The WyzAnt Tutors Blog at WyzAnt.com

I fear not for I am fear incarnate

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Karsten C.

Awesome. I seem to have lost a few clients...they just stop calling. Kind of rude, but whatever. That's just how people are these days. But I'm getting a few more prospects and I've found a great way to totally trim down the tutoring process to a lean, mean, convenient tutoring machine.

Hope my run is still sub 24:00....here's still hoping for Fall OCS!

Tutoring English

posted by WyzAnt tutor: China J.

I have never tutored English before, or any subject for that matter. Some days I am faced with challenges when trying to explain something when a student has a question, and some days I can explain myself very thoroughly. Tutoring English is not just a job, it is a way to establish great friendship and learn so much from somebody from a different culture. I am glad to be tutoring Jeon because we have conversations about life which helps her practice her English and hear words she has never heard before.

At first, I thought it would be very hard to tutor somebody from another country, and it is, but it is also very rewarding when you see the student with a smile and happy understanding of the material. I am learning a lot from teaching Jeon, and so is she. She is learning English and my teaching skills are improving each day. I have learned when I tutor it is very important to come prepared, with enough food in your system and sleep to stay alert, and present in the exciting moment of teaching. After teaching Jeon, I want to use my skills to teach other people reading, English, or art, because that is my passion.

Ivy League Institutions and the case for leveling the playing field for all students

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Benjamin O.

At the beginnings of their careers, many professionals are known to wonder whether time spent in Graduate School, Law School or Business School should have been trimmed down. It is perhaps only Medical School graduates who acknowledge that they are not completely ready to confront real challenges in the workplace. For many Med School graduates, the enormity of the task ahead is part of what keeps them humble.

Accountants, Lawyers and other finance professionals, probably see things differently. There is much bragging and chest thumping that goes along with attachment to the institutions from which they graduated. While the opportunities that Ivy League Business or Law degrees provide are not in dispute, thumbing one’s nose at graduates of second tier institutions is only self serving. Ivy League education guarantees neither genius, nor monopoly of intellectual excellence. One has only to consider the thousands of successful thinkers, philosophers, industrialists, and inventors who never went through these schools, to understand this proposition. The logic here is that given the opportunity in the right environment and under the right circumstances, most determined people can succeed.

For those who may argue against this position, it would be interesting to see how they would respond to basic questions such as whether the concept of debits and credits in accounting, would appear different to graduates of Harvard compared to Rutgers. Would a Yale Law student understand the writ of Habeas Corpus any differently from a Howard University Law graduate? In this case, while the legal terminology can be explained, a successful plea for writ of habeas-corpus depends entirely on a lawyer’s creativity. To be sure, there is no evidence yet, that any institution of higher learning has laid claim to being a leader in imparting creativity.

Whereas certain institutions encourage professors to incorporate more question and answer time in their lessons, others are more inclined to encourage professors to lecture then provide the students with questions for research. What is open to discussion may be whether one style of disseminating ideas is more effective than the other, but the merits of any student’s learned skills in either situation, depends entirely on the student. The effectiveness of either style depends entirely on the student.

Since facts are never dependent on the style of presentation, it is clear that institutions of study should not be used as a measure of students’ potential, and by extension their earning capacity. Sadly, this fallacy determines the reality in the job market for a long time. There are of course logical explanations to this state of affairs, even though these are neither fair nor just. Consider how actions and decisions become entrenched in the workplace. On hiring for instance, many Human Resource Managers are known to take pride in the number of applications from Ivy League educated job seekers. Such applicants’ resumes receive higher priority, and consequently they are more likely to be hired.

Such are the circumstances that begin the cycle of tilting an otherwise level playing field against candidates from other public and private institutions. This unbroken cycle coupled with a sense of entitlement, is what drives fortune 500 companies to recruitment events in Ivy League campuses, to the detriment of students in other institutions.

Brain Teaser - How many campers

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Rikki V.

My mom is taking Algebra 1 and approached me with this problem today. Can you solve it? Definitely a critical thinking problem...give it a try!

Camp Pineveiw's cook, Margaret, was just about to begin preparing the picnic lunch for all the campers. She already knew she needed to fill 55 bowls of the same size and capacity with the same amount of food. When she was done, she decided to read the guidelines for the picnic, just out of curiosity. The guidelines said:

1. Every camper gets their own bowl of soup.
2. Every two campers will get one bowl of spaghetti to share.
3. Every three campers will get one bowl of salad to share.
4. All campers are required to have their own helping of salad, spaghetti, and soup.

After some rapid calculations, Margaret was able to figure out how many campers were going to the picnic. Can you?

Good luck!

My first blog

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Ileana H.

I just signed up with WzyAnt today and I am very enthusiastic. I have been wanting to tutor part time for a while now, and I'm excited to get started!

I'll blog again after my first tutoring session. : )

Enthusiasm Works

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Pamela F.

Hello to all,

After over twenty years of teaching I am still amazed by the results of enthusiasm. Every time I think I am stuck with a learning situation the miraculous cure is my own enthusiasm for whatever subject is being taught. A dash of humor, the mention of the ridiculous (Martians also have to study this), and suddenly the gears shift and the student is able to attack the subject. It is so incredible to see the mind of an elementary student at work. Their readiness to be inspired seems to be insatiable and, in turn, it reinforces my own desire to teach!

Getting around town activity for ESL students

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Teresa Ann L.

This is a fun activity for any students new to the USA. Using your own digital camera or Google images, print out images of key landmarks in your neighborhood -- especially at intersections -- and places that will be important to your student (library, bank, grocery store, pharmacy, post office). Then, print out or create a map of your neighborhood that includes only the streets. Cut out the landmarks. Make sure they are small enough to fit within the space they need to go on the map. Ask the student to apply the locations to the map over the course of the week. This will help them to not only learn where places are in relation to other places, but will help them to remember names of streets, recognize names of stores and places, and feel more comfortable getting around the neighborhood.

Let students make their own flashcards

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Teresa Ann L.

Kids (and most adults) enjoy cutting pictures from magazines and gluing or taping them to cards. I have found that kids and my adult ESL students have fun looking for pictures in magazines that match words they are learning. I have given out packs of index cards with a sharpie and glue stick with instructions to create at "least 20 new flashcards per week". Usually, a week later, all 100 index cards have been used to make flashcards! Having the student write the word on the back of the card provides writing practice and helps them to remember the new word.

I suggest keeping categories of flashcards in separate freezer or sandwich baggies, e.g., "nouns" in one bag and "verbs" in another bag or "foods", "travel", "occupations" -- you decide the categories based on what you are teaching. Getting free magazines is relatively easy -- through friends, neighbors, coworkers, and libraries -- just make sure they are appropriate for your student. In addition to age appropriateness, be careful to consider cultural appropriateness as well.

If your student is having a tough time finding a photograph for a specific word, you can search for it in Google Images or in clip art and print it out.

Another fun and related activity is to write words on the backs of the cards and provide a sheet of images that the student then cuts out and matches to the card. This also works with stickers. A huge variety of stickers can be found in stores that sell educational supplies.

Amazing Experience

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Billy B.

My experience with Arielle was amazing. She is high school student who was having trouble with her AP chemistry. We had a couple of sessions and her scores have improve tremendously. Now our sessions are over but I am confident that she will excel in her test. Good luck and all the best.

Scheduling for Summertime

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Lauren M.

Hello parents,

This is the time of year when you are considering which day camp your child will attend, which activities and which times you will be away on a family vacation this summer. If your child needs tutoring in reading or math and you are wondering how to fit it all into a busy family schedule, please be aware that I can provide lessons at your child's camp so long as it is in the Boston metro area and is accessible by the T. I will be in Brookline Library & Chestnut Hill School 2 days per week (Tuesdays & Thursdays) and in Cambridge (Mondays & Wednesdays; evening Hours are held @ The Main Branch Library in Cambridge on Mon - Thursday).

I will promise to make the lessons FUN with plenty of of hands on activities, physical movement,crafts and games, games, games! to reinforce skills taught in the classroom.

Math tutoring

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Abul H.

I am good at tutoring for math. I have 15 years experience tutoring math. I tutored 200 students for 15 years here in Orlando and in Bangladesh.

Tidbits to know before seeking computer help

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Lavelle S.

Many people call on the computer repairman and sometimes it's something that can be done yourself. Here's some simple things people call for:

The operating system is not available due to a floppy disk left in the drive.
One of the cords is loose.
The computer is unplugged from the power outlet.

These are just a few of the things you can check before looking for help.

Lower Westchester

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Stephanie G.

I have flexible hours for students who need ESL classes. We can meet in public places such as my church or local library. Get in touch with me soon!

A little change can make a big difference

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Steven S.

When it comes to studying, people have different feelings. Some enjoy it, get it done, and move on. For others though, its not that easy. Some people feel overwhelmed or inadequate. Some are just bored or even frustrated.

Studying is certainly a skill. This means the more you do it, the better you get. I remember my journey of learning to study effectively. I went from spending hours and hours a week and still earning okay grades. After implementing a few small changes to improve my studying, I progressed to earning 4.0 GPAs all the while spending less time studying! A big difference for me!

If maximizing your studying yield and perfecting your study skills would be useful for you, then I may be able to provide the coaching you need. Contact me, we will discuss your situation so that you can decide.

National Reading Month Activities

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Jillian F.

Everyone working in an educational capacity with young children knows that March 2nd is Dr. Seuss' birthday and that consequently, March has been dubbed "National Reading Month". This can lead to a lot of fun projects and this month I have a good deal of writing and reading projects ready to get even the most bookaphobic 8-year-old involved and excited.

1. Create a Book Project

This is an on-going project. Twice a week, the kids are given their Book Folders, which contain a brainstorming sheet, blank writing and illustration pages, a cover illustration page, and a final touches page that includes a space for the about the author. The first day, the brainstorming sheet is completed, and once they have established what the title is, what the problem will be and who the main characters are, the kids are allowed to start writing and illustrating.

The writing and illustrating has been going well so far. I was a little dubious at the start, but the children seem to be really getting into it, and several times have asked me if they'd be able to write more on non-book days. One of the kids explained to me the reason she was particularly enthused about this project: She is really used to writing books, but they're always for school projects and so writing = boring and tedious. This project allows her to write about whatever she would like and so she (and the other children as well) are starting to appreciate the joys of writing.

At the end of the month, I am going to scan the pictures into my computer, type up the words and print the entire project out into something resembling an actual book. Unfortunately, my budget is not so large, so I'm going to be making do with laminating a cover and stapling it together, but I think the kids will be excited about it nonetheless.

Making the final product a little more interesting for the kids, I've put together a finishing touches sheet that allows them to pick the font they would like used and what color they would like their title to appear in. They're also able to write an About the Author that will appear on the back cover, with a photo of themselves.

2. Acrostic poems

There are some printables available on the internet for easy acrostic poems on coloring pages, but it is quite simple to make your own. I gave the children all a printout with the word "ROBOT" on it, and they all had to create a poem, in the following fashion:

Running
On the spaceship,
Bots
Ogle
Terminals

After completing the printout, the kids came up with their own word and poem and then illustrated it.

3. Haikus

Haikus are a simple and fun way to get kids interested in writing. A traditional Japanese form of poetry, a haiku consists of three lines: the first containing 5 syllables, the second containing 7 and the third 5. For example:

The breeze through the trees,
Leaves me feeling happy,
That I'm not a leaf

Haikus are typically about nature, but feel free to be inventive.

4. Bookmarks

This is a pretty simple idea, but I have a feeling that the kids will really enjoy making bookmarks not only for themselves but as gifts for their friends and family.

5. Shel Silverstein Poems

If anyone can get kids to like reading, I'm convinced it's Shel Silverstein. After reading a few of his poems, the kids will attempt to write silly, short, rhyming poems like his, which they will then illustrate.

I am going to encourage the kids to submit their poems to free poetry contests for children, such as Time for Kids' poetry contest (http://www.poetry4kids.com/).

All of these projects are being carried out with a group of approximately 10 school-age children, so modifications might be needed for one-on-one tutoring sessions, but I hope that they might be of use to some of you!

Also, I'm really interested to know what other people are doing to celebrate National Reading Month with their students! Please comment with your project ideas/thoughts!

Who said checkmate?

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Benjamin O.

When I think chess, I think checkmate! However, I would rather be the one saying it, not hearing it. Chess is as much a game of offense as it is one of defense. It is about strategic decision making and thus calls for sacrifices, in order to gain rewards. Chess is about patience, but one is not expected to do nothing. While expecting to capture the opponent’s most valuable pieces, be on the lookout for baits and traps. Above all, be ready to retreat when necessary.

This narrative should give any amateur chess player a general idea of what to expect. To hit and run, conquer or be defeated. However, you must also understand that just like in a real battle, not all of your weapons work the same. A King may be more valuable, but he is usually on the run, or being defended by others. Pawns can be expended, Rooks can be used for defense, and Bishops for long range assaults. Your Knights will help you confuse the opponent, but your Queen has the greatest strength. Sacrifice her at your own peril! That is how you lose the war...and the game.

How am I supposed to do this

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Steven S.

When it comes to accounting assignments, things can get confusing really quick.

Often accounting students will feel like they know "what to do" but don't have all the information needed. For example, when preparing a budget or calculating the value of line items like Depreciation or COGS.

When given a bunch of useless data or "Business Information", accounting concepts can be used to extract Useful-Information and complete your assignment in efficient time.

If you find yourself feeling stumped by an Accounting assignment, I'm confident that I can help. Contact me, we'll discuss it further so that you can decide.

Learn to Write Like Grisham or Patterson

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Michael M.

I have come to love great novelists. Turns out they have just been at it longer than we have. Some people may say to you: "You should write a book." Most of us, however, would never consider it because we just don't think we can write. The best way to get started is to grab a notebook and decide you are going to journal daily. The topics will vary from your every day things to maybe recalling where you were when Kennedy was shot; when we landed on the moon; when 9-11 happened. Just sit down and put a date at your entry and start writing. You will quickly develop your own style.

Maybe, just maybe, you will be able some day to say to those people you are writing that book.

One-on-One Tutoring is Intense

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Emily S.

I find that nearly all private tutoring is quite intensive for both me and my students. The concentration, focus, attention, demands are often more than the students are prepared for when they seek tutoring. It's hard for someone who's never received private instruction to know how difficult it can be. Maybe for this reason, many students don't last beyond 10-20 hours of instruction.

Especially in my area of ESL, lower-level students who claim they want to improve their skills quickly find that the work is too intense to sustain for long periods. Is there any way for a tutor to help moderate that intensity? In fact, there are a few ways, but nothing will fully alleviate the pressure of sitting one on one with a tutor. Taking a short pause is sometimes helpful, lightening up the mood, digressing to some personal asides, making a small joke, reflecting the focus back onto the tutor, are small actions that can relieve the focus. Yet learning any language, including English, from a lower or beginning level is extremely hard. Despite all my experience, I find few students are prepared for the reality of the length of study required, or what it will take of their outside time to study and practice beyond the tutoring session.

Just as it's very focused work for the tutor, it's equally or more intense for the student. I always remember that when I see the student flag, or become disheartened. I feel one of my main tasks is to show students the reality of their choice to receive one-on-one tutoring, and to help them make the most of it, however intense it feels.

My Experience with the GRE

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Fareeha R.

I am applying for the graduate teaching program in secondary mathematics so I recently had an opportunity of taking the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Just like most people, I was nervous to take the test for the first time. I re-scheduled the test twice just because I never felt "fully prepared" for the test. To prepare myself for the verbal part, I memorized lists of words everyday to the point of resentment. I always doubted if I would see these words on the real test. But I did it anyway just for the passion of getting into a graduate school! Every night I dreamed of working as a respectful professor in a highly professional academic environment ten years from now. This dream alone was good enough to give me the boost I needed to keep up with memorizing endless lists of words. The entire verbal section is not designed to doom all! There are sections such as reading comprehension and fill-in-the-blank; you can become an expert in handling those after enough practice and learning the limited set of skills to pin down every possible question in these sections.

There is good news about the GRE quantitative sections for those who don't feel acquainted with mathematics as much. Unlike the verbal preparation where you absolutely don't have a clue when to stop learning new words; a limited set of skills are used in GRE to test the quantitative abilities. More complex math questions are built on basic skills. The only catch is that you have to become an expert in learning and mastering the basic math skills. The stronger your basic math skills are, the less time it will take for you to successfully finish the quantitative section.

Most graduate schools do not require you to take the analytical part of the GRE. However, more competitive schools analyze everything (whatever you place in front of them) to death! So be fair with all GRE sections especially if you're aiming for the most prestigious and the most expensive academic life in the future.

Academic success cannot be too costly

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Benjamin O.

Academic success cannot be served on a silver platter. Just like a delicious meal that requires good diligent cooking, just enough flavoring, and an assortment of condiments, academic success requires a variety of inputs. First and foremost, success requires the student's input. He or she must have the desire to succeed and the willingness to put in the required effort, without which everything else would be an effort in futility.

When students do their part however, their success in academics is not guaranteed. There are many reasons that may undermine their efforts, which among others are time and financial constraints, learning resources, and social factors. Given that many of these factors affect us all on a macro level, I can only raise this question from a financial perspective. Is academic success for students and parents too costly? Are parents and students looking for "bargain" education, cutting on their expenses?

When thinking about education, the benefits that can be reaped from academic success are immeasurable. It like what we call in finance, the "NPV" Net Present Value (of an annuity), investing in your child's education (if not your own) cannot be too costly. I wish we could all get free education, or at least afford to pay for what we aspire for. However, when a parent has found a good school, college, teacher or tutor who can assure their child's success, cost should be considered, but not always as the first factor.

Getting Started

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Karen B.

Getting started can be such fun really. I remember when I began writing my first book. Proofreading and editing my own work was a real challenge--but it became very easy after a while. Reading is always a challenge in the beginning for our children, but it can also be fun and exciting too. I look forward to getting started soon with new students! - Katie aka Ayasta

Keep your skills on the cutting edge

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Benjamin O.

One of the things I realized as a working professional is that I used only about 35% of the knowledge I had acquired in college. When working as an accountant, it was probably the debits and credits that were a constant in my daily routines. Occasionally, I would have to make investment forecasts, but these too were only periodical. Over time I started wondering if other accountants faced similar reality checks on their expectations.

I must admit that when I changed jobs and became an analyst, my confidence had waned. I was not sure that I could perform effectively in my new position. After a few stumbles here and there, I realized that I had to do something about staying on the cutting edge with my skills. The economic down-turn has provided me with perhaps the best ever chance to re-tool, and succeed. Rather than wallow in misery, I took my predicament head-on.

As I prepare to register for the CPA and GRE exams in readiness for doctoral studies, tutoring students has proven very beneficial. I enjoy every moment, especially when I see my students glow with appreciation of every new perspective. Regardless of whether it is Finance, Accounting, Algebra, Pre-calculus, or writing, the most satisfying aspect of tutoring is the shared learning. Now my confidence is high, and I look forward to many more sessions of tutoring and rediscovering knowledge.

Knowledge is power, guard it well

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Karsten C.

You know what I like? Two of my students reporting 96's and 98's on their recent quizzes and test respectively. GO MOE! GO MATTHEW! It's your birthday...It's your birthday...

Ok, so it's no one's birthday, except my mom's. And that's in two days.

But seriously, very awesome. I am so pumped about my students succeeding. The best part is that it wasn't MY doing! They succeeded as a result of their own efforts and just needed a little clarification and guidance that they were not receiving in class.

I ran a 23:58 at my last PFT and rocked 20 pullups the other day. My PFT score is in the 260's now and things are looking good for OCS in the fall, God willing!

All is well, Kung Fu is well. Life is good.

Learn and Then Learn More

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Laura J.

There is so much out on the internet that is free. And a person should absolutely take advantage of that and learn as much possible on the subjects of interest. This is so important and can help you succeed in life!

If you want to take it further, it is important to get a tutor or a coach that can take you to the next level. Education is so important and makes all the difference in the world in what you can accomplish and how much you will succeed.

So take some time and watch the videos submitted by the tutors here and then find the tutor that is right for you so you can take advantage of the skills that can be learned quickly and easily with their help.

It is your decision. Is NOW a good time to become all that you want to be?

Never give up

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Lipi A.

For me, tutoring is a pleasure. Students are interesting people with different perspectives which makes you appreciate what we have to offer them. I wanted to do something different and also use my skills. Tutoring seemed like a good match... If you are tutoring somebody in Math or in any other subject, you are just improving their life and their skills.

I really don't have any amazing stories to tell but I can tell you that at this time I am very happy to be there to be with students. Right now I am helping a child who has the problem of forgetting things very quickly. This means he can do one thing in Math today and he forgets the same thing after a couple of hours or the next day. Dealing with these kind of students is really hard when you first start teaching them but I did not give up. I work hard with that student on a regular basis and we do Math problems every day so that he won't forget.

Please consider being a tutor! It will be the most important job you will ever have!

Reading Comprehension Specialist

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Veronica V.

Although one of my specialties is foreign languages, I have experience in working with Elementary students in applying phonics and comprehension techniques to relieve a young student's anxiety and build their confidence.

Lots of positives

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Michael T.

Met with one of my students tonight, and I loved the results. I think we both were pleased with the session.

Are you like him? Do you need help with essays or other subjects? Just contact me via email, and we'll arrange for a time to meet. My schedule is flexible.

Students' Use of Cell Phones

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Teresa S.

As a tutor, I have not found students' cell phone use to be a problem. One girl received a call from her grandmother checking on where she was. The student was off the phone in a few seconds. As a classroom teacher, cell phone use was a big problem. Many teachers just pretended they didn't see it. It took away from students attention to the lesson, and took away my time for teaching the lesson. This is one reason that I like tutoring so much more than classroom teaching - no discipline problems to deal with, and the students really want to learn.

Better integration of technology into classrooms requires upkeep, too

posted by WyzAnt tutor: Crystal S.

Obviously, if you are in a classroom setting, having a cell phone ringing in the middle of a lesson distracts the train of thought for both the instructor and the student. Critics who are against confiscating cell phones, iPods, and other electronics that many elementary and secondary students carry with them to school cite examples of using technology to enhance the process; however, the lack of funding and training for students and teachers to use the technology poses problems in implementing the use of technology in the classroom.

What is the point of having computers if teachers do not know how to use them and there are no instructors to teach the students how to use the software? Would it make sense to provide schools with brand new iMacs preinstalled with Photoshop if there was no funding to hire instructors who know how to use and teach Photoshop? Should school districts spend money on providing every school with a cartful of software and computer accessories if there is no funding to have IT technicians doing routine maintenance to prevent virus infections and to improve performance regularly on computer labs?

This is the problem with many school districts that are struggling during the recession: oftentimes, there are a small number of bureaucrats who decide that certain policies should be implemented into all schools within the district without any evidence that the policies would effectively improve academic performance and school efficiency. I will not name schools or names of school districts, but if you have been paying attention to the news lately, you would have noticed that reports have surfaced about certain districts wasting thousands of dollars on technology that employees don't use. Yet some politician or administrator decided that it was a good idea and used funding to buy equipment that not every school office or classroom would need.

This may also be why the potential for students to reap the benefits from the integration of technology into the classroom are much more effective on college campuses rather than in many elementary and secondary public schools. Many school districts--even if they spend large amounts on purchasing computers for their schools--do not realize the importance, or have the time or money, to have technicians maintain the upkeep of such technology. Machines break down, and when it does, somebody needs to know how to fix it. Otherwise, until bureaucrats realize the potential benefits of maintaining and integrating technology into the learning process, there will be schools without computers and schools with computers that sit in storage because they are "broken."