I’m Jenna, the newest tutor at Study Hut in Manhattan Beach.
I am so excited to be part of this team of awesome tutors who help students succeed and make them laugh at the same time!
I grew up in Manhattan Beach surfing and playing soccer and tennis at Mira Costa High School. As hard as it was to give up the beach for a few years, I moved to New Orleans to study Economics at Tulane University and, of course, to celebrate Mardi Gras! After graduating from college, I taught elementary school in New Orleans with Teach For America for a couple of years. I adored my students and wanted to continue teaching but I also wanted to study Spanish so I moved to Ecuador to teach English. I taught students of all ages and fell in love with the country but missed my family very much so I cam home after a year.
Now that I am back in Manhattan Beach, I am thrilled to be working with the most energetic, dedicated, fun-loving tutors in the area! The Study Hut crew is an amazing team of all-star tutors that work together to make sure the students master everything from Spanish and Calculus to learning how to read. In my first week here I have seen how the Study Hut tutors work together as a team to tackle the goals of each student. The team dynamic is truly unique in a tutoring environment and gives the students the best of the best! Study Hut tutors have made me feel at home and I can confidently say that it is truly one of the best work environments that exist. Of course, the students are the best part of this job and I can’t wait to meet more of them at Study Hut Manhattan Beach.
Every year, Parras Middle School hosts a lively fundraising event that gathers the local community for a day of creative entertainment –ranging from vivacious drum circles to colorful sidewalk art. This would be the second year Study Hut has been participating and supporting local schools like Parras Middle School in Redondo Beach.
The 5×5 ft sidewalk canvas was set up next to dozens of other participants who also wanted to support the local Redondo Beach schools. Our tutors, Valerie Chavez & Vin Castillo represented the Study Hut with chalk in hand and pastel in the other. The creativity was billowing in the air with chalk dust as everyone meticulously crafted their art.
The Study Hut design, with the help of designer/tutor, Jenny Smith, depicted a surfer riding the waves of a book with the great Study Hut logo in the foreground. We thought it was a creative design that united two of Study Hut’s fundamental values: Study hard and have fun doing it. Needless to say, Valerie & Vin couldn’t help but break from their artistic endeavor and join in on the drum circle/limbo contest across the field. Banging on drums and joining the youth in a friendly game of limbo dancing, Study Hut truly exemplifies what it means to be active and supportive in the community.
There was much energy that filled the air at Chalk It Up, but what enticed our olfactory senses was the luscious smell of freshly popped kettle corn. The smell of the sweet and salty treat came in waves that re-energized us from the scorching heat of the sun. I’m sure the Redondo Beach locals were satisfied with the nice heaping bag of kettle corn, shave ice and graphic sidewalk art. Study Hut definitely had a great time at Chalk It Up. We will definitely be there next year to support the local schools of Redondo Beach!
I love all of the kids I tutor at Study Hut, but there are a few who I have especially enjoyed lately. Sarah is someone that I see regularly. She always comes into Study Hut with a smile on her face. She is motivated to do well…sometimes she just doesn’t realize how much work it actually takes to get an A. We mostly work on math together. She learns quickly but just once and awhile gets stuck on a certain topic. It can sometimes take a long time for her to get that concept, but once she has it down she is super happy and more motivated. She has raised her grade from a D to a B, and I’m really proud of her! Another one of my favorite students in Dave. Dave came into Study Hut with almost all D’s. He had no tools on how to study for a test, and didn’t realize how much work it was going to take to be a good student. I had to be really strict him by making sure he wrote in his planner every day, and I always sent him home with a checklist on what he needed to finish that day. His grades are still not where I would like them to be, but his attitude has changed completely. I think that Study Hut has provided him with the confidence that he needed. He used to just not do assignments because of a fear of failure, but with a little encouragement he is constantly improving. My other students name is Charlie. She is in the 10th grade, and I feel like she is a mini me. She works hard but not everything comes naturally to her. Luckily she has the discipline to come into tutoring twice a week. She is taking her final today and I can’t wait to see how she did.
After an entire year off from Algebra, students often need help getting reacquainted with the foundational math concepts that they will build on in Algebra II. Students who were geometry masters, may become flustered and embarrassed when, come September, they realize that they’ve since forgotten how to find and graph the equation of a line.
Don’t fret, though, there is hope! This summer, Study Hut Tutoring is bringing back its five-week Algebra II prep course, just in time for Fall!
Beginning Tuesday, July 24th and ending Thursday, August 23rd, this two-hour, twice weekly course will span the Algebra II coursework delineated by the California State Standards and will offer experiential and material support for students to bolster their mathematical comprehension before the start of the school year.
Algebra II expands the mathematical concepts learned in Algebra I and Geometry, such as: utilizing order of operations, solving equations and inequalities through computation and graphing, coordinate and trigonometric geometry, and manipulating functions and inequalities. This course’s content will serve as the basis for your student’s success in future mathematics courses – Precalculus, Statistics, Trigonometry, and Calculus alike – as well as on the SAT Exam’s quantitative reasoning section!
Hut’s Algebra II Summer Prep course will begin with a review of basic Algebra, including: solving systems of linear equations and inequalities by substitution, elimination and graphing; solving polynomials by factoring and long division; and review the most foundational mathematical concept: the order of operations.
In the span of just twenty hours, students will be introduced to the concepts of: quadratic, logarithmic, and exponential functions; complex numbers; and conics and radical expressions; long before their classmates have even heard of such mathematical monstrosities! And their enhanced ability to demonstrate a working knowledge of how these equations are related, both arithmetically and graphically, will give them a log up come Fall.
The school year is almost over and summer is just around the corner. While many students are excited for the break from schooling, it is important to remember that the summer can be a time of great learning too. Here at the Study Hut we are excited to be offering a number of summer courses to help prepare students for the upcoming school year. One program we are particularly excited about this summer, is the Summer Reading and Writing Workshop Program. This Program is designed to help students with their summer reading assignments and prepare them for the upcoming school year.
This program offers a variety of specialized packages for private one-on-one tutors sessions for all grade levels. Packages range from 10 sessions @$50/session to 30 sessions at $40/session at your convenience throughout the summer. Our Kindergarten through 2nd grade programs focus on the building blocks of reading and writing including “fun-ducational” activities. The 3rd through 5th grade program focuses fluency and comprehension and will include a book report and at-home reading assignments. The 6th through 10th grade programs will focus on advanced writing and literary analysis skills including analyzing literary devices and developing a strong well written essay. All of the programs will include supplemental reading and educational materials to help further develop reading and writing fundamentals.
The Summer Reading and Writing Workshops will be held at both the Redondo Beach and Mannhattan Beach Study Hut locations. For more information about the Redondo Beach location please contact Justin at justin@studyhut.com or call (310) 540-5888. For more information on the Mannhattan Beach location contact Samantha at samantha@studyhut.com or call (310) 546-2408. However you decide to spend your summer,enjoy yourself and remember that here at the Study Hut, we are always happy to help.
As the year is winding down for elementary, middle, and high school students alike, it may not be the time to give up quite yet. The dreaded end of year tradition—finals—is just around the corner. With about four weeks left to study, now is the best time to start thinking about finals, especially with a tough curriculum, like Newport Harbor High School. Why spend the night before your test cramming a semester’s worth of information into your head? Why spend day after day last-minute-studying and not getting enough sleep?
Do your future self a favor—DON’T procrastinate. Start working on study tools now. Study Hut is a great place to start. Make a phone call and get to work with a cool Newport Beach tutor; someone who is fresh out of college–someone is already prepping with other students from Newport Beach. Start making those flashcards and study guides. A Study Hut tutor in Newport Beach can make sure you are focusing on the exact material that will be on your test. When it comes time to push yourself into full final-mode, all you’ll have to do is whip out those pre-made flashcards and study guides and get going. Sounds pretty stress-free compared to the coffee-drinking and study-snacking that would occur after four weeks of procrastination.
Start out by outlining a general study plan for each subject. Will you make a study guide or look over old tests for your history final? Will you memorize math formulas from practice problems or flashcards? Your local Newport Beach Study Hut tutor can help you get this process started. Once you have created an active study plan, you will only have to do a little bit of work each day to prepare.
Study now, so you can stress less and sleep more later.
As school winds down and our students head into their last finals of
the year, parents might be starting to look ahead to next semester.
One of the most common sources of anxiety for students and parents is
mathematics. Now, more than ever, high school students are expected to
learn higher math concepts at a faster pace. Common pitfalls, like
organization and study skills, conceptualization, and test taking
anxiety, can add unnecessary stress to students’ lives and affect
their performance in and out of school.
Getting ahead on math during the summer is the best way of keeping
sharp and building confidence for the fall. The Redondo Beach Study
Hut will be offering prep courses in Algebra I & II and Geometry that
focus on the math principles needed for success during the school
semester. Out tutors are experts at bringing mathematics back down to
earth, and since we work in the Torrance and Palos Verdes districts,
we know better than anyone the teaching styles of specific teachers
from each school. Building a strong foundation is key, and Study Hut
has the means to make it a fun, memorable experience!
Our 5-week classes will begin during the last week of July, and they
meet twice a week for a total of 20 hours of math instruction! Making
an investment in math now means less math anxiety and better
comprehension of the more difficult math concepts. Everything is
easier to learn the second time!
Please contact Justin at Justin@studyhut.com or (310) 540-5888 for
more details!
I’m writing in regards to this “Study Hut” organization that I keep hearing so much about. I was told that all four “Huts” were basically the same, so I took the liberty of visiting them myself.
I have found that Hut 1, the Manhattan Beach Study Hut, is clearly, unequivocally superior to the other three, located in Redondo Beach, El Segundo, and Newport. I will now provide several reasons for my conclusion.
• When you walk in to Hut 1, your senses are treated to a comforting mix of botanical delights and earthy hues. The calming décor reminds one of a pleasant island retreat. It’s the most truly Hut-esque, is what I’m saying.
• However, the physical surroundings somehow pale in comparison to the explosion of aesthetic bliss also known as the Hut 1 staff. This is without a doubt the most collectively attractive group of people I have ever encountered.
• Additionally, the kids at Hut 1 are incredibly bright. Their studies range from mathematics, all the way up to calculus, to AP physics, to Chinese. I strolled past one table and heard a student and tutor discussing the complications with Kantian ethics. You can imagine my pleasant surprise when I discovered the student was in second grade and was also sporting a monocle. Clearly, this is an organization bursting with class and sophistication.
• When I was walking back to my Rolls, I noticed a tall freckled fellow attempting to grill burgers using nothing but small metal tongs and a pack of matches. I applaud your attempt to remain environmentally friendly.
I think you’ll agree that Hut 1 is simply an Eden. Hut 2, Hut 3, and Hut 4, while their efforts are commendable, simply cannot approach the talent and panache emanating from the original.
With the summer fast approaching, it is easy –almost tempting, to forget school entirely and begin the process of unwinding to prepare for the lazy days ahead. Don’t get us wrong, you deserve this break and you should most definitely take the time to rest your mind and body. However, it is equally important to keep that brain active and prepare for the upcoming school year. So while you are basking in the sun and playing at the beach, do not forget that Study Hut is just a block away to satisfy all your academic cravings. And we have something special in store for you this summer.
The best and brightest tutors at the Hut have designed ingenious reading and writing workshops to not only help you succeed in your classes, but also to hone these skills which will undoubtedly prove to be an asset in your future endeavors. You will actively improve your writing abilities as you navigate through the various styles of essays and you will learn how to read (yes, read) with the goal of extracting facts, recalling vital information without having to continually re-read while boosting your speed without compromising your comprehension. And if you know Study Hut, then you know we will make these workshops fun, informative and interesting. Keep in mind that regardless of the classes you will enroll in, your ability to read and write will directly impact your understanding of the course and ultimately affect your grade. Beyond school, your reading and writing skills will be tested again when you take the SATs and/or ACTs for college and then again during college. And thus, it is in your best interest to invest some time and energy to really develop these skills that are so vital in life.
Finals are approaching quickly and AP testing is right around the corner. Students are stressing out because they aren’t sure how they’re going to remember everything from the whole entire semester. But there’s no need to worry! With preparation and planning, Study Hut Redondo Beach tutors can help you tune into the secrets to ace those tests. Although some students find studying for finals excruciating, having a good study buddy and study space makes a huge difference and that’s what we offer for our students. Each subject and student requires different methods of studying. So, the students are paired up with tutors who they can get along with and who are experts in the subjects they need help in. We can assist them in filling out those last minute study guides, making detailed flashcards, and taking practice tests. In math and physics, we understand that there’s what seems a never ending list of equations. In English, we know that writing essays is a long process. In science, we recognize that the vocabulary could be a little confusing. In foreign language, we realize that conjugations and translating between words gets frustrating. We teach you how to apply those equations to problems, write outlines for essays, and understand vocabulary. I spent a session working with a student on her outline for an essay and she came back the following week with a smile on her face because she knew she did well. I also had one student thank me for tutoring her on the water cycle because she enjoyed how we drew it out and made diagrams for it. We understand that teachers don’t always explain things clearly, but they still show up on the finals! We’re here to make sure you get everything, so come on over and meet your tutor today!
