When not supported at the onset, gaps that occasionally emerge in her learning can impede J’s understanding of a complete process. It is important during these stages that Jamie work slowly, and have the opportunity to build her new knowledge in a context that scaffolds the ideas. However, she does benefit from reinforcement during the beginning stages of a new topic’s introduction. In terms of the mathematical process, Jamie has shown skill in remembering and understanding the steps needed to compute numbers correctly. However, if you were to ask her the concept behind exponents, she would be able to describe it to you correctly. As an example, Jamie might calculate 6 to the second power as 12 (6 x 2), as opposed to 36 (6 x 6). During cases like these, it is not necessarily that she misunderstands a concept, but rather that these errors can either lead her to a developing confusion, or just provide her with an incorrect answer. In math, a discipline that requires notation to be precise (copying numbers correctly, aligning place values, etc.), once one step is "off" in an equation, all subsequent steps are thrown off as well, resulting in an overall incorrect answer. These inaccurate calculations can take the form of basic operations computed incorrectly, or Jamie jumping immediately to an answer that is familiar to her instead of taking the time to think it through. Working quickly has caused her to copy numbers incorrectly and make careless mistakes in her calculations, particularly when completed in her mind. While this action is not in itself a quality that impedes learning, for Jamie it can cause difficulties. These difficulties have also evidenced themselves on occasion during tutoring sessions, for example in the following manner: In particular, this feedback relates that the conceptual aspects of the work have caused Jamie difficulty particularly those problems that require multi-step, abstract processing. One of the reasons for starting tutoring sessions in the first place, this theme was introduced last year and has been echoed presently by her current advisor (as reflected by her teachers). While Jamie has had many successes over the last year, one theme that has emerged as an area of challenge for her is math.
Strategies like these have significantly helped Jamie achieve academic success, as well as process and retain more of what she learns. She also connects personal associations to words or concepts that help her to recall the information in a way she can remember and process. For instance, she makes study guides for tests that first require her to write all the material and then have someone test her in a way that resembles conversation. In light of these attributes, Jamie has used these strengths to develop productive strategies that can best support her learning. She has thus been most productive when asked to complete such activities as: 1) talking with someone through a given topic or idea, 2) rewriting ideas so as to learn them and/or process information through movement (building models, walking around the room while spelling, etc.), and 3) creating a personal reflection in relation to an idea or set of ideas and/or use her feelings or personal reflections to help her connect to concepts. Her personal growth in academics, particularly in math, is a testament to this.ĭuring tutoring sessions, as a learner, Jamie has shown strong skills at processing and relating information, particularly through three areas: interpersonally (person-to-person), kinesthetically (movement-oriented), and intrapersonally (involving self-awareness).
While Jamie certainly benefits from the 1:1 support of tutoring sessions, she deserves much credit for taking on the overall responsibility for her learning and strong grades. While most sessions revolve around homework support, she has also learned many new strategies that she uses on a daily basis to complete her work in a way that fosters understanding.
Combined with her smart, creative, and caring personality, Jamie has all the attributes of a model student. Much of this progress can be attributed to her strong work ethic and the attention that she places in her studies.
“Jamie” has made great overall progress during tutoring sessions.
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