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!
Here at Study Hut, we’re more than just good tutors: we pride ourselves on being good human beings! After all, the same qualities that make a good teacher–passion, care, dedication, responsibility–also make a good person. That’s why I thought it was perfectly fitting that Study Hut participated in and had a team at last Saturday’s Relay for Life event in Manhattan Beach.
It was truly impressive to see my coworkers stay late and long after work in order to plan out team activities, and even more admirable to see them put in all the extra hours needed to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. After a long day of leading SAT prep, correcting Chemistry and Trig problems, and editing students’ essays, a box of whole grain crackers and a jar of natural peanut butter practically beg you to their side; however, my fellow tutors met up at 10 PM to figure out how we could raise money for such a worthy cause, and then took their usual day off to put on a car wash at Mira Costa High School. I was so proud of them for working to make a difference!
Because here at Study Hut, we are well-versed in the science of cancer: we pride ourselves on knowing and teaching biology, AP Chemistry, psychology, and anatomy. But we cannot know or explain the actual experience of having cancer. Instead, we can come together to support our community, whether in Manhattan Beach, the greater Southbay, or the nation as a whole, of cancer survivors and help fund research that will ease or prevent future suffering. I’m glad Study Hut got the chance to prove that it doesn’t just have the best tutors–it has the best people!
What began as a modest, experimental finals-season gesture became one of the busiest and most auspicious events that the Study Hut has ever participated in. Early in January, the Hut got in touch with Mary Lou Cordaro, who works with the library at West High School. The Hut volunteered its services for any West students ambitious enough to sign up for extra tutoring on the Friday and Saturday (January 21 and 22) before exams. A few tutors from each of the Hut’s branches signed up to work at “stations” according to subject, which students could move among during the three hours per day that we would be there. We expected a slight crowd, an atmosphere perhaps even casual (or as casual as possible with finals looming ahead). But Mary Lou, one of the most enthusiastic educators we have ever had the privilege to work with, tirelessly promoted the event until the roster had racked up the names of over one hundred students eager for all the help they could get their hands on.
Suddenly, it was all hands on deck. Subject stations were set up throughout the library’s spacious first floor. Textbooks were handed out. The library doors opened like floodgates, and the place was teeming with students. All grades were represented, and for three hours each day the students moved among the tables and classrooms to garner whatever study tips they could. To those students who stayed long, paid attention, and were reluctant to leave even at the two-minute warning, tutors passed out vouchers for free hours of final exam tutoring. Thanks to the students, tutors, and of course, Mary Lou, those were two of the most fruitful days in Hut history. After it was over, many students redeemed their vouchers before their exams, and several of them have begun to stay on for regular help.
Before January 21, while we had been looking forward to the event, we had not expected such bewildering success. It was a great educational experience, not only for the students, but also for the tutors, many of whom had never worked with such large groups before. And it was fun, to boot! As the Hut plans for its future, we are looking forward to many more tutoring opportunities like it. Thank you to the Mary Lou, the tutors, and the students who made this first one so great!
Yesterday was a busy Thursday. In fact, every school week there is a busy Thursday, whether you come to Study Hut Tutoring or not. With tests and quizzes, homework and projects, six classes of papers going in and out of the backpack everyday and all your friends jammed into one classroom, the task of managing a workload is impossible. Am I right? Let us take a quick look of how this impossible situation appears when our 8th grader Corey sits down for his tutoring hour. Corey is a very sharp student who is able to breeze through his pre-algebra assignments. He is very capable in other areas too. He is maintaining a strong grade in social studies, however, his grades dont reflect his intelligence.
So what is the matter? What do we do? How can we bump up these “C” grades up if Corey doesn’t need help with the actual subject matter? Lucky for Corey, the Study Hut knows exactly what to do. After speaking with his mom, I know she is frustrated with Corey’s sluggish performance around the house. So now Corey is at Study Hut, sitting down with me. The first thing I do is look at his daily planner. It is a bad sign when the whole thing is blank. The planner is the tool that fosters accountability, so if the planner is blank, Corey isn’t even accountable with himself, let alone with parents, teachers, and his tutor. The next step is manually going through the backpack. This is crucial to set the record straight and explain the reasoning and utility of behind using the daily planner.
After all, why do something if it doesn’t serve a greater purpose, save time, or help in the short term and in the long term. Young students are no different. You would never do a lot of things the right way if there was no direct or indirect benefit. After digging through every subject and organizing the folder, we see that there is a pile of old, completed work that can go into a folder and can be stashed away at home in the closet. The other pile was larger than I would like. This pile had a ton of incomplete work. Our plan from here on out at home everyday and at tutoring is as follows:
1)Write in the planner for every subject, during each class period, every week.
2) take notes each class period, everyday
3) make a list prior to tutoring of what we will be working on at Study Hut, and what will still have to be done at home.
4) Make one study tool (flashcards, outline, study guide, practice test) for each class each week.
5) show all of this to the tutor to remain accountable during bi-weekly tutoring sessions.
These simple tasks will, and have already started to, pull grades up, increase accountability, and lead to domination.
The question of “why should I get my child a tutor?” is classically covered with a packaged response that stresses the mood for individual attention and pressuring study skills. While these are true, the reality of tutoring actually goes much deeper than this. In today’s technological age, it is more important than ever to set aside some time each week to just focus on school work without being tempted to just surf the web. Tutoring at Study Hut offers tools and knowledge for students who are faced with tough classes. Read the rest of this entry »
My daughter is an 8th grader at a middle school in the Torrance
Unified School District, and this year she has really been struggling with her classes. I’m not sure if her classes are getting harder, she isn’t trying as hard as she used to, sports are taking up too much of her time or what! I know she’s a bright girl and she’s always done well in her classes before, but I just don’t know what’s happening this year. Can you offer some advice? Thanks! Read the rest of this entry »
Manhattan Beach kids have all kinds of commitments-chances are your son or daughter’s on a sports team, taking music lessons, or staying on campus for Madrigals or Model UN. More and more busy students find that a weekly appointment or two at the Study Hut keeps school on the agenda. That’s because Hut tutors are committed to your son or daughter’s academic success.
Our energetic young staff comprises recent college graduates who grew up in the South Bay and attended Grand View Elementary, Meadows Elementary, Pacific Elementary, Pennekamp Elementary, Robinson Elementary, Circle of Love, Manhattan Academy, Del Sol, American Martyrs, Rolling Hills Preparatory, Manhattan Beach Middle School, Chadwick, and Mira Costa. Not only can our tutors explain trig functions, but we know what you mean when you say Mr. Rucker’s the hardest teacher at MBMS-and we know just how to prepare your daughter for his multiple choice. Read the rest of this entry »
The kids that come to Study Hut Tutoring in Manhattan Beach, CA agree that local, recent college grads at Study Hut are the best El Segundo tutor they’ve come to know, learn from and love. El Segundo Tutoring makes sense in Manhattan Beach because Study Hut offers a great location near the northern edge of Manhattan Beach, and the southern end of El Segundo.
Despite the smaller school district, El Segundo education is on the rise. Students who attend El Segundo Middle School and El Segundo High School are smashing test scores and earning top grades- according to the results of Study Hut goers from El Segundo.
If your not an El Segundo Eagle quite yet, come to the Hut to work on learning how to write a structured essay. The experienced tutors at Study Hut know the El Segundo curriculum, so they know how to gear you up, and get you going in the right direction. The Study Hut Team is dynamic; all of the experts are in one location to help.
