Maths Mentor Megan gives us her top three tips for improving your maths skills
Feeling befuddled by maths in your unit work and assessments? We asked Deakin student and Maths Mentor Megan Kaiser to tell us a little about herself and her top tips for succeeding with maths subjects.
Megan is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce and International Studies at the Geelong Waterfront Campus, majoring in Accounting and International Relations.
What are you hoping to do after university professionally?
I am aspiring to pursue a career in the not-for-profit sector, specifically in areas of community development.
What is your favourite thing about being a Maths Mentor?
I absolutely love it when students are able to gain an understanding of concepts that they’ve previously struggled with. It is so rewarding to see them realise that they’re capable and able to succeed. I love working alongside others as they increase their knowledge, understanding and ability to approach and solve similar problems outside of mentoring sessions.
What are common reasons students will get in touch with you for help?
Students are often seeking assistance from Maths Mentors to cover some of the fundamentals in the units they are studying. Often we see students who want to check their understanding of concepts, may not have understood the content in lectures, are seeking extra support and resources, or have not studied maths in a few years. Whatever your reason, we would love to help you out!
How can a student get the most out of a Maths Mentor drop-in or appointment online?
To make the most out of a Maths Mentor drop-in session, it is important to be prepared. This doesn’t have to be anything extensive, but by coming with an idea of the key concepts you want to cover and some questions to work through, our sessions will be much more effective. Students often attend with questions from weekly quizzes, seminars, lectures or textbooks. However, if you don’t have access to any questions as examples to work through in our discussion, we still encourage you to come along and we can help you find some handy resources and examples.
What are your top three tips for students who are trying to improve their maths skills?
- Believe in your mathematical ability. It is so hard to be motivated to learn and enjoy maths if you don’t believe in yourself.
- Don’t give up. Maths can be challenging, and like anything, it takes practice. Sometimes you may need to have it explained to you a few times, or complete several examples before you understand it.
- Try to understand ‘why’. Personally, I have to know why things work or why they are done before I understand it. When you understand the reasons for a particular equation, maths becomes so much more exciting and less daunting.
Get in touch today!
If you want to chat to someone about your maths concerns, attend one of our daily drop-in online interactive sessions hosted by a Maths Mentor like Megan! You don’t need an appointment, just bring your maths questions. You can share your screen, talk or text with the mentor. You can also get in touch via email and access all the useful resources on the Maths Support Resource Centre.