# Saving money on math education



## KaoruChiwa (May 21, 2017)

So my daughter is not doing so well in her grade 12 math class, and we are hiring a high school math tutor for something like $40 an hour, which is reasonable but does add up. I've seen rates like $50 an hour. Grade 12 is particularly important as her marks are used for university applications.

Since she needs a lot of help, the amount is adding up. So here are some of my strategies in saving/reducing this cost. But I would love more ideas!

1. Negotiate a bulk rate - a 10% discount with a math tutor once I can commit to an amount, and prepay (this is a bit risky though)
2. Try to get her to get free after-school help with her teacher and classroom.
3. I commit time to work with her to use online trig help sites like Khan Academy, StudyPug's Gr. 12 math or Freemathhelp.com before and after math tutoring (so she can use less tutoring).
4. Watch her like a hawk to make sure she does all her trig homework.

I should say that I am an art major, so not really strong in math, probably just helped her up to grade 10 math level.

Suggestions welcome!


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## Ponderling (Mar 1, 2013)

grade 12 math concepts, if you are not strong on them, need a well rested mind.

Tough love worked some in our house. We acknowledge sometimes teens stay up.

We rise at 5:40, and get dear son out of bed at 6:30, and drop him at bus at 7:30.

He comes in from school a bit before 5pm, and has a nap for about 90 minutes before dinner. 

We start math at about 8, after he is awake again.

His phone sit on the kitchen table while math is what is being worked on up in his room.

His phone gets put on the kitchen table to charge, so he gets tired after reading English, etc. and does not text all night long.

Otherwise your strategy so far seems reasonable. 

Our son failed gr 10 math - arts major. Then failed Virtual High School because of a procedural mess up, but learned a lot better on that paltform than he did with the live teacher he did not like the first time through.

Third time stab at math will be every day all day this July, and I will be dropping him off there in the morning on my way to work.

So your math struggles are not yours alone.


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## GreenAvenue (Dec 28, 2011)

I have sat down with my children myself and do math or whatever they were stuggling with. Sorry to say, but I don't believe in tutors. (That is: the idea that spending money *and more money *will get better results.) It's not that I have bench marked the item but I find my kids studies the best with me. I have long work days and my children have come home way before the end of my work day. I allowed them to do their homework and fool around untill the end of my work day. After my supper we would go to work and this has proven succesful. It's also very cheap.


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## sags (May 15, 2010)

Kid comes home from school and says to his parents........

"Thanks for doing my homework for me. Now the teacher thinks I am mentally challenged".

Just saying..........unless the parents are qualified, tutoring is best left to the professionals.


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## amitdi (May 31, 2012)

i am going to give you one tip that helped me grasp difficult math concepts.

1) look at the solved problems, read them thoroughly.
2) then solve the solved problems without looking, if you not able to solve repeat step 1 and 2
3) only when you can solve the solved problem confidently, go to the unsolved problems

i know it sounds stupid, but this helps immensely as your brain goes through the recollection process and remembers to recollect the correct formula/ technique.


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## MrsPartridge (May 15, 2016)

I had a great experience with Kumon. My daughter needed math tutoring and it was fantastic. They find out which level the student is at and then introduce a concept and drill it in chunks. My daughter was able to do this all without prodding and pushing because it's all bite-size lessons. The price was reasonable too. (Way back, it might have been $40/month, Can't remember exactly). 

Please have a look at Kumon. I'm so happy with it.


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## MrMatt (Dec 21, 2011)

GreenAvenue said:


> I have sat down with my children myself and do math or whatever they were stuggling with. Sorry to say, but I don't believe in tutors. (That is: the idea that spending money *and more money *will get better results.) It's not that I have bench marked the item but I find my kids studies the best with me. I have long work days and my children have come home way before the end of my work day. I allowed them to do their homework and fool around untill the end of my work day. After my supper we would go to work and this has proven succesful. It's also very cheap.


One on one focused work almost always brings better results. 

You could sit down and work with her, or do something non distracting while she does her homework.
That means you sit down, turn off the TV and put away your cell phone while she's working.

Hiring a tutor is a good idea, and if you commit to a certain amount they might cut their rate, but if they're a good math tutor they'd prefer 8 sessions at $50 over 10 sessions at $40.


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