Math Drop-In Center
About
MCLA’s Math Drop-In Center assists visitors with questions related to mathematics across all courses and departments on campus. Tutors can help with math in your coursework as well as preparation for exams such as the MTEL, GRE and TEAS. Some tutors are also available to assist with science and computer science courses.
Hours
- Monday, noon–1 p.m. and 5–7 p.m.
- Tuesday, noon–2 p.m. and 5–8 p.m.
- Wednesday, 5–7 p.m.
- Thursday, noon–2 p.m. and 5–6 p.m.
- Friday, noon–1 p.m.
Drop-in center closes May 1. Special hours will be posted for exams week.
Location & SIGN-IN
During Open Hours:
For in-person help, visit Room 101 of the Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation ("CSI" or "the science building").
For online help, please fill in our sign-in form, then check your e-mail for a message describing how to proceed to our Teams Channel.
Every time you visit (in-person or online), please fill in our sign-in form.
Make sure to bring your class notes, textbook, and all other class materials to your visit!
tutors
Tea Caravello
Mondays, 5–7 p.m.; Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m.; Thursdays, noon–2 p.m.
Hello! My name is Tea and I am a senior Physics and Interdisciplinary Studies major. Outside of school, I love reading and playing video games! I'm here for all of your physics help needs, as well as introductory math courses and Calc I & II, and I am always happy to try and help with any other topics you may have.
Eric Dupont
Mondays and Fridays, noon–1 p.m.; Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon–2 p.m. and 5–6 p.m.;
Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m.
Hey, my name is Eric DuPont and I’m majoring in Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Science. I can gladly lend a helping hand with classes like Calc I and II, Intro Stats, Intro Physics classes, Intro Chem, Organic Chem, Inorganic Chem, Intro to Environmental Systems, Intro to Sustainability, and Methods in Environmental research. As you might have guessed, I love nature and am an avid hiker/ camper. I love a good documentary of any kind, an engaging video essay, and especially a gripping book. I’d love to work with you on increasing your confidence when engaging with any of the topics I can!
Luke Muhlestein
Mondays and Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m.; Thursdays, 5–6 p.m.
Rei McGinnis
Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m.
Esha Zahid
Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m.
Hi! My name is Esha and I'm a Chemistry and Health Science major with a concentration in Nutrition. I love learning and find satisfaction in problem-solving and tackling challenging subjects until they become a piece of cake. Some of my hobbies outside of school include reading, painting, and baking. I’ve taken classes such as Calculus 1 and 2, Statistics, and General Chemistry 1 and 2. I enjoy teaching others and have a talent for making difficult concepts become easier, so please reach out for help!
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.
Come and use the space as a place to do homework. Work on your homework on your own, and then ask one of the peer tutors a question when you get stuck. When you do ask for help:
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.
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.
They are not allowed to do so. All tips in this section were adapted from Hofstra University's tutoring center.
Faculty Resources
Syllabus Copy & Paste
The Math Help Drop-In Center is open in-person as well as virtually on Microsoft Teams, and hours and other information are always up-to-date at mcla.edu/mathcenter . To get in-person help from us on "any math in any class", please visit the Feigenbaum Center for Science & Innovation, Room 101 during our open hours. To get online help when we're open, 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. To organize a visit with a Math Drop-In tutor in your course, please email Erin Kiley at emkiley@mcla.edu .
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 email Erin Kiley at emkiley@mcla.edu.
We're Here to Help!