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Aims and general advice

The aims of the supervision system include the following:

(a) maintaining interest and enthusiasm for the subject;
(b) giving students the opportunity to ask about aspects of the course that they find difficult, puzzling or fascinating;
(c) discovering whether students have understood the course material and thought about its wider implications, and helping them to do so;
(d) ensuring that students are doing an appropriate amount of work and that their efforts are suitably directed;
(e) monitoring students' progress and reporting back to the director of studies when necessary;
(f) encouraging students to develop a measure of personal responsibility for their education.

Note that supervisions are not meant to be supplementary lectures: you should encourage students to participate as much as possible. Some students will sit through your supervisions like puddings if you let them, usually because they are too embarrassed to admit that they do not know what you are talking about. This is not good use of supervision time. Great patience, sympathy and encouragement is required; ask very easy questions to give them confidence and try to point out some virtue in their response even if it is completely absurd. Do not be afraid of prolonged pauses in response to questions. You will soon find out that while some supervisions are immensely enjoyable, others can be like breaking stones.

An important function of supervisions is to give students confidence and encouragement: many of our students underestimate their abilities. First year students in particular are often unable to judge how they are doing. Try to be as relaxed and friendly as possible, remembering that a tense atmosphere is not conducive to learning.

You may find it helpful to see what advice is given to the students on the receiving end of your supervisions: if so, take a look at Study Skills in Mathematics available from the Faculty Office or on www.maths.cam.ac.uk/undergrad/inductionday/studyskills.