems.
- Write out all your work--if you don't you won't
easily find where you may have made a mistake. Also, you're
less likely to make little computation or negative sign
mistakes.
- Check your answers.
- If you're incorrect, figure out where you made a
mistake.
- If you can't figure it out, go to the solution
manual/key, and figure out from the worked-out solution
where you went wrong in your work.
- If you make a certain type of mistake more than once,
make a note to yourself about that, so you will be more
aware of it as you do similar problems, and hopefully won't
repeat that mistake anymore.
- PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
- INTERNET: A supplement to
the textbook can be websites which provide examples or further
explanation about many math topics. Go back to The
Math Page and go to the links at the bottom, by each
course.
- TUTORING: If the student
has done the above, but is struggling with a particular concept or
problem, then the student should take advantage of the tutoring
resources at Mt. Everest, following the times listed in the chart
above. However, the student must bring the textbook, and the
notes and work already done up to that point, and especially
as done on the topic in question. Tutoring is only for students
who are working at home and then coming in with specific problems;
those students will show their work when they come in, to show
that they have been preparing well and to make the tutoring more
effective, since it will focus on specific needs.
- EXTRA TUTORING: If the
family support and tutoring at Mt. Everest is unable to fully meet
a child's needs, parents have the option of also using outside
tutors. One list of available tutors has been provided by San
Diego State; click here
for that list.