Biology can be a complex subject to grasp. Difficult terminology and concepts, typical of chemistry and physics, partnered with vast and often times redundant biophysical processes make General Biology, AP Biology and SAT Biology a hotbed of tutoring activity. Relating specific concepts within daily notes to the seemingly endless volumes of information in Bio texts is paramount to success in the classroom and on standardized tests.
Developing teaching and testing strategies that work is our passion. Our tutors formulate a step by step approach to address problem areas within the subject matter. Our tutors focus on relating in-class information to everyday case studies and experiences to help students identify with the subject matter. We feel that resolving conceptual errors and becoming versed in basic biological processes is the first step to success in Biology. Using advanced placement tests, practice SAT’s and in-house report cards, we are able to assess, in real-time, the progress our students are making.
During our one-on-one sessions, we provide a tailored experience that partners with the pupils own personal study strategy. We provide a wide range of study materials: Texts, workbooks, flashcards, SAT Prep, SAT Tests and online materials are all resources we utilize in order to help students gain a better understanding of the subject matter. Students are also paired with extremely capable and knowledgeable tutors who are familiar and have a background in subjects such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. We do our very best to deliver the most advantageous tutoring session for each individual student. Working with a tutor is much like working with a personal trainer: we are here to make your “work out time” more efficient so your results are better and come faster. We are not here to do their work for them, but to help them make the most of what little time they have!
Here at The Study Hut sometimes saying goodbye is a happy occasion. As the summer is coming to an end so we say goodbye to a few of our tutors. Not to worry! Their departure is not due to sub-par performance or conflicts between other tutors, but because they are once again joining the ranks of US college students or are exploring the world in hopes of expanding human knowledge.
We are happy to see one tutor off to Columbia University this fall. Jenna who has worked with us this last year came to us already with some teaching experience. She had taught and substituted for a few of the lower elementary grades after finishing school. Now she is going for her Masters degree in education. We are always happy people using their skills to teach other and help others.
Another tutor will also be leaving not just us, the whole United States. Jenny, after a few years helping kids in our Redondo office, is packing up and leaving for Australia. A marine-bio major, Jenny spent time studying sharks while in school. Now she plans on continuing that hobby/love. She will be camping out on the remote coast of Australia tracking, recording, and studying the local shark behavior. After a few months she will then be attending graduate school in Australia.
We wish Jenna and Jenny the best of luck on their new adventures.
Study Hut, coming up on it’s sixth birthday in December has come a long way. Not only have we expanded in the South Bay, but we are now in Newport Beach! By nature, you can only imagine the tutor rivalry that has spurred out from such expansion. The biggest rivalries are between the Manhattan Beach Study Hut, which we tutors like to call “Hut 1 or The Mother Hut”, and the Redondo Beach Study Hut located in the Redondo Beach Riviera Village, which we call, “Hut 2” (take note that no other cool name has been associated with this location). Hence, I have decided to write this blog on the reasons why Hut 1 is inherently better and completely dominates Hut 2.
1. Hut one is bigger and caters to more students. The Hut is always bustling with tons of kids ranging from kindergarten to adults. We tutor the young ones in subjects such as reading and writing, high school kids come in for SATs and whatever other homework they need help with, and we have the occasional adult coming in to learn Spanish, or English for that matter!
2. Our tutors dominate! We can tutor all subjects. Whatever subject you need to be tutored in, we can do it. Even Chinese!!!!
3. We are much facier. We are open seven days a week during the school year! No matter what kind of a bind you are in, we are here for ya! Scheduling around sports proves to be no match for us. Come in on a Saturday or Sunday and knock out your school work before the week begins to get a head start.
Or newly renovated Underground is inundated with new and exciting under the sea decor.
4. We have a self built lifeguard chair. Built just for the manager, Samantha, we dominate the seating arrangements category!
5. Even though they seem to be cool over there they are merely an image of a younger brother stealing the appearance of his older brother so he can play off as “cool” in front of his friends.
6. It is not rare to find the owner Rob BBQing in the parking lot for all of the employees. We all know the way to a tutors’ heart is through their stomach… or their calculator.
All in all, both Huts are great. They both have amazingly qualified tutors with open arms ready to help each and every student that walks in the door. However, it wouldn’t be The Hut if there wasn’t a little friendly rivalry. We like to keep ourselves entertained around here 😉
As young students, everything seems prescribed and planned out all the way through high school. However, as soon as students hit senior year, everything changes; all the sudden they have to figure out where to go the following year and the mysteries of how to get there. Applying to colleges can be a very scary task and often students may not even know where to begin. With a little guidance, though, the application process can be smooth and painless. For most students in California, the Cal State or the UC schools are a popular option. Most students are able to find at least a few state-run colleges that suit their goals and will offer them a top-tier education. Of course, choosing colleges to apply to is the first step. Once that part is done, the important part commences. Fortunately, both systems of colleges use the Common Application, which is quite simple and straightforward. With the help of a tutor, students can perfect their application essay and personal statement, as well as properly organize their applications to highlight all of their strengths. With a little preparation, careful writing, and timely organization, the college application process can successfully position students to go on to the school of their choice.
At the Study Hut, we offer a specialized program to help students perfect their college applications. From the basic beginning steps to helping students pick the qualities they most want to highlight and the achievements they should recognize, our tutors understand the college application process inside and out. We offer packages tailored to each student’s needs. Students can rest assured that we will help them stand out and look as exceptional as they possibly can, and that we will aid in making this as easy of a transition as possible.
Well, this is it, summer is almost over! It’s time to set those alarm clocks, get your notebooks ready, and get back in to the swing of the school year. Here at the Hut we are preparing for an influx of students who need a little extra help during the school year. For high school students, we are offering an SAT prep course as well as free diagnostic tests to get ready for this all-important testing season! To get the process started, just sign up for one of our “diags”, we’ll score it and schedule a meeting to go over the results and discuss college and training options. The class is 7 weeks long, and meets from 9/18 until 11/1. We cap it at a maximum of ten students for more student/teacher contact, and it will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 pm. This means that each student will get 28 hours of extra preparation! The total cost of the course is $895, but if you sign up by 8/31, we will discount the price by $100. That means it will only be $795 for 28 hours of class! We will also be offering diagnostic tests on four Saturdays: 9/8, 9/29, 10/13, and 10/27 at 8 am. These tests will give us an initial score to improve upon, and track the progress each student makes. It will also give the students a good sense of the timing of the test, and come test day, minimize their anxiety. Let us give you a helping hand in tackling this important test!
This summer, as manager, I have been presented with the opportunity to actually tutor! Normally, the hustle and bustle of the Hut prevents me from my real passion, teaching. One of my regular and favorite students in here over the summer is Adelia. She has diligently come in twice a week throughout the summer to study Spanish and Geometry. I admire her confidence and motivation to get ahead of the game and become prepared for the classes she will endure in the fall.
Starting out with Spanish 5/6 in the fall she went ahead and bought the book that her high school, Mira Costa, uses so that I can start teaching her the material. Once fall comes she will be prepared with the vocabulary and will be strong with the grammar. Throughout the course of these few weeks she has already improved in both her retention of vocabulary and her ability to speak and comprehend the language. Last year, I tutored another student in Spanish in preparation for Spanish 2. He excelled in his Spanish class receiving a high B opposed to D+ he received the semester prior. A little elbow grease in the summer goes a long way when it comes to learning a language. I have the confidence that Adelia will be able to start and finish this year strong.
Similarly, math skills are just as important to maintain during the summer. Adelia already has a solid understanding of the primary concepts in Geometry and will have gone through the first few chapters of the Mira Costa Geometry book by the time summer has ended.
Most kids are resistant to summer tutoring and believe that it will take up their entire summer. Adelia, however, is extremely active. She owns a horse is Palos Verdes and rides him every day. She is extremely happy with her progress she has made this summer at Study Hut.
Not only can we provide enrichment for math and Spanish, but also French, English, reading comprehension, physics, history, biology, chemistry and whatever else, you name it, we have a tutor for it! Bring it on fall semester!
Summer school classes are short in duration, but very intense, and Advanced Placement (AP) summer classes are even more intense. The school day tends to be four hours long. This may seem long to students, but trying to cram a year’s worth of materials in is a big challenge for teachers. Therefore, much of the work must be done outside of class.
AP history classes are the most common summer courses that high school students take. These classes require students to do a lot of reading, a lot of writing, and a lot of studying. Teachers typically do a chapter a day. The student then goes home, reads the chapter, and does the work that goes along with it. This work can be defining key terms and people, making timelines, conceptual questions, or essays. Essay writing is the most time consuming and difficult part of these history courses. They allow the teacher to make sure the student understands a wide range of material. Also, the student must demonstrate good writing skills and critical thinking. It can become difficult to come up with new ideas and examples when writing essays every week.
Getting anything lower than a B in an AP class doesn’t look good to college admissions officers. Putting in so much effort into a college class and then performing badly is a waste. The tutors at Study Hut can help students with their AP summer school work. We have tutors that specialize in essay writing. They can edit and revise rough drafts or help students from the very start. They help guide the student through their brainstorming and outlining process, to their rough draft, and then the final draft. Don’t let your summer AP class go to waste! Let us help you!
BYU online summer school is a great way to stay productive during the summer and to get ahead on classes for the next school year. It is independent study and puts no deadlines on the work and tests. This can be both good and bad. On the one hand it allows students to have a flexible schedule that allows for sports and travel. On the other hand, however, it can be challenging to learn the material without a teacher and to keep a good pace. Study Hut can help with all this.
High school students are accustomed to having a teacher present to explain the material to them. Studying independently is a skill that students often don’t master until they go to college. Therefore, learning concepts online can be difficult and frustrating. Our tutors are familiar with the BYU classes, how they are structured, and what is expected from the students taking them. Coming to the Study Hut allows students to go over any material they have trouble understanding on their own, or simply confirming that what they have learned is correct.
Time management is often a challenge for high school students. They tend to procrastinate and get behind in their work. It is not unusual to see a whole BYU course being crammed into the last two weeks of summer vacation. The result is usually a low grade and a stressful end to the break. Seeing a tutor at the Study Hut is a perfect way to make sure this doesn’t happen! We will lay out a timeline and hold the student accountable.
Study Hut is an official BYU proctoring center. So if tutoring is not necessary students can still come here to take their tests. We administer the tests for $50. And if the student is being tutored here, the tests are free!
Study Hut offers Spanish and French tutoring and, of course, English; Chinese was, up until recently, a rough subject for tutors and students alike, ranking itself as, in all righteousness, one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn and acquire.
I am, although Chinese in nature, unfortunately, not a native Chinese speaker; ergo, I was initially uncomfortable — hesitant — with tutoring such a complex language. With this gracelessness notwithstanding, I sat down with Middle School enthusiast, Rees, and began what I would categorize as an extremely productive session where we went through the fundamentals of common Chinese dialogue. Writing Chinese characters was, surprisingly, a “cinche”, and Rees and I sped through a decent amount of material in a relatively short amount of time. Whereas I distinctly remember Chinese being rather abstract and difficult to comprehend, I was pleasantly taken aback by the current academic approach to Chinese as a foreign language, a consequence of crossing the cultural divide — integration at its best — globalizing and simplifying a language crucial to the growing world economy.
Chinese still lacks the omnipresence and fluency of English, ergo, making America the dominating country in the world, but this ancient language is steadily growing into a universal medium for commercial communication. Therefore, it is with great joy that Study Hut now offers Chinese as one of our subjects. We are extremely excited to support our students with this new systemic development!
Finding the time to prepare for the SAT during the regular school year can be difficult. Between homework, sports, activities, friends, family…its hard to find the time and easy to come up with reasons to put off studying for the SAT. Don’t put it off anymore! What better time than the summer time to get started and stay focused on preparing for the SAT without the stress of schoolwork.
Beginning Tuesday July 10th, and ending Thursday, August 23rd, Study Hut will offer a two hour, twice a week group course. The course will focus on fundamental academic skills and test-taking strategies required to succeed on the SAT. This course will include four proctored full-length practice tests and fourteen personalized online homework assignments catered to each student’s specific weaknesses.
Study Hut will also offer one-on-one Sat courses with a variety of different packages. The packages range from a 24 hour course to a 40 hour course. The number of proctored tests and online homework assignments varies with each package. Students can also come in for hourly SAT tutoring using the same materials as the courses.
The courses will be taught by experienced and local tutors that students enjoy being around, and our students on average see
200 point increase!
There will be a FREE diagnostic test for students on Saturday June 16, from 8am to 12pm. Please contact Justin at Justin@studyhut.com or (310) 540-5888 for more details.
