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Back to School Tutoring

August 16th, 2016

This week, Manhattan Beach Study Hut welcomes back many of its returning students as they begin back to school tutoring!

Like summer and fall tutoring, back-to-school tutoring serves a unique purpose. Our tutors help students wrap up summer assignments, while prepping them for the year ahead. Our Manhattan Beach tutors are especially suited to this task because they are familiar with the local schools’ books, teachers, and yes, rubrics. As I write, our expert English tutors are busy guiding kids from MBMS and Mira Costa through their summer reading assignments.
Manhattan Beach English Tutor
What can students expect to get from back-to-school tutoring?

Back-to-school Tutoring helps students relax into the new year and approach their classes with confidence.

The first week of school is super busy. For many classes, homework starts on day one, even if the student hasn’t yet found time to do the work. Our veteran science tutors can help answer those important questions, like how many hours to set aside each week for biology or chemistry. With our help, the student set a good pace from the get-go, so they won’t have to play catch up before mid-terms.

We can also help kids in grades K-12 schedule their commitments (and their fun time), so they don’t end up having to drop a favorite club or sport. Our goal is to coach students in how to handle all of their school commitments, and August is like our pre-training season.

While it’s smart to get a head start in all your classes, it’s especially important in cumulative subjects like math. Having a few extra weeks can make a big difference, especially as the learning curve gets steeper. Each year, the students learn not only new algorithms, but also new vocabulary and symbols. Geometry opens with proofs and logic problems; Algebra, with properties and proportions. All that newness can be overwhelming. With our experienced math tutors, students can familiarize themselves with the textbook, and develop smart study strategies before a clock starts counting down to the first test.

If you are a new student, there is an additional advantage to starting in August. The student and tutor can build up a good rapport, figure out how they work best together, and establish a good routine before school starts.

So, welcome back to those who’ve been coming for years! Welcome to the newbies!

And good luck all with the year ahead!

Getting Pre-Prepared for School

August 19th, 2010

Lazy summer days are ending and long schools hours are just about to begin. Are you ready to go back and dive right in? If you’re one of the few and proud people who aren’t ready to go back to school just yet, the Study Hut has a few tips that can ease you back into the academic process of thinking. You’ll be pondering quadratic equations and Shakespeare’s love trysts in no time.

1) Read a book that will be read in class during the upcoming school year: It’s a good idea to get a jump start on the reading list you will be working on during this next year. Familiarize yourself with the main ideas of the book and even check out the main themes in Cliff’s Notes in between the high and low tides at the beach. This will help reduce the amount of confusion, put you a step ahead of your classmates, and help you participate in class. It’s also a great confidence booster when you know what you’re talking about.

2) Review some of your old papers from last year. See if you understand the corrections your teacher was trying to communicate in evil red ink and if you understand them better than when you first received them. Chances are you’ve spent the summer maturing and leaving your silly ways of thinking behind. Challenge yourself to think about what corrections you would make to your papers or tests to improve your skills and compare them to the mistakes you’ve made. If you can recognize your mistakes, you can grow from them.

3) Play some brainteaser games to get you back into school mode. In between setting the TiVo for TMZ and The Hills, check out the Discovery Channel for quiz shows like “Cash Cab” or see if you really are smarter than a 5th grader on Fox. Take a break from your coolness and have a “Cash Cab” contest among your friends while you’re waiting for the next Star Trek marathon.

4) Last but not least, schedule an appointment at your closest Study Hut for a crash course refresher and book your spots with your favorite tutor. Hurry, they’re going fast!