Meet Cansu Olce, Mathematician and Tutor

Cansu Olce is a mathematician who has been tutoring for seven years. She is preparing a mathematics competition for high school students in Brisbane, Australia in April of 2016. The profit will be donated to Australian cancer research foundation. Learn more by visiting her website at www.astarmaths.com.au.

1. How did you first come to feel a strong interest in mathematics?

I was always attracted to the challenge of thinking and the process of logic since primary school. I enjoy mathematics a lot. It can be used to define the symmetry in nature or manage global companies. I feel that the elegance and logic of the subject is the reason for my desire to study it at a more advanced level.

2. What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands?

Every parent wants to learn the answer of this question. I ask students if they understand. If so, I give them a practice question and give them some time to attempt it. If they can do it, I move on to slightly more advanced questions. If they cannot solve the question, I do it together with them, and explain again along the way.

3. Would you tell us more about the mathematics competition you're organizing for April of 2016?

The mathematics competition will be for high school students in Brisbane. There are two categories, junior and senior. There are 25 multiple choice questions in the booklets. The top three students in each category will be awarded with cups. A participation certificate will be given to every student in the competition. This is an opportunity for students to discover their talents in maths and also to help cancer patients. All the profit will be donated to Cancer Council Australia.

4. How did you decide on the charity to receive the profits from the competition?

My dad is fighting colon cancer. I know how hard to deal with this illness. Every donation makes a vital difference to researchers' ability to speed up discoveries in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and cure.

5. What is your best advice for students of all ages who are struggling with math?

We are only human, and we can make mistakes. Don't be ashamed! When you are feeling unsure about a problem, ask questions. In mathematics you need a lot of practice. Practice makes perfect. You can't improve your maths skills without practicing. Take advantage of the resources around you. Stay positive. You can't get high marks with a negative attitude.

Thanks, Cansu!

Introducing X-Bandz, A Math Teaching Aid

When I was a kid, I remember learning about some tips for creating a good invention. One of the tips was to take an existing item, but to give it a unique twist. X-Bandz do just that. They take the idea of the colorful bracelets that kids love, but with the twist that the bracelets have math equations printed on them.

X-Bandz are a teaching aid designed to enable your child to master the multiplication and division facts quickly and easily. Educators have called X-Bandz for multiplication "a fun and unique learning method for young students." Instead of using old-fashioned flash cards, kids can play with these bracelets to learn multiplication facts.

One of the cool things about X-Bandz is that they are fun and can be used like rewards/gifts, which helps kids build more self-esteem, which in turn can help their performance in math.

This is an affordable educational product at just $5.99 for a pack of 12 bands. Really I think these would be a cool stocking stuffer. My parents always threw in a little something educational with my holiday gifts, and I think I would have gotten a kick out of these myself.

They can be purchased on Amazon or at www.xbandz.com.

Introducing Caddell Prep Online for Math Help

If you or someone you know needs to brush up on math and/or vocabulary skills for the SAT, TACHS, or SHSAT, you might very well be interested in Caddell Prep Online, a program developed by an experienced tutor, Glyn J Caddell.

Glyn J Caddell has been tutoring since 2006 and holds a BS Mechanical Engineering. His own standardized test scores are impressive, including an 800 on the math portion of the SAT.

It's a convenient online option for studying, and there's built-in accountability for students as the system tracks your progress as you work through various lessons and take the practice tests. As a student, you have an account where you can log in and look at your practice test results and determine your strengths and the areas where you need to do more studying.

The site shares free algebra and geometry video lessons as well as some vocabulary resources. For more in-depth studying, visitors can get a membership for $9/month and gain access to all of the practice problems and test prep materials. For examples of what you can learn on the site, check out this lesson on determining the percent of a number.

Learn more about Glyn Caddell and Caddell Prep Online by following his Twitter feed.

Introducing Yamie Chess, a Fun Learning Tool

If there is a way to learn that's more fun than playing games, I haven't heard of it! The designers of Yamie Chess have created an exciting world of chess where the pieces are depicted as characters in a vivid cartoon universe populated by King Tigermore and many other animals. The drawings are colorful and detailed, and kids will be drawn into the world of the characters not only to learn to play chess but also to learn several different areas of mathematics, science, and cognitive thinking.

This math and STEM learning aid is a unique educational tool which has been endorsed by PhDs from both Harvard and MIT. The product is debuting at the 2014 New York Toy Fair, and it is made in the USA by a Michigan-based printer. The learning tool is the result of a collaboration involving educators, engineers, and chess champions.

Yamie Chess invites children to explore the classic problem solving experience of playing chess--while also learning about a wide scope of math and science ideas. It's an engaging and interactive concept. I remember enjoying chess as a grade school student, and I can only imagine how much more fun it would have been in an even more lively format like this.