With the AP Music Theory Test on the horizon, it is important for students to prepare for a type of test we have never seen before. While your regular teachers are a great resource, it is a good idea to check in with someone who specializes in Test Prep and who is keeping up with all of the sudden changes. The College Board group has submitted new preparations, new practice exams, and new formats... read more

     Most learning follows a curve; not a bell-shaped curve, but a sudden, steep ascent, followed by a plateau. Think about what it was like to learn how to drive a car. You had to consciously remember where the brake and the accelerator were, until it became second nature. That's the pattern for new learning. What has already been learned is usually habitual, so that it becomes... read more

     Most learning follows a curve; not a bell-shaped curve, but a sudden, steep ascent, followed by a plateau. Think about what it was like to learn how to drive a car. You had to consciously remember where the brake and the accelerator were, until it became second nature. That's the pattern for new learning. What has already been learned is usually habitual, so that it becomes... read more

     Most learning follows a curve; not a bell-shaped curve, but a sudden, steep ascent, followed by a plateau. Think about what it was like to learn how to drive a car. You had to consciously remember where the brake and the accelerator were, until it became second nature. That's the pattern for new learning. What has already been learned is usually habitual, so that it becomes... read more

Frequently Asked Questions   What do you do to help make learning fun? This depends on the subject and the student's age. I have created Jeopardy games, given play money/candy as rewards for answering correctly, played board games (while studying), gathered books on subjects that interest the student, and much more.   Do you offer any guarantees? Yes, I am not satisfied... read more

I know that when it comes to boosting one's vocabulary when preparing for one of the standardized tests, some students memorize long lists of words.  Some use flashcards, and others might use mnemonic devices--like associating a word with an image.     That's fine if memorization doesn't bore you, but let's face it. Learning those words by "rote" might help... read more

Testing is grueling.  There is nothing worse than going to a test and finding your stomach growling from hunger as you approach the end of the test.  Then, instead on having your mind on the next question, you start daydreaming about what you will be eating for lunch afterwards.   Instead, prepare yourself for the big day by eating key items.   Make sure to... read more

Sure, we have all heard our math teachers say "Study for your test tomorrow." While we can all agree the importance of studying and getting prepared for an exam, not many math teachers actually tell you HOW to study. I am sure we have all spent time making flash cards, staring at our notes, or watching last minute videos on youtube, only to realize the test results often don't correlate... read more

Quickly after beginning work as a tutor, I came to realize that parents are the black belts of scheduling. They not only have to keep up with a number of annoying adult responsibilities, but they also have to keep up with their children's calendars. Parents' organizational skills (and possibly their sanity) are put to a very difficult test daily. So, to all my expertly organized parents out... read more

During the school year, my students balance classes, sports, social lives, and sleep. Their schedules are hectic. During tutoring lessons, students often only have time to focus on the immediate assignments at hand in their classes. We usually have little time for test prep unless the student and parent has specifically requested that we focus solely on the SAT or ACT. So, when is the best time... read more

At the beginning of my senior year of college, everyone was panicking about the possibility of not finding a job before graduation. Hence, job fairs were heavily attended. While attending a job fair hosted by the business school, I was encouraged to discuss finance positions at Abercrombie and Fitch by a recruiter. I decided I had nothing to lose and introduced myself. She then asked me what I... read more

I have been involved education as long as I can remember. My parents were educators. They helped start a school, were on the board of another, and were founding board members of the North Dakota Home School Association. I started teaching at the age of thirteen, as a volunteer. I have taught professionally, for over fourteen years. I have coached soccer. I co-founded a school and taught a wide... read more

1. "Knowing what topics will be on the quiz is half the battle" Start by asking the teacher tons of questions like "will we need to know this for the quiz?" or "is this one of the key problems that we should know how to solve?" or "would you say that this is a topic of major importance for us to learn in this class?"  If you can, look at the... read more

#1. You must lose some battles before you can win the war.-“Timing” you have 2 minutes for every quant question (37 Quant Q’s total) and about 90 seconds for each verbal question (41 Verbal Q’s total.)  There will be a clock on your screen that counts down how many minutes you have left for that particular section. While verbal can be a bit more confusing due to the reading comprehension... read more

Before I realized I had a gift in tutoring as a professional activity in and of itself, I used to do a little bit of it as part of my job as a 1-on-1 and Family Community Support and Intensive In-Home behaviorist.  While I performed many functions which straddled the fence between mental health and social work, a large part of my job involved coordinating between my clients (usually teens... read more

The reading comprehension sections of standardized testing can be intimidating. Here are a few tips to help you with them.      First of all, read the title of the passage, and all headings and summaries. These often give you an idea of what the passage covers.      Then, if your test allows, read the comprehension questions before you read the passage... read more

There are many situations in which a student or parent might want to seek extra help with math.  Does the student often need to retake assessments? As a teacher, I like to offer make-ups because I want my students to know it's more important to learn the material than to move on before they're ready. Needing to frequently retake assessments means that the student needs to reevaluate... read more