Top Secret Tutor Tips

Caroline Griswold, Premium Tutor

I have had a lot of students making careless errors recently. This is one of the hardest things to fix because by definition you're making those errors subconsciously. Here are some tips that I have found to be helpful with these:

• If you find yourself mis-reading the question a lot, actually rewrite it in your book. You don't even necessarily have to put it in your own words, just rewrite it (but bonus points for putting it into your own words).
• Force yourself to do math sections until you can get through two in a row without making a careless mistake. This is painful enough to get you to break established habits!
• Speak your thought process out loud. When you hear yourself saying, so, 4 squared is 8, you're more likely to catch it.
• Make yourself a "road map" before you attempt a math problem: what do I need? What DON'T I need? In order to figure this out, what steps will I have to take?
• When you check your answers, assume that they are all GUILTY--prove to yourself that they are innocent. If you go to check assuming that your answers are right, you won't catch your careless mistakes.
• Slow down!! Catch yourself making assumptions and taking shortcuts. Write down every single little step you make.
• Know your triggers. Do you tend to make mistakes on algebra? In wordy questions? On easy questions? Hard questions? Know what causes you to have problems, and be on the lookout for that!

Good luck!