August 3rd, 2011
Of all of the summers I have been tutoring, this year’s crop is by far my most energetic, enthusiastic, and eager to learn and get ahead for next year.
While there are always those students that need to play a little catch up and fill in some of the holes that were created due to poor teaching or a lack of attention during school last year, this year, more than ever, I have been tutoring students who just want to get ahead. Even cooler is that most of these students are self-driven, meaning that they are signing up themselves and getting appointments adjusted on their own, rather than having mom force them to come in for some summer enrichment.
The result is that these students are getting far more out of each session than the average student. While some of these young achievers come here for tutoring from West Los Angeles schools like St. Bernard’s, Corpus Christi, Loyola High School, Notre Dame Academy, and Westchester Lutheran, more of our summer tutoring students are from El Segundo High School and El Segundo Middle School.
We have been tutoring El Segundo students in all sorts of subjects, but I have been doing mostly math tutoring, critical reading tutoring, and writing tutoring. It is definitely going to pay off for these guys come Fall.
Tags: El Segundo summer school, el segundo tutoring, Math tutoring, West LA tutoring, writing tutoring
Posted in 9-12, Algebra 2, Comprehension, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, math, Summer Tutoring, writing |
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May 19th, 2011
Pay less for college, regardless of how much money you make!!! Is that ridiculous or what? That’s what we thought when we first met ALL IN EDUCATION and they showed us financial resources that we never knew even existed for families, especially not for middle and upper class families!
In short, in talking with the founder of this organization, Kyle Shelley, he explained to me the program that is changing the way families do college, while reducing the cost of college, for any family, by tens of thousands of dollars. How do they do it? Well, below is the bulleted list, but that’s why I’m touching base with you. We’ve always strived to produce the best results for our students and provide the most value for our families. In that same spirit, once your student/s get into a great college, wouldn’t it be brilliant if you could pay a fraction of the cost? We think so! And we think you’ll agree.
We’ve asked ALL IN EDUCATION to provide an event for our families on May 25th, at the Belamar Hotel in Manhattan Beach. Is it worth your time? Go to www.facebook.com/ALLINEDUCATION where, in less than 3 minutes, you can complete the College Savings Calculator and see just how worth your time it will be.
A few ways ALL IN EDUCATION is reducing the cost of college:
* free college credits
* tuition reimbursement
* local scholarships
* in-state tuition for out-of-state students
* credit recapture (for transfer students)
Tags: All in Education, college savings, cost reduction college plan, Financial Aid
Posted in 9-12, El Segundo, General, General Articles, high school, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, Redondo Beach, SAT, South Bay |
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May 2nd, 2011
So you have a huge end-of-the-year comprehensive biology test coming up, and since you’ve been cramming every chapter test since the beginning of this year, you don’t remember anything. What do you do? Where do you even start? To begin, you should realize that for a huge subject such as biology, cramming all the details just isn’t going to work. There are way too many intricate details to be able to memorize each and every one from all the chapters. And before you think about cramming again for this final, consider this: most science majors require at least a year of biology in college, and a good chunk of the information is overlap from what you learned in high school. Therefore, the better a foundation you set for yourself now, the more it’s going to pay off not only now in high school, but in college, and maybe for the rest of your future as well.
To begin, break down biology into manageable chunks of information. Don’t just rush through reading every chapter and then realize you’ve already forgotten everything, but break it down by paragraphs and really try to visualize what’s going on. Carefully analyze the diagrams, draw your own pictures, watch (relevant) youtube videos, etc. There are lots of excellent visual resources online that can make understanding the material much easier, and they’re free! After visualizing the information, you’ll find it a lot easier to memorize, and then it’s just about reviewing the information consistently to reinforce what you’ve learn, while slowly adding more details to your knowledge.
Another great way to study biology is to review the information with your friends. Choose a topic, and popcorn each other to begin describing everything you know about the topic. Everyone always focuses on different aspects, and you’ll be able to take notes on what points you forgot to pay attention to.
Remember: there’s something in biology for everyone! Whether or not you love or hate science, biology plays a very relevant part to our everyday lives. Whether you want to learn the most effective way to work out, want to learn what to do to eat healthy and stay fit, or just how to prevent breakouts, biology will teach you the basics of how the human body works and allow you to make educated decisions to improve your health!
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Posted in 9-12, AP Biology, Biology, El Segundo, high school, Learning, life skills, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, retention, science, study skills, Tutor Tips |
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April 27th, 2011
“When am I ever going to use this?” That may just be the most common complaint vocalized by the students at Study Hut. And their concern isn’t entirely unjustified. It really does seem that a solid chunk of the material covered in high school may never again need to be used later in life. No one is going to ask you to regurgitate the quadratic formula any time soon, right? Maybe not—maybe so. Students at Palos Verdes High School are currently participating in a Brobdingnagian battle of brains (Brobdingnag is the land of the huge in Gulliver’s Travels, in case that’s a question). The annual Scholar Quiz kicked off last week and the competition has been heated. Some of the tutors from Study Hut and I had the opportunity to watch our tutees flaunt their knowledge of (seemingly random) topics from across the board, academic and otherwise. I watched as competitors embarked on missions of rapid thought, evaluating solutions to formulas, testing knowledge of geography, and requiring an appetite for up-to-date pop culture and news. As one of the official sponsors for PV’s (and Mira Costa’s) Scholar Quiz, Study Hut has been thrilled about the emphasis on knowledge of both the fundamentals and specifics of topics we teach every day. The final showdown is tomorrow—come out and support your favorite team! Peace out.
Tags: Palos Verdes tutoring, pv high, PV High Scholar Quiz, PV tutor, Scholar Quiz
Posted in 9-12, El Segundo, General Articles, high school, Learning, life skills, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, Redondo Beach, Tutor Tips |
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April 3rd, 2011
My favorite part of tutoring at Study Hut is working with the students. However, my second favorite thing is working with the other tutors. Knowledge and experience is integral to the job, but Rob and Sean only hire people who are friendly, positive, and play well with others. This is good for our students, but it’s also good for us – the same traits that make us good tutors also make us good friends and coworkers.
Once a week we all try to meet after work to play a few hands of poker. It’s a fun time with nice people, and some of these guys are pretty good at it, too. All that work that goes into teaching AP probabilities and statistics apparently lends itself really well to counting odds on the fly.
After awhile, we’re not just playing cards with our coworkers; we’re playing cards with our friends. And that means that we’re going to work with our friends, too. All this adds up to a learning environment that is vibrant, fun, and full of people who know and trust each other. We know implicitly that we can rely on one another to pick up the slack when needed, and together deal with the most challenging problems any school can possibly throw at us.
Tags: AP statistics, probability tutor, probability tutors, stats, stats tutor, stats tutoring, stats tutors
Posted in 9-12, El Segundo, high school, math, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, probability, Redondo Beach, Statistics, team building, Tutors |
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March 29th, 2011
This blog goes out to all the Hut peeps and all the potential Hut peeps that live in West LA and surrounding areas. At Study Hut, we’ve been shocked at how many new parents and students have been calling our brand new El Segundo office from towns other than El Segundo. Specifically, Westchester, Playa del Rey, West LA proper, and Hawthorne have been feeling the Hut. The buzz has been awesome on the internet, where many current clients and new clients alike have been clicking on www.studyhut.com to learn more about our services, and to set up tutoring appointments in El Segundo.
Just this morning, we signed up two new students. The first is a young man in the 5th grade from Eucalyptus Elementary in Hawthorne. I spoke to his mother on the phone, and he needed a tutor to help him with math concepts, and also with science tutoring. The second new student needed help with advanced algebra at Westchester High School. The mother really liked that our tutors are young and local, and she liked that many of us have degrees from Loyola Marymount University.
I am officially announcing our first blog promotion. The first parent or student from St. Bernard High School in Playa del Rey to call the El Segundo Study Hut for tutoring (310-648-8526) will get two free hour-long tutoring sessions. We can tutor almost any subject, and we are looking to spread some positive vibes at St. Bernard, since two of our best students ever used to drive all the way to our Manhattan Beach location back in the day. Best of luck to everyone!
Tags: el segundo tutoring, Hawthorne tutoring, Playa del Rey tutoring, St. Bernard High School, Westchester High School, Westchester tutor
Posted in 9-12, Algebra, Algebra 2, El Segundo, elementary school, high school, K-5, math |
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March 28th, 2011
El Segundo High School students that need chemistry tutoring are in luck. Study Hut tutoring in El Segundo is going to get you going where you want to go. We are experts in every subject, with tutors who’s knowledge is and teaching style is tailored to each of the students who come in for subject help and test prep. Take a look at this breakdown from Andy, our UCLA bio/chem major who dominates science like nobodies business (but ours!):
Sometimes balancing chemical equations is easy….unfortunately it can also be
a nightmare! When all else fails there is one way to balance an equation that will
always work; with ALGEBRA! Who ever said learning math wasn’t useful?
To solve balance chemical equations using algebra start by assigning a variable
to each part of the reaction. For example if we had the unbalanced equation
NaHCO2 + C6H8O7 ——-> CO2 + H2O + Na3C6H5O7
First we assign a value of 1 as the coefficient of the first compound. We then give
letter designations to the other coefficients.
(1)NaHCO2 + (A)C6H8O7 ——-> (B)CO2 + (C)H2O + (D)Na3C6H5O7
Now we can establish relationships between the variables based on the different
atoms.
Sodium: 1=3D
Hydrogen: 1 + 8A = 2C + 5D
Carbon: 1 + 6A= B + 6D
Oxygen: 2 + 7A = 2B + C + 7D
Now we solve these equations starting with Sodium
1=3D ——–> D=1/3
We then plug D=1/3 into the Hydrogen and Oxygen equations and solve for C
and B respectively:
1 + 8A = 2C + 5D ———> C = 4A – 1/3
1 + 6A = B + 6D ———–> B = 6A -1
Finally if we put these into the Oxygen equation we can solve for A:
2 + 7A = 2B + C + 7D ———–> 2 + 7A = 2(6A-1) + (4A-1/3) + 7(1/3)
This give A = 2/9. Now we can go back to Hydrogen and Oxygen and solve for C
and D.
C = 4A – 1/3 —–> 4(2/9) – 1/3 = C
C = 5/9
B = 6A -1 ——–> 6(2/9) -1 = B
B= 3/9
This give us: (1)NaHCO2 + (2/9)C6H8O7 ——-> (3/9)CO2 + (5/9)H2O + (1/3)
Na3C6H5O7
To get whole numbers we multiply by 9 giving us the solution!
(9)NaHCO2 + (2)C6H8O7 ——-> (3)CO2 + (5)H2O + (3)Na3C6H5O7
This method may seem complex, but it is guaranteed to work for any chemical
equation!
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Posted in 9-12, Balancing equation, Chemistry, El Segundo, high school, Learning, science, Teaching, Tutor Tips |
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March 28th, 2011
Well-roundedness—it seems like a harmless enough idea on paper, but the drive to become a “well-rounded” student is pushing today’s students to the limit.
Grades alone are no longer enough, so our kids are spreading themselves thin trying to be the combination of athlete, artist, musician and scholar that will catch a college’s attention. This is in addition to coping with being a teenager, which comes with its own slurry of issues.
Films like, “Race to Nowhere”, are bringing to light a problem that many parents and educators have been aware of for a while—our students have too many academic and extra-curricular responsibilities and not enough time for themselves. They spend so much time trying to be what colleges want that many don’t figure out what their own passions are, which leaves them vastly, and ironically, unprepared for college and the real world.
The Study Hut tutors, many not too far from our own high school experiences, understand the pressures that our students deal with inside and outside of the classroom. We know that our work is more than teaching academics and study skills. We take advantage of our positions as role models to help guide healthy emotional and social development, so when our students do decide where they want to go, they are able to get there.
Tags: A tutor, A tutoring, A tutors, academic success, academic successes, confidence has soared, el segudno math tutor, el segundo math tutoring, good tutor, good tutoring, good tutors, grades up, hermosa math tutor, hermosa math tutoring, hermosa valley math tutor, hermosa valley math tutoring, Hut's Success, improvement through tutoring, manhattan beach math tutor, manhattan beach math tutoring, math tutor, Math tutoring, palos verdes math tutor, palos verdes math tutoring, PV Math tutor, PV math tutoring, redondo beach math tutor, redondo beach math tutoring, redondo math tutor, redondo math tutoring, south bay math tutoring, staying focused, student success, Successful tutor, successful tutoring, successful tutors, Torrance Math tutor, Torrance math tutoring, tutor, tutor success, Tutoring, tutoring success, tutoring successes, Tutors
Posted in 6-8, 9-12, Comprehension, El Segundo, Hermosa Beach, high school, Learning, life skills, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, Redondo Beach, Self esteem, South Bay, study skills, Teaching, Test taking anxiety, Tutor Tips, Tutors |
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March 21st, 2011
Education reform is a hot topic in politics and our communities. With documentaries like Waiting for Superman and powerful people taking a stance in education, people are starting to realize that things need to change. Successful schools have proven that outstanding teachers, extra time spent on education and high expectations for all students are key to academic achievement. At Study Hut, our tutors put these educational goals into action have seen exceptional results in our students.
Why is it so important to have high expectations for students? High expectations show students that we believe that they are capable of achieving their full potential. This turns into motivation for students to prove to us and to themselves that they can do well in school. I often hear fellow tutors saying “you are going to do an awesome job on your test tomorrow!” Students leave knowing their tutors expect them to perform well. When students at Study Hut are as excited to come in and tell us about an A on a test as much as we are, we know we are doing our job.
Excellent tutors at the Hut also add to students’ academic success. Students come to us because they need clarity, review and a fresh approach to teaching. If it takes a funny song to remember Spanish Vocabulary, we’ll make one up and sing it with our students. If history isn’t making sense, we will relate it to something relevant in a student’s life to show them the importance of a historical event. Thinking outside the box and connecting with students is a common method we share with schools in our community. The South Bay School Districts all have a mission to “strive for academic excellence by forming partnerships with the community.” Study Hut enjoys working with schools and students to be part of this partnership in promoting confidence and academic success in our schools.
Tags: A tutor, A tutoring, A tutors, academic success, academic successes, confidence has soared, el segudno math tutor, el segundo math tutoring, good tutor, good tutoring, good tutors, grades up, hermosa math tutor, hermosa math tutoring, hermosa valley math tutor, hermosa valley math tutoring, Hut's Success, improvement through tutoring, manhattan beach math tutor, manhattan beach math tutoring, math tutor, Math tutoring, palos verdes math tutor, palos verdes math tutoring, PV Math tutor, PV math tutoring, redondo beach math tutor, redondo beach math tutoring, redondo math tutor, redondo math tutoring, south bay math tutoring, staying focused, student success, Successful tutor, successful tutoring, successful tutors, Torrance Math tutor, Torrance math tutoring, tutor, tutor success, Tutoring, tutoring success, tutoring successes, Tutors
Posted in 6-8, 9-12, Comprehension, El Segundo, elementary school, General, General Articles, Hermosa Beach, high school, K-5, Learning, life skills, Manhattan Beach, middle school, Palos Verdes, Peninsula, Poor Test grades, Redondo Beach, retention, South Bay, South Torrance, study skills, Summer Tutoring, Teaching, Test taking anxiety, Testing, Tutor Tips, Tutors |
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March 15th, 2011
I’ve only been a tutor at Study Hut for two weeks, but I am most impressed with my students who are well-organized. What does a well-organized student do? They fill out their agendas with all their homework and upcoming tests/quizzes. They fully take advantage of their planners. They bring in all their books and homework worksheets to the tutoring session (those that do not have the correct materials, just end up wasting time by having to call someone to bring the book or having the tutor waste time figuring what the student has to do). The well-organized students are able to get more from their tutoring session because they have a plan for what to do before they even show up to study hut. They know what classes they have homework in and are able to assess their weakest subjects so that we can spend the session working on that subject.
One of my most organized students is Tim, a junior, from Mira Costa High. Tim mainly comes for help in Geometry and Chemistry. While he may not know how to do the problems at first glance, after an explanation of the concept behind the problems, he is able to work out similar problems by himself. One of the main reasons why Tim is able to do this is because he writes down all his work on paper. I constantly stress to my students to show all their work because if they get the wrong answer, they can go back and pinpoint exactly where they made a mistake. This enables the student to make a mental note of the mistake they made and not make it again in the future. Tim also comes to each session with an attack plan on what to do during the session and he always knows whether he has an upcoming quiz or test.
In all, to stay ahead of the game that is school, one needs to be organized by making full use of the planner and to show all relevant work when doing homework!
Tags: Math tutoring, mira costa, mira costa high school, science tutoring, study habits, study skills, tutor, Tutoring
Posted in 9-12, Algebra, Algebra 2, AP Biology, AP European History, AP US History, Biology, Calculus, Chemistry, Comprehension, El Segundo, elementary school, life skills, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, US History |
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