Finding academic help on campus

PHOTO- Finding times to focus on school work outside of class can be vital to success in high school.

By BlueDevilHUB.com Staff

Davis High School provides students with the Math Lab, an on-campus resource where they can receive assistance with their math homework from both staff members and fellow students, known as peer tutors.  

DHS math teacher Kurt McCormick recommends that students visit the math lab when they feel overwhelmed with their math assignments.

“The goal of this [math lab] was for a student to be able to find another student who was working on the same type of math as they were even if they weren’t in their class.  There is [also] one math teacher in the math lab at a time who can help you with pretty much any level of math you may need,” he said.

McCormick adds, “our idea was to give a space where students could collaborate to answer questions.” As a result, McCormick said, the math lab can provide assistance which is “pretty close to one on one tutoring.’’  

Syrah Chinn, a DHS graduate, used the Math Lab about five times last year for help with pre-calculus. “I usually go to see if there are any other students in my class or a teacher who can help me…  We can usually figure it out together,” she said last May.

Alexandra Burston, who uses the math lab, said, “the math lab is definitely a really great resource if you’re having trouble with understanding math. Everyone there is really helpful and kind… It runs from the end of sixth period until about 4:30 p.m.” 

McCormick says that the math lab is “not a place where you would receive instruction for a whole unit, but is more for addressing specific assignments and specific questions that the student does not understand.”  In other words, McCormick explained, “we need something more specific than just ‘I don’t understand the topic.’”

McCormick explained that the math lab was originally founded by DSHS math teacher Daniel Gonzalez, who thought that students “should have a space other than the academic center, where students could just focus on math.” 

McCormick stated that the math lab was particularly important last year, when most students were returning to in-person learning after over a year of remote teaching.  

The math lab is located in P-10 and is open on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 7th period until after school.  

However, McCormick clarified that the math lab hours may change based on student demand.  “If we have a large amount of students who want the services that the math lab provides, we may look at opening the lab for more days.  And we would have to find math teachers to staff it.”

McCormick stated that the number of students who use the math lab decreased in the second semester, with an average of ten to twelve students per day in the first semester and three to four students per day in the second semester.

Chinn stated that “students “should definitely take advantage of the math lab.  It’s there for you, and it’s really good for gettintg help after school, if you do not have tutoring of your own.  You can even get a little bit ahead sometimes and get more in depth.” 

Burston also encouraged her fellow students to utilize the math lab.  “It benefitted me, because the first time that I went there, I was doing some really hard calculus… and the teacher who was there that day was really nice and said, ‘it’s okay, let’s figure this out together.’”