Education Short List

For most people there comes a time in their education where they realize that they might do better with a bit of help; maybe it’s with a test, writing a paper, a course, or a prerequisite for college.  For myself, it was statistics in grad school (ugh).  Depending on how long the time frame is and how desperate the need is, you might find yourself looking for a professional tutor.  Here you should find information to help with that decision making process.

As the owner, and tutor, of a tutoring company, PDX Tutors,  these points are ones that I took into consideration before starting, as well as ones I tell potential students to think about for themselves.

Things to think about before getting a tutor

As with other parts of your life that require an investment of time and money, it is important to have a set idea of what you are looking for before contacting a tutor
•    What is your budget
•    How often do you want to receive tutoring
•    Where do you want the tutoring done (at your home, their home, an office, or neutral location)
•    What do you need and/or want tutoring in
•    Possible recommendations

Places to find a tutor

In recent years, the educational support field has grown tremendously, thereby creating a variety of places to find a qualified tutor
•    National Chain/Franchise
•    Local, independent tutoring company (http://www.pdxtutors.com/)
•    Local school or school teacher
•    Free forum and local classified ads (http://www.craigslist.org )
•    Local colleges and/or universities

What to ask your potential tutor

Again, by having a set of questions of what you want to know, you will be able to find a program that works best for you
•    What is your background in education
•    What are your qualifications as a tutor
•    How will you assist me with tutoring
•    How flexible are you in meeting my tutoring goals
•    Do you have any preliminary testing/questions before the tutoring begins
•    Are there requirements, or contracts, for the tutoring
•    What are the cost details to the program
•    What curriculum program do you use

Once you make a decision in how to move forward with tutoring, remember to have realistic expectations.  No one can have a D in Geometry on Monday and an A on Friday ( or the next Friday).  Also, the more often you go to tutoring the more likely you are to see an increase in your knowledge retention.

Also see article on Ehow
http://www.ehow.com/how_4844827_finding-right-tutor.html

Parents, families, students, and teachers alike don’t enjoy the hours of homework that students have.  Too often there are only negative emotions and thoughts when it comes to homework; especially the realization that there is just too much homework.  It gets lost the value and importance of having assignments that reinforce what you’ve gone through during the day.  Fortunately there is a template that could provide assistance with that.

Here enters the Reading Log.  Quite possibly – the perfect homework assignment.

A reading log is just that – a log of what you read.  The sample provided (and available for you to use) includes all the necessary parts.

• Space for days of the week, month, year (focus on spelling and knowing the days/months in their proper order)
• Amount of time spent reading – each night can be determined by the grade level of the student (this time could also be used as a simple math problem and allows the student to decide how long they should be reading)
• The Genre and Type sections – again give a student the choice in what they read and it gives them exposure to different reading materials (when using a variety of materials you will also increase your vocabulary, improve your spelling, and gain a higher interest in new reading materials)
• The ‘_____ read to_____’ section – here you have a chance to put some variety into it; for younger students have someone older read to them (this focuses on enhancing their oral language skills {it’s also really great for anyone who is learning a new language}, by listening to someone who is saying the words correctly you then, as the reader, feel confident in saying them correctly.  For older students you can help to read to someone younger or a peer or even a family member.
• The ‘Read from pg.____ to _____pg.’ section – list the number of pages you have read within your given time frame.(great opportunity to do simple math{or for higher level students instead of adding or subtracting the number of pages read, multiply or divide them).
• The total number of pages read can be totaled at the end of the week and used for more mathematical problems and calculations (the level of math would correlate with your student’s ability level)
• The most important part of the reading log would be the Summary.  (Here comes the spelling, grammar, punctuation, writing, and reading comprehension skills)  All of these skills provide the most difficulty for any learner and play a part of the classroom process.

A reading log can be used in any grade level and with a variety of subjects.  In science or social studies, textbook reading, working on a book report, preparing for kindergarten.  It also incorporates a plethora of skills needed in all grades – reading, writing, spelling, reading comprehension, familiarity with different reading types and genres, adding, subtracting, etc.  There are so many ways it can be used.  Give it a shot.

Remember that the reading log doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s homework and therefore a  learning tool.  You can make adjustments as needed by your student.  And if you are using this at home, allow your child to be involved with it.  By claiming ownership you are claiming responsibility – which is another great skill to learn.

DOWNLOAD: reading-log1

I am a:
• teacher
• student
• entrepreneur
• tutor
• learner
• leader

Through this blog I hope to start conversations and interest in the world of education. There are ways that I’ve already been part of it, as well as new forums I am entering. With time and dedication, a growing list can be compiled.

This will include

• Magazine and newspaper articles
• Books
• Experiences
• Teacher commentary
• Parent input
• Helpful know how
• Business trial and errors

It is my goal to take these ideas and allow them to grow from a conversation of one to a growing of many.