Whether you like it or not, you are required to stuff chunks of information into your brain, and in order to do well in any subject, there is some memorization involved. Memorization doesn’t just require you to regurgitate your notes. In order to adequately remember something, you also have to understand the material, or how to effectively process information. Want to know the best way to do this? Read more after the jump to find out!

First of all, before you even try to memorize anything, you should ask yourself a few questions. The first question you should ask is why do you need to memorize the information? In most cases, to learn (at least, that’s what I hope so). In cases where you are required to memorize something that’s required, say, for school, then do realize that strictly memorizing isn’t the best thing to do when it comes to learning that pertains to the sciences and math. With those two, there is a need to understand the concepts in addition to memorizing. (And if you don’t understand a concept, well, the Study Hut is here for you. Contact us if you need help with science and/or math subjects! Sorry, I digressed!) The second question to ask yourself is what are your motives behind wanting to memorize this information? Is this information essential? Studies show that having a strong purpose will make your job of memorizing a lot easier, even if you don’t really give it much thought.

So to memorize something, you need to learn the art of association, namely linking one piece of information (the thing you want to remember) with another more explicit piece of information (i.e. something you already remember). This will enable you to recall the former without any real need of reflection. Sadly, our brains do not work like computers. (If they did, we’d all be geniuses! *Wishful thinking*) However, like computers, our mind works by linking information together, which is why visual things like charts and tables are important because they help us link the information together.

Most students find it very hard to memorize things is because they don’t comprehend how things are related to another. They get impatient and believe that the key to learning in strictly memorizing. I don’t mean to “preach”, but students should not strictly rely on memorizing to get them through their educational career. The key to effectively memorizing, which leads being a productive learner, is to connect the information remembered together. In other words, associate what you are trying to memorize (learning) with something you already know or something of interest. There are many other tricks that can help you memorize, and being creative is a great way to go about, albeit, not the only path.

Do remember that we all learn in different ways, so do not force yourself to adapt to a specific way of learning if it doesn’t fit you. In the end, everyone will have his/her own ways to study. Happy memorizing!! 🙂

The other day while doing research, I came across this nifty list of the 3 types of learners and the characteristics/traits of those particular types of learners. I always knew that there were “visual” (learning by seeing) and “auditory” (learning by hearing), but I was never aware of “kinesthetic” or “tactile” learning, which is essentially “hands-on” learning. So, I wanted to share with the Study Hut blog readers. I hope you guys will find it interesting and educational as I did. 🙂

The 3 Types of Learning

VISUAL LEARNERS:

are neat and orderly
are good long-range planners and organisers
are observant of environmental detail
are appearance-oriented in both dress and presentation
are good spellers and can actually see the words in their minds
remember what was seen, rather than heard
memorize by visual association
are strong and fast readers
would rather read than be read to —> I find this particular trait amusing to know! I remember how I used to get annoyed at popcorn reading in grade school because I thought the other readers were “too slow”.

AUDITORY LEARNERS:

learn by listening, and remember what was discussed rather than seen
speak in rhythmic patterns
talk to themselves while working
move their lips and pronounce the words as they read
enjoy reading aloud and listening
can repeat back and mimic tone pitch and timbre
find writing difficult, but are better at telling
are frequently eloquent speakers
are talkative, love discussion, and go into lengthy descriptions
can spell better out loud than in writing

KINESTHETIC/TACTILE LEARNERS:

learn by doing (”hands-on”)
want to act things out
speak slowly
stand close when talking to someone
are physically oriented and move a lot, gesture a lot
memorize by walking and seeing
can’t sit still for long periods of time
can’t remember geography unless they’ve actually been there
use action words
like plot-oriented books – they reflect action with body movement as they read
like involved games

With this being presented, what type of learner are you?

The right balance of patience is a key skill that a parent needs to master when it comes to dealing with kids. However, to be patient all the time with your kids is a rather impractical and impossible thing to do, but try these tricks sometime and you may see positive results.

1. Communicate. Having poor communication will ruin any relationship. Talk to your kids, and ask not only about school, but about their interests and hobbies. Try to communicate to them in a language they can comprehend.

2. Be Calm. The key to being calm is to not react in the moment. If you react in the moment, you can easily be carried away by the frustration you may feel, which is more than likely to be fleeting. Try to think positively and logically, and then decide what you should say and do, and act on it. Make sure to set aside some time when you can composedly let your child know what you feel and why you feel so, and ask him or her to do the same.

3. Give your child his or her personal space. I know this may appear to be contradictory to the first advice, but if your child doesn’t want to talk at that moment, let your child know that they can talk about it later, but set a specific time frame. On different note, if your child wants to do something that are against your wishes, express to them the “pros” and “cons” of the action, and give them time to think calmly what you mean and expect. Expressing and explaining the “pros” and “cons” will yield better results compared to forcing your wishes on your child.

4. Have real expectations. Don’t force high expectations onto your child if your child isn’t capable of meeting your high expectations. It may reducing his or her self-confidence and increase the feeling of insecurity. I know this from a child’s perspective because of my personal experience.

Lastly, keep in mind how you express your irritation and anger teaches your children about managing and organizing their own feelings and relationships. Help yourself to help your children.

With the internet becoming such a popular source for education and learning, more colleges and companies are offering online courses in order to help college-bound high schools stand out as more appealing candidates to universities. (I wished this was available during my high school years. It would have been an awesome alternative to waking up at 6am everyday for zero period classes!!) It’s important to keep in mind that amidst all the online companies and colleges available on the internet, a lot of these sources are also catering to a larger audience such as working professionals who are trying to pump up work resumes or older students seeking to return to school. In turn, there’s a lot of spotty online sources you don’t want to be taking courses from because they may not be formally recognized by a collge or university. If you’re a high school student looking to re-take a course in which you received a “D” or “F” letter grade, or just looking to get ahead in a specific subject, there are several trustworthy online sources to choose from. The UC school system recognizes all the following online providers:

* APEX Learning Virtual School
* Brigham Young University Independent Study
* Connections Academy
* Education Program for Gifted Youth Online High School at Stanford University
* K12, Inc.
* Laurel Springs Online
* National University Virtual High School
* PASS Program/Cyber High
* UC College Prep Online (UCCP)

The UC school system will also recognize the completion of other college-prep online courses provided that your high school principal certifies that the course you’re taking is comparable to the same class at the home high school, and also the online course, along with the grades and credits, shows up on your home high school transcript. For this case, a separate transcript will create more problems, and may result in the future college not recognizing the class. Keep in mind that the UC school system has not approved online lab science courses or VPA (visual performing and art) courses, so it is best to take these courses at your high school if you’re looking to get ahead or to repeat a course. Even if you’re not applying to a UC school, the above schools should still be acceptable to colleges and universities nationwide. In any case though, always ask the college or university you’re planning to apply to if they recognize the online providers, and if there are any exceptions to taking online courses.

We often hear that Mira Costa High School students struggle most with chemistry, Geometry, and Algebra, and their parents have trouble finding a helpful tutor. We’d like to offer our help to those parents in need of finding a great tutor because our staff is local to the South Bay, and many have graduated from Mira Costa.

We give you outstanding local service because we know that this kind of service speaks volumes about the comprehensive tutoring at the Study Hut. The Study Hut advantage is our personalized investment with each student. We will give you the best tutoring that we possibly can.

Come in to learn about proofs, theorems and postulates for your Geometry class. Figure out what you couldn’t understand from your long day of chemistry class. Not only will Study Hut Tutoring help you rebuild your foundation, but we will provide you with strategy to ensure you’ll do well when stressed and lacking time.

All of the students that come to the Study Hut are matched up with a tutor based on his or her individual needs. No testing or assessment is necessary. We will talk with you to find out where you need the most help. We have two centrally located centers, so you’re never too far away. Our Redondo Beach center is located at: 210 Avenue I, and the office phone number is (310) 540-5888. Our Manhattan Beach center is located at: 880 Manhattan Beach Blvd, #102, and the office phone number is (310) 546-2408.

We honestly feel that there is no need to go to tutoring elsewhere since the Study Hut has tutors every subject at every level. We make it easy as possible for students to get help in the areas they need it most.

Whether you are a Mira Costa student that needs help with Geometry or chemistry, or a Palos Verdes High School student looking for an academic challenge, the Study Hut is the best “Hut” for the job!

Students of all ages often struggle with math because they often do not know the steps it takes to become a successful math student. I don’t believe that students struggle with math because they are “math-illiterate”, as my 6th grade Pre-Algebra teacher once said about me to my parents during a parent-teacher conference. Little did she know that I would eventually grow up to become a math-whiz. All it took were these rather simple, yet highly effective steps: (click on “read more” to find out)

1. Always attend the first day of class! This allows you to get to know your teacher’s personality and teaching methods (usually learned by reading the syllabus), and what s/he expects of you as a student.

2. Read through the syllabus. (Yes, this was mentioned in the first step, but this is a critical step because this gives you insight with a lot of things relating to your class… so READ IT!!!)

3. Be on time for class! (I can’t stress further the importance of this because if you’re a habitually tardy student, you probably won’t be on your teacher’s good side, and this is important if you want or need help from him/her.) An even better thing to do is to arrive a bit early so you can be ready and prepared when class starts (BTW, this leaves a great impression on the teacher.)

4. Don’t miss class unless you are truly sick, and are unable to fully concentrate. You wouldn’t want to give your teacher and classmates a bad impression by getting them sick.

5. If you do have to miss a class, always call a classmate before you return to class to find out what you missed, and if your teacher assigned anything that will be due when you return. Try to get several students’ phone numbers in case you can’t get a hold of one.

6. During class, always have your textbook opened to the appropriate lesson plan, and pay attention to what your teacher is saying or writing on the board.

7. If your teacher is working on a example from the text or a similar example relating to the lesson plan, work along with him/her.

8. Take very neat class notes. Write down everything the teacher writes down, and try to write down most of what s/he says. Put an asterisk or star by problems or points that your teacher stresses. These are usually potential test questions.

9. Participate, participate, participate!! And always ask questions if you are confused about something, even if you think it may be a “stupid question.” If you don’t want to “embarrass” yourself, you can always ask the teacher after class.

10. Do your homework the same day that you hear the lecture on the material. Don’t procrastinate. It never helps you to procrastinate.

11. Make friends in the class and study with them. Be sure to form well-balanced study groups. A good study group consists of 4 or 5 students with a range of capabilities. And you never want to form a study group full of friends that are earning “Ds” and “Fs”. This would just be a waste of time and effort.

12. The second that you start to feel overwhelmed with the material, get help!!! Ask for help from your teacher, a fellow classmate, or get help from a tutor.

13. Lastly, think of going to class as having a full-time job. Do you want to be the employee that will get a raise for his/her attentiveness and hard work, or do you want to be the employee that will be fired for being inattentive and lazy? In other words, the more effort you put in, the more likely it is that you will be rewarded by earning an “A” or “B” in class. The inverse applies as well. If you slack off and don’t take attending class seriously, you’re more than likely will be “rewarded” with a “F”.

Dear Parents and Students,

Our October newsletter is now published! To see what’s new at the Study Hut, including special events, information SAT tutoring, and more, please visit: http://www.studyhut.com/newsletter.

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcomed.

Regards,
The Study Hut Admins

Hey High School Juniors and Seniors, and Parents!

Did you know that the December 5, 2009 SAT test is coming up soon in a few weeks? The January 23, 2010 is also a few weeks away after that, so now would be the best time to prepare for either of those test dates!

Preparing for the SAT doesn’t have to be an uphill battle for students. At the Study Hut in both Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, trained and effective tutors are ready and willing to get students focused and prepared for the SAT. Our tutors build solid relationships, with their students, and develop an environment that encourages them to learn and gives them the positive environment needed to allow them to focus and stay motivated. The test preparation available here at the Study Hut gives students the tools they need to gain the extra points needed to have a competitive edge in the college admissions process. Students can choose to either work one-on-one with a tutor, or in groups to learn and understand the material that is in the SAT.

We are all aware that students in South Bay cities such as Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, and Torrance have a lot of pressure and stress in their lives that studying for the SAT seems impossible. However, with help from the structured SAT curriculum at the Study Hut , students will be able to improve their test scores without any additional pressure.

If you would like to sign up for SAT tutoring, please call either the Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach office (whichever is conveniently located for you) to make an appointment today. Our Manhattan Beach office is located at: 880 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, CA 90266. That office’s phone number is: (310) 546-2408. Our Redondo Beach office is located at: 210 Avenue I, Redondo Beach, CA 90277. That office’s phone number is: (310) 540-5888.

And students, don’t wait until the last minute to prepare! Enroll now!

Many students find pre-calculus and calculus to be the most difficult courses they take in high school. At the Study Hut, we work with students to help them develop a more positive outlook on those subjects. We find that the reason most students struggle with the calculus series is because they are lacking knowledge of the more basic mathematical principles. We work to get the students up to speed with basics, such as the unit circle and trigonometric functions, so that they can become successful math students.

Another obstacle students face is finding enough time to study for classes and participate in extracurricular activities. We are able to help students with this problem by decreasing the amount of time that they have to spend studying. It’s much more efficient to have a tutor explain a concept than to have the student figure it out on their own. This leaves the students with more time to dedicate to their other activities in addition to studying.

Students enjoy coming to the Study Hut because of the relaxed atmosphere and our friendly tutors. We turn learning into a positive experience for the students so that they will enjoy learning. Because our tutors have all had academic success, it allows them to be more successful tutors. They are able to pass on the study techniques and knowledge that they have acquired. Please contact us at 310-546-2408 (Manhattan Beach area) or 310-540-5888 (Redondo Beach area) if you would like to have us tutor your child in Pre-Calc, or Calculus.

The Study Hut will be doing fundraising to help Proyecto Remedios Educativos (translated in English as Project Educative Remedies) this holiday season, and they need your help in assisting young children in the Nicaraguan municipality of Salinas by providing them with much needed school supplies and monetary donations. Proyecto Remedios Educativos (PRE) is an Alaskan non-profit organization that is designed to assist students, impoverished schools, and communities that are in need in Central America.

The municipality of Salinas is a rural area that is subject to the hardships of poverty, and it is located in the second most impoverished country in the western hemisphere. The students, schools, and citizens of Salinas lack the vital educational resources to better themselves, and both The Study Hut and PRE will assist them with pursuing their education by providing them with writing instruments, paper, and other supplies needed to have functional schools.

PRE states that they need donations for the following items:

* Pencils (mechanical or standard)
* Pencil Sharpeners
* Pencil Lead
* Pens
* Colored Pencils
* Erasers
* Notebooks
* Coloring Books
* School Bags (backpacks, canvas totes, or reusable shopping bags)
* Rulers
* Geometry Tools
* Human Body Diagrams
* World Maps
* Globes
* Sports Balls
* Jump Rope
* Chalk
* Typewriters
* Typewriter Ribbons
* Solar Powered Calculators
* Staplers
* Staples
* Surge Protecting Power Strips

According to PRE, monetary donations can go a long way because they do not pay any staff, and only work with volunteers. Also, every amount donated to PRE will only be used in their mission, and because the costs of textbooks and supplies are cheaper in Nicaragua, your monetary donation will go further. Here is an approximation of what your donation value is worth:

Donation Values:

$5 Will provide a class textbook for a Nicaraguan classroom.
$10 Will help purchase paper for 4 students for 1 year.
$20 Will provide for all of the School of Igueral’s chalk needs.
$50 Will buy a manual typewriter for one of PRE’s three schools that is without electricity.
$100 Will provide new chain link fencing for Las Salinas’ two school yards, or 15 new textbooks for one of the classrooms!
$200 Will provide a new set of textbooks for an entire classroom in one of the schools.
$500 Will provide textbooks for almost 3 classrooms in Salinas, Nicaragua.
$750 Will provide textbooks for 3 classrooms in Salinas, Nicaragua, in addition to fixing a school yard’s swing sets!
$1000 Will provide 5% of PRE’s total monetary fundraising goals. It will also provide approximately 150 textbooks and stock 5 classrooms!
$2000 Will provide 10% of PRE’s total monetary fundraising goals! It will also purchase 300 new textbooks and stock at least 10 classrooms!

For more specific information about this non-profit organization, or how your donation will assist the organization, please visit their website at www.prehelps.org. However, please be aware that if you donate locally through The Study Hut, you can be rest assured that your donation will arrive there safely and in due time. You may drop off your donations at either the Manhattan Beach or Redondo Beach locations.

Thank you for your help!