Rebecca Zook - Math Tutoring Online

When are you available?

Most students have their online math tutoring sessions after school during the week or on the weekend. Email or call me for availability and we can find a time that works for both of us.

How soon can we start?

First, please contact me to discuss your schedule. Allow three days for the Wacom Bamboo digital tablet to arrive via Priority Mail.

How many times do your students meet with you per week? How long does each session last?

Each student has different needs. Please contact me to discuss your situation and we can create an individualized plan.

Will you work with student’s teachers?

Yes! The best math tutoring happens when the student’s teacher and I work as a team, communicating regularly to make sure the student gets the extra help and practice they need.

Do you give your students homework?

Usually only if the student wants me to. However, if a student needs to review material that’s not being covered in their math class, doing homework problems that I assign may be the best way for them to master the material.

Do you give an assessment test?

Not usually. My interactive tutoring style enables me to quickly assess what the student’s problems are. This assessment is dynamically built into every moment of the tutoring process.

Do you provide books and workbooks?

No. We use the materials that the student is working on in school as our departure point. Sometimes I will suggest that a student buy a different textbook or workbook if they need extra practice or if they need a better reference for their learning style.

Do you tutor in groups?

No. I only tutor one-on-one. Customization is essential, and it’s just not possible to establish that kind of feedback loop with more than one student at a time.

What learning styles and learning disabilities have you worked with?

I have successfully tutored kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learners, as well as students with dyslexia, spatial disabilities, ADHD, Turner’s, dysgraphia, and students with Individualized Learning Plans.

Here are some case studies of students I’ve worked with who have had different learning needs.

What is your method for building confidence and reducing math anxiety?

It’s built into every moment of the tutoring process. Many people have math anxiety because they’ve had a bad math experience. I work together with my students to create positive math experiences to replace the negative ones. Once a student realizes that they can be comfortable and relaxed while doing math with a tutor, they realize that they can also feel that way when working through problems on their own.

How did you get into math tutoring?

It all started with my love of peer editing! Throughout high school and college, I really enjoyed editing my friends’ papers and helping them refine their ideas. While I was still in college, I worked at Boston University’s Writing Center as a writing coach. After I graduated, I started teaching math as a Kaplan SAT teacher. I found that I really loved teaching math, but my favorite part was always working one-on-one with students. I realized that I wanted to work with students one-on-one to grow their skills over a longer period of time.

Do you have experience working with home schoolers?

Yes.

Can you tutor me in a subject other than math?

Maybe. Please contact me to tell me more about what you’re looking for.

What curriculum have you worked with?

I’ve worked with a wide variety of curriculums, ranging from very traditional drill-based curriculums to very concept-based curriculums. I can work with your student to create materials that dovetail both with their school curriculum and their individual learning style. Since new curriculums are developed every year, I am happy to familiarize myself with your curriculum if it is unfamiliar to me. I can also get any textbook.

Do you tutor statistics?

No.

Do you tutor calculus?

No.

Is this technology compatible for both Macs and PCs?

Yes! Both the digital tablet and the online whiteboard work with both.

Can a student return to what they drew on the whiteboard for future reference?

You can log on at any time to view the whiteboards created during tutoring.

I’m having trouble with my Wacom Bamboo tablet.

Please visit the Wacom Bamboo tablet support page.

I’m having trouble with the skrbl online whiteboard.

Please visit the Skrbl online whiteboard FAQ page.

Why is the webcam optional?

I like to be able to “meet” my students face to face, but in general during tutoring we talk without using video.

Why do I have to use a digital pen tablet?

Math is hard to type, and the tablet makes writing so much easier! Plus, the tablet is provided to you free of charge.

How do you graph using graph paper online?

When it’s time to graph using graph paper, we temporarily switch to a whiteboard that offers a graph paper option, such as imagination cubed ’s “grid on” option under the “file” menu.

How do you use a graphing calculator
online?

We use my favorite online graphing calculator.