We started our first study group session on Friday with a quick review of multiplication. J- and V- warmed up by reciting the multiples of 6 to 9. Good retention from last year, and we’ll see how practice helps them improve. After the warm-up, we went over a shuffled deck of multiplication flashcards.

The teachers had given them a quiz in school, so we covered some of the topics they found confusing. W- and I explained the difference between convex and concave shapes using angles and lines. I drew different figures and quizzed them on the classifications. J- and V- drew their own figures, and they classified them together.

Squares and square roots were another point of confusion. We started off with a graphical review of what squaring means, and what a square root is. I used a tip from John Mighton’s “The Myth of Ability”: I tweaked my exercise to vary in scale without varying in difficulty. (What’s the square root of 31337 x 31337?) After J- and V- understood the relationship between squares and square roots, we covered approximation and factorization as ways of finding the square root. J- and V- practised finding the square root of numbers like 225 and 144.

We’ve encouraged them to take notes so that it’s easier to review lessons. The extra study group time will definitely help, too. Grade 8 will help students learn how to solve real-life problems, so we’ll be sure to show more of the calculations of everyday life. Here we go!