Last updated 3 months ago
It’s time to dispel the misconception that tutors are only for students who can’t learn—that is simply not true! Whether it is to help with SAT prep or for supplemental instruction in a tough area, making use of a tutoring program is one of the best ways to leverage your child to academic success. You should never hesitate to secure a tutor for a child who needs one.
Benefits of Tutoring
Tutoring is a great option for students who are struggling in school or who need to catch up on missed material. This type of one-on-one instruction is geared to the specific needs of your student. There is no need to worry about an instructor teaching to the learning style of every other student. When it is one-on-one, your child is given the sole attention of an instructor and a tutoring approach that will be fitted to their personal learning style. Tutors can also slow down or speed up the material as necessary—an advantage students won’t have in the classroom. You can gain a competitive edge for college admission by tutoring. Students can get a leg up on the competition with the skills and knowledge they will develop through tutoring.
When to Seek Tutoring
Many people associate the need for tutoring exclusively with students who are struggling to keep up with their studies, or who are having trouble understanding the material in their classes. But students can benefit from tutoring for a wide range of reasons. You can also seek a tutor for college prep, SAT prep or ACT prep, or just to ensure that you stay up to speed in your classes.
If you are in an educational situation where you could benefit from tutoring, don’t hesitate to contact a qualified tutor for help. For more information about your tutoring options, contact Sylvan Learning Centers of San Ramon and Pleasanton today at (888) 842-3094.
Last updated 4 months ago
Reading is a fundamental part of learning that benefits children throughout their school years and into their adulthood. When children begin to fall behind with reading, their learning and comprehension in other subjects may suffer as well. If your child is having trouble learning to read, then let the tutors at Sylvan Learning Center help your child get back on track and succeed in reading.
- Customized Learning Plans
Before a child begins tutoring sessions at Sylvan, proprietary assessments are used to determine the specific learning needs of that child. Sylvan uses this information to create a customized learning plan that focuses on the areas where your child could use the most help. Children are able to focus on those skills that they have the most trouble learning rather than being distracted with a curriculum that they have already mastered. As children progress, their learning plans are adjusted to match their needs. In addition, the tutors at Sylvan Learning Center collaborate with each child’s teacher to ensure that tutoring sessions complement classroom work.
- Mastery of Individual Skills
Our tutors move at your child’s pace, ensuring that each individual reading skill is completely mastered before moving on to new material. By making sure that your child excels in each facet of reading, we can guarantee that your child will become a better and more confident reader.
At Sylvan Learning Center, we provide regular feedback to both students and their parents. Children leave each session with a sense of accomplishment, as their progress is carefully monitored and each achievement is praised. Our tutors regularly hold conferences with parents to provide feedback about their child’s progress and to update them about any areas where their child is still struggling.
At Sylvan Learning Center, we are committed to helping each child succeed. To learn more about our tutoring methods or to schedule a skills assessment, call Sylvan Learning Centers of San Ramon and Pleasanton today at (888) 842-3094.
Last updated 4 months ago
Keeping up with schoolwork and studying can be overwhelming at times, even for the most dedicated students. If you would like academic advice available at your fingertips, then check out 101 Studying & Exam Tips, an app for Android phones.
Filled with advice to help students study for exams and improve their grades, this application is great for students in high school or college. 101 Studying & Exam Tips features an interface that is easy to use and navigate so that you can quickly boost your studying skills.
For more tips to help students study and learn effectively or for information about our tutoring services, call Sylvan Learning Centers of San Ramon and Pleasanton today at (888) 842-3094.
Last updated 4 months ago
I’ve just read two reports that confirm what parents and teachers have long known – and what the Dr. Rick Blog has long advocated. The more parents are involved in their kids’ learning, the better the kids do. Not at all surprising, but good to have recognized. Again.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests 15-year-olds in reading, math, and science, the subjects most necessary for college success. American teens have not been covering themselves with glory lately. To find out why, PISA interviewed the parents of 5,000 students. How did they raise their kids? How did that affect their kids’ scores?
Not surprisingly, the main findings of these interviews reflect what common sense tells us, what the Dr. Rick Blog has advocated repeatedly, and what teachers attest to daily. Parents who read to and with their kids on a regular basis, who show an active interest in their kids’ learning, and who talk regularly with their kids about school and other subjects are giving their kids a real and powerful leg up in school and life.
Another study, from the Center for Public Education, focused on partnerships between parents and schools. The findings? This sentence says it best: “Programs and interventions that engage families in supporting their children’s learning at home are linked to higher student achievement.”
Here’s a brief summary of the take-aways of the two studies, with some of my own comments from past blog posts.
- Read with your kids. The earlier the better. The 15-year-olds who came from a background of reading from their earliest years had a significant performance advantage over kids who didn’t. Socioeconomic background didn’t play a role. Reading did. Read to them. Let them read to you.
- Show an interest. Talking with your kids about school every day, showing a genuine and active interest, and being consistent with it are things every parent can do. Kids love it when we’re involved, even when they roll their eyes and try to give monosyllabic responses. They know we have their back, we’re supporting them, and we’ll be there for them.
- Talk with your kids. Simply talk. Talk about the day, about friends, about lunch, recess, classes, and teachers. Talk about sports, family history, local heroes, books, movies, music. Talk about the school play, the band concert, the soccer team. Build strong verbal, conversational, social skills.
- Stay involved with homework. Here’s how. Make sure there’s a routine set up for homework and study. Know the important due-dates for book reports, science fair projects, and social studies essays. Keep the kids on track by breaking down big projects into smaller ones.
- Insist on good teachers. Nothing beats a good teacher in every classroom, but even the best teachers need support from parents. They can’t do it alone.
- Support school and community efforts to involve more parents. Most schools have programs that reach out to parents. I’ve seen parents’ book clubs discussing how to make the most of home study. I’ve seen teachers create parent/child work packets that can go home with kids and encourage parents’ involvement. Parents want to help. If they don’t know how, schools can show them the way.
- Have high expectations about attendance. Attendance matters. Can’t keep up if you’re not in class. Can’t participate if you’re not in class. Can’t learn from peers, can’t ask questions, or can’t actively engage if you’re not in class.
- Have high expectations about school behavior. Learning is so much simpler if everyone plays by the rules. Make sure
your kids’
classroom behavior is appropriate for maximum learning.
Share your goals with your kid’s teachers. Teachers like knowing whatfamilies’ academic goals. As a teacher, it helps me to know that you’re working with your child to improve her reading comprehension, say, or her punctuation skills. Now I can work with her. Communicate regularly with teachers. Go to meetings when you can, email, keep up with teachers’ pages on the school website. When kids see that we adults are working together to assure their success, they know we’re serious. Reports like these two are important for lots of reasons – academic, social, pedagogical – but they’re most powerful when they confirm our parental and teaching instincts. Parental involvement matters.
Last updated 4 months ago
Your child’s academic success won’t come without hard work, and sometimes that may require a little extra effort. With these resources, you can learn about tutoring and ensuring your student’s academic readiness. If you’re ready to find the right tutor for SAT prep or subject area help, contact the Sylvan Learning Centers of San Ramon and Pleasanton at (888) 842-3094.
- When it comes to the SAT, a tutor can be an invaluable resource. To learn more about effective SAT prep, check out this article.
- If you are considering a college prep course, figuring out which one is the best for your student’s needs can be hard. This how-to guide can offer your some extra help in choosing the right college prep course.
- Interested in learning what a Sylvan tutor can do for your child? Learn more about the Sylvan Guarantee and why it makes such a difference.
