Janice's Tutoring Blog

Now is the time to consider what your student should do to stay sharp over the summer. No one wants to spend all their free time studying, but there are ways to keep your student sharp while still enjoying summer break. Consider playing games with your student that will incorporate skills learned during the school year. This is especially easy with early learners. You can count objects, rhyme words, read road signs, and quiz each other with simple spelling words or math problems. For slightly older learners, consider community resources like the library, schools, and museums. While they...

For those students who are gearing up for either or both the ACT and SAT tests, here are some tried and true preparation techniques:

1. Take advantage of and participate in the test preparation or practice test activities offered by your teachers. Your teachers know what you are required to do in each subject area and have designed the practice activities to maximize your success.
2. GO ONLINE! Visit the websites sponsored by the ACT and SAT or sites recommended by your teacher for tips and practice activities. Make sure you sign up for "question or word of the day" options.
3. Ask your...

Most prealgebra courses contain a section on basic geometry. A student and I recently used objects and areas around the house to classify polygons and more specifically, types of triangles. It was fun to watch the student point at and identify the objects/types of triangles. In the student text, it mentioned that kitchen areas (sink, stove, refrigerator) are deliberately set up as scalene triangles, so we tested this theory, and found it to be true. This was a great way to reinforce the student's knowledge and by providing a hands on activity, made prealgebra fun.