Teacher of Mathematics AA SL/HL; holds BA & MA in Philosophy with Mathematics Minor with 2+ years of teaching experience.
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Yen L.
Country: Taiwan, Douliu
Tutor Bio
I am Yen Liu, an IB alumnus and teacher. I studied philosophy and mathematics and have been an IB and IGCSE math teacher for two years. I have a great passion for abstract thinking and problem solving. I can teach in Mandarin and English. I got my IB Diploma ten years ago, and have observed closely how the IB has changed their mathematics curriculum (how it evolves from Math Methods/Studies to Math AA/AI). There are a myriad of paths one can take in learning math, and yet IB is training students for a very specific set of skills. I know how to tackle IB-style problems efficiently and what an examiner is looking for (and no, you cannot learn this by memorizing the mark scheme). Apart from Math AA, I am also happy to guide you in overall time management and strategies for succeeding in the IB. Tutor Introduction
Teaching Experience
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2022-Present @ Online Tutor
IB Mathematics AA SL/HL Private Tutor
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2020-Present @ Victoria Academy, Taiwan
IGCSE & IB Math Teacher
Education
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National Taiwan University, Taiwan
Philosophy
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McGill University, Canada
Philosophy (Mathematics Minor)
Teaching Skills
Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL
Mathematics Analysis and Approaches SL
Diploma Programme
Tutor Teaching Style
My goal is to train students to think independently. To do so, they must learn the general principles instead of memorizing the solutions to specific problems. On my end, I will incorporate visualizations and real life examples to help students extrapolate the overarching principles.
In a typical first session, I will ask the student their biggest challenge in math and the topics in which they need the most help. In getting to know each other, we will also talk about our experience in learning math.
I will help them master the basic concepts and the use of GDC. I will also give them time to think, not rushing them for the next step.
I will give them personal examples of failures and tell them how I have coped and succeeded eventually. We could also go back to easier concepts and review them together.
I will try different methods. For instance, use graphs or the GDC to help them visualize the problem, or find different real life examples. If applicable, we
I will use analogies to explain the problem and ask the student to provide their best guess of the passage. For math problems, we could identify the key terms (numbers and math terms) and reformulate the problem with symbols and abstractions.
First, we explore the syllabus together in the beginning and the end of the curriculum. This way, we could keep track of our progress and students would know where they should place their energy. Secondly, it is important to earn the student's trust. Typically, sharing personal learning experience works. We also bond through identifying the wrong answers in the textbook together.
I would try to find appropriate real life analogies, and if possible, focus on the student's personal interest. We could also go back to easier problems and concepts to see that the new subject is just an extension of the old subject.
We would go over past paper questions and mark scheme together and ask students to explain their mistakes.
If a student is struggling, I would go back to easier problems to ensure that they have grasped the basic concepts. I would also ensure that a student is not fixated on an irrelevant detail that would distract them.
I would ask them. I would also look at their quizzes and exams to find if there is a specific area of weakness.
I would incorporate different tools and materials.
Textbooks, graphs, past papers.
Tutor Quote
It takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that-Red Queen in Through the Looking Glass