There are quite a few benefits to homeschooling—taking initiative, learning at your own pace, and making your own schedule. That said, one of the most important parts of learning is the inspiration and insight that an instructor can give you. They say you never really learn something unless you teach it—and that’s true! Tutoring has given me a stronger foundation in a number of subjects. But, more importantly, it’s about the relationship I make with my individual students. It’s so exciting to discover how to reach a student, to explain something and see a light bulb go off!
Recently, I have been working with Daniel, who is a home-schooled 7th grader. We work on the full range of subjects, from English to Math to French. He is a self-motivated and intelligent individual, who does a great job learning up and keeping up with the material. But it’s also a great thing that he complements his home-schooling by coming in to Study Hut a couple of times a week; it’s a good time to review his progress, discuss areas of concern, and tutor him on challenging lessons and topics.
Being home-schooled is a unique privilege, but I don’t believe it should fully replace the role of an instructor or individual tutor. Our parents are there for us as we grow up, teaching us everything from walking to driving, but sometimes it’s nice to have a different perspective on learning a subject. Or if you’re home-schooling yourself—it’s refreshing and invigorating to be inspired and motivated by someone else, who is enthusiastic about a subject and excited about teaching it. In today’s world, I think there’s more than enough room for one more mentor and role model in a child’s life.
Are you looking to boost your comprehension of high school, middle school, or elementary school classes this summer? Trying to take advantage of your summer break to prepare for the SAT or ACT? Looking to master how to write a good essay? Then Study Hut is the place for you! Even after the school year ends, Study Hut is open for business seven days a week by appointment and ready to help you out.
Whether you’re taking summer school to get ahead on your classes or to raise a grade from this past school year, summer tutoring packages are convenient and affordable. We work to accommodate your custom schedule! Summer is the best time to take advantage of all the resources Study Hut has to offer. If you don’t want to take an SAT preparation course at the same time as you have all of your work for classes in the fall, take one during the summer! You’ll come in for four hours a week for a period of seven weeks, receiving individualized instruction. We’re confident you will feel ready for the SAT in the fall.
There will be a maximum of ten students per group for SAT/ACT preparation, so you’ll get plenty of personalized attention. Get the ball rolling and become an awesome writer over the summer. We’ll help you learn to respond to a variety of prompts, establish a thesis for your essays, and edit your own drafts to create the perfect essay structure. We hope to see you this summer!
Here at Study Hut Tutoring in Manhattan Beach, 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!
Relay for Life is the largest fundraising campaign put on by the American Cancer Society (ACS). Participating fundraising teams spend 24 straight hours running or walking around a track to raise cancer awareness. This year was the first Relay for Life event ever held in Manhattan Beach and the Study Hut decided to team up and join the cause.
Fifteen or so tutors from both Manhattan and Redondo Beach Study Huts attended the event. We walked the track, listened to live music and testimonials, and played games, such as bean bag toss, frisbee, and football.
Overall, the event was very entraining. Kids and adults from all ages came out to and the diverse group of people maybe for a very enjoyable day. It’s because of events like this, through hard work, time, and dedication that survivors all around are able to celebrate more birthdays each and every year. Relay For Life is a life-changing experience.
At Relay, every participant has a chance to celebrate, remember, and fight back. Everyone has a different and unique reason why they Relay. At Relay, you can find healing, comfort, and support from others who have faced cancer or who have lost a loved one to the disease.
You have a chance to meet people who are equally as passionate about finding an end to cancer in our lifetime. No matter why you take part in Relay, however, one thing is clear: with every step you take, you are helping the American Cancer Society save lives.
This year Relay for Life Manhattan Beach 2011 raised $58,000 for the ACS. This being the first year in Manhattan Beach the event did well with room for growth, the local Relay for Life committee is determined to turn Relay into an annual event that will blossom and get bigger over time.
As a parent, you know that your child is a complex individual, full of surprises. You know their dreams and aspirations, their fears and dislikes, what influences and what motivates them. You know that though they may grow bored at school, frustrated with teachers or affected by their peers, that if someone could find the key to tap into your child’s potential they would shine as brightly as they do in your eyes. It is this uniqueness that we try to cultivate. There are a few special ingredients that make Study Hut such a sweet place to learn and one of them is that we recognize each student’s individuality. Tutors are paired students that allow us to foster genuine connections and have a real positive influence. That’s why we enjoy being tutors. While many of our tutors can teach multiple subjects, Study Hut takes the time to place students according to their personality and ambitions. Seeing our students strive for the same goals we’ve have strived for inspires us and we pass this inspiration onto our students.
A real understanding of who your child is also helps us tutor more effectively. Biology becomes a basketball team, physics becomes skate boarding and statistics becomes the probability the Lakers will win the championship (100%, of course!) Students are no longer just another face in a sea of students but part of the Study Hut family. Every child learns differently, and relates differently. Parents know this for their children; tutors should know this for their students. We don’t just teach a child, we teach your child.
I know we’re all feeling that summertime itch, but there’s one last hurdle
before the sun, sand and surf‹finals week.
And so, we will divulge a few finals tips to the stressed-out students out
there:
1. Take care of yourselves. Drink water, eat healthy and get lots of sleep.
Being sick on exam day is definitely something to avoid.
2. Take breaks. Try not to study for more than an hour at a time without a
10-minute break. Keeping your mind fresh is key to making the most of your
study time.
3. Write out a study plan and stick to it. Ideally you should have a study
plan for each of your subjects for at least a week before the actual exam.
1. E.x. MONDAY: U.S. History (World War II): 1 hour; Biology (Nerve System): 1 hour
4. DON’T CRAM. The chance of burning yourself out is too great, and sitting
through an exam with a semi-functioning brain is a special kind of torture.
It is much better for your G.P.A. and your sanity to pace yourself and allow
that knowledge to sink into your long-term memory instead of hoping it will
stick around in your short-term memory.
Keep these tips in mind as you head into the last weeks of this semester,
and from all of us at the Study Hut, “GOOD LUCK!”
If any of you saw a five foot by five foot square with the familiar “Hut” logo on it on the sidewalks of Redondo Beach, it’s because Study Hut was a sponsor at the Chalk It Up! fundraiser this past Saturday! Chalk It Up! is a non-profit organization that raises funds for public school art programs. Since most California schools don’t have the capital to host programs in the arts—including music, painting, sculpture, ceramics, and more—Chalk It Up! takes it upon themselves to do so. The recent fundraiser involved bands from two school, vendors galore, and a generally awesome energy and passion for the arts. It featured some absolutely phenomenal student art, as well as the works of local artists. Our very own Study Hut tutors—Justin, MJ, and Rob—provided the artistic talent that went into decorating our square.
Study Hut recognizes the arts as a fundamental component of a complete education. While at the fundraiser, our tutors spoke with students and parents from the Redondo school district about how the one-on-one tutoring at Study Hut can benefit all fields of study. Make sure to stop by to check out what Study Hut has to offer!
AP tests are right around the corner! Exams kick off bright and early on the morning of May 2nd. Most AP teachers have practice AP exams scheduled, either during class time or on weekends, but it’s crucial at this point that you master the layout of the tests. Each test has a dramatically different format, so be sure to research those which you’re taking on the College Board website. How much time do you have? How many questions? How long should essays be? These questions can all be answered online or in an AP review book, which will also provide hints for test day.
The most important thing to keep in mind before embarking on a four-hour-long AP journey is to not become overwhelmed. Yes, it is easy to get swallowed up by calculus equations or to drown in AP euro’s sea of knowledge. But if you take the material section by section, you certainly will be able to rise to the challenge. Break down the material you’re learning into manageable chunks so that you can learn specific topics that have been difficult for you. Flip through your textbook and jot down the concepts with which you have struggled most throughout the school year. Focus on learning those concepts, and all that you’ve learned during the year will fill in the gaps. Your tutors at Study Hut are all well informed regarding both layout and content of the AP tests, so take advantage of them as an important resource for studying. If need be, go to your teacher with questions. Don’t be worried about asking for help! You’ll be surprised how many people are willing to support you.
The good news: after AP exams, classes tend to wind down and become much more relaxed. All your studying right now will pay off if you’re able to get college credit, pass out of entry-level classes, or even just have a head start on future material. Take the next few weeks seriously, and you will reap the benefits. Your focus and hard work now will pay off.
This week at the Study Hut we are welcoming back sun kissed students from their various spring break trips and activities. I’ve been hearing a lot of “I didn’t think about school at all over the break, it was so nice! It’s hard getting back into school mode.” It is definitely difficult to focus on school when you‘re day dreaming about your epic break. With summer right around the corner, it’s important to remember that you can keep your mind active while hanging out at the beach or road tripping to your favorite camp site. Luckily your tutors at Study Hut in Redondo Beach have some pretty sweet ideas.
After interviewing a few of the other tutors, one of the top ideas to keep your brain working over the summer is to read! While many students have summer reading lists, don’t forget to indulge in your favorite book…even if it is Twilight. Reading is a perfect summer activity while you’re lounging by the pool or tanning at the beach. Another great thing to do is to keep practicing the language you’re taking at school. Do you have a hard time remembering how to speak Spanish or conjugate irregular verbs when you return to school in the Fall? Most of your friends are taking the same language, so hablan en Espanol occasionally. Next time you go to LBJ’s, order in Spanish or if you are at Crème de la Crepe practice your French accent while ordering breakfast. Speaking another language is cool and will definitely help you in the future, so keep it up over your break.
Lastly, take advantage of the gigantic city of Los Angeles, only a few miles from the South Bay, and check out some museums. LACMA, the Getty and the Skirball are just a few that can get you started. If you think of museums as boring destinations for school field trips, then you are missing out! Cool photo exhibits, costume displays from your favorite movies and other interesting parts of the world’s pop culture at your fingertips. We think you should take advantage of it while keeping that mind of yours nice and fresh (especially on Tuesdays, when most museums are free!) Your tutors are always here to help you retain all of the calculus, chemistry and Catcher in the Rye you learn in school, but we also want you to stay sharp while you’re away from the Hut. So while you’re enjoying your time off from school, try to keep these tips in mind so getting back into “school mode,” won’t seem so bad when you return in the fall.
