Do you ever wish you could get some simple answers about real-world problems that you face as parents or that your child faces as a student? I want to share with you some thoughts on very practical problems that I can help you solve.
Sometimes what I do might sound pretty esoteric. That’s a big word that means you have to have some highfalutin learning or training to understand it. The reality is that what I do is very simple. The common adage about simplicity vs. ease applies here, though, because what I do is often not easy—but it is most often quite simple.
So I’ve decided to write a series of short posts to help you understand how you can change your life and the life of your students—simply. I’m going to address one problem per post so you don’t have to set aside an hour to process everything. (According to my writing app, what I’ve written here should take the average adult only 2 minutes and 17 seconds to read.)
PROBLEM & SOLUTION
PROBLEM #1: HOMEWORK GRADES ARE HIGH, TEST GRADES ARE LOW
This is a fairly common problem that my students face before we start. These students are conscientious, studious, yet their grades lag because when they get to the test, they can’t seem to remember what they’ve studied.
SIMPLE SOLUTION #1: STUDENT-STRUCTURED REVIEW
“Ooh! Student-structured review! What does that even mean?”
I’m glad you asked. In a nutshell, it means that the students create their own list of (1) questions or topics they typically get wrong on tests, (2) look to see if any patterns exist in the questions they get wrong, and (3) build a review program that matches the student’s (a) best learning style and (b) most common mistakes.
There you go. Thanks for attending my TEDtalk.
Seriously, though, the solution can be that simple. If a student sits down and reviews tests with the three steps I listed above, they will quickly begin to see their test grades improve.
This is, of course, harder than it sounds. It’s a simple solution; it’s not an easy solution. Let’s look at some of the things that make it hard, because sometimes saying those things out loud automatically makes the solution easier. Why the solution isn’t easy:
- It requires initiative.
- It requires patience.
- It requires persistence.
- It requires detailed analysis.
- It requires time.
OTHER STEPS
Would you believe that there are other things you can do that will also improve test grades? Because . . . of course there are. Here are a few that we will develop in upcoming posts:
- Find or develop a good study system that includes these four pieces: (a) Assignments & Scheduling; (b) Notetaking & Revisions; (c) Study Guides & Idea-linking; (d) Review & Repetition
- Use study groups to help with review and memory
- Find internal motivators to overcome boredom and build excitement
- Use visualization techniques to picture topics in relation to one another
And if you’d like help with any part of this? Well, that’s why I’m here.
WE HAVE A REFERRAL PROGRAM
Do you know someone else who could use our services? Please pass the word along to them and introduce us so we can get to know one another.
If a family you refer signs up for tutoring or education consulting for their child(ren), then you will receive $25 off your next invoice. If you refer multiple families, then you’ll receive that many multiples of $25 off of your next invoice. It’s a great way to build credit in your account!
Thanks again!
DID YOU KNOW that I’ve been providing high-end education services for over 20 years, with a focus on helping students become self-actuated independent learners?
DID YOU KNOW that Test Prep—including ISEE, PSAT, ACT, SAT, GMAT, and GRE—has been a staple of my tutoring, but that I also spend a lot of time on study skills, logical reasoning, grade renovation, ADD/ADHD, college planning, and career planning? (I also provide business consulting for personal career advancement, business strategy, training, and communications, which provides me with a solid foundation for helping students plan and prepare for college and beyond.) I even provide Life Coaching/Planning for high school and college students.
DID YOU KNOW that BellaTutor has other tutors, as well, who specialize in a wide range of subjects and skills, so that we can provide you with the ultimate in education results?
Visit https://bellatutor.com/services/ to see our service list and rates.
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