This is where the advantage of online tutoring comes in since it provides all the advantages of one to one tuition, yet at a significantly reduced cost to the student while at the same time being flexible for the student by being able to utilize the power of technology.

The Internet is a fantastic resource which is absolutely full of useful information on an almost limitless number of topics. The best part about it is that the student will find topics that are explained in dozens of different ways, so if the student doesn’t understand something at first then chances are they’ll find an answer explained in a way they do understand.

However, finding the best sources of information on the Internet by oneself can be a daunting task, which is one of the many advantages to having a private online tutor. Not only will students be able to get the one to one guidance that they need, but the tutor will be able to find and point them to the best resources available online for further study.

Personalized Online Tutoring

With an online tutor the student will be able to build a good working relationship where-by the tutor will learn how the student best learns and where any problem areas are and can therefore formulate study plans accordingly. In the classroom environment it’s just not possible for a single teacher to learn what works with every individual student to provide them with the personal support they need to achieve the best possible grades.

How Technology Enhances Online Learning with a Tutor

The technology available online today brings tutors from all over the country together with students in such a way that simulates the environment that would be found if they were in the same room. With technology such as Skype, the tutor and student can chat and type to each other live and the even share a whiteboard which both student and tutor can draw on.

This enables the tutor to give private lessons to the student while drawing out diagrams and working through examples on the shared whiteboard while the student can ask questions to the tutor or even try to solve examples on the whiteboard under the watchful eye of the tutor.

Achieving the Best Possible Grades

Students that get private tutoring are in the best possible position to reach their maximum potential and achieve their best grades. One of the main reasons for this is due to the fact that having an online tutor helps keep students focused on the work required. Often students are focused while in the classroom, an environment conducive to learning, but once they leave the classroom and are back home there’s too many distractions around them, so they don’t get enough work done to achieve the best grades.

When an online tutor is utilized, the student will find it much easier to stay focused on work at home since they’ll be under the guiding influence of the tutor, who will make sure that they’re completing assignments and making the most of the online learning resources available.

Online Tutoring is Fun and Interactive

Best of all online tutoring actually adds an element of fun to studying. Students can collaborate with others on similar courses throughout the country and they can actively work together to solve problems and encourage each other. There are also lots of great videos available on the Internet that the online tutor will be able to refer the students to that will help strengthen their interest in the topics and help them gain the necessary knowledge and ability to get the best possible grades come exam time.

This is a guest post by David Veibl. David now writes for First Tutors, a cool service provider devoted to provide first class private business, I.T, music and English tuition and more.

Students and Facebook

Imagine a classroom where students “like” a Facebook group dedicated to microbiology, live-tweet their laboratory discoveries, post a step-by-step instruction video of their research project on YouTube and publish their results on a school blog. When it comes to meshing social media and education, the possibilities are endless.

This month, the Brookings Institute lead a discussion on social media and education, showing off how the future classroom could operate.

Social media isn’t fast — it’s instantaneous. Just 10 years ago, students were forced to wait for teachers to deliver study materials and teach new concepts. Today that information can be communicated instantly. Some may argue that students consume information too quickly as a result of social media, but being that we’re moving into a more mobile and on-the-go world, that may not be such a bad thing. In fact, because of the speed and availability of social media, that information is even more readily available — and affordable — for teachers to dissect, analyze and pass on to students.

“Up until now, ‘technology’ has been an authority delivering the lecture which (students) memorized,” said Howard Rheingold, a Stanford University communications director. “If there is discussion, it’s mostly about performing for the teacher. Is it possible to make that more of a peer-to-peer activity? Blogs and forums and wikis enable that so a lot of this is not new, but it’s easier to do and the barriers to participation are lower now.”

Many school districts are beginning to embrace the use of Facebook to share school news, and even interact with students. In a Bay City, Mich. Catholic school, one principal says he’s shedding the light on what he calls the “dark neighborhood” of the Internet — Facebook. John Hoving created a Facebook account and is friends with many of his students. If he comes across anything that could turn into cyberbullying, he’ll send a private message warning that student that their actions could be hurtful.

Some may see this as “big brother” activity, but education experts say it’s important to be proactive.

“We don’t want to recruit our teachers to be the Internet police, but if a teacher sees a student getting into trouble at the mall, they’re going to be proactive about it — why wouldn’t they be proactive when it’s on the Internet?” Justin Patchin, co-director of an online Cyberbullying Research Center, said in an interview with Mlive.com.

There are also educators using a bevy of social media tools to get students interacting and learning in and out of the classroom. Andy Losik is a Michigan elementary school teacher who runs the blog Infotech with Mr. Losik. He encourages his students to visit his blog and comment their answers and questions. On a snow day this past February, Losik posted a video asking his students to play “myth busters.” The challenge: Will a rolling snowball get bigger and bigger as it rolls? The blog post received 78 comments from his students on a day when school wasn’t even in session.

It’s obvious that there is a wealth of information for students to consume through social media, but it’s going to come down to the teacher implementing those tools in an effective way. A teacher is evaluated not only by student performance, but by that “personal touch.” So it’s important to have that curated one-on-one time to make the most out of social media.

Social Media integration in schools is receiving a great deal of buzz these days. So much so that certain schools go beyond integration and actually offer classes that seek to teach best practices in terms of social media marketing. To learn more about a social media masters degree visit SNHU.EDU

Music is great for creating the perfect study atmosphere. Research has shown that music can help to create a more positive mood and that studying while happy or satisfied can help you retain more information. Sounds like a one-two punch of awesome, right? It is, but you need to find the right balance.

First things first, don’t listen to any genre of music that you don’t already like. For example, if you like classic rock, Hannah Montana probably isn’t for you. While I would recommend listening to something soft, it’s completely your choice. The purpose of listening to music while studying isn’t to distract you, but to create a buffer between you/your work and outside distractions.

Some will say that baroque classical music, or even more specifically, Mozart, is best for studying. There are some valid points to this argument: you won’t get distracted singing along with the melodies! But if classical music really bums you out, then don’t bother. It’ll just make your homework seem more tedious and unbearable. Just try to pick music that will keep you awake, alert, energetic, and focused. Not music that will have you dancing around, all thoughts of your homework thrown away while you jam out.

My preferred genre of music for studying is “lounge.” While generally frowned upon by music fanatics, lounge music provides the right combination of atmospheric melodies and hypnotizing beats to get me in the “zone.” This genre includes groups such as Quantic, Thievery Corporation, Klement Julienne, and Moby.

While I can’t tell you specifically what type of music to listen to while you’re studying, I can tell you that it is of the utmost importance that you not be changing songs constantly. If you have a massive music collection, go ahead and make a playlist but if you don’t have a huge collection (or even if you do), I would recommend using Pandora Radio. On Pandora .com, you can set “seeds” for a station and customize it to your liking. It will play continuously with related music so that you can get your study on.

So the next time your parents tell you to turn down the music, feel free to hit them with some study-related research, crank up the tunes, and get better grades. Your favorite music can get you into the right frame of mind to learn and remember the most. I wish you the best of luck in studying, and for more study-related tips, check out our effective study skills website SchoolDestroyer.com

1. Find out what subjects your child needs help in. Looking at your child’s report card is an easy way to know what subject he/she is not working up to his/her potential. Also, don’t hesitate to ask the teacher what skills is your child lacking to be getting the grade that your child is striving for. Having good communication with the teacher, lets the teacher know that the parent is working together with the child. If a student is behind, usually teachers will allow a proper catch up by assigning extra credit. Some teachers even have after school hours to instruct your child further. Some children seem to improve by getting the one on one instruction that comes with having a tutor.

2. Where do you find the right tutor for your child? That seems to be one of the hardest problems for the parent. The easiest way to find a tutor is by finding a credited institution that supply’s tutors on demand for parents. You can be assured that it’s the institution’s goal of placing tutors with proper certifications in the hands of any parent who is looking for the right match. This site where you are now, screens each tutor individually through a process in order to verify the candidate would be reliable and safe for your child’s needs. Also, the candidate must have experience,certifications, and skills to offer to your child. The most wonderful part is if your not satisfied, you are under no obligation to continue with the same tutor. You can always pick another tutor of your choice. You can continue or stop at your own leisure. Never sign up with an institution that obliges you in any way for a contract period.

3. How to select the right candidate? There are many things to be thinking of before you start picking out the right choice.

a. Which kind of tutor do you need for your child? Does your child have special needs? Will any English tutor do or should certification in certain areas like reading, spelling, proofreading, or writing have any influence?

b. How far is the tutor from me? Is your tutor close enough to be on time or if running a little bit late would not be a problem? Knowing the distance is one solution in making sure your tutor is dependable instead of worrying if your child will be sitting and waiting for the lesson.

c. How qualified is the tutor for the subject your child needs? Any tutor must have proper skills. You can not think that a qualified experienced English tutor could provide the same set of skills if your child is needing help in math. A well rounded tutor is not a bad thing, but make sure your tutor is specialized in the subject for your child.

d. Realize experience is different than qualified. So many people confuse or combine the two virtues which should be purposely kept separate. You can have a tutor that is definitely qualified, but who hasn’t had any dealings with serving the public. The other situation is where you have had a tutor who has lots of experience,but never any tutoring education. For your child, you should look for a tutor who is both experienced and qualified.

4. Pick up to four candidates before final selection. This is always a good rule of thumb. By picking four you will have inside satisfaction that you are not just taking a random chance of introduction with your child. Think ahead, that the tutor you select,your child will depend on to instruct and guide towards a better future. Write to each of them that you are interested in their services and let them know you are comparing them to others. Tell them of your child’s problem and ask if selected what would a sample lesson be. Ask them how often would they suggest your child be tutored. Ask them if they are available to tutor for the length of time that your child needs. You want to make sure that the tutor will try to be there and not just leave after one or two lessons. If you get a fast, detailed response, this will inform you that they are interested and probably can supply proper knowledge to your child. Then email them that you would like to speak to them by phone. Having a good communication talk with the new tutor can be comforting to you before introducing him/her to your child. Be sure to throw at least one request to the tutor to see if the tutor is receptive in accommodating your needs as well if it would benefit your child or can the tutor be willing to give you an explanation of why right now wouldn’t be the right time. By giving such a thorough review of the candidates, in the end will give you at least backup candidates,so you don’t have to wear yourself out by having another fresh search.

5. Prepare how your child is going to study. After choosing the right candidate, think about where you would like the meeting to take place. Some parents who still are unsure if the candidate is right, likes the first meeting to take place at the library. The library is monitored,your meeting the tutor for the first time, and you can see the interaction that is taking place between the tutor and student before taking the tutor to your home. If you are confident enough, then you can go by convenience. Maybe it is more convenient for you to have the tutor to meet in your home than the library. The trips of going to the library may tire out your child before the lesson begins. Can the teachings of the lessons be performed in a “silent please” area? Or can the library make accommodations for a private room to be used? The area in the home should be a place like the dining room table, away from the noise of a television or other children. It shouldn’t be in the child’s bedroom. It should be in a structured environment where computer or printing use can be made available. Working on a table at home will be easy for the child to adapt to know as a “learning area” like their own desk at school.

6. Are you ready for the first meeting! It’s always nice to have a glass of water set for the tutor. But, remember, it is not necessary. The tutor may instruct you that having food/water around during a lesson may distract the child from learning. If the student starts getting up to get water or during a lesson stops to drink water may interrupt the child understanding of the lesson. Usually, it should be the tutor’s judgment of whether the child really would need a drink or just is using it as an excuse to move around. An experienced tutor should be able to handle her classroom area. I would recommend that the parent requests that the first lesson be observed from afar. When a parent is there sitting at the same table, it may get the reaction from the child of looking back and forth to the parent, trying to be assured that their response to the tutor is correct. Observing from afar, can give the child room to breathe as to say. A good tutor lets the child give an honest response, even if it is off the mark, and then steers the child to the best answer. As long as you are confident with the first visit then each lesson afterwards doesn’t need to be monitored. This lets the tutor and student have a good bonding environment to enable better learning.

That’s it! I hope you have taken with you today, a little bit of information from my article that can help you with your search.
-Zahra B.

I would like to invite you to learn more about myself. I am a professional Tutor in the Lilburn, GA area. I have tutored for over 25 years in a variety of situations in the English field. I have tutored children,teenagers,college students,and adults. You are able to see my profile on this website. My accomplishments are many, I am proud to say. My students enjoy my teaching style and have always improved in their studies.

TeachAde currently offers four TeachAde/NEA MB Groups:

21st Century Skills
Do you have a focused 21st Century Skills curriculum? Is it vital for students to learn these skills in school? Our online community of teaching professionals debate whether schools should teach 21st century skills or stick to a core curriculum.

Budgeting Your Money
Recently we’ve all learned the importance of tracking where our money goes. Discover ways your peers have succeeded in budgeting their money. Coming soon … our exclusive Blog with NEA MB’s Certified Financial Advisor with regular updates on ways to save more of your hard-earned money.

Elementary Online Resources
Calling all elementary school teachers! Join this Group to share lessons and activities, as well as tips and tricks to get the most from your students.

National Board Certification
This community group is dedicated to helping teachers decide whether or not to pursue their National Board Certification, with resources on the merits of Certification as well as everything you need to know before you start the process.

Each SAT or ACT taken by a student costs her roughly $50 and half of a day of her life — a small price when compared to the potential benefits of admission into college.  Now, consider this: one of the best ways to prepare for taking the SAT (or ACT) is, well, taking the SAT (or ACT).  So, take both — as often as one can stand the effort and expense.  But that could mean taking twelve tests a year!  Surely that is too much.  So what else should one consider?

Consider the history and purpose of each test.  The SATs were created in the 1920s by and for several elite eastern colleges (i.e., the Ivy League) to supplement high school grades in the colleges’ evaluation of prospective candidates for admission.  The tests have changed over the years, but the basic testing philosophy has not.  The tests are designed primarily to measure the skills a student needs for success in college.  Despite some controversy (regarding diversity fairness and “trick” questions), the tests correlate well with students’ success as freshmen in college. Today the SATs are taken nationwide, but are most popular among colleges (and their prospective students) located in states on or near the coasts.

The ACTs were created in the late 1950s by and for midwestern colleges unhappy with some aspects of the SATs.  The ACTs are designed primarily to measure what a student has learned in high school.  They also correlate with student success in college, but less so than the SATs (according to some experts).  Today the ACTs are taken nationwide, but are most popular among colleges (and their prospective students) located in the broad middle of the country.  Many students feel more comfortable with the ACT (thinking they did better on it than on the SAT), but they are often surprised to find that their percentile rankings on the ACT are no better than those achieved on the SAT.

Nearly all college admissions officers accept either test.  I help prepare students for either or both.  If time and money are not major concerns, I say “go for both.”  If there is a limit, either test will do.  Personally, I lean toward the SAT because of its emphasis on the skills needed for success at the college level.  Getting into a college is only the beginning.  A student must be prepared to succeed in the college learning environment – which is vastly different from that in high school.

In high school, the teacher covers the material in class.  If she is conscientious, she will then assign reading and exercises.  A student, even one weak in critical reading and problem solving, should then be able to do the assignment because the material was covered in class.  In college, the professor does not cover the material.  The student is expected to come to class having already done the necessary reading and exercises.  The professor then “uncovers some of the material” and conducts a seminar with the (informed) students.

In high school a student is tested often.  Most high school quizzes and tests do not emphasize writing or the solving of problems a student has not seen before.  Most college courses test only three times: a midterm exam, a final, and a term paper.  Depending on the course, each test will demand writing, problem solving, or both.

The skills required of college students are precisely the ones tested by the SAT.  Preparing for the SAT thus helps a student develop the skills needed not only to get into college, but to stay there.  So, for most students, my answer is to take both the ACT and the SAT, but to concentrate primarily on the SAT.

About the Author: Captain Karl K. is a retired engineer, college lecturer and admissions officer, and high school teacher.  He is an active and highly successful tutor in a wide variety of subjects including ACT and SAT preparation, English grammar, reading, and writing, mathematics from geometry to calculus, and science (especially physics and chemistry).  He and his wife live in Atlantic Beach, Florida (near Jacksonville).

TeachAde will be integrated into the newly revamped NEA MB Web site to help members connect with each other, share best practices, and access invaluable resources with a click of the mouse. The collaboration is part of the Web site’s intentional focus on the most important subjects to members: Money, Everyday Living, Health and Wellness, Professional Resources and Travel and Leisure.

“Our goal is to partner with the best programs and services to engage and support our members,” said Mark Stevens, vice president of Professional & Web Solutions, NEA Member Benefits. “Partnering with TeachAde will help educators connect with one another on a personal and immediate level about important topical issues such as National Board Certification, 21st-century skills and curriculum and instruction. TeachAde provides our members with a means to easily share their expertise, resources and tools with colleagues across the county.”

TeachAde, which currently has over 17,000 educator participants, enables educators to collaborate within grades and subjects and across schools, districts and states. For example, through TeachAde, the best math teacher in California is able to connect with and help a new math teacher in central Ohio. Once a teacher specifies their subject/grade, TeachAde’s robust database regularly sends useful and customized teacher-created resources directly to the educator. The NEA MB-TeachAde partnership provides NEA members access to a vast database of proven resources overnight and will ensure courses remain rigorous and engaging.

“As a special education teacher, I have found TeachAde to be an invaluable support tool, allowing me to reach out to other teachers in my school district as well as communicating with my students’ parents to keep them updated on their child’s progress,” said Donna Meyerhoeffer, special education teacher at Staunton River High School in Moneta, VA.

“Because each feature was designed and tested by educators, TeachAde’s interface is easy to use and intuitive,” said Michael Pearce, founding partner of TeachAde. “Collaborating with NEA MB allows us to go further to reach greater numbers of educators, which will increase the services to existing and future TeachAde members and demonstrates our commitment to improving teaching and learning.”

NEA members can access TeachAde through the new NEA MB Web site.

President Barack Obama will deliver a speech about education to students tomorrow. Broadcasting live from noon onwards, Obama’s plan to speak to the students has already stirred up quite a controversy among both schools and parents. Some are calling it a valuable classroom lesson while others fear that the president may be using this as an opportunity for propaganda.

In order to quell this tide of controversy, the White House has announced it will release the transcript of the Obama school speech text on its website (http://www.whitehouse.gov) today to allow teachers and parents a chance to review it.  The hope is to allow them time to decide for themselves if it is suitable for their classes or children to listen to the Education Speech.

There are tons of benefits for both teachers and students in tutoring arrangements.  As a teacher, you can keep sharp on your teaching techniques, try out new ones, and stay up-to-date in your subject area.  You might have found that after summer break, you feel a little rusty in the classroom – summer tutoring can be a great way to stay current and avoid this.

Helping a student who finds a particular topic elusive can be an emotionally rewarding experience in itself; and tutoring also provides the opportunity to earn extra money to put towards your well-deserved vacation or further education costs.  Cash-flow can be a problem during the summer months for teachers, so tutoring is a great way to ensure you can keep paying the bills – and you’ll gain valuable experience while doing it.

Tutoring provides you with the flexibility to determine your own schedule, the amount of hours you wish to work, and where you work.  If you love to travel and are adventurous, teaching English as a second language in a foreign country can be a unique experience.  Or, stay at home and work with local kids to contribute to your community and prepare them for the upcoming fall semester (and enjoy the short commute!).  Working with parents as clients can also be a satisfying experience as you get to know more about the community and the kids you teach during the normal school year.  Many students who receive tutoring in addition to regular class time during the school year build lasting relationships with their teachers and often credit them as having a hand in their future successes.

Working over the summer as a tutor has the added benefit of allowing you to deviate from your typical subject area:  maybe you teach English during the normal school year, but you have a hidden passion for math that you miss utilizing.  Tutoring at a basic level can give you the chance to exercise some of those neglected muscles.  Teachers are also in demand for adults and children for whom English is a second language. This chance to experience variety and make an important difference in someone’s life can be greatly appealing.

To re-cap, teachers who tutor enjoy the following perks:

• Increased cash-flow/compensation for lost pay during summer months;
• Rewarding relationship with students and parents;
• Opportunity to set your own hours, work from home, work locally or even travel abroad;
• Chance to try new things; keep your skills focused, and work in areas you might otherwise not have the chance to during the school year.

Visit Tutor Match to build a tutor profile and register to be linked with a student who needs your expertise this summer.

So what is Environmental Education Week?

The goal of Environmental Education Week is to increase the number of environmental education hours that K-12th grade students receive in both formal and non-formal educational settings.  In 2008, over 1,850 schools and non-formal educational institutions across the country organized Environmental Education Week events.  Collectively these organizations served millions of students with environmentally-themed lessons and activities that positively impacted the environment and encouraged environmental stewardship among young people.

TutorMatch is proud to be a sponsor and partner of EE Week.  Why not help us out?  There’s a number of ways you can take action during EE Week:

Join with NEEF, EPA and other teens to do your part for climate change and children’s health.

Do you know a teacher who stands out among the rest? Someone who takes their passion for the environment and brings it into the classroom, inspiring students to learn and engage in environmental issues? Consider nominating the outstanding teacher for a Richard C. Bartlett Award. 

Be part of the nation’s largest single day for improving and enhancing the public lands we enjoy through our National Public Lands Day home page.