study skills Articles

Ken B., known as "The Best Little Tutor In Texas", has just surpassed the 400 hour tutoring mark in Houston, Texas! What makes Ken so good and popular in Houston? It is because of his diverse background and of being able to do the following: mathematics, statistics, chemistry, physics, computers, and computer programming. He can help a student in many many different areas. Ken does both high school and college and does regular, honors, IB, PAP, AP, etc... All that is quite a talent. Ken says that the subject most tutored in the past several months is statistics, and the reason for that is that most teachers use the 'dump' method...they 'dump' a copious quantity of power point files onto the student but the teachers do not really teach how to 'do' the problems...he has seen the same trend with other subject areas, and this is most unfortunate for students taking the classes...so, if you need to get on top of your mathematics and science courses (except of biology), then Ken in Houston is the person to contact.

As I said in my previous post, math has become a problem for so many students. Parents are frequently at a loss as to how to help their child in math (or pre-algebra, algebra, or ASVAB) as well. Why is math so difficult and scary for so many students? Is it because math is inherently more difficult than English and History? Is it because you "just can't understand or learn math"? Are pre-algebra and algebra too hard to learn? Is it the teacher's fault you haven't been able to comprehend math? If you are trying to get ready for your ASVAB is it too late to learn math? The answer to all of these, of course, is a resounding "no"!

You just need to find the right tool for the job. After all, a master carpenter would never succeed if he tried to cut a board with a hammer instead of a saw. The right study skills and right tutoring session can help you succeed. You really can become successful in math, pre-algebra, algebra, study skills and test taking! Would you like me to help you develop into a high achiever? You do not need to feel like a failure; you actually were built for success!

Math can actually be fun. As I said yesterday, understanding each concept gets you to the next level, like levels in a video game; it is all related. If you are struggling, I would love to tutor you so that you can reach the top level! Don't live in fear of the Math Monster. You can tame that monster--make math your friend! I do not believe math is beyond your abilities. Look at all that you learned in your first few years of life! You learned to communicate by learning an entire language, you learned to walk, feed yourself, and learned your role in life. So if you learned all of that, I can teach you how to learn math.

Let's get started!

This is the time of year that high school upperclassmen and college freshmen are often in a panic. So are their parents. In today's economy, this is understandable. What is often surprising news to students and parents alike is how much the face of college education has changed!

In addition to tutoring at WyzAnt, I also have experience in showing students how to study, and how to maximize their college credits in a cheaper way---and often faster. The sooner you get your degree, the sooner you (in theory) can start earning a salary as a college graduate. If you earn your credits cheaply enough, you might not need scholarships or loans. You may be able to afford college without it. Or, at least you can minimize how many loans you need.

When I teach study skills, if the student and parent wish, I can provide this advisory service as well. Many people do not know the techniques for maximizing credits for as cheap as possible. No, you do NOT have to be a genius, a super-brilliant all AP student. That is a fallacy. You can learn, you can earn your degree--FAST!

If you are interested in learning how to do this, feel free to contact me through my blog; or you can hire me as your tutor.

This week I will be meeting with two potential students for the first time. In my opinion, the first meeting is the most important because it allows the tutor and student to get to know one another and set the standard for their future sessions. Here are a few tips for tutors and students who are meeting for the first time:

Tutor:
- Get to know your student
- Ask the student and/or parents to help identify the student's strengths and weaknesses
- Build trust with student and parents
- Identify student's and parents' expectations and goals for tutoring sessions
- Meet in a location that is comfortable for your student and not a distraction
- Encourage, encourage, encourage!

Student:
- Come prepared with questions for your tutor about their style of teaching and their tutoring plan
- Bring any books or materials that you have been using in school or on your own to demonstrate your current level of understanding
- Tell your tutor what you hope to achieve through your sessions
- Make sure you feel comfortable with your tutor and the space where your sessions take place
- Learn, learn, learn!

I hope these tips will help you prepare for your first meeting! Good luck!

Sometimes, it is essential to provide students with additional perspectives, besides the tutor's. As I tutor more and more, I realize that even with the one-on-one benefits of tutoring, there is a need for interaction with other students. However, the problem is, there are no other students to provide this feedback when you are tutoring a student. I have found that creating relationships with other students is a remarkable enhancement to the tutoring experience.

I have used Pen Pals to meet this need. There are a variety of websites that offer pen pals for different purposes. If I am tutoring a student in Social Studies, Geography or History, a Pen Pal is an amazing resource for FREE and REAL information about the study topics. This is usually an exciting concept that is well-received by the student because they thrive with interactions with others and they think it's amazing to connect with people like them all around the world! Using the right resources for this is essential, so I suggest that tutors spend some time locating the right program for their needs. Usually, those that are dedicated to teachers offer the most security and less potential for spam and unwanted leaks of information to the Web. Additionally, these sites allow the tutor more access to hand-picking the pen pals for their needs. The greatest benefit for this type of tutoring lesson is the ability to focus on the writing skills of the student while not needing to create writing assignments for the sake of writing! This makes the students more likely to give their effort to their tasks AND it allows the tutor to challenge the student to become eloquent in their writing efforts because it is directed at a "friend". I encourage tutors to give this a try in Foreign Languages, Writing, History and Social Studies, ESOL... actually, the possibilities are endless! I'd love to know how YOU are using Pen Pals in your tutoring!