I tutor at school and up until last week, I’d only had two or three people come in for extra help. This last week, I’ve had half-a-dozen people contact me for help with assorted topics. Mid-terms are in a week-and-a-half. Everyone must be panicking about their tests. I certainly don’t mind the extra tutoring – I really enjoy tutoring.
Lab math – i.e. drug dose calculations – is what I get asked to help with the most. I think people freak out when they see math. It trips a lot of people up because it seems confusing at first, but it’s not a particularly difficult thing. If I sit down with them, go over the problems step-by-step, and walk them through a few practice problems, they usually catch on pretty quickly. Sometimes all it takes is me showing an alternate way of solving the problems. There are so many different ways to solve these problems and I try to find a way that makes sense to the student so they can master these calculations. Being proficient at drug dosage calculation is critical to doing well in classes and later, as a tech.
If you’re in school and having trouble with a particular subject, don’t be afraid to get help. Instructors and tutors are happy to help you out (good ones are, anyway). Your tuition money helps pay for those services, so make the most of that money you’re spending and get help if you need it!
