What a student needs in math changes as they get older. When one of our tutoring students transitioned from group classes to one-on-one sessions, it opened up new opportunities for personalized learning. After his group class ended, his family decided to continue his math journey with individual tutoring. The goal? To dive into our Singapore Math curriculum and keep building his skills.
But as with many students, his needs changed, and so did his lessons.
A Flexible Approach to Personalized Learning
While the original plan was to work steadily through the Singapore Math curriculum (this year focusing on level 3B), things didn’t always go according to schedule, and that turned out to be a good thing! When his mom mentioned an upcoming math competition, tutoring shifted gears. Instead of sticking strictly to the curriculum, the focus turned to competition math strategies.
He learned to underline keywords, circle essential details, and ask simple questions like, Does my answer make sense? and Is there a quicker way to solve this? These skills gave him the tools he needed to approach competition problems confidently. Even after the competition, he enjoyed these challenges so much that he asked to keep doing a few competition problems at the end of each session—just for fun!
Tackling New Challenges
It wasn’t just school math competitions that shaped his tutoring journey. When a school project on fractions came up that was covering material above his current grade level, the lessons shifted again. Instead of sticking to the plan, the focus moved to what he already knew about fractions and built on that foundation. This flexible approach ensured he was ready to confidently handle the project.
A Parent’s Perspective
His family shared how much they’ve appreciated this personalized approach to learning:
“We would like to acknowledge the tutor’s dedication to our child’s learning. Not only is she a very talented teacher, she is kind and thoughtful. She has been exceptional to work with.”
Learning That Adapts to the Student
This student’s journey shows how personalized tutoring can meet students where they are—and help them get where they need to be. Whether it’s preparing for competitions, tackling advanced projects, or steadily working through a curriculum, flexible lessons keep students engaged, confident, and excited about math.
By adjusting lessons to fit the student’s unique goals and interests, math becomes more than just numbers on a page; it becomes something they can enjoy and succeed in.
