What Qualities Should You Look for in a Tutor?

 

                 I know you are thinking how hard can it be to find a tutor? There are advertisements all over and tutoring companies left and right, but finding a tutor is the easy part! Finding a good tutor is a bit more difficult! Hopefully these guidelines will help you! Beach Cities Tutors embody these qualities!

1)   Patient- A good tutor must have patience in regards to explaining concepts and also allowing time for students to grasp concepts and learn from errors. A good tutor will never rush a student and will let the student know that they are happy to help while allowing the student to work independently for a portion of the time after receiving guided instruction and modeling.

2)   Structured- A good tutor will go through step-by-step instructions. He/she will write down the steps with simple wording and examples. A good tutor paces the tutoring session so that the student will not be bored, but also not feel stressed. A good tutor will set the expectations for the session. They will spend a little time to talk to the student and make them feel comfortable, but make sure to stick to the subject matter and redirect the student if they start discussing off-topic subjects.

3)   Inspiring- A good tutor will build the students’ confidence by showing them they are competent and can succeed with effort and practice. A good tutor will also serve as a positive role model for the student.

4)   Animated- Good tutors should not use a monotone voice. They should vary their voice and facial expressions to keep the student engaged. Humor but not sarcasm can also help the session to be more enjoyable for the student and increase his/her comfort level. A good tutor wants the student to feel comfortable asking questions.

5)   Individualizes instruction- A good tutor will tailor their instruction to the student’s learning style (visual, auditory, AND/OR kinesthetic). The tutor can give a test to determine this, use a questionnaire, observation, or parent/teacher interview.

6)   Checks for Understanding- A good tutor will make sure that the student can demonstrate their understanding of the subject by either orally quizzing them or having them solve problems (math). This should take place after going over the subject matter, doing examples, giving written step-by-step directions, practicing together. A good tutor will not allow a student to just say they understand without proving it.

Please visit http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com for more informative articles about tutoring and other educational issues.

How Can You Inspire a Love for Reading in Your Child?

           I am a lifelong reader, and I owe it to my mom. First, she always set a good example by reading herself. Next, she would read one book of our choice to my brother and I every night before bed. She also took us to the library often and enrolled us in summer reading programs.

        As parents, you can greatly influence your child's love of reading. In fact, as a teacher and tutor, I have noticed that many of my students who love reading have parents that read and have books around the house. I know this because I am in their homes for tutoring. Here are some ways that you can share the joy of reading with your child, especially in the age of technology.

1) Provide Children with Choices
When children and teens have the independence to select a book of their own choice, they will be more motivated to read. Take your child to the library or book store as a family outing.

2) Be a Reading Role Model
Students who see their parents reading and discussing books will understand that it is a fun activity that is worth talking about.

3) Create a Book Club
Have your children pick a book and create a book club party where they can invite their friends to talk about the book. You can have the children dress up as the characters or create game show or interview format for your book club.

4) Buy or Rent Books from the library for the Ipad
Even though I prefer paper or hardcover books, having your child read on the ipad is also a valuable way to get them to enjoy reading using technology.

5) Summer Reading Programs with Rewards
Summer reading programs are a great way to make reading exciting. Students are often able to compete to see who reads the most and also earn prizes and rewards after they read a certain amount of books.

As a parent, it is never too early to inspire the love of reading in your child!

Please visit our blog at http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com for more informational articles and tutoring information.

Common Core Standards... Ready or Not Here They Come!

Ready or not, here they come. Forty-five states have already adopted the Common Core State Standards, which means for the first time there will be consistency among states in student expectations in the two core subject areas of English Language Arts and Math. The positive side is that students across the country should be taught the same material and expected to be able to accomplish the same tasks. The CCSS will also provide a more rigorous, focused, and coherent set of standards than the current standards. They are meant to reflect the knowledge and skills young people will need for success in their future college education and careers.

As a result of the new standards, state testing will dramatically change to include assignments and open-ended questions that deal with authentic and real world situations. Students will have to apply their knowledge and problem solve across subjects, rather than answering standararized multiple-choice questions. The goal is to increase student creativity, and assessments are being created to measure the growth of all student populations including those with significant cognitive disabilities. Although the tests won't be ready for another 16 months, CCSS are already being implemented.

Here are some links to help you learn more about the Common Core State Standards:

Common Core State Standards Initiative Home

http://www.corestandards.org

Common Core State Standards-Resources (CA Dept of Educatoin)

http://www.cde.ca.gov › Resources

Edsource/Common Core Standards

http://www.edsource.org/iss_sta_commoncore.html

Please visit our website for more blogs containing educational news at http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com

Is Your Gifted Child Underachieving in School? Boredom or Self Esteem Issues Could be the Cause.....

Tutoring can help gifted students as much as those who are struggling. Gifted students may underachieve due to boredom or lack of interest in the subjects being taught in the classroom. The right tutor can be the answer to your gifted child's problems.

It is a misconception that tutoring is only for students who are failing academic subjects. Tutoring can also improve motivation, study skills, and behavior.  Parents often think that tutoring is for students who are falling behind in subjects such as math and reading, but it can actually help gifted students who lack motivation. Underachievement often involves students having a negative perception of their own abilities.

Tutoring can help build a child's academic self-esteem if you find the right tutor who can make a connection with your child and provide the positive reinforcement and encouragement to build a student's self-esteem.

If you believe that your child’s lack of motivation does not involve self esteem issues tutoring can also help challenge students by allowing them to go ahead of their peers or do lesson extensions of what their peers are learning. 

Please visit http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com for more information on tutoring services for your gifted child or teen.

Is Your Gifted Child Underachieving in School? Boredom or Self Esteem Issues Could be the Cause……

Tutoring can help gifted students as much as those who are struggling. Gifted students may underachieve due to boredom or lack of interest in the subjects being taught in the classroom. The right tutor can be the answer to your gifted child's problems.

It is a misconception that tutoring is only for students who are failing academic subjects. Tutoring can also improve motivation, study skills, and behavior.  Parents often think that tutoring is for students who are falling behind in subjects such as math and reading, but it can actually help gifted students who lack motivation. Underachievement often involves students having a negative perception of their own abilities.

Tutoring can help build a child's academic self-esteem if you find the right tutor who can make a connection with your child and provide the positive reinforcement and encouragement to build a student's self-esteem.

If you believe that your child’s lack of motivation does not involve self esteem issues tutoring can also help challenge students by allowing them to go ahead of their peers or do lesson extensions of what their peers are learning. 

Please visit http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com for more information on tutoring services for your gifted child or teen.

College Application Essays!

Beach Cities Tutoring is now offering individualized assistance for College Application Essays. I have posted a new page with great resources for writing your college application essay including tips, formatting, and samples on our webpage at http://www.beachcitiestutoring.com/ located under educational resources tab. Please feel free to check them out:)!