Students have to make many general decisions as they near the end of their compulsory education and move on to senior secondary school. Once you reach that stage in your education, you get to make choices about the subjects you study. You might even wonder: "Should I go to university, do an apprenticeship or enter the workforce?"
If you're wondering which are the best subjects to study for my VCE, no need to fret. You've got a lot of help to guide you through this process. Teachers, year coordinators, career counsellors and even tutors can provide support and suggest solutions in these areas. Some might say that's too much help. Or, more specifically, too much information coming from too many sides.
Yet, here we are, talking with you today. Not about how to decide your future; we've already seen you get a lot of help with that. Instead, we want to let you know about the resources and support available for one subject. That subject is VCE Further Maths, of course. We'd like to share with you a bit about the support you can get through VCE maths tutoring.
A VCE Maths Tutor: Making the Case
Let's make this clear straightaway: Maths is not one of the required subjects for the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). English is the only non-negotiable, compulsory exam but many students still include mathematics as part of their Year 11/12 study package. In general, around 70% of Year 12 students across Australia continue studying maths until they graduate from high school.
In Years 11 and 12, schools present students with several different mathematics units. Each unit caters to a general student level and desired outcome. Students who choose 'Mathematical Methods' may not intend on going to university but they know they need a solid mathematical grounding. 'Methods' gives them the maths skills they need for their intended career.
By contrast, 'Specialist Mathematics' is the subject of choice for students who are planning on going to university. These learners know they'll need more than a general maths background for their degree.
And then, there is 'VCE Further Mathematics' and its Unit 1 and Unit 2 counterpart, 'General Mathematics'. This is the best choice for students who want to keep their options open but also want lessons with more practical content. Further Mathematics is the most widely applicable maths curriculum in the VCE Maths catalogue. Why is that so?
The practical nature of the content in the two VCE Further Maths units is relevant and useful for all students. This syllabus helps those who are going to university as well as students undertaking an apprenticeship or traineeship through a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institution. Even school leavers entering the workforce find benefit with this program.
Again, the 'why' question crops up. The simple answer is that maths is everywhere. The more targeted answer is that studying maths helps you build transferable skills you'll use throughout your life. Those skills include critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as logic, reasoning and mental agility.
For these skills alone, it's worth it to search the web for the best "maths tutor near me".
Your VCE Maths tutor won't just drone on about maths principles or parse out further maths past exams. They will help you build these critical skills to help you succeed for life.
VCE Mathematics: What to Expect
The Further Mathematics four-unit sequence comprises General Maths 1 and 2 and Further Maths 3 and 4. These study units build on general mathematical number and measurement skills. You've been studying these concepts since Years 9 and 10 but Further Maths applies them in new contexts. The focus is on the maths used in everyday life.
In Further Mathematics Unit 3, you'll find two core areas of focus: data analysis and recursion and financial modelling. Data analysis engages students in the categorisation, analysis, presentation and interpretation of data sets. Recursion and financial modelling expose students to basic financial concepts such as interest rates and depreciation.
Unit 4 of Further Mathematics is modular. Each student must choose two of the four available modules to complete the unit. The four modules are 'matrices', 'networks and decision mathematics', geometry and measurement' and 'graphs and relations'.
The matrices module investigates different types of matrices and modelling problems related to matrices using recurrence relations. The networks and decision mathematics module involves learning about the various types of networks and how to use networks to find solutions to problems.
The geometry and measurement module is self-explanatory. Students solve problems involving angles, length, area and volume using geometry, measurement and trigonometry. In the graphs and relations module, students use linear relations and non-linear relations to model a range of practical situations.
If the descriptions and mathematical terminology above feel a tad overwhelming, don't worry. You already know all of these mathematical operations you need to complete the study program. They're the same ones you've been working with for years. You have had a lot of practice exercising these skills; now you get to apply them to new concepts.
VCE Mathematics Perspectives
I recall an exceptional maths tutor in Bendigo talking about assessments and examinations:
For many students, the VCE exam period is like a living hell. They're fine with lessons and class activities. But the minute the word 'exam' or 'assessable' is mentioned, their brains freeze and all their learning, content knowledge and ability seem to disappear.
Sometimes, knowing what is ahead of you can help. Every school has a different process when it comes to school-assessed coursework (SAC) but, in general, it will look something like the following.
Further Maths Unit 3: You'll confront an application task to assess the data analysis learning program. It may consist of several short in-class exams spanning one or two weeks. You'll also face a Problem-solving task to assess the recursion and financial modelling program. This may take the form of a single in-class exam of two or three hours.
Further Maths Unit 4: Here, you'll have two problem-solving tasks, each lasting two or three hours. There is one task per chosen module and it may be presented as an in-class exam. These are but some of the exams you'll sit for this certification.
You'll face two additional system-wide examinations for Further Mathematics at the end of the year. These are set by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) and are also managed and marked by independent VCAA assessors.
The first exam is a 40-question multiple-choice exam. Sixteen questions address aspects of Data analysis. Recursion and financial modelling command eight questions apiece. The remaining eight come from your two elected modules.
The second exam is a short answer examination; questions are divided into four sections, covering each area of study. Both examinations take 90 minutes, plus 15 minutes of additional reading time. Calculators and study notes are permitted in each session. If you're in Brisbane, you might look for maths tutoring here to prepare for your ordeal.
Are VCAA Past Exams for Further Maths Useful?
Using past examination papers for revision helps pupils in more ways than one. Students can become familiar with the layout of the examination and get an idea of the types of questions these papers pose. They can gauge their test-taking skills with mock exams. Such exercises help you develop time management skills.
The VCAA website includes a comprehensive examination resources page. From this page, students can access exam specifications documents for the current year. They will find the two general sample short answer exams and the sample formula sheet particularly helpful.
Parents and tutors may skim through VCAA past exams for Further Maths. They may interpret VCAA past exams for Further Maths external assessment reports so their learners can know how examiners mark their responses. These reports detail each answer and the breakdown of results for every year.
All the above resources relate to the current curriculum design. On the VCAA site, you'll find past examination papers for previous the eight years (up to 2015), before the study design was changed. Those papers are not representative of current questions but they are still useful resources for your study and revision sessions.
Past papers and marking schemes may be free resources but they are among the most valuable revision tools you can get your hands on. They give you an idea of the exam's structure and how the questions are framed. You can tease out hidden meanings in the section instructions' wording. And you can figure out which skills each section of the exam is designed to test.
It should go without saying that every student should access this trove of resources. But don't just download the Further Maths past exams; avail yourself of the reports and any other materials the VCAA makes available. You'll need every bit of it and then some to prepare for your examinations at the end of the year.
How Can a VCE Maths Tutor Help?
So prevalent is the fear of maths that mathematical anxiety, also known as math phobia is a legitimate field of academic study. Math anxiety can be mild. Constantly finding ways to duck out of math class and only taking the math courses you need to graduate is an example of such. Students suffering more severe symptoms may find they freeze when confronting equations.
Math anxiety is separate from dyscalculia, a learning disability in the same family as dyslexia. People who are dyslexic may have trouble spelling or connecting words as they read. By contrast, people with dyscalculia have no 'numbers sense'. That means these learners do not instinctively know that five is greater than two, or that three isn't half of eight.
Math anxiety and dyscalculia pose unique challenges for students learning maths. But maths learning is still possible, provided the student has a strong support network and an array of learning strategies to minimise their conditions' effects. Also, the VCAA makes concessions for students with special needs. You may talk with your teacher or student advisor to see what your options are if you feel greater anxiety over sitting Maths exams.
You may also engage a maths tutor who has experience working with math-anxious students. Such a tutor can teach you stress-reduction techniques that will help keep you focused on the work of maths, not the challenges you face. They can break maths down into its component parts and translate complex concepts into everyday language.
Even without any maths incapacity, not every student finds studying maths easy. Even students who seem to sail through lessons and exams struggle with at least one component of maths. Whether it's matrices, calculation of volume, data analysis or graphs and networks, something trips everyone up at some point.
You may think we can muddle your way through VCE Mathematics and get acceptable results in the end (or just accept a bit of a fail). But your VCE score is important. If VCE Further Maths is a part of your life plan for success, you need the best possible showings on your exam results. A VCE maths tutor Melbourne can help.
There is no shame in admitting you need a tutor even if maths has always been 'your thing'. Indeed, especially if maths has always been your thing. So you should get the guidance you need with some VCE maths tutoring from a recognised tutor with experience in the VCE.
Where can you find a VCE maths tutor or a maths tutor who can help me with Further Maths, though? In and around Melbourne and throughout Victoria, you'll find tutoring agencies galore. A quick internet search will bring up pages of group and private tutoring services, too.
Many such agencies specialise in VCE maths tutoring. They may offer in-person learning sessions but you may prefer revising with a VCE Maths tutor online. Superprof helps you connect with the best private VCE Maths tutors even if they don't live in Melbourne.
VCE maths tutoring, and more specifically, a private VCE Maths tutor, can help in many ways. They can provide gap-filling support and pre-teaching in areas of need - for example, if you missed any lessons. Such a tutor can deliver short-term support and consolidation practice with one area of the study design, particular mathematical content or methods.
You may want a VCE Maths tutor for ongoing support or to help you practise maths methods and content consolidation throughout each unit. Or you might look for someone who can help you establish revision methods or practice, and exam techniques such as time management. Maybe you simply need help applying mathematical content or methods in other subjects.
Your Superprof VCE Maths tutor can help to develop effective study skills, specific to maths. They can help you interpret written questions and short answer problems even if you're a non-native English speaker.
And if you're planning mathematical extension courses to prepare you for university study, a Superprof VCE Maths tutor can help you there, too.
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