Why Some Students Need Tutorial Services

A lot more parents whose kids are struggling in school now realize the value of tutorial services. With proper guidance, students can overcome their academic difficulties, acquire the right learning habits, and develop critical thinking skills. In addition, kids enrolled at the best tutorial centers have been known to get ahead in class and ace the ACT, thereby improving their academic futures.

Unlike a traditional classroom setting, a tutorial setup is usually more intimate and consists of a tutor and just a few students. Some tutorials are even conducted on a one-on-one basis to allow the teacher to concentrate on the specific and general learning needs of each student. Such an approach also enables the student to tackle his or her areas of improvement head-on.

Meanwhile, a lot of students suffer from learning difficulty due to various reasons, such as bullying and family issues. As a result, they begin to lose their confidence and decide to just stop aiming higher academically. A reliable tutor can turn such a scenario around and restore the student's interest in learning.

Most learning centers also provide advanced teaching methods with better interactive tools that facilitate the tutorial process. Some even conduct online tutorial sessions for the benefit of those who cannot make it to their learning sessions due to scheduling difficulties.

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Prepping for College Admissions Tests

A college admissions test is one obstacle that needs to be hurdled before a high school senior can get into his university of choice. The Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the American College Testing (ACT) are two such exams used by colleges to evaluate students and allow them entry to a reputable institution.

There is no foolproof way to ace an exam. However, there are techniques a student can try to help him prepare for such a nerve-wracking experience. One is to hire an efficient tutor who can help a student stay on track. A private educator has invaluable familiarity with how exams are structured and how to maintain focus when answering questions.

Another way of exam preparation is to set realistic expectations. If one’s taking the ACT, for example, it will greatly help the examinee if he knows the question format and how he’s expected to answer. This way, the student does not have the additional burden of figuring out the exam’s structure on the examination date itself.

The third technique is to practice, practice, practice. Sample exercises can be provided by the tutor or are available online. Through this activity, the student’s readiness can be gauged; areas to improve on can be identified as well.

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Blood and Fire: Making the PSAT Cut

The Preliminary SAT test is the initial hurdle for a high-school student aiming for a National Merit Scholarship when they enter college. This is usually taken during in the October of a student's junior year, and may even give ideas of what to expect when they take the SAT in senior year. The PSAT exam slated in October 2013 will have the National Merit Scholarships (NMS) for Academic Year 2015-16 up for grabs.

The initial requirements for NMS Program aspirants include full enrollment in junior year before the exam and US citizenship or permanent residence, provided they have intentions to seek citizenship as soon as possible. However, if the taker missed the exam due to certain emergencies, they must contact the National Merit Scholarship Corp for alternate options as soon as possible, but no later than March 1 the year after the missed exam.

Out of the estimated 1.5 million PSAT takers, only 50,000 may be given Program Recognition – but only 16,000 of these will be notified of Semifinals contention in the September of their senior year. These are often the highest scorers for each state and will be given application materials over the next several months, as well as be monitored for their academic performance. Approximately 15,000 students will be informed of Finals contention in February – and only 8,300 will land the Scholarships. Those who indeed make the cut will soon have the chance to make good in a college of their choice.

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Things You Need to Know About the ACT

The American College Test is an important part in determining a student's readiness and eligibility to get into a reputable college or university. This voluntary exam is usually taken by students for them to submit their scores to schools that require it as part of the application process.

Subjects included in ACT testing are: English, reading comprehension, math, and science. All of these subject areas for the test are based on topics that students learned throughout their high school years. The highest score that one could score in each test is 36.

If you want to get yourself into a prestigious college by having a high ACT score, you should review most of your high school lessons and refresh yourself on the basics of each subject. In this light, it might be helpful if you work with an academic tutor to make sure that you're set on the right path. Opt for a tutor who works in an agency that specializes on and provides a personalized ACT tutoring program.

When you're already in the testing room, try to relax and think positive. If you've studied well enough, you'll have little to worry about. Make sure that you listen to your proctor's instructions, because you don't want to get penalized for not following them. Given that there's still enough time, go over all your answers again before submitting your test papers.

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Tutoring vs. Teaching: What You Should Know

Tutoring is not exactly the same as teaching. Although both tasks involve guiding students in learning certain concepts and lessons, the difference between the two lie in their setting. A teacher handles several students in a classroom, while a tutor deals with much smaller groups or even conduct one-on-one sessions.

Teachers also follow a lesson plan that they have made for the whole class, while tutors often conduct their classes based on the specific requirements of a particular group or student. Tutors may likewise develop a personalized program to help a student understand lessons he can't grasp inside the classroom. It's also important for tutors to remember that they are only to guide their student with assignments and not to spoon-feed them with answers.

A tutor backs up what a teacher could have missed. Challenging subjects, such as mathematics and science, tend to build on themselves over time. If you don't understand their basics or preceding concepts, there's no way for you to move forward as it will only get harder. Therefore, identifying and addressing the difficulties of a student early on is the responsibility of the tutor.

Though teachers are expected to have good relationships with their students and guarantee the optimum learning of their pupils, large classes tend to be impersonal and leave someone behind. This is when academic tutors come in to pick up where school teachers left off.

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Teaching Math Effectively

Math is the school subject most students have difficulty on, so much so that the term “math anxiety” had been coined to describe how many students feel about it. Much research had been done to find the best ways to teach math. From these researches, it was discovered that letting the students understand the concept behind each mathematical procedure is needed for mastery.

Students may learn how to perform mathematical procedures mechanically, but without understanding the concept, it will be easy for them to forget the methods they employed. Several math teaching experts believe the concept and the procedure should be taught simultaneously. Mastering the procedure helps in understanding the concept behind it, while getting a good grasp of the concept helps in remembering how the procedure is performed.

This makes constant math exercises and repeated lessons on various concepts very important. In many cases, help from outside the classroom, such as in tutoring centers, are beneficial in helping the student understand and master both concept and procedure.

Math builds on itself. Each new concept that you learn is composed of different parts and connections that you'll eventually need to learn about. If a student does not understand the concept at a certain level, they would have a difficult time coping with the next higher level. Therefore, addressing math difficulties early through supplementary education or tutoring services may be necessary.

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Learning Centers Prove Education is Important

Education is an essential building block for the growth and development of an individual as well as society. In connection with this, schools still remain as the primary source of education for children and young adults. However, non-formal educational institutions such as tutoring agencies and learning centers are also doing their part in molding lifelong learners. The latter are particularly important since they provide a different environment for students that they don't usually have in school.

First of all, learning centers provide a more hands-on approach when it comes to teaching. The same thing can be seen in a standard school setting in the form of science labs and home economics workshops, but these only deal with a limited number of  learning areas. For instance, learning centers for children utilize games, group activities, and even music to help facilitate learning. The more involved students are in their learning, the better they can process information and retain it.

Learning centers have programs that are tailored to meet the needs of their students. Unlike in a typical classroom where everything is uniform and standardized, a learning center can focus on each student's weaknesses and assist them in grasping concepts that they find confusing. If your child is having a tough time in school, it might be helpful to enroll him in a learning center where he can improve his academic skills and enjoy various activities while learning.

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