GCSC Tutoring Services Part 1: Math Lab

If you’re struggling to understand the material in a class, it can be nerve-wracking to ask for help. Don’t worry—Gulf Coast has two excellent tutoring labs that can support you: the Math Lab and the Writing and Reading Lab. I interviewed Marjory Pavlov, the Math Lab manager, and Mary Middlemas, the Writing and Reading Lab manager, to find out more about Gulf Coast’s tutoring services. If you need help with all things English and Spanish, check out my article about the Writing and Reading Lab. Is math your weakness? Read on to find out what I learned from my interview with Pavlov.

In-person tutoring: How Has it Changed?

Due to the pandemic, the lab operates at a limited capacity, and Pavlov encourages social distancing. “We try as much as we can to use the whiteboards so we can stay away (from students),” Pavlov comments. She encourages students who may need help to complete their homework in the lab to ask questions when needed.

Online tutoring: How does it work?

Some students may be nervous about the online tutoring, but Pavlov assured me that the technology involved is nothing to fear. Students unfamiliar with Zoom can find instructions on how to join the tutoring lab’s Zoom room on its website. She also mentions that connecting to the Math Lab’s Zoom room via computer is the most convenient way to access online tutoring. If necessary, students can use their phones to join as well. Students show the tutors the problems they need help with by sharing their screen on Zoom during a session. The tutors will then walk the student through a problem. “We can work the problem out using the document camera so they can see that,” Pavlov explains. If you need assistance with technology, the tutors are willing to help.

Is Tutoring for Me?

Pavlov stressed that many students have a misconception that needing tutoring makes them a bad student. “We all need a little help sometimes,” she says. When you visit the lab, you don’t have to be afraid of judgment. “It’s not the same as a classroom; it’s very relaxed, you can come in there and ask any question and not be seen as dumb,” Pavlov notes. She is also proud of the tutors at the lab for making it a welcoming space. “They’re very relatable to the students who come,” she states. Remember: there’s no shame in needing help.

If you ever get stuck on a math problem, give the Math Lab a try. “Everybody who’s there, they just want to help,” Pavlov remarks. She recommends that students seek support when needed. In her words, “Math is building, and you’ll just get further and further lost if you don’t have those foundations.” Build strong math foundations at the Math Lab.

For any questions, email Marjory Pavlov at mpavlov@gulfcoast.edu.

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