Dare to be critical of yourself and get a feel for math!

Meet Benjamin. As a master student in applied mathematics, he uses his knowledge of mathematical principles every day, both in his studies and in his work as a tutor. In this blog, read what Benjamin thinks about the importance of intuition, being critical of yourself and a good connection between student and student teacher!

Who are you? What do you do in daily life? And what do you do at Studied?

My name is Benjamin, 22 years old and a second-year master student in applied mathematics at Eindhoven University of Technology. Within this, I specialize in the application of mathematics to medical imaging, such as MRI scans, combining geometric principles with probability theory. At Studied, I therefore mainly tutor mathematics, at both university and secondary school levels. I like to add physics or languages to that! In my spare time, I spend a lot of time at the gym: this clears my head after a long day of study. My other great passion is music, both for listening and making myself.

Which subject do you like to teach the most?

As I said, I prefer to tutor math! I love teaching this at university level. It often happens that students from other studies have difficulty with a math component in their course. I would love to help them with this!

What do you love about teaching at Studied?

For me, the satisfaction I get from teaching is twofold. On the one hand, it's simply great to see a student actively getting better through the lessons, and ultimately achieving his or her goals that didn't seem realistic before. On the other hand, it gives me a lot of energy and pleasure to show students a different side of the material. A side they don't see, because they bite their butts off without concrete results. In my experience, with the right degree of guidance, students gain a broader view of the subject matter, and this ensures tangible progress. The best thing is to see with your own eyes that the student “lights up”!

What do most students have trouble with?

In mathematics, I often see that abstraction gets in the way, and that students lack a bit of intuition. This is where, precisely because of my high degree of control over the material, I can assist them well. Abstraction is the strength but also the weakness of mathematics. Most students definitely have the ability to become familiar with complex mathematical ideas, but for that, it is crucial that they have an emotional understanding of what they are doing at the abstract level. This aspect is often forgotten in non-mathematical courses. That is exactly where my job lies.

How do you ensure that your students progress?

The most important thing is to encourage students to actively think about the material. Not only do what is told, but also reflect critically on what you have learned and your own shortcomings. This ensures a transcending understanding of the material. I also find it extremely important to verify whether the student really understands something, or only has a vague idea. I do this by asking a lot of questions and going into detail. After all, it often happens that the student thinks they understand something, but does not appear to have sufficient command of the subject. This must be identified at all costs so that real improvement can take place. On the other hand, of course, if there is concrete improvement, the student will receive well-deserved compliments!

What is your most important tip for students?

The most important tip I can give students is: dare to be critical of yourself! That's difficult, because if you don't understand something at all, it's tempting to be satisfied when you get it “a little bit” or “well enough” later. This often stands in the way of progress! Only when there is the courage to be critical can goals be achieved.

What is your most important tip for the final exams?

From my own experience, I can say that, no matter how exciting, the individual exams are not very different from the school exams you've already had so many of them. The difficulty really lies purely in the number of exams in a short period of time. Starting early with preparation reduces this stress factor, which is also the most important thing.

How important do you find the connection with your students?

The click with students is the most important aspect of the lessons, and this cannot be underestimated. As nice as all the tips and ideas mentioned above are, if there is no click, then none of this is worth anything. That is why, for me, the lessons are also about the person, and not about the profession itself. In this way, the lessons are also exactly tailored to the individual student, because everyone is different!

Do you find it easy to combine your work with your other activities?

Due to the flexibility, the work is easy to combine with my other activities. It is ideal for me not to spend a whole day or half a day at work, but to be able to schedule 1 or 2 hours at appropriate times. For me, this is a huge advantage of working at Studied.

Would you recommend working at Studied? And why?

I would recommend working at Studied to anyone with a passion for helping others with knowledge. Having knowledge is valuable, sharing it is even more valuable! As a student lecturer, you will also learn a lot from this yourself. Your communication skills are addressed and sometimes tested, as well as your professional knowledge. This gives the work a challenging aspect, and an opportunity for enormous personal development!

Want to get guidance from Benjamin? Check www.studied.nl and get in touch with us!