November 7th, 2011
The first thing that struck me upon entering the Manhattan Beach Study Hut is how comfortable the students feel around their tutors! I instantly understood how valuable it is for students to be able to CONNECT with their tutor. Students are obviously at ease at the Study Hut, many make this place their second home. Being able to be open with their tutor about their struggles in school allows us as tutors to custom-make lesson plans to target problem areas. I was also very happy to see how well the tutors interacted with their kiddos. While maintaining a professional environment, the tutors were able to interact with students and make them laugh and, more importantly, make their lessons FUN!
The second thing that really surprised me about the Study Hut was how busy this place gets in the evenings! When I left on my first day, it was 8:30 in the evening, and there were still energetic students arriving to meet with their tutor, and they were in good moods! I don’t think I would have been in such a great mood to spend my evenings getting ahead, but I was nonetheless happy to see kids happy to learn.
For me, tutoring isn’t just about answering questions, it’s about getting kids to learn from me, and become motivated students. I’m very happy to see students using the Study Hut to stay on top of their learning!
Tags: learn, Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Study Hut, school, students, study Hut, Tutoring, Tutors
Posted in Manhattan Beach |
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November 1st, 2011
This past weekend the Manhattan Beach Study Hut team put down the books in order to celebrate the Halloween season in the annual Halloween bash. It was a ghastly gathering of ghouls, goblins, ghosts and cowboys all coming together to enjoy a nice barbeque and take our minds off the work week. With finger foods and burgers in hand, monsters and felines alike put their differences aside to enjoy the pleasantries of conversation and the company of their fellow teammates. Amidst the jack-o’-lanterns and creepy spider webs decorating the hut, tutors both new and old took the opportunity to get to know one another better, strengthening the bonds of an already close Study Hut family.
After grill master Rob the cowboy and his amazing sous chefs shut down the grill and filled every monster’s belly, the Manhattan Beach Study Hut team partook in some friendly competitions. Pitting scuba divers, black swans and star wars characters against Gypsies and cowboys, tutors and their friends enjoyed exciting contests and memorable moments. After several rounds of competition in the temporarily haunted Study Hut, the gathering quickly turned into a monster mash. With dancing and singing, and fun in the air, the Study Hut welcomed the coming Halloween.
As the late hours of the night quickly approached, when mischief and mayhem are to be expected, our responsible witches and goblins took off their party hats and made their way home. After a night full of sites of such terror and horror, silence once again came to the Manhattan Beach Study Hut. From the semblances of monsters and ghouls once again came friendly tutors tucked quietly in their beds, with fond memories and strengthened bonds. Until next year, when evil pokes its head, all that can be said is take a page out of the Study Hut’s book and be safe, have fun and happy Halloween.
Tags: Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach Study Hut, Manhattan Beach Study Hut team, study Hut, study hut family
Posted in Manhattan Beach |
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October 11th, 2011
You sit, minding your own business. Suddenly, you feel a twinge of unease crawl up your spine. A feeling as if someone, or something, is watching you. You shake it off. Clearly, you’re just being paranoid right? You look back down at your desk. And then… IT HAPPENS. Suddenly, tiny Tialde, mild-mannered 2nd grader is throwing paper around the office, laughing hysterically, and running out of here as fast as he can!
WHAT JUST HAPPENED?!
You just found yourself victim to one of the Study Hut’s new competitions: who can keep their room the cleanest in exchange for pizza! Actually, you’ve found yourself victim to the inevitable aftermath of such a challenge: who can mess up everyone else’s room enough so they don’t get pizza! This, the first of many new challenges being formed around the Hut, is part of a new initiative starting up this semester. Now, at first glance, this may seem like meaningless prankerism (trust me, it’s a word) and time-wasting nonsense. But it’s actually a piece of what sets the Study Hut apart.
You’re children spend all day in a very ordered environment. They’re told where to sit, when to stand, how to speak, and what to do. To be fair, in a classroom of 30 children, such order is necessary. But the Hut doesn’t exist just to replicate school. We’re not here to just provide an environment that students just have to come to due to bad grades. We’re here to provide an environment that students want to come to (to help improve bad grades!) Initiatives like this promote better communication among tutors, which leads to better tutoring, and smarter students. And involving the students, like we did Tialde, promotes the idea that this is a place where that they can look forward to coming too. Most students here know most, if not all the tutors: not just the one they work with. They come here because the Hut is a place where people know you, get the work done, and have help in the process.
Plus, you get to occasionally throw paper around in exchange for pizza. That’s awesome.
Tags: 2nd grader, 2nd graders, children, hut, school, smarter students, student, students, study Hut, Study Huts, The Hut, Tutoring, Tutors
Posted in 6-8, 9-12, elementary school, General, Hut competitions, K-5, Learning, Manhattan Beach, Positive Vibes, South Bay |
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October 10th, 2011
High school is a fun, challenging, and decisive point in one’s life. Academically, it’s the first time that your performance in classes will follow you and affect your future. It is also a time of great personal growth, and a time of starting to accept one’s responsibilities as a young adult. Because of all these rapid changes in an adolescent’s life, high school can be quite challenging. Through practicing with a sports team, hanging out with friends, and finding new hobbies and muses, finding the time and direction to do well in the often difficult classes packed into the four years can be quite challenging. This is where the Study Hut comes in. All of us tutors have gone through high school—we know what those years were like, even if it seems as though we’re too old to remember. The Study Hut is also a very community based organization, and the founders Rob and SP who grew up around Manhattan Beach, and many of tutors, know the greater Manhattan Beach area and its schools very well.
So Mira Costa high school students—let us help you get through these fruitful and challenging years. Study Hut has tutors proficient in everything from the mandatory mathematics of high school, to the more advanced AP courses of the sciences. Let us help you organize your planner, and make sure you’re armed with the best knowledge possible to do well in your classes and ace your tests.
High school is also the time for the SAT and ACT—those scary three lettered standardized tests which colleges and universities use as criteria for acceptance into their schools. At the Study Hut, we’ve got you covered. There are personalized SAT and ACT courses designed to teach you the fundamentals of test taking, so you know exactly what you’re going to get, and how to handle it during the test. Although challenging, there’s a method to these tests, and you too can learn to ace it.
So Mira Costa—come to the Study Hut… you’ll be happy you did.
Tags: AP courses, Mira costa high school students, mira costa tutor, Mira Costa tutoring, Mira Costa Tutors, Personalized ACT, personalized SAT, study Hut, Study hut has tutors, Study Hut Tutoring, The Study Hut, tutor, Tutoring, Tutors
Posted in 9-12, ACT, AP Biology, AP European History, AP Tutoring, AP US History, high school, Manhattan Beach, Mira Costa High School, SAT, SAT |
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September 29th, 2011
I’m sure there are plenty of tutoring spots in Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and countless more in the south bay but I’m in inclined to believe that few can measure up to The Study Hut in Manhattan Beach. Many parents struggle with where to send their children to get some help. They try to give their children a leg up so they maybe they won’t have to struggle as much in the future. The choices for giving a child an advantage can be mind boggling at times. There are so many places making claims about improving grades and how they will accomplish this amazing transformation in your child. They make promises of making them an “A” student over night. The truth is there is no magic formula. There is no making your child an overnight genius. Change comes with work and constant work to boot. The work is a communal project; it can’t come in a tutor session alone. Now, this is the place where the real separation comes into play. Other places say they will change the culture your child has developed but only care about what occurs in the tutoring session only. However the dedicated folks at the study hut aka the hut make sure to communicate with the parents on the work which is accomplished and needs to be accomplished on a nightly basis. They call home and let parents know their child still have 3 hours worth of work left and work to develop strategies to make sure this isn’t the norm. They make sure the culture created at the hut also becomes the culture the student sees at home. Because it takes a village to raise a child, no matter how big or small the village might be.
Tags: Manhattan Beach, manhattan beach tutor, manhattan beach tutoring, manhattan beach tutors, mb tutor, mb tutoring, mb tutors, study Hut, study hut tutor, Study Hut Tutoring, Study Hut tutoring in Manhattan Beach, Study Hut tutors, the study hut in manhattan beach, tutor, tutor in mb, tutor session, Tutoring, tutoring in mb, Tutors, tutors in mb
Posted in 6-8, 9-12, General Articles, Hermosa Beach, K-5, Manhattan Beach, middle school, Redondo Beach, South Bay |
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September 27th, 2011
One of the biggest misconceptions about tutoring is its purpose. Many a time, students will come expecting one of three things: that we’re here to do their homework for them, that we can help them cram 5 chapters of material in one night for a test tomorrow morning, or that they’re done for the night the second their tutoring sessions over.
Needless to say, these ideas are false. Tutoring is not, nor ever shall be, a substitute for actual, nose-in-the-book work. We’re not here to do the work for you, teach you short cuts, or help you simply “skate by”. That might help you get a decent grade on tonight’s homework assignment, but you’d be in major trouble the first time a quiz came along. And we’re not here just to help you with the next test, or tomorrow’s assignment. Here, our focus isn’t to teach you the material. It’s to teach you HOW TO STUDY the material. Our major goal is to make it so that you don’t need us anymore. We want to get you to a point where you know how to break down a chapter, write an essay, compose an outline, and solve an equation without someone looking over your shoulder. But, of course, if you still need our help, we’ll still be here to help you again. Doing well in school is not a sprint. It’s a marathon.
Time and time again, the students that I’ve seen do the best are the one’s working before the come in, and ready to work after they leave. They’re the students who have already read and outlined the chapter, but are coming in to help with understanding it. They’re the ones who just spent an hour and a half working with me, and are already putting together a plan for what they’ll work on at home. These are the students who are not only preparing themselves for tomorrow, but for the rest of the year.
Tutoring is meant as a supplement to your learning. If you rely on it completely, without putting in the extra work, it’s not going to be effective. But if you truly work your butt off, utilizing as many advantages as you can (including tutoring at the good ol’ Study Hut), you’re going to see the kind of change you want.
Tags: homework, homework assignment, how to study, material, quiz, school, students, study Hut, teach, test, tests, Tutoring, tutoring session
Posted in 6-8, 9-12, elementary school, K-5, middle school, South Bay, Teaching, Tutors, Uncategorized |
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September 20th, 2011
Study Hut is the greatest tutoring center in Manhattan Beach because it’s not like school. When I first walked into the Study Hut, I was expecting off-white walls and a silent ambience; I was expecting bored students and tired tutors. These were my past experiences when I tried out various tutor centers back in high school. But when I went through the front door of the Study Hut, all my stereotypes were immediately crushed. There was a cozy feel to the rooms, each with a different theme, from a jungle room, to an India room, to a beach room. There were young fresh tutors who were teaching with passion and patience while keeping students entertained with a friendliness so often absent in tutors.
Students often need a change of pace from school to effectively do their homework and learn the concepts. The Study Hut offers this unique environment, where students can unwind, do their homework, work out the kinks before a test, and of course munch on a few snacks. Most importantly, aside from the fun that both the students and tutors have, there are immediate results with the students. Owners Rob, Sean-Patrick, and all other managerial staff do an amazing job of keeping track of students’ progress and keep open and honest communication with both the student and the parent. This keeps everyone from the tutor, to the student, to the parent accountable and produces results.
So again, why is the Study Hut the greatest tutoring center in Manhattan Beach? Because everyone has fun, everyone learns, and everyone earns better grades.
Most truthfully from a newbie tutor
Tags: accountable tutors, best tutor, best tutoring, best tutors, Manhattan Beach, manhattan beach tutors, mb tutor, mb tutoring, mb tutors, study Hut, tutor, tutor environment, Tutoring, tutoring center, tutoring environment
Posted in General, General Articles, Learning, Manhattan Beach, Positive Vibes, Self esteem, Tutors |
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September 19th, 2011
It is not uncommon to have your local public schools fill each classroom to the brim. In a sea of 30 plus students, it’s a wonder that kids tend to fall through the cracks. The curriculum is set for each grade and the teacher attacks the lesson plans daily. In the process of introducing materials to students, a few common trends occur. The brainiest of the class rise to the top, and the material is easy for them. The lower regions of the concur phenomenon are lost and require special attention in order to not fall behind. The public school system provides after school programs, tutoring and extra time for the ones who fall behind. So where do the brainiest pupils go? They tend to finish before the class and end up staring at the ceiling, or paper. At times they tend to help other pupils who stare at them in a bewildered stare after given a recent assignment.
As recent college graduates, our tutors have experienced both extremes. We know either one is not preferred and honestly quite extreme. Here at the Hut we accept both types of students. In one corner the brainiest students come in and we push them even further than they thought they were capable of. We do this so well that in many cases they go home pondering how we managed to stump them. A particular student who has recently has been striving to be a better scholarly example is our very own Asher. Having fallen through the cracks at his school, we took this first grader under our wing and amplified his skills with every hour session. We are proud of Asher and are so very content with his improvement over the past few sessions. Upon entering first grade this year, his teacher noticed his improvement in math and has now placed him in the second grade math class! He is rock star here at the Hut!!! Students such as these are the types of students we love to help. I mean after all, we strive to better your student or bust.
Tags: classroom, classrooms, college graduate tutors, college graduates, curriculum, first grader, first graders, grade, hut, improvement, lesson plan, lesson plans, local public schools, public school system, public schools, scholarly, school programs, second grade, second grade math, student, students, study Hut, teacher, teachers, tutor, Tutoring, Tutors
Posted in 6-8, elementary school, K-5, Manhattan Beach, math, South Bay, star students, Success Stories, Summer Tutoring, Teaching |
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September 8th, 2011
Since the opening of our Manhattan Beach facility we have strived to deliver a location where your student can receive great one on one tutoring. The Study Hut has been through many expansions and changes throughout the years. We don’t believe in keeping the same environment as time changes, we believe in being creative, growing and changing our facility in the best interest of our students. Changes have been very prominent this fall season at the study hut. The addition of our new jungle room in the upper portion of our facility is brighter and has a colorful labyrinth atmosphere. As your student walks in to the main room of the Hut they are greeted by one of our friendly managers sitting on a lifeguard tower, ready to instruct where each student should go. If it hasn’t been obvious, here at the hut we strive to create a fun and creative environment in order for our students to feel at home and welcome. An active and creative environment aids in learning capabilities and will not only change the way your student views studying, but will help incorporate a fun quality to their everyday scholastic responsibilities. To top off two room changes, our lookout room is in progress in becoming the new “Captains Quarters”. The new pirate room will certainly transform our mediocre beige walls into a flashback in time on a ship. It’s due to these changes that the Study Hut has become a wonderful asset to any local or non local student in the Los Angeles Area. Thematic rooms, creative environments and a positive attitude among our recent college graduate tutors is what make the Hut a wonderful place to be a part of. We encourage all students to come in and see what all the fuss is about. We will always strive to make your homework and difficult subjects look like a piece of cake.
Tags: facility Manhattan Beach, Learning, learning Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles Area, Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach location, Student Manhattan Beach, students, students Manhattan Beach, study Hut, Study Hut Manhattan Beach, study Los Angeles area, study Manhattan Beach, studying Manhattan Beach, subjects, tutoring Los Angeles area
Posted in high school, K-5, Learning, Manhattan Beach, middle school, Mira Costa High School, South Bay, Teaching, Uncategorized |
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June 14th, 2011
Last weekend Study Hut held its 2nd free tutoring seminar at West High and Redondo Union High School. For two hours after school last Friday, and for three hours on Saturday, Study Hut was on campus for free group tutoring coordinated with school administrators. Over one hundred students from West and over 50 from Redondo came to receive free tutoring with highly specialized tutors. The students were separated into group by school subjects, ranging the whole high school academic spectrum from geometry to U.S. History; where one to two Study Hut Tutors prepared them for the upcoming finals. Last time was such a success that teachers at West High rewarded students with extra credit for attending both days. The best part of the whole event was the great attitude of all the students who came. They were all eager to receive the help and get the most they could before the all important finals. We at The Hut would like to thank the helpful staff of both West High and RUHS, our great tutors for their effort, and the all students who came down to make this another great experience.
Tags: extra credit, finals, finals tutoring, free tutoring, high school, high school tutoring, Redondo Beach, redondo high school tutor, study Hut, Study Hut Tutoring, Torrance tutoring, Tutoring, west, west high, west high school
Posted in 9-12, AP US History, high school, Learning, Redondo Beach, Self esteem, South Bay, study skills, Teaching, Testing, Tutors, West Torrance |
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