Maths Mentors
Gaining Work Experience and Interpersonal Skills
Mentors play a crucial role in our in-person MathsMakers programmes. Working 1-on-1 or 1-on-2 with younger students, they provide valuable help and support so that the younger students stay on task and make progress in their learning.
Mentors are role models. Younger students look up to Sixth-Form mentors and appreciate the encouragement when working alongside them.
Students in Years 12 who volunteer as MathsMakers Mentors gain important interpersonal and employability skills. The work experience with us enhances their CVs and boosts their applications for university and other study opportunities.
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Mentors accumulate over 20 hours of volunteering as maths mentors. They receive training, guidance and feedback throughout the programme. Their work can count toward Duke of Edinburgh and similar awards.
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At the end of the programme, mentors receive a reference letter from MathsMakers which they can use for job applications. A number of our mentors go on to work as maths tutors during their school breaks.
When the mentors were asked about their experiences with the programme, they unanimously gave MathsMakers a positive vote. All claimed they had benefited from their mentoring experience and that they would recommend MathsMakers to their friends.
Feedback from our mentors
"I learnt to be patient and to communicate better. I learnt how to guide students through complex maths problems. If you want to help others and work on your own interpersonal and communication skills, you should give it a go."
“I gained a better understanding of how to be an effective mentor, and what techniques are most effective for helping students learn. Seeing the way that the workbooks set out the maths questions also gave me insight into what makes a useful question.”
“One of the things that I will remember most about the MathsMakers mentor work is the idea of 'guiding' a student instead of telling them the answer - the value of asking them questions, providing examples, and encouraging them to talk through their thinking. I also learnt how to deal with students who are reluctant or tired - different ways to keep them engaged through more achievable questions or games.”
