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Introduction
This is an online face-to-face math service which
provides a student with personal math support, using a web
site that provides 2-way video, 2-way voice, and a shared
drawing pad, for an experience that closely
resembles face-to-face math help. This is
not just a homework-problem-solving service, but rather a
credentialed
math teacher with a doctorate in education
working with the student in a supportive manner, acting as
a "math nanny."
Through decades of
experience in face-to-face tutoring, Dr. Sonya
Sokolow has learned that certain principles of teaching are
essential for successful math support:
- A continuing
relationship between a student and the same
math support person throughout the tutoring experience.
- The math nanny must do much more than help the student solve
particular homework problems.
- The math support person figures out what is
confusing the student.
- The math support person helps student use available
learning tools.
- When necessary, the math support person communicates
with the student's class teacher, school
administrators, or parent(s).
- The math support person helps student learn how
to solve problems, not just how to solve a particular
homework assignment.
- Good online records must be kept by the math nanny so
that there is continuity
and follow through from one session to the next.
- Progress notes help the math support person,
student, and parent.
- Notes are available online for review anytime by
those individuals given access.
Dr. Sokolow's approach is explained here.
Read her resume (curriculum vitae)
here.
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Cost
- For local appointments at Dr. Sokolow's home office
email sonyasokolow@gmail.com.
- For online appointments, to get started, create your
free account at www.Vyew.com, then contact sonyasokolow@gmail.com
by email and explain what help you need in math.
- Rate is $60/hour for math help by Dr. Sokolow, charged
by 15-minute increments at $15/increment.
- If an associate math help person is available, rate
reduces to $40/hour. Associates (who are not
credentialed math teachers but can provide math) are
monitored by Dr. Sokolow.
- You will need to provide Dr. Sokolow with a copy of
the student's text book if Dr. Sokolow doesn't already
have that book in her library. This can be
done either by sending an actual paper book, or by
sending a pdf file (or eBook) of the actual text being
used, or by paying to Dr. Sokolow the cost of purchasing
the book. Please provide Dr. Sokolow with the
exact title, authors' names, edition number, publisher
name, and ISBN number of the book, all of which should
be on the book itself.
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Requirements
- Access to Dr. Sokolow's home office OR
- Access to high-speed Internet.
- Computer with browser running the free Adobe
FlashPlayer (almost all computers work except very
old ones, and 98% of computers already have it installed
from the factory). You can verify that Adobe
FlashPlayer is installed by going to this link: About
Adobe FlashPlayer. It is recommended
that you install the most recent version of Adobe
FlashPlayer from Adobe's download site.
- A web cam, speakers, and microphone (or
headphone-microphone) on student's computer. (You
can test that they work in your FlashPlayer by bringing
up the FlashPlayer settings manager. Click
here for instructions on the settings manager.).
- A credit or debit card to make secure payments online
through PayPal,
or payment by money order or cashier's check through the
mail.
- Create your free account at www.vyew.com (click here then "Sign-Up
Free"), a free Internet interactive whiteboard
with video, voice, and text chatting.
- Optional registration with Skype (instructions), a free
online voice-over-Internet phone service for speaking
with math nanny if necessary outside of a tutoring
session.
- Optional free Google account (instructions) to
access online progress notes and schedules.
- Optional digital input tablet with stylus, such as the
Wacom
Bamboo.
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How it works
- Make appointment with Dr. Sokolow for a home office
visit OR
- Once you are registered and have an appointment with
the the math help person, you will go online to
www.vyew.com at the appointed time, login with your
username and password, and click on your name in the
list of "vyewbooks". This will connect you
with the screen through which you communicate with your
math help person. The screenshot below shows that
page for a hypothetical student.
- Your math support person will join the same vyewbook
and will display her video picture and start her
microphone so she can greet you. You will click on
the buttons to start your video and
microphone. Then both of you can talk and
see each other as well as seeing the whiteboard drawing
frame.
- You and the math support person will be able to draw
and type on the whiteboard, where both of you see the
same images. Pictures from textbooks or web
pages can be embedded in the whiteboard pages,
too. Drawing is done with the mouse or optional
tablet with stylus.
- Using your browser, you may also be instructed where
to find an online textbook and other instructional
materials, which may be used during your tutoring
session without disconnecting from your vyewbook
communication with your math support person.
- At the end of your session, you and your math support
person will schedule your next session
appointment. Your account will be
charged for your session time. Accounting
information and progress notes will be accessible online
in a GoogleDocs spreadsheet.
Screenshot (click
picture to enlarge):
Demonstration video,
click
here |
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How it differs from other online
tutoring sites
- Some sites only provide interaction between student
and a computer program, not a teacher.
- Some are 24/7 sites that connect student with any
random tutor employed by the service somewhere in the
world, with no continuity from day to day.
- Most don't provide video and voice -- they are not
like being there with the tutor at your side.
- Many online tutors have little experience in teaching
and are not credentialed teachers, nor do they have a
PhD in education.
- Some only answer specific math questions rather than
helping the student to help him- or herself.
- Most do not provide online progress notes and never
attempt to consult with class teacher or supportive
family.
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| For a demonstration
video, click here. |
Click here
for more
information about the founder. |
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Contact
us: sonyasokolow@gmail.com |
To
send
a payment by mail, send a money order,
cashier's check, or similar official check for at
least $60 as deposit OR follow the
instructions concerning Paypal in the next column.
Dr. Sonya Sokolow
301 Highview Ct.
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
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Send
a $60 payment through PayPal. (A
service charge of 3% will be included in your
payment amount.)
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