Tutoring News

Is there a magic formula for achieving academic success? Does it require a potion of bat’s wing, frog’s head, and a magic incantation? Fortunately, success in school does not require magic potions and spells. If not that, then what exactly is required? First of all, good study habits are essential. Does that mean slaving away for 12 hours a day, every day? Absolutely not. It means having a study rhythm, or having a regular study ritual. Such rituals should factor in natural energy levels of the student; some people are most alert in the early morning, others in the evening. [...]

When a student is struggling with academic difficulties, what is the best way to overcome these difficulties? The first thing a parent wants to know is why her son or daughter is struggling with academic difficulties to begin with. Is there a troubling pattern or trend? There are numerous reasons why a student may struggle academically. Some are obvious, such as mental retardation. Some are not so obvious, such as depression. Sometimes academic struggles are symptoms of a larger problem; sometimes they are not. Academic struggles can be mostly grouped into short-term and long-term causes, although some causes, such as [...]

Before we get in to the specifics of academic enablement, let’s discuss enablement in general terms. Enablement frequently comes up on issues of addiction or wrongdoing. Let’s take the example of the alcoholic and his enabler. The alcoholic frequently runs into difficulties as a result of the alcoholic addiction, such as missing work, missing school, engaging in abusive behavior, having blackouts, running into money troubles, and not meeting responsibilities at home or work. What the enabler does, in the process of trying to help the alcoholic, is to actually encourage the behavior. Examples of enablement of the alcoholic include calling [...]

What is the double whammy effect? The best way to understand it is with an example. Let’s talk about Bob, a fifth grader, who is studying the properties of decimals and how to divide and multiply with decimals. He studies the material but doesn’t get it. He takes a test on it, and fails the test. But his class just keeps going forward, and when he gets to end of quarter test, he still doesn’t understand decimals, and fails the quarter test. He gets a D in the course even though he didn’t deserve it because the teacher likes him [...]

So you want to know what the secret is to get that always-hoped for admission to elite Ivy University. To learn the secret to admissions success, we are going to turn the tables and examine the problem from another perspective. Imagine you are the Dean of Admissions at Ivy University. Your job is to figure out whom to admit, and whom to reject. The first thing you do is create a point system, in which you make a grid which numerically weights the value of various admissions criteria, and then assigns each candidate points within that grid. In this system, [...]

How many times have you heard the story: “I knew the material, but when I got to the test, I just froze and forgot everything.” Most people have had this experience at one point or another. So how does one overcome test anxiety? Preparing for a test is similar to preparing for other competitive, high-stakes events: a big job interview, a sports event, or a musical recital. Various factors can influence outcomes in such events: preparation, talent, strength under pressure, competitiveness, and even luck. Some of these factors are considered outside our control; talent, for example, is simply out of [...]

Are study groups a good idea? The short answer is, they can be. What exactly are the pros and cons of study groups? And what is the most effective use of study groups? There are many benefits to study groups. First of all, they allow students a different perspective to understand the material. Second, they can make it more fun to study. Third, they offer all the benefits of social activities, such as decreased stress levels, decreased sense of isolation, shared misery (when applicable), enhanced esprit de corps, and the possibility of forming new relationships and friendships, including the opportunity [...]

If you want to see your son or daughter succeed in academics, you need to make sure that he has all the latest software, a top of the line laptop, educational software, the fanciest graphing calculator and every new gizmo under the sun, right? Wrong! No study has shown an improvement in academic success as a result of use of laptops, 24/7 internet connectivity, special educational software and other technologic aids. To make this issue more tangible, I would like to give an example of the two faces of technology in education. At my esteemed alma mater law school (which [...]

Does your student (son or daughter) spend hours on the computer doing who knows what while his or her grades suffer? He may be addicted to technology. Technology addiction is a serious problem which can greatly hamper a person’s chance of academic success. Technology addiction usually comes in specific forms. Common technology addictions include gaming, instant messaging, text messaging, watching movies, watching TV, watching online videos, surfing the internet, or visiting inappropriate sites., .What are the tell-tale signs of a technology addiction? They include one or more of the following: Spending hours a day on the computer, cell phone or [...]

Having a student who is a “workaholic” sounds like a dream come true. Is it possible, though, to have a student who is too focused on academics? The short answer is an emphatic “Yes.” There are two primary reasons to try to balance academic work with other activities: pragmatism and enjoyment of life. On the issue of pragmatism, the fact is that admission to competitive programs at every educational level favors people who are well-balanced over those who are more one dimensional. For two applicants to medical school with the same grades and MCAT scores, the one who has the [...]