Tutoring Center - WU's Department of Mathematics and Statistics

Tutoring Center
Harlan J. Koca Mathematics Enrichment Program

Location: Morgan 279
Hours of Operation:
Monday through Thursday - 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Friday - 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

What is the Math Center?
The Math Tutoring Center offers free assistance to Washburn students. It is open Monday through Friday on days that regular classes meet, beginning the second full week of classes. The hours of operation vary from semester to semester and will be posted.

The center provides assistance to students in courses MA 103, MA 104, MA 110, MA 116, MA 117, MA 140, MA 141, MA 142, and MA 151. The tutor center is an extra resource to assist students in learning mathematics. The center is here to supplement, not replace, the information learned in class and from individual instruction with the professor.

What is the format of the center?
This is not a one-on-one tutoring facility. Tutors help all students and must circulate among those present. If you have several questions, the tutor may answer some of your questions and then leave you to work on problems while the tutor checks on other students.

Tutors are to help students learn, not to complete assignments for them. If you ask several questions of the same type, the tutor may ask you to try working problems on your own and then come back to see how you are doing. This is to help you learn, not to avoid helping you.

How do I use the math center?
To use the Math Tutoring Center, simply walk in during operation hours, no appointment is necessary. There is a sign-in sheet on the front desk. Please sign in and out each time you use the center.

On-duty tutors wear name badges so they can be easily identified. When you have a question, simply ask a tutor for assistance. If the tutor is busy helping another student, raise your hand so the tutor knows another student is waiting to ask a question.

Tutors are allowed to work on their own projects when students do not have questions. Tutors are not trying to avoid working, they are simply keeping busy. Please do not be shy about asking for help! Tutors are being paid to assist you! They will gladly stop working on their own projects when someone has a question.

Who are the tutors?
The tutors are WU students who have demonstrated strong mathematical abilities. Many are mathematics majors. They are paid tutors who assist WU students with specific math problems and who help clarify mathematical concepts.

Although tutors have excellent math skills, they are tutoring several different classes and may not be familiar with all the material covered in each of these classes.

How can I make visits to the math center the most productive?
The tutors expect that you have some basic knowledge of the subject matter. You should read the relevant text sections and attempt some homework problems before seeking help from the tutors. Here are some other guidelines that will help in making your visits to the Tutor Center productive.

Attend class. Some instructors will supplement the book material with material of their own. Or, instructors may present the material in a different way than is given in the text. The tutors do not attend your class and will be unaware of any additions and/or changes. Also, many times there are several different ways to do a problem. It is your responsibility to know if your instructor has told you to do a problem in a specific way.

Bring your book. Reading homework directions directly from the text will help orient your tutor to the type of problem you are working on. Also, each text presents material a little differently and, as such, may ask homework questions from a standpoint different from what the tutors have previously seen. The tutors may need to browse through your book in order to understand the specific viewpoint used by your text.

Bring your calculator and manual. Some mathematics courses require a graphing calculator. There are many different types of graphing calculators and your tutor may not be familiar with your calculator model. Tutors can not be expected to know where to locate specific function keys on every type of calculator.

The Math Department hopes your visits to the Tutor Center are helpful and productive. If you have any questions, comments, complaints, or suggestions, please see Dr. Hwa Chi Liang in Morgan 275D.