<p> What is in my mathematics tutor bag? Listed in order of how often Sara uses each item. note: Don’t you like the groovy 70’s inspired bag? Note: Don’t forget to bring water with you to the tutoring session! </p><p>Image What? Why? Most tutoring organizations have given me a set of Lots and worksheets to use with students. I set these aside and do my own quick assessment of student’s skills (which Lots of I write up on blank paper). I find blank white paper is my greatest friend in tutoring situations. We draw blank white diagrams, define vocabulary. Most times the students I tutor beg to take the messiness we co-create with paper. them for future reference. OR… 2 White I prefer white paper, but I have seen other tutors use Boards & white boards effectively. markers </p><p>My favorite way to get students talking is to write in different colors. I find students saying things like “The blue equation has a slope of 2/3” when I write in different colors. Something about colors gives students an access point to engage. I also find that Lots of markers help in graphing as you can see the markings Markers on top of the grid lines. </p><p>OR I bring pens and pencils along, but I find students Lots of pens prefer markers. (Pencils drive me nuts because they and pencils always seem to need to be sharpened)</p><p>This is my newest favorite tool I’ve been using with students in the last year. Check out the list of my iPad or favorite iPad apps. I usually use the iPad for the last 20 minutes of a 60 minute tutoring session. As the tablet student works on the iPad I question the student and have them explain their thinking to me. My Script I love this App. Type in 3+4=8 and watch what calculator happens. It recognizes most handwriting and I find it is (Apple or Android very intuitive for students. phone and tablet app)</p><p>Sara Van Der Werf April 2013 I bring a copy of the MN State Standards with me (or MN sometimes I just look them up on my iPad). If I know the grade level of the student I am working with, I use Standards this document to give me ideas of what to work on. Someday I will have them memorized, but until then…</p><p>I love my TI-84 for students for all grades. I love that you can see what you typed into the calculator. I use Calculators calculators most to reinforce that the solution we just calculated is correct.</p><p>High School teachers tell me again and again that you Lots of can never have students create enough scatter plots. If I work with middle or high school students we are Graph usually making graphs. (I also never create a table or equation without connecting it to its graph either on Paper paper or on the graphing calculator)</p><p>Various You can never do enough modeling of student thinking on a number line. I often just create my own number Number lines on white paper, but at times I use number lines Lines run off on worksheets. </p><p>Linking This is my favorite manipulative for working with elementary age students. We can count, create Cubes patterns, model addition, and more.</p><p>Base 10 This is my 2nd favorite manipulative. Base 10 blocks are great for increasing students understanding of place Blocks value.</p><p>Subitize: The ability to immediately recognize the 5 and 10 number in a collection without counting. Frames In order to move beyond simple counting by one strategies, students need to see numbers as sets (subitize) rather than counting them 1 by 1. One of the most overlooked set of standards in the Dice & classroom is data and probability. I often use dice to Playing play games or create rich experiences to deepen students understanding of data and probability Cards standards.</p><p>Ruler Obvious math tool. I use it just once in a while.</p><p>Sara Van Der Werf April 2013</p>