College Nannies + Tutors is offering a Free SAT Practice Test this Saturday October 12 and Saturday, November 9, 2013. The previously released version of the SAT test will be proctored by a qualified College Tutor at their Learning Center at the corner Cox and Broad (by Moe’s and Five Guys). It is completely free of charge with no strings attached.
This test mimics the actual testing environment so that students can gain familiarity with the timed test which begins at 9am. Students will receive their scores within 3 business days and learn more about their strengths and areas of opportunity where customized tutoring can boost scores. To register with NO obligation, contact College Nannies + Tutors today at 804.346.2242.
Visit the website for more information on College Nannies + Tutors.
Parent-teacher conferences are a great opportunity to connect with your children’s teachers and become more involved in their education. However, your involvement shouldn’t end there. Make an action plan to keep your children on track throughout the year.
“Parent-teacher conferences are often when parents become aware of their children’s educational deficiencies. Unfortunately, many parents expect the problems to just go away,” notes Chad Schwartz President of Tutoring Club. “The sooner parents decide to take action to keep their children on track; the easier it will be for them and their children.”
Promote Effective Communication
Parents should talk with their children about their experiences in the classroom. Find out what children feel are their best subjects and which subjects they like the least. See if there is anything your children would like you to talk about with their teachers. Moreover, assure your children they needn’t worry about the meeting; that they understand you and the teachers are meeting to help them.
Take Your Children’s Work to the Meeting
Taking samples of tests, homework, and progress reports can help parents focus the meeting on their children’s specific academic needs. It is important to know what to address when developing an action plan. Keeping a folder with these items may be helpful and could save time when parent-teacher conferences arrive.
Finding Improvement Areas
During the parent-teacher conference, make sure to discuss your children’s strengths and weaknesses. It may be beneficial to understand how your children’s teachers grade assignments so you can help guide their classroom performance. Identify skill gaps with the teacher when developing the action plan suited for your children’s academic success.
Begin the Action Plan with Your Children
After the parent-teacher conference, review notes and discuss problem areas with your children. If specific problem areas have been noted, or if their overall grades seem marginal, talk to them about possible causes and solutions. If the conclusion is your children need extra help or motivation, consider individualized tutoring.
Tutoring Club helps children reach their full academic level more quickly. Tutoring Club offers individualized instruction by professional tutors who work with your children, creating lesson plans to address their specific academic needs. According to Schwartz “When parents invest in tutoring, they show children they believe learning is a priority, and they are committed to their children’s success.”
Meeting with your children’s teachers can and should build strong parent-teacher partnerships. By participating in conferences and establishing a good relationship with teachers, you can help your children complete a great academic school year.
Tutoring Club’s exclusive TutorAid programs are guaranteed to improve individual skills in core academic areas like reading, writing, and math. Individualized instruction in science and foreign languages, as well as in basic learning skills such as note taking, outlining, time management and ACT/SAT preparation is also available. For more information on Tutoring Club, visit www.tutoringclub.com or contact Howard Stracke, Tutoring Club of Glen Allen, 804-405-4968.
Also, learn more about the how important Math is to education for kids!
Tutoring Club is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
It’s time to Finish Strong!
With the break of winter, distractions abound. Flowers bloom, spring sports begin; we feel the warmth of the sun and think summer is just around the corner. But, before we reach summer we have to finish the school year and finish it strong. With only a couple months left and SOL’s in May, it is important for students to stay focused on the end game.
As parents we need to ensure our students don’t fade during the final weeks of school. Now is the time to review the rules set at the beginning of the school year and make adjustments as necessary. With extra daylight and increased activities, it’s easy for homework to fall by the wayside, so sticking to a plan and schedule becomes more critical than ever.
Making sure your student is getting enough sleep and setting adequate time aside for study will help them stay on top of tests and projects. If your student is moving into the danger zone with grades, homework or focus, consider one-on-one tutoring to ensure a strong finish to the school year. It’s not too late to turn a C to a B or a B into an A. At College Tutors, we focus on each student’s individual needs; we create a statement of goals specifically for each student and develop a plan to help them reach those goals! And since College Tutors does not have a contract or a registration fee, you pay only for the services needed whether that’s homework help, test prep or improving subject-specific grades.
If standardized tests are on the horizon for your children, help them alleviate anxiety by utilizing practice tests. Any preparation or practice tests will make students more relaxed and confident on test day. Confidence going into the test is often the make or break factor in the test results. Taking timed practice tests can be especially effective preparation as it is often the stress of being timed, not the content, that produces anxiety.
High school students face AP tests and high school juniors are preparing to take the SAT or ACT exams. Spring of junior year is the best time to take the SAT/ACT test for the first time as it increases chances for early admission!
College Tutors offers a free SAT practice test on April 20.
The end of the school year is a very popular time for additional tutoring and tutors’ schedules will fill up fast. Be sure to get your child the help they need to finish strong.
Call today to inquire about one-on-one customized tutoring or to register for the practice test.
Glen Allen Learning Center at the corner of Cox and Broad
Phone 804-346-2242
College Nannies and Tutors is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
Mathematic skills are built one level at a time; a lack of mastery in one area makes reaching the next level difficult, if not impossible.
Unlike reading and writing, math skills build on one another – and failing to master a particular skill area creates a shaky foundation for all the skills that follow, which can ultimately lead to a loss of confidence and a loss of interest for the subject.
“By sixth grade, students need to have mastered their basic math skills,” says Chad Schwartz, President of the Tutoring Clubs. “At this point, they will be ready to move into new mathematical territory with middle school math and pre-Algebra. When students haven’t mastered the basics, however, their future success in math becomes highly problematic.”
What makes mathematics all the more challenging for students is that since each skill level builds on the previous one, a lack of mastery in one area makes reaching the next level difficult, if not impossible. “Math skills need to be presented logically, but the key steps in mastery are to see it, understand it, and practice it,” Schwartz observes.
Students who begin Tutoring Club’s math skills program begin by taking a basic diagnostic test, which is then analyzed by computer to identify problem areas that need to be strengthened – known as “skills gaps.” From this diagnostic software, an individualized lesson plan is created and then administered by professional teachers/ tutors to fill in those math skills gaps. “We don’t leave a lesson until a student has mastered the material being practiced,” says Schwartz. “Building and retaining math skills can seem like climbing Mt. Everest to some students, but our goal is to make it more like overcoming one mole hill at a time – and we literally leave no child behind.”
“With the Tutoring Club format,” states Schwartz, “We take each basic skill and then break it down into component skills. We then create a series of repetitive drills that both teach and reinforce those skills, and we measure their mastery before moving on to the next skill level.”Tutoring Club not only provides the setting and expertise to develop and retain math skills, it also makes an unprecedented guarantee in the process:
Students will improve by one grade level for every 32 hours of tutoring, or the tutoring sessions will continue at no additional cost until the goal has been reached.
Tutoring Club is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
]]>
Does your child shrug and sigh when he or she hears the word “algebra”? Then he/she is not alone – many kids struggle with algebra and others just don’t know why it’s important to learn it to begin with.
And why is algebra such a big deal anyway? Will kids ever need that knowledge and training?
Absolutely and the Tutoring Club can explain why. The article below was written by the Tutoring Club to help kids and adults understand the value of learning algebra today for success tomorrow!
Why Algebra?
Algebra is the “gatekeeper” that lets people into rewarding careers — and keeps others out. It is used by photographers, architects, upholsterers and just about everyone in a high-tech career. It is simply a civil right, says Robert Moses, a veteran of the civil rights movement.
Basic algebra is the first in a sequence of higher-level math classes that students need to succeed. Because many students fail to get a solid math foundation, an alarming number of them are graduating from high school unprepared for either college or work. Many are taking remedial math in college, which makes getting a degree a longer, costlier process than it is for their more prepared classmates. And it means they’re less likely to complete a college-level math course. For middle school students and their parents, the message is clear: It’s easier to learn the math now than to try to relearn it later.
What Makes Algebra So Important?
The first year of algebra is the prerequisite for all higher level math: geometry, algebra II, trigonometry and calculus. According to a study by the ACT, students who take algebra I, geometry, algebra II and one additional high-level math course are much more likely to succeed in college math.
Algebra is not just for the college-bound. Students headed straight from high school to the work force will need the same math skills as college freshmen, the ACT found. This ACT study looked at occupations that don’t require a college degree but pay wages high enough to support a family of four. Researchers found that math and reading skill levels required to work as an electrician, plumber or upholsterer were comparable to those needed to succeed in college.
Algebra is, in short, the gateway to success in the 21st century.
What’s more, your child develops abstract reasoning when he makes the transition from concrete arithmetic to the symbolic language of algebra. That helps him become an abstract thinker, a benefit that will carry over into his study of other subjects.
When Should Your Child Take Algebra?
Students typically take algebra in the eighth grade. The benefit of starting the sequence of high-level math classes in eighth grade is that if your child takes the PSAT as a high school sophomore, she will have completed geometry. By the time she’s ready to take the SAT or ACT as a high school junior, she will have completed a second year of algebra. Both of these college admissions tests have questions based on algebra II.
There’s a growing movement to have students take algebra in seventh grade. That may work well for students who are motivated, mature and prepared to tackle it. But many seventh-graders aren’t, math educators say.
“Some kids get turned off of math because they start algebra too early,” says Francis Fennell, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, the nation’s leading organization of math teachers.
Parents, he said, need to “make sure you ask yourself, ‘Is this move for you or for your child?'” Fennell recommends talking to your child’s current teacher to help you assess her readiness to advance. The goal is for your child to learn algebra well and keep her engaged in math, not push her through the curriculum as quickly as possible.
Look for Homework Clues
W. Stephen Wilson is a Johns Hopkins math professor who teaches freshman calculus and is a former senior advisor for mathematics in the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. He offers this advice to parents trying to evaluate their students’ math instruction:
“If a student isn’t bringing home work that requires lots of manipulation and lots of word problems, then there is probably a problem.”
Fennell suggests talking to your child and the math teacher about how homework is used. You may learn a lot from the answers if you ask:
- Are homework assignments corrected and returned in a timely way?
- Is homework reviewed in class so students can learn from their mistakes?
- Does the teacher change the pace or direction of his instruction, based on the feedback he gets in homework?
You don’t need to be a mathematician to ask good questions about the content of your child’s class, Fennell says. “Ask the teacher ‘What is the math? Is it a repeat of math that should have already been mastered? When my child finishes this year, will he be ready for high school math?'”
Bill Moore directs the Transition Mathematics Project in Washington state, which is working to better prepare students for the transition to college math. He summed up what middle school students need to get out of math this way:
“Students need to have a very solid foundation of basic procedural skills that really make problem-solving more fluid. There’s a fundamental set of stuff that just has to be memorized, and there there’s a sense of numbers, a sense of what’s a reasonable answer. That’s particularly important with the use of calculators. In some cases, in the elementary grades, they’ve been used as a crutch. Students go straight to the calculator and if the calculator says it’s right, then it must be right.”
Look at How Calculators Are Used
Talk to your child’s math teacher about how calculators are used in the classroom. Debate has raged for years over whether students are relying too much on calculators and failing to learn the standard algorithms – addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. But there does seem to be general agreement with the view expressed by Fennell that “the calculator is an instructional tool. It should support but not supplant anything. You don’t use it for 6 x 7.”
For more information on algebra or any other subject, contact the experts at the Tutoring Club. They offer kids the advantage they need to excel today and succeed in life.
The Tutoring Club is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
Does homework cause stress in your home?
There’s a great deal riding on your student’s academic success; don’t let homework hassles interfere. Investing in homework help tutoring can make your student more successful.
One-on-one attention targeted to your student’s current needs produces real results whether it’s math, science or test prep. With focused attention to a focused need, get help exactly where it’s needed.
Happy children and successful students strengthen your family bond. If you’d like to avoid tense moments over homework, you owe it to your family to contact College Nannies + Tutors today! College Tutors® are available to help your student at home or in our Learning Center at Cox and Broad.
Mention ‘Holiday Tutoring Special’ and new clients get the 6th session free. Special offered through 12/31/12.
College Nannies +Tutors is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
]]>ARTICLE UPDATE: SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 – Next test dates: SAT – Oct 6 and Nov 3; ACT – Oct 27. These are by far the most popular test dates for Seniors because it is their last chance to improve scores before they’re inked into college applications. Contact us if your student needs help!
Do you ever wonder why and how tutoring works? How are tutors able to help students?
As students head back to school, lots of parents are asking these questions. Many are already preparing and planning for college prep exams such as PSAT, SAT, and ACT exams – and the question of tutors for teens comes up often.
College Tutors provide excellent tutoring services for children and teens in the Richmond area. They help students of all ages reach their full potential. College Tutors ensure their tutors are well-trained and prepared to make learning fun and effective.
The following offers other great reasons you may want to consider a tutor during the school year:
- Tutoring works because students get personalized, one-on-one attention to start with. Teachers are limited with the amount of individualized time they can offer students and this means some kids may need a little more help. Tutors are committed to your student during a tutoring session and they are able to assess an individual’s strengths and weaknesses. This allows the tutor to offer the best possible teaching and learning experience. Students are
often more responsive to learning with a tutor than with their own parents too. - Tutors take advantage of the one-on-one time to also teach organization, time management, note-taking, studying, and test taking skills.
- Tutoring also allows kids to interact directly with their “teacher”. They can ask questions or offer hypothetical situations and discuss them with their tutor. Most students feel less intimidated with a tutor because they are not asking questions in front of an entire classroom of their peers.Tutors encourage questions and interaction and make sure each individual feels comfortable expressing thoughts and ideas in multiple ways.
- College Tutors also help kids establish good study habits and teach them valuable research skills. They make it fun to research and explore answers to questions. They don’t just give your child the answer but they help him or her figure out how to find answers for themselves.
- With their relationship-based tutoring, College Tutors can determine the best way an individual student learns and then use that to help target the needs and to customize the approach. With the parent’s permission, a College Tutor can use the school’s portal to review what was shared in the classroom to prepare a student for tests, or to concentrate on areas needing attention.
- Some children learn better through reading material while others prefer mind-mapping, drawing, discussing, or writing down information. Tutors focus on the way a student prefers to learn to reinforce information and learning. This is particularly important for teens and older students who have developed some preferences already. It is also a time to introduce other creative methods of learning to them.
- Qualified tutors also help high school students prepare for college. They help students prepare for PSAT, ACT, and SAT exams so they perform their very best. They can make a difference in whether or not the student gets into the college of choice.
College Tutors Builds Stronger Families® by offering a complete set of customized tutoring, homework help and college prep services.
- They offer a complete set of one-on-one customized tutoring for all ages and all subjects including college test prep.
- Their tutoring services are provided through one-on-one role model tutors and tailored to each student’s individual needs.
- Tutors are selected for students based on subject matter and grade level to assure students get optimal results from tutoring services. For example, teens require a different type of tutor than those in primary grades.
That is what makes College Tutors different — and that is what makes their students successful.
If you have questions about tutoring and how it works, contact College Nannies & Tutors at 804.346.2242, or visit their website. They are able to match the best tutor for your student’s age and area of study. It’s a great way to give your child an advantage in learning and advancing in an effective and meaningful way.
College Nannies & Tutors is an advertiser on Richmondmom.com
]]>