SE tutors make sense out of math

By Chelsea Olson/reporter

The Math Resource Center offers students any necessary assistance, two math tutors told SE students Sept. 9.

Ben Hildebrand and Alba Ochoa shared their keys to success in math, including keeping a high attendance rate, taking useful notes, allowing enough time to study for quizzes and exams, practicing to make perfect and, when in doubt, visiting the MRC.

Ochoa said the only supply necessary is a student identification card.

“We supply pencils,” he said. “We have scratch paper. We have computers.”

Hildebrand explained what the staff is allowed to do for students. Those employed can clarify any material that is unclear to students on a first-come, first-served basis. He said the staff is well-equipped with nine full-time tutors, three part-time tutors and student volunteers to assist those in need.

The MRC offers Developmental Math test reviews and College Algebra content reviews. Calculator workshops are held both on campus and on the MCR website in a video tutorial.

Ochoa said the staff cannot help students complete other tasks. Workers cannot check assignments, quizzes, or exams for correctness unless the class is one that “has given us permission to help you with your online quizzes,” he said. They also cannot spend more than 10 minutes per student because of the large quantity of students needing assistance. Also because of the limited space, students can work only on math-related activities inside the MRC.

The speakers stressed the importance of signing in and out of the center if students are in a developmental class. Those students are required to log a minimum of one hour per week in the MRC. So signing in and out correctly determines what time frame will be reported back to instructors each Monday.

The MRC is not limited to just the on-campus branch. If students work better at home, the center offer many tutorials on the website semathlab.wikispaces.com. This site features general information about the MRC, review schedules, placement test assistance, practice test and solutions.

The MRC is not just for developmental math and college algebra, the speakers said. The center also has tutors that can help with statistics, business math, trigonometry, pre-calculus and calculus.

The MRC on SE Campus is in ESEE 1112 and is open 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday.

The MRC is “really here to help you,” Ochoa said. “We want you to be successful.”