The Key to Academic Excellence for Students

If you decide not to hire a tutor until absolutely necessary, there are many things you can do at home. If home study techniques don’t work, however, a tutor can help enormously. Either way, the key to academic excellence is to be proactive: do not wait until the student is too far behind.

Tips for Homework

One of the most common reasons students get poor grades in school is due to not handing in assignments. Set the expectation early in the school year that the student completes all homework, and hands it in. Asking your child if the homework is done is often not enough to keep track. Most classroom teachers invite parents to stay in touch with them by e-mail. At the end of September, you should communicate with all the student’s teachers about the quality and frequency of the homework being handed in. Offer to help in any way you can. Ideally, before Halloween, make sure you’ve contacted all the teachers once more. If the homework is not being handed in, make an attempt to determine why. Begin by discussing this with the student. Is homework too difficult? Is the student missing important information about the requirements of the assignments? Is the student overwhelmed by the amount of homework or a full after-school schedule? Is the student simply unmotivated to complete their homework?

The following are some important tips to assist you in monitoring the student’s homework:

• Reserve an area of the home specifically designated for the completion of homework for each student. Make sure it is quiet, free of clutter, and is stocked with basic supplies.
• Reserve a consistent time each day to complete homework. Be on hand to provide support during that time. Encourage independence – do not do the student’s work. You may assist by asking questions and giving hints to help the student solve the problem, on their own. This is known as the Socratic Teaching Method, and it works!
• Eliminate distractions such as the internet, television, video games, and telephone until homework is complete.
• Be firm! Ensure the student understands your expectations around homework. Discuss the consequences of not following these guidelines.
• Use positive reinforcement for finishing homework and doing a good job. Praise them and tell them you are proud of them! If you wish, offer incentives like treats or privileges.
• Ensure the student maintains high standards of quality and neatness.

Some parents have the proper tools to effectively help their children with their homework. Others are faced with busy work or personal schedules. Some do not possess enough specific knowledge to offer remedial support. Some students respond well to a “professional authority” from outside the family. If the student fails to complete homework because it is too difficult, and if you are unable to help, arranging for a tutor may be the answer. However, if the student is capable of completing homework on his/her own but is unmotivated due to outside interests, you may need to be firmer and restrict other interests, such as TV, computer, and socializing, until homework is completed.

Tips for Tests

If your student completes homework well but scores poorly on tests it is likely that she/he is either: not practicing proper test preparation/taking techniques, or; has test anxiety (or both!). Some students get better results on multiple-choice tests, while others do better on essay format tests. Learning basic study skills like visualization and memorization techniques will help. For essays, focusing on proofreading and essay writing skills may be the answer. Either way, completing a few practices or ‘mock’ tests will help to boost the student’s test scores.

A tutor can assist with test preparation and test-taking skills by focusing on the areas the student needs to improve on most. For example, a tutor may choose to target study skills like memorization, practice tests, and essay writing. Keep in mind that even though a student may demonstrate an excellent knowledge of a topic, and ‘ace’ the oral exam, they may fail the written test due to poor writing skills.

Tips for Study Skills

Many students lack the skills to effectively study for an exam. While some will not study at all, claiming they already know the material, others will skim the text and their notes. Here are examples of some effective studying techniques:

• Math: Do several practice problems and check the answers
• Social Studies & Literature: Learn to target the main ideas. Create study sheets and flashcards. Write down questions that you think may be asked and try to answer them. Work with study partners.
• Spelling: use flashcards and have someone test the student

There are many active study techniques taught by our tutors. Those were just a few. Study skills are best taught when they are applied to subject tutoring. For example, mnemonic memorization strategies, such as making up silly acronyms or stories to memorize details, can be integrated into social studies tutoring sessions.

Organization Skills: 

Many students are unable to complete their homework or study effectively due to poor organizational skills. This type of problem is common with many students, particularly those with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and other learning disabilities. Our tutors teach organization skills like prioritizing, highlighting, organizing notebooks, breaking down large tasks into smaller ones, and planning for long-term assignments.

Classroom Teachers: 

Many classroom teachers inform parents when their children are falling behind or need extra help. A few teachers may tell parents that their children are doing fine even when a parent may notice that a child is struggling with reading or writing. Although getting feedback from teachers is very important, make sure to monitor the student’s performance closely and regularly. Keep in mind that these days, class sizes are quite large, and your child’s teacher may not be able to see the problems you might encounter at home.

Remediation: 

Many students who contact us for the first time are behind the rest of the class in certain subjects. Be aware of the signs that may indicate your child is getting behind:

• He/She struggles and complains, particularly concerning one subject.
• It takes hours to complete the homework, and even then it contains numerous errors.
• The student does not like to read anything for pleasure and/or cannot describe the content of something he/she has read.
• The student is having difficulty getting past math facts, long division, fractions, etc.
• The student has difficulty with reading comprehension and lacks efficient studying strategies.
• The student does poorly on written assignments because his/her writing skills need work.

For the student who is behind, catching up is hard to do since the other students in the classroom keep moving further ahead. However, if no one at home is able to help effectively, a weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-weekly tutor can.

Test Scores: 

Standardized tests show how students rank with other children their age. If you are concerned with your child’s test scores, discuss them with the teacher.

Confidence: 

Is the student confident about school and learning? Many parents hire tutors just to boost confidence. Grades might be acceptable, but the student may be feeling unsure and may need a boost.

Enrichment: 

Some parents hire tutors for enrichment in reading, writing, or math. Some students are bored in school and need to be challenged more.

Sudden Changes: 

Some parents call us following a sudden decrease in marks. For example, the student was doing fine until recently, when grades started to get significantly lower. Often this happens right after moving from elementary to high school when a student who is used to one teacher suddenly has to juggle many teachers and accompanying homework. This is tough for a student who lacks organizational skills. Emotional turmoil related to family or social situations is another reason for sudden drops in grades. In these cases, your child may need to seek the assistance of a counselor first and then a tutor to catch up.

Listen and Watch: 

Be sure to pay attention. Does the student complain that schoolwork is too difficult, confusing, or overwhelming? Does the student protest that there is too much work? Is reading a book, doing homework, or studying very stressful?  Hiring a tutor may be just what the student needs to get back on track!

Focus on applying the power of pro-activity early in the school year Do not wait too long before paying attention to the student’s homework and overall performance. Students are more likely to give up the more they get behind in their studies, and at this point, it can become an ‘uphill battle’. You know your child. Based on previous years you will probably recognize patterns of behavior and warning signs. Trust your judgment. Be proactive and it will prove to be significantly worthwhile in the long run.