January 27th, 2015
Connor has been coming Study Hut for help in Spanish, PreCalculus, Chemistry, and English. When he decided that he wanted to take the ACT, Study Hut was the obvious choice for his ACT preparation tutoring. He came in to Study Hut to take a free diagnostic ACT practice to see what his score would be. He scored a 21.
He worked on his English and reading skills with his tutor Laura. They reviewed tricky grammar rules that Connor had not seen in a long time. Laura also taught Connor strategies for critical reading. These strategies help with time management, which is crucial on the ACT. They also prevent students from falling into any tricky trap answers. Connor was not confident in his critical reading abilities. Laura made sure that they ran through every passage and question scenario that appears on the ACT until Connor felt comfortable and confident.
Jason and Connor worked on boosting Connor’s math and science scores. Math was easy for Connor but he had forgotten many of the formulas that are essential to scoring well on the test. Together they solved various problems using key formulas. By actually working with the equations and using them in problems, Connor was able to learn them much more easily than if he had just tried to memorize them. Jason and Connor also went over the different kinds of graphs Connor would need to be able to interpret on the test. The science portion of the test relies more on a student’s ability to read carefully rather than their actual science knowledge. Thanks to all the prep he did with Study Hut, Connor took the real ACT and scored a 29!!
Tags: ACT tutoring, one-on-one ACT tutoring, south bay ACT
Posted in ACT, high school |
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January 26th, 2015
Joey started coming in to Study Hut because he was really struggling in his Spanish 3 class. All semester he had not been getting the grades that he wanted on tests and large assignments. He worked hard in class and did all of his homework, but he still did not seem to really understand the material. As much as he practiced it just did not stick.
Joey worked on Spanish 3 with his tutor Ana. The concepts became easier and he began to fully grasp the material thanks to the practice he was getting outside of the classroom. They worked on pronunciations, how to write using multiple different tenses, and how to make sure his grammar was perfect. Joey was really worried about his final because so much of the semester had not made sense. He put a lot of effort and work into studying and preparing for it. The final was an oral recitation with a lot of difficult future tense and new vocabulary. He and Ana spent a lot of time making sure that he was pronouncing all of his verbs correctly and that all of his irregulars were conjugated the right way. They also paid close attention to making sure that Joey remembered to follow the accents when he was giving the words emphasis.
Joey ended up getting a 95% on his final. He was incredibly proud of himself, and Ana was proud of him, too!
Tags: foreign language, one-on-one tutoring, Spanish
Posted in high school, Self esteem, South Bay, Spanish |
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January 20th, 2015
Many times, students do not consider doing preparation and tutoring for standardized tests.However, prep is important in improving a student’s overall score.
Our student Grace is a shining example. Before she started her ACT test prep with her tutor, Jason, Grace scored a 28 overall on the ACT. She received a 25 in English, 28 in Math, 34 in Reading, and 25 in Science. Jason and Grace worked through all of the Study Hut ACT materials. These include a menagerie of strategies to help you improve your score on the ACT. From ways to avoid falling into trap answers, to key words to be on the look out for in questions, as well as time management tricks, everything is covered in our one-on-one ACT tutoring. Jason gave Grace practice sections in all the areas where her score could be improved. Afterward, they would go through her answers together and go over what she missed, and how she could improve on her next run through. They did more practice sections in the areas that she was weaker in. Alongside practice ACTs, Grace also took custom quizzes with the concepts that she was consistently weakest in. Being familiar with the content also boosted Grace’s confidence in taking the test, which is a huge factor for any student’s success. After finishing all of her prep, Grace took the ACT again. She raised her English score 9 points to a 34, her Math score 3 points to a 31, her Reading 2 points to a PERFECT 36 and her Science by 1 to a 26, bringing her overall score up 4 points to a 32!
Tags: ACT, ACT prep, ACT tutoring, one-on-one tutoring
Posted in ACT, high school, SAT vs ACT, Senior Year |
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January 8th, 2015
Emily came in to Study Hut looking to raise her SAT score. She had done a few SAT prep sessions before, but not consistently and was not happy with her current SAT score. She knew that she could do better. We created a custom plan of action for Emily so that she would be completely prepared before her next SAT.
She started to come in once to twice per week. During her sessions, we would go through each concept on the test and make sure that it made total sense before moving on to the next one. We also went over the best SAT strategies so that she could beat the test, and not be tricked by any trap answers to questions that she knew the answers to. Between sessions, she had homework assignments reviewing the material that she had just learned, as well as weekly quizzes to not only test her knowledge, but to get her familiar with using the SAT strategies in action. After we had covered all the material that would be on the test, we started doing practice test after practice test after practice test. These were timed and without help, just like on the real SAT. She got progressively better with each test that we ran through. Finally, she took her final SAT and the results were amazing! She took the test and scored above a 1900. She was much more confident with her score going into the college application process and cannot wait to hear back from all her schools!
Tags: one-on-one SAT tutoring, SAT tutoring, South Bay tutoring
Posted in high school, SAT, Success Stories |
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January 8th, 2015
With finals right around the corner, a lot of different high schools are gearing up for their weekend finals cram sessions. Study Hut tutors will be helping out at Palos Verdes High School, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School, and West Torrance High School. The AVID classes are holding the sessions in the Palos Verdes Peninsula School District.
There are a lot of different ways that students can maximize their results during tutoring in large groups. First, find other students who are studying the same subject, or better yet are in the same class with the same teacher. Someone may have taken better notes, or have been there on a day when you were absent. Together your group can try and work your way through the more difficult concepts of the semester together. Go through the study guide for the final together. Make sure that the answers make sense to everyone. If you are having trouble with a concept, have a friend explain it to you. They may be able to make it make sense in a way that your teacher could not. Do the same for your friends. Teaching the material to your friends will also help you get a better grasp on the information. If any of you have contradicting answers to one of the questions, make sure you find out what is actually correct either by looking in your book, asking a tutor, or by searching on the internet. Afterward, review the information later in the day or the following day on your own to make sure that it all sank in.
Tags: finals, high school, Palos Verdes High School, palos verdes peninsula, study Hut, studying, west torrance
Posted in AVID, Finals Tutoring, high school, Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes High School, Peninsula, South Bay, West Torrance |
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December 29th, 2014
With finals quickly approaching, it is time to start relearning or brushing up on any concepts that you may have missed and just skimmed over during the semester. A lot of students just never learn a concept if they do not get it because they have the mindset of “it will just be on this test and then I will never see it again”. This is a dangerous pattern of thinking because in most classes, the concepts build on top of one another and show up again on later tests and on the final. There is still plenty of time to relearn something that you missed earlier in the school year before finals.
If you did not understand the concept because of the way the teacher taught it, seek out a different way to learn it. Come in to Study Hut for one-on-one tutoring. If you are cramming the night before and do not have time for a tutoring appointment, try researching the concept. There are plenty of free online resources that are solely for teaching, such as Khan Academy. Remember, these are not as good as someone who knows the material walking you through it, but they definitely come in handy in a pinch.
While trying to learn a concept, it is important to practice practice practice. Do practice problems. Try different types of problems. Fill out worksheets. Anything you can do to engage with the content and solidify the concept in your head will benefit you in the long run.
Once you think you have mastered it, try teaching it to someone else. Explaining a difficult concept to someone will help you learn it better.
Tags: finals, one-on-one tutoring, south bay, Tutoring
Posted in Finals Tutoring, high school, study skills |
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December 29th, 2014
Keeping your binders or binders organized is important for a few reasons. You will know where everything is, which means: no missing assignments that you totally did, no missing notes to search for while you are studying for a test, and everything no shuffling through every paper trying to find a worksheet from class. You will spend less time trying to find things. An organized binder will also keep you from getting stressed out or frustrated because you will always have your things and be able to find them. Luckily, keeping your binder organized is super easy to do.
First, be diligent about keeping up your binder. If you let it pile up until there are papers falling out everywhere and all the pockets are tearing, you are not really keeping your binder organized.
Use dividers to separate different classes and sections. Some students like to separate notes and homework, while others like to just divide it by classes. Do whichever way works best for you.
If you do not have time to put a worksheet or handout in its proper place when you get it in class, put it in a front pocket. Then every day when you get home, put all your pocket papers in the right place before you get started on your homework. It will only take a few seconds but it will make a world of difference.
With your organized binder, you will find that you have fewer missing assignments in class, better access to your notes, and overall a better grade!
Tags: AVID, high school, middle school, organization
Posted in AVID, General, high school, organization |
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December 11th, 2014
For some students, their fall semester finals do not happen until after they return from winter break. This is frustrating because a lot of information can be lost over the two weeks that school is not in session. If you are a student at one of these high schools, here are some ways you can make sure that you do not forget any material over the break.
Make sure you at least glance over material you have learned every day. Do a few review problems for math and go through your vocabulary flashcards for foreign languages or English. This does not have to take very long and is very effective at keeping the material fresh in your head.
If you have homework assigned over the break, do not save it until right before you go back to school. Either try and get it done in the beginning, or before you even go on break, or work on a little bit every day. If you do not look at it at all until the Sunday before school starts again, the concepts will likely be fuzzy and you will be really stressed trying to finish it up the night before.
Create a study plan if you know which classes will have the more difficult finals. This way you can start your studying, and know exactly what to do. It will make it easier to do your studying when you have a clear end goal in sight, and starting your studying early will make those A’s even easier to reach!
Winter break is also a great time to go over any concepts you never really got the grasp of but skimmed over because the class kept moving. Review them with a tutor who can help teach you and make the connection that you are missing. This way you will fully understand before you get to your final!
Tags: finals, finals tutoring, one-on-one tutoring, studying, winter break
Posted in focusing, General, high school, Learning, local tutoring, study skills |
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December 11th, 2014
There is no one size fits all formula for studying for finals. There are definitely a few tricks that are universal in helping you maximize the time and effort you put in.
First things first, make sure that you study in an environment where you will not be easily distracted. Places like your bedroom, your friend’s house or in the living room with the television on are all riddled with distractions that will quickly get you off track. Pick somewhere that you know you will focus, whether it is the library, a coffee shop, or a quiet room in your house.
To make the most out of the time you put in studying, make sure that you have a study plan. This should include which topics you are having the most trouble with, any material from earlier in the semester that will be on the test, and definitely any questions that the teacher specifically mentioned will be on the final.
Pay attention in class leading up to the final. Your teacher will usually drop hints and be very specific about what will be on your upcoming test. Many teachers like to take questions directly out of notes that they have gone over in class.
Do not save all of your studying for the night before the final. Numerous studies have shown that cramming does not do you any good, and pulling an all-nighter will negatively impact your ability to remember info as well as your performance on the test.
Do not forget to take care of yourself during all the stress of finals. A well-rested and happy student is a productive student!
Tags: finals, high school, tutoring south bay, Tutors
Posted in Finals Tutoring, focusing, General, high school, study skills |
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November 18th, 2014
A person’s ability to learn something depends on a wide variety of factors ranging from the content being taught to the teacher. But one thing that makes a huge impact is someone’s personal learning style. Many students get frustrated because a teacher seems to be unable to teach them, and the material is just not getting through. A common mistake that a lot of teachers make is that their lesson plans and their style of teaching only cater to one learning style. So while students who click with that style excel in the class, the majority of the students are left confused and stranded at the back of the pack.
At Study Hut, we customize each one-on-one tutoring session to fit each individual student’s needs. For visual learners, there are plenty of whiteboards and flashcards through out the Hut. Tutors can diagram content for the student, and give them instructions while writing out each step. If your student does better with teachers who write on the board or give detailed powerpoint presentations, your student is probably a visual learner. For aural learners, tutors make sure they clearly talk the student through each step and area they are confused about. If teachers who spend most of the class lecturing or doing verbal exercises with the class are your student’s favorites, your student is probably an aural learner. Going through and writing down notes and exercises with pen and paper instead of digitally will help students who are kinetic learners. No matter what your student’s needs are, we have a tutor for that at Study Hut!
Tags: learning styles, one-on-one tutoring, South Bay tutors, tutoring south bay
Posted in Comprehension, elementary school, General, high school, Learning, local tutoring, middle school |
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