Math Drop-In Center

Spring 2023 hours are sunday through thursday, 5--8pm

We have additional daytime hours Tuesday and Thursday, 1-2pm

We will not be open when the campus is closed due to weather emergencies (check MCLA's home page: a top-of-screen ribbon announcement will appear if this is the case).

Please sign in ONLY during our open hours using the link below:

Sign in Here!

During our open hours, tutors in the Center will work in-person in CSI 101, and will monitor our virtual Teams Channel on a laptop. Outside of open hours, tutors are not required to respond to messages left on Teams, but may do so (if they are able). To visit the Teams Channel virtually, please fill out the sign-in form (top of this page) and then check your e-mail for an automated message describing how to proceed to our Teams Channel.

To visit in-person, merely walk to CSI Room 101; it's on the northeast corner of Blackinton and Montana Streets---go up the stairs and through the door, and we're straight ahead.

About

After a successful first four years, MCLA is continuing to run the Mathematics Help Drop-In Center, a place for students with any questions related to mathematics.

Among our tutors, we have the ability to assist with the mathematics portions of problems from any course in any department on campus, as well as the ability to help students studying for the mathematics portions of exams like the MTEL, GRE, and TEAS. The Center is free for the MCLA community to use, and all MCLA students, faculty, and staff are welcome to drop in—no appointment necessary!

How can I get the most out of my visit?

• Fill in a Sign-In Sheet! You can do this online via the above link. You will be asked: (1) what course you're here for, and (2) who your professor is. We ask that you fill in a new sign-in sheet every time you visit; this is so we can better help you when you're here, and it's also so that we can continue to apply for grant funding to remain open. We also use our records of day/times of arrivals in making staffing and operational decisions.
• Have your syllabus, textbook, class notes, homework and computer/calculator available if appropriate.
• Have specific questions. It's not very helpful to tell the tutor you're confused about everything. It's much more helpful to have picked out particular homework problems you are stuck on or particular topics or examples you want explained.
• Seek out other students in the Center or Channel who are in the same course as you. A lot can be accomplished by breaking out into small group chats/calls, and it makes good use of the time you're waiting for the tutor.
• Even though the tutors are very good mathematics students, they are still students, and so there may be occasional questions they can't answer. Don't let this bother you; if you can't work through the material, just return when a more experienced student or professor is in the Center or Channel.
• Don't ask tutors to help you with a take-home test. They are not allowed to do so.
• Leave anonymous feedback after your tutoring session by following the form link that will be sent to you via e-mail, and that is available on the "General" Teams sub-Channel if you're an online visitor. Your tutors won't read your feedback directly: it goes to the faculty coordinator, who summarizes and paraphrases it at tutors' meetings.

Tips in this section were adapted from Hofstra University's page.

Where can I get general help with math and coding outside of the drop-in center's hours?

• Math Stack Exchange

• Paul's Online Notes

• Professor Leonard's YouTube Channel

• HyperPhysics

• Stack Overflow

• 3 Blue, 1 Brown

Tutors

Emily Downing

Hi, my name is Emily Downing, and I am a Mathematics major here at MCLA. I have taken Calc I-IV, Proof I-II, Linear Algebra, Abstract Algebra and Statistics and Data Analysis. I have also taken Java I if you would like some help with that.

Emily works Mondays and Tuesdays 5-8.

Robert Leonard, he/him

Hello, my name is Robert. I’m a senior Physics major with minors in Math and Software Development. I primarily tutor physics, calculus, and statistics, but I’m happy to help with other topics. I also have experience programming in Java, C++, Python, and R. The courses I’m taking now include Quantum Mechanics and Data Structures and Algorithms.

Robert works Sundays 5-8 and Thursdays 7-8.

Cody Lucido, he/him

After taking a break from school and working as a personal trainer for two years, I realized that math was my main passion for work and the career path I wanted to take. So I am now a transfer student at MCLA starting Fall 2022 and am looking forward to advancing my own knowledge of mathematics and helping others with the field as well. I've loved math ever since I started doing basic addition and subtraction problems in the first grade, it's just always come easily to me. I was in the top math class offered all the way up through school to AP Calculus senior year of high school. Some hobbies of mine are listening to music, Cross Country running, calisthenics or body weight training, Ultimate frisbee, tabletop gaming, playing old video games, and watching and dissecting movies. I hope I can be a valuable student and member of the Trailblazer Mathematics team at MCLA!

Cody works Tuesdays and Thursdays 1-2.

Ashley Pacheco, she/her

Yo!! My name is Ashley Pacheco and I'm a Mathematics and Education major. I have already taken Calculus I & II, and Proof I. I am currently taking Proof II, and Stats. I'm a sophomore but I'm comfortable attempting to help with any courses not currently listed. Feel free to drop in and we can figure any problems you have out together!

Ashley works Mondays and Wednesdays 6-8 and Tuesdays and Thursdays 5-8.

Aris Yu, they/them

Hey! I'm Aris, a transfer student and computer science major. While my knowledge doesn't always correspond directly to the classes offered here, I'm most comfortable with calculus, statistics, and logic. I'm also proficient in Python, C++, and Java for any CS related questions you might have. If you have other topics you'd like help with, I'd be more than willing to take a look.

Aris works Sundays 5-7, and Mondays and Wednesdays 5-6.

Encourage Your Students to Visit

Include this Blurb in your Syllabus

The Math Help Drop-In Center is now open in-person as well as virtually on Microsoft Teams! To get in-person help with any math question from any course, please visit the Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation, Room 101 during our open hours (which are always up-to-date on mcla.edu/mathcenter ). To get online help, follow the sign-in link at our website, then fill in the sign-in sheet and follow the instructions that arrive in your e-mail inbox. Our tutors are friendly, supportive, and ready to help!

Have a Tutor visit your Class!

Having a tutor visit your class is a quick, easy way to let your students know about the services we offer, where they can see a friendly face that might encourage them to visit. Fill in this two-question form to request a visit.

Use Pre-Tests in your Class

Ungraded pre-tests can often help students decide early whether they will need help with the mathematics that an upcoming course topic entails, and such evaluations can often be given in five minutes, or as take-home assignments. For templates on particular topics, please e-mail Erin Kiley at emkiley@mcla.edu .