The Struggle Over St James Tutoring

The Struggle Over St James TutoringThe PCTA has just purchased St James Tutoring from the Baptist Education Corporation of Kentucky. This means that St James Tutoring is now part of the PTIA.According to the PTIA, the acquisition of St James Tutoring by Kentucky is not due to any wrongdoing on the part of Kentucky. Kentucky's selection was done in the manner it was supposed to be. The PTIA says that St James Tutoring will work in accordance with Kentucky's mission statement.So, where does this leave the parents of students who used to receive tuition through St James Tutoring? We have not heard anything about them being given refunds or being notified of any changes.It seems there is a war going on between the PTCIA and Kentucky. Kentucky claims that the PTCIA is trying to sell its property.We will keep you posted as we learn more. And we are hopeful that parents do not use St James Tutoring for tuition. Or, they should wait until they hear something more from Kentucky and then decid e if they want to continue to do business with this company.Please note that Kentucky does not have the right to add St James Tutoring to its network. Parents are also advised to contact the Kentucky Department of Education for more information.We will have more information about the conflict soon. For now, we encourage parents to get their children's tuition through schools that are not in the PTCIA network.The best advice for you and your children's tuition is to call a representative from each school and find out what the fees are. Once you know the fees and how much your child will be spending, it is then time to make the decision of which school to attend.

Why SparkNotes is Killing Your SAT Score - TutorNerds

Why SparkNotes is Killing Your SAT Score - TutorNerds Tips from an Irvine SAT Tutor: SparkNotes is Killing Your SAT Score! Tips from an Irvine SAT Tutor: SparkNotes is Killing Your SAT Score! Many students just love getting out of doing their homework.   In fact, I have found students who have arguably done more work trying to get out of an assignment than they would have if they had just done the original assignment, to begin with.   There is just something about being required to do work that can fire up all sorts of creativity to avoid it (book your private Irvine SAT tutor today. Unfortunately, English classes tend to be the main victims of this trend.   Whether it’s American literature, language arts, and literacy, or reading and writing 101, your English class is guaranteed to include required readings.   The problem with the required readings is that they tend to fit the three main criteria that drive students to skip them: they’re long, they’re boring, and they’re easy to skip without getting in trouble. Now, it is important to note that this isn’t true.   Reading assignments are rarely particularly long unless you procrastinate and have to do it all at once.   The readings usually aren’t uninteresting or academic â€" many teachers strive to assign exciting, interesting, and diverse novels and stories.   And, they aren’t free to skip if you care about your standardized test scores. That’s right, skipping out on doing your required reading will cripple your preparation for tests like the SAT that may determine your ability to get into college.   This is because a key component to your SAT score comes from reading comprehension and critical thinking related to readings.   You are introduced to passages â€" many of which are chosen purposefully for being confusing, boring, or for covering atypical material â€" that you have to read and answer questions about.   The questions assess how well you understood the material, the author’s intentions or opinions, and your ability to draw inferences or interpret messages.   This is also done under a rather strict time limit. As an experienced Irvine SAT tutor as well as a teacher, I can also say that the reading portion of the SAT is often the most difficult for students to improve upon in the short-term (short-term here meaning even as long as a year of studying and preparation).   Your critical reading skills come from years and years of repeated practice and exposure.   A long and thorough history of diverse reading is the best preparation for this kind of test. Dont Avoid Required Reading The problem is, students now often try to avoid that reading.   There are many resources that students use now.   SparkNotes and CliffNotes are the classic examples, but other sites like Shmoop, GradeSaver and BookRags are used.   The main foc,us behind these sites is to give book/chapter summaries of commonly assigned school readings and/or to give quick guides and lists to help students answers common questions.   Students can even take advantage of resources like Quizlet and even Wikipedia and Youtube (check out the channel ThugNotes) for fast summaries to skirt their required readings. These resources are not inherently bad.   In fact, many of them are useful tools to get quick refreshers, prime yourself for future readings, or to efficiently study and remember main points.   The problem is when they are used in lieu of the actual reading.   Without trying to read and interpret the material on your own, you aren’t getting the practice you need to have high quality comprehension skills.   If you are letting SparkNotes tell you what everything means, then you are missing out on the learning opportunity of figuring it out on your own. Many students complain that they don’t understand some of the required readings that they are assigned.   That if they didn’t read summaries and shortcuts that they would fail their assignments because they can’t understand what’s happening in the book.   This is okay!   The act of struggling through a reading and not being comprehending everything is how you get exposed to new writing and get better at reading it.   This is where you can use these resources and it is how most of them are meant to be used.   Do your reading, then refer to a guide to help you piece together any parts that you struggled to grasp. If your M.O. in English class has been to never open the book while you skate by with quick and easy summaries, then you are not alone among students everywhere.   But you should know that by doing so you are taking away your main source, of reading comprehension and critical verbal thinking practice.   Take the time and always try your readings â€" your SAT score will thank you. Michael C. is currently a private math, science, and standardized test tutor with TutorNerds in Irvine and Anaheim. All blog entries, except for guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

Why You Should Study Chemistry At University

Why You Should Study Chemistry At UniversityWhy studying chemistry at university is such a great idea? And, should I really take the time to study at university? To answer these questions you need to know what the benefits of studying chemistry at university are.With the rise in employment for chemists it is a good job that will pay well and will give you the opportunity to make some money. In addition, your child could be able to go to university with you.All of this combined will make a good salary as a chemist, which will go towards paying off the mortgage. And then there is the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference in the world, that you are helping people and doing so on a valuable level.Of course, a serious student needs to study chemistry because that is where the basic principles of the science of chemistry are being applied to the real world. This means that you can become involved in drug research and ensure that drugs and medicines are of the highest qual ity. Your efforts will go towards finding cures and treatments for disease and will help improve the quality of life for everyone.Studying chemistry will not just lead to a better life, but it will also give you a better career as you develop skills that will be needed in your new job. You will be able to choose a more interesting career than what you may have chosen for yourself before. You will have the confidence to pursue a fulfilling career and look forward to studying and working with a large company.So, should I study at university? The answer to the question is yes, for as long as you enjoy what you are doing. Taking on a job and going to university is hard work and you may find that you feel a bit intimidated.However, if you enjoy what you are doing and you have a good view of what you want to achieve, then the great way to get started is to study at university. This will open up many doors for you, both in terms of career progression and personal development. So, should I study chemistry at university?

English Tutor in Richmond, VA

English Tutor in Richmond, VAFor those who live in the Prince William County, Virginia, there is a great resource that could be one of the most valuable resources available. That resource is an English tutor. The reason is simple.English classes for children need a variety of abilities to succeed. As such, any English teacher will tell you that students need a good amount of guidance in every class, at every grade level. Without guidance, students tend to regress to their own levels and lose valuable skills as they become more inexperienced.However, the courses taught in school are not perfect. There are plenty of words and phrases that are not quite clear enough to be used properly in conversation. Students have to get feedback from the teacher about their mistakes in all classes so that they can be made aware of the key issues that need improvement. An English tutor is a professional in this field and will be an invaluable asset for students from all over the county.In addition to the help with English, an English tutor can help students become more knowledgeable in the subject. To have a better grasp of the language, students should do enough reading to get a foundation in it. With an English tutor, students can read books in the language and find out where they are lacking.An English tutor will also be able to teach students how to use the internet to better communicate with one another. Because the world today is increasingly connected through the internet, English grammar and pronunciation are quickly improving as more people use the internet. By having an Internet connection, students can not only do research but also to begin to communicate with native speakers of the language.The main job of an English tutor is to make sure that students understand the rules of grammar, the formation of sentences, and the proper way to spell words. This job will most likely be one of the most valuable benefits of hiring an English tutor. Using the internet to better co mmunicate with other students can help students learn all of the rules of grammar and make them more proficient.Having an English tutor can be a great benefit to students in the county. The teacher-to-student ratio will be a big benefit to parents who want their child to excel in school and is great for the students themselves. With the right guidance, English can be learned, then enhanced, and then passed on for use in everyday life.

Is it time for a career change - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / Is it time for a career change - Introvert Whisperer Is it time for a career change? Discovering the career path you are meant to be on can be quite the journey. Some find where they’re meant to be right away, while others meander down the path a little longer to find the right fit for them. Still others think they’ve found where they are meant to be, only to find a different passion later on in life.   If you feel like you belong in that last category, you are not alone. It is becoming more and more commonplace to job hop and try on a few different positions before finding the exact right fit for youâ€"in fact, according to a recent study, 71% of the American workforce is looking to switch jobs. If you’ve been hit with the urge to switch to a different position or even an entirely different career, that is completely acceptable. How else are you going to find what you’re meant to be doing without trying out a couple different roles?   What is not acceptable, however, is remaining in a position or career that is not a good fit for you. Whether you and your boss don’t get along, you dread going into work every day, or you just feel like you’re stuckâ€"those are all totally legitimate reasons to begin the search for a new career that may be a better fit.   It’s important to remember that you should always be growing and learning in your role. If you feel like you stopped growing a long time ago, like you plateaued, or if you have a burning passion to be doing something else, it might be time to begin the search for something different.   Though the thought of changing careers may be scary, you don’t have to go through it blind and alone. This flowchart provided by Turbo Intuit will help guide you through making the ultimate decision of whether it’s time for you to make a career change, along with tips on how to make the transition to your new career as seamlessly as possible. While this time is rife with uncertainty, just remember you’re doing this to ultimately benefit yourself and your career. Think of how worth it this will be when you’ve found a role that is perfect for you!

Ask an MBA Admissions Expert Jared Barlow

Ask an MBA Admissions Expert Jared Barlow Varsity Tutors brings you insider tips and advice straight from nationally recognized admissions experts. Jared Barlow is currently the Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions and Recruitment at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He has worked in higher education for several years and has frequently provided one-on-one advising and counseling to students. Jared holds a Bachelors degree in International Business, Spanish, and Information Systems, as well as a Masters in Education. VT: How much time should be set aside to adequately prepare for and complete the application for an MBA program? Jared: This varies from applicant to applicant. We hope potential applicants spend enough time to put forth the most competitive application possible. This could take hours, days, or months, depending on the applicant. You can break up the pieces of the application into more manageable segments, including preparing for and taking the GMAT exam. This can take weeks or more than a year. After the GMAT is complete, an applicant may reach out to his or her undergraduate institution and request official copies of transcripts. We recommend applicants also spend sufficient time on their admissions essays. Often, this is the only chance to express your qualifications to the admissions committee. For example, online MBA programs may not interview applicants. Applicants need to ensure their essays are helping them to stand out among their peers. Having friends proofread and review essays before they are submitted is another best practice. VT: What would you say is the single most important thing to focus on for this kind of application? Jared: Stand out from the crowd. In your application, you want to show what makes you unique and helps differentiate you from all others who may be applying. Express in your resume, essays and application materials your leadership qualities and what you bring to the table as a potential MBA student. We want to ensure you will be able to contribute to help your teams/peers be successful in an MBA program. You should describe why an MBA will enhance your career goals and objectives. What effect will an MBA have on your career path? VT: What do MBA admissions officers look for most in the essay questions? Jared: At the Top 30-ranked W. P. Carey School, we look for several things in admissions essays, including self-awareness, leadership and uniqueness. Has the applicant checked the current class profile? Does the applicant know where he or she stands against previously admitted students? Is the applicant aware of his or her own aptitudes, skills and abilities? Can the individual communicate thoughts and goals effectively? Can the applicant showcase leadership skills and describe them in essay form? We want to know if applicants can self-assess their unique position. Hopefully, applicants can use specific examples of how they are different from all the others looking to be admitted to our program. VT: What are the biggest mistakes one can make on this application? Jared: Not making sure the materials you submit with your application match the intended school to which you applied Not including your name, e-mail address, and phone number on all communication sent to the university Not proofreading your essays Not using resources available to applicants: Take advantage of the dedicated admissions representative for your MBA program. The experts can help answer questions and advise you about putting together a competitive application. Not asking questions: If you have a question, please ask. Application mistakes can be avoided if applicants just ask or call for clarification. VT: What aspects of the MBA admissions process make it most different from undergraduate admissions process? Jared: During the undergraduate admissions process, the admissions committee may be interested in what you are passionate about. In an MBA program, we not only want to learn what you are passionate about, but also how this passion can translate into tangible skills, critical thinking, and career potential as you develop your personal brand. VT: Is there anything that automatically disqualifies an applicant from being considered for an MBA program (i.e. low GPA, lack of particular work experience, etc.)? Jared: Yes. Not having a four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution will disqualify you for admission. At the W. P. Carey School of Business, the MBA admissions committee will review each application in its entirety. Applicants should always review the current class-profile averages to find out where they may have a competitive edge over other applicants. The current class profile is a guideline and does not restrict individuals from applying where parts of their applications may not measure up to the averages. Applicants may be deficient in one area, such as undergraduate GPA, yet have a stronger-than-average GMAT score and number of years of post-undergraduate work experience. This may make them competitive for admission. VT: What kind of work experiences should be highlighted in the MBA application? Jared: Focus on post-undergraduate work experience. We are looking for examples of leadership. Our goal is to seek out future business leaders. We want to see examples of accomplishments, not just a listing of job responsibilities. We want to see if you can communicate how you made an impact during your employment opportunities and in your community. VT: What advice do you have regarding GMAT test prep? Jared: Calibrate your expectations before you begin a study plan.You can take a free full-length practice exam; this will give you a good baseline as to where to begin your test preparation. After a free practice test, look over your results and then devise a plan. Another key factor is to begin your GMAT preparation early. We advise students to prepare for the GMAT six to eight weeks before taking the exam. Students who create a regular routine for GMAT preparation tend to score higher on the exam. Studying for 20 hours a week will also give added personal insight into the rigors of a quality MBA program like the W. P. Carey MBA. If students are able to study for 20 hours a week, then they will have time to be successful in a good MBA program. If an applicant finds he or she does not have time to devote to GMAT preparation, then the individual may not have the time necessary to be successful in an MBA program. VT: Is it absolutely necessary to have work experience prior to starting an MBA degree? Jared: Post-undergraduate work experience is a desired quality in all MBA applicants. A big part of an MBA program is networking and collaborating with your MBA peers who have been out in the workplace and now are returning to advance their careers using past experience as a driving motivator. On average, W. P. Carey online MBA students, for example, have more than six years of post-undergraduate work experience. We want applicants to be able to positively contribute to their peers inside the classroom. We do understand that applicants looking to pursue an online MBA may not be traditional students. They may have been working full-time while achieving their undergraduate degrees. For reporting purposes, we can only count post-undergraduate work experience. Non-traditional students can show work experience by including internships and career choices on their resumes. While this work experience will not officially be tallied, it will be considered as part of the application. VT: What are the characteristics of a great MBA program? Jared: World-renowned faculty accomplished in their fields Faculty members who are able to teach across multiple MBA platforms (i.e. full-time, evening, weekend and online MBA tracks) Accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) A large alumni network for connections Flexibility to get work done on a convenient schedule Degree customization, such as the ability to earn an area of emphasis in subjects like supply chain management, marketing, international business or finance Prestige and reputation A format that allows you to take one class at a time Small class sizes Dedicated help with financial aid and career searches Return on investment: Look for one of the highest ranked MBA programs with the lowest out-of-pocket cost. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

When to Push or Back Off to Help Pupils Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills

When to Push or Back Off to Help Pupils Develop Higher Order Thinking Skills Higher Order Thinking: Should Tutors Push Those Skills? ChaptersThe Back Story: Teaching VictorHigher Order Thinking and Academic LearningTutors Can Encourage Higher Order ThinkingHigher Order Thinking QuestionsPrivate tutors are in the enviable position of having great influence in helping their students develop, cultivate shape their thought processes.Unlike school teachers who, in spite of their best efforts, may feel constrained by the limitations on their pedagogy imposed on them by the Department for Education, tutors have the leeway they need to encourage students to think about what they’re learning.Anyone who has any formal dealings with the DfE â€" teachers who spend their nights and weekends tutoring, for example, may experience growing frustration with the processes currently in place to impart knowledge and assess mastery of such.Because of the well-publicised propensity these current curriculum standards force for teaching to the test, little room is left for teachers to help students develop critical thinking skills or pr oblem-solving skills.That means that students must learn creative thinking and how to solve problems outside of the classroom.There’s nothing wrong with that. After all, humans are capable of thought long before their first brush with formal schooling.However, the disconnect between the acquisition of knowledge and thinking about it; finding connections from one subject to the next often keeps students from higher academic achievement.That is where private tutors come in.Tutors fill the space between cognitive knowledge and comprehension of concepts. Where there are missing links between academic subjects, say between maths and science, tutors are the ones who point out the complementary nature of those disciplines.The question is: how far should a tutor go to instal and develop students’ capacity for summarizing, classifying and understanding what they learn?Should cultivating thinking skills be a tutor’s primary objective?Or are students truly better served by a tutor restat ing school lessons rather than one asking open-ended questions and employing instructional strategies that will encourage the student to think?How much is too much before the tutor has strayed far beyond the boundaries of what s/he has been engaged to do?This is a thorny issue. Let’s take a look at all of the facets involved in higher-order thinking skills before presenting our thesis.Noble Savage theory â€" that humans, unbound by social mores and general education would be kind, selfless and enlightened in their own right.Victor, having completely missed out on any nurturing as well as  early childhood education, and his entire young life spent being wary of harm, failed to cooperate or perform as expected.The clinicians â€" whose instructional design left a lot to be desired, had put all of their hopes into this abandoned child. Needless to say, were disappointed at being unable to prove their Noble Savage theory.Seeing no further reason to work with him, they shipped the boy t o Paris to be institutionalised. There, Dr Itard rose to the challenge of educating a child that everyone had deemed incapable of learning.It took quite a while for that educator to teach the boy social norms and even longer to teach him empathy. Once those concepts were mastered, Dr Itard resolved to educate the child, now somewhat behaved, in how to speak.Here his pedagogical skill met with abysmal failure and, after all of his best efforts had come to nothing, he turned away from the child altogether, effectively abandoning him anew.In these events, we see perfectly well how much is too much.Victor, desiring â€" perhaps not to learn so much as to please his mentor, simply did not have the psychomotor development necessary to learn how to speak after so long of being nonverbal.Critics of Dr Itard postulate that, had he employed other means of student engagement; maybe if he had taught the boy sign language, perhaps Victor could have learned to communicate.As Victor displayed a str ong affective inclination, music might also have been an effective teaching tool.Besides making a fascinating case for the need for differentiation in education, Victor’s story gives the strongest proof of the validity of Blooms Taxonomy: that there are three distinct domains that educational faculty and staff must address to guarantee student achievement.It also clearly underscores the importance of faculty development in schools so that teachers can recognise and meet students needs.Finally, it offers a cautionary tale to tutors who might be inclined to push their students toward independent thought in a manner for which they are not yet ready.Join the discussion: doimpact students' ability to master higher-order thinking?Reading skills are essential for learning but they don't make a problem solver! Image by balancepft from PixabayHigher Order Thinking and Academic LearningHigher-order thinking is comprised of equal parts of critical thinking and problem-solving.To an extent, e ssay writing is an exercise in critical thinking: the student must take in information, analyse it and draw conclusions from it.While essay writing or report writing provides an opportunity for learners to think critically and draw conclusions, chances to think critically about other academic subjects are minimal.It is quite unfortunate that many perceive critical thinking to be an exercise in which the practitioner must find fault in whatever is being examined â€" in other words, to criticise.Quite the contrary! Critical thinking involves the suspension of personal bias; it requires a dispassionate view of the topic at hand and the ability to discern fact in a sea of fiction.Developing such skills requires a fair amount of time and mental agility.In crowded UK classrooms, the first is decidedly in short supply and the second is a diverse proposition because not every student has the same level of academic aptitude.What about problem-solving? Here, teaching strategies are also lacki ng.Again, not through any fault of hard-working teachers!Today’s curriculum and instruction mandates leave little time for teachers to plan co curricular activities that would permit the development of problem-solving skills.Tutors see the fallout: unused to thinking critically throughout the academic year, learners struggle with higher level thinking outside of the classroom.Tutors Can Encourage Higher Order ThinkingIt would be safe to say that nobody, tutor or teacher, ever went into the field of education to become rich or famous.However, anyone could believe that both tutors and teachers have made education their life’s work because of their passion for learning and a desire to impart that knowledge.Oddly enough, for all that they have the same motivations for instructing, teachers’ and tutors’ overall direction seems divergent.Whereas teachers must follow the learning standards set forth by their schools, a tutor’s imperative is to improve student learning capacities. To that end, one of the most effective tools a tutor can use in determining a student’s readiness for thinking questions is by conducting a formative assessment.Naturally, your initial interview will assess your pupils’ learning skills overall but, as time goes on, your constant evaluation of their cognitive skills should signal when they are ready for more complex concept formation.In providing academic support, tutors need to apply a bit of educational psychology:Define ‘learning’: one does not acquire a breadth of knowledge only through rote learning; understanding and making sense of things also play a vital partMake the lesson relevant: cultivating an interest in subject matter is a step in the right direction; revealing the interrelationships between the student and the material being studied is the hallmark of a master teacherReinforce the learning: find at least three ways to use the new information, preferably through different learning activities.What happens if yo u employ all of these learning strategies,  as well as others,  and your student still doesn’t grasp the concept at hand?This is where a real danger of pushing for a successful outcome lies. As you may have already experienced, it is not a good idea to go beyond that point, lest you risk students’ progress.Perhaps it is time to revise your lesson planning to include more student-centered activities...  you might, perhaps, focus more on the problem-solving aspect of higher-order thinking.Open ended questions are far better than multiple choice questions because they make students think! Image by balancepft from PixabayHigher Order Thinking QuestionsOverseeing writing assignments and helping prepare your pupils for a math test are fundamental tutor obligations to ensure student success.Unless it was specified when you were hired - ‘please teach my child how to think!’ - a tutor’s actual duty lies in providing learning services.Said services should include project-based learn ing, active learning and activities that will foster metacognition â€" the awareness and understanding of one’s thought processes.So, once you complete your initial assessment of a student and determine their learning goals, the course you chart should be pretty clear... right?If we were in it for the money, that assertion would be spot-on.However, upon ethical reflection, we tutors have taken a silent vow to strive for educational success with everyone we teach.Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to not only provide learning support but also provide 21st-century skills â€" a continuum of services that will provide a rich student experience.Content knowledge to appease an assessment system or thinking stems to cultivate higher order thinking?Rote memorization of facts can only take students so far.Asking them the types of questions designed to gauge their depth of knowledge and how they use what they’ve learned is the recipe for fostering thinking humans, but must be done in such a way that they become thinkers, not turned off from learning altogether.Bottom line: knowing when to push, how to push and what to push on is as integral to a tutor’s professional development as it is essential for student development.Your turn to chime in: how would you define higher-order thinking?