Giving grinds

rain on

Hi guys, hope this hasn't been asked before, a search didn't turn up anything.
I've agreed to give maths grinds to next door's kid (fifth year, ordinary level). I did college level maths for a year (it was the third subject in my BA) and I still get the textbook out from time to time to try and keep my hand in. It's just the teaching part that has me apprehensive -- it's four years since I was taught maths and I've never taught anyone anything in my life.. I'm not even sure how to structure the time.
Obviously being a good teacher is something you could spend your whole life learning, but any advice, pointers, dos and don'ts would be much appreciated.

spurious

I'm not a Maths teacher, but teaching is teaching...

Be prepared and be organised. Work out all calculations in advance.

Take a specific topic you want to cover. Go through it with the student as it is done in the text book. This is important. You may have a super-duper alternative way of doing it but if the child cannot revise themselves you will confuse them. Their teacher will not appreciate you confusing things.

Do the exercises on the topic in the book. Have prepared beforehand some examples of where the topic came up on exam papers. Do one with the child, then let him/her do two or three on their own.

Give them a further two or three examples to do as homework and start the next grind by checking they remember how to do what you did in the first class.

If you appear organised it will help the student's confidence in you. Explain to them where they go wrong, if they do, and praise where they are correct.

TheDriver

Maths - Make sure they can do a question on each key point before you move ontot he next and with Maths, they learn by example. You cannot read or learn maths, you practice and do them.

rain on

Fanks guys. Will keep all that in mind. It's practising time methinks.