Tutoring Log Essays Examples

This took place on March 14, 2015. It covered basic numbers and subtraction.

Objectives

Help the child solve simple and basic subtraction equations with numbers up to 10. These would be word problems in order to further help the child conceptualize the concept of numbers, and basic operations. The child would be asked to solve the following problem:

If you have 9 oranges and your dad takes away 5, how many would you have left?

Activities
I initially allowed the child to try and attempt to solve it themselves. I waited for a couple minutes to let the student process the question and attempt to come up with a solution. The child appeared struggle in understanding the word problem, as the phrase “takes away” did not initially appear to register. I had previously explained how subtraction was like taking something away from the original group, but it appears as though the students had not fully grasped this concept.
The student started by holding up nine fingers, but was unsure exactly what to do next. I initially encouraged the student to think about what “taking away” meant, but after the child struggled, I intervened to help.
I drew nine oranges on the board and then asked what would happen if your dad ate 5 of them? The student looked at the board and started to erase five of the oranges, leaving four left. The student then concluded that four oranges would be left over.
I further explained that eating the five oranges was like taking away the oranges. I then slightly changed the equation to nine oranges with four taken away. The student used their fingers to count, but did get the correct answer of five. It repeated this process with several other examples, and it appeared the student had grasped the concept of subtraction within the word problem context.

Assignment

If I have 10 candies and your friend wants to take 7 away, how many are left?
The student was able to correctly answer this question, mostly by counting seven away on fingers. The correct answer was reached again.

Reflection

The child started by reading the question and processing the initial amount of fruit or candy in the equation. This demonstrates a basic number competency, as she was familiar with all numbers through ten. The equations used throughout this activity were all between one and ten, and the student was able to grasp each of these numbers completely. The problem appears to be in the understanding of the operation within the word problem. The student exhibited problems knowing what to do when reaching the starting point, which is where I had to intervene. The student was unsure of whether to initially add or subtract, showing that her “operational sense”. While I primary was a facilitator, in order to get the student to solve the first equation, I had to physically draw the items out. Once the student saw the images, she was able to better understand what to do, especially when I rephrased the question into “eating” the orange. In order to solve the equation, the student was most comfortable with using their fingers to count, which should be expected at this age. The visual representation and different use of language was the key in order to get the student to understand subtraction. The student did not need to write anything down, as the numbers were not larger than ten, so fingers could be used.