Summer Learning in Colorado

Over their long vacation in Colorado, most students experience a phenomenon known as the summer slide where they lose much of the academic gains they made over the last semester. Summer academic losses are also cumulative so students who experience the summer slide will drop further behind every year.

The problem

According to the authors of a report from the National Summer Learning Association: “A conservative estimate of lost instructional time is approximately two months or roughly 22 percent of the school year.” While academic losses happen across the board, most of the studies which focus on the summer slide deal with reading and math abilities which are so important for today’s students who want to compete in an increasingly tough job market.

Better learning means a better life

The antidote to the summer slide is to take just a couple of sessions every week for in-home tutoring. Here your kids get personalized education that suits their personalities, abilities and learning style. Watch their confidence grow as they not only avoid the summer slide but fill in the gaps in their learning, and acquire the study skills they need to succeed in the new year.

At Tutor Doctor, we don’t want students to be dependent on our tutoring, so we teach the skillset they need to work independently and remove the academic anxiety that many families deal with on a daily basis.

Our programs

• Convenient, comfortable, one-to-one

We come to you, wherever you are, at a time that is convenient to you. In the comfort of your home, we provide individualized training and give your child the caring and confidence that they need to succeed.

• Everyone can learn with the right approach

We have a comprehensive, collaborative approach to learning and work together with your family and teachers to identify the right learning strategies and find the perfect tutors.

• Better learning, better life

Your education consultant and tutor have your student’s best interests at heart. We listen, understand, and build an educational support team and personalized coaching plan to help your student become an academic champion for life.

• Your goals are our goals

Whether your student’s needs are immediate – like passing the next exam—or long term, we build a tailor-made plan that gets results. We start with an in-depth assessment, then match the right tutor to your student to help your family improve the present and make the future possible.

Our tutors

At Tutor Doctor, we provide your children with affordable, professional academic coaching in the comfort of your own home. Our tutors undergo a rigorous selection process so we know that they are qualified, well-matched and passionate about really supporting families and helping your students to succeed. With a dedicated coach and a supportive academic team, every student can succeed.

With our Summer Success Program, your children can really get a head start on the coming semester so that they can bring their A-game. Our one-on-one tutoring style delivers results. In fact, 95% of our customers would recommend us to their friends and family.

Contact us to learn more about our summer programs!.

Best Christmas Books for Elementary School Students

As Christmas approaches, elementary school tutor Lauren Wood has a wealth of Christmas-themed books which she leaves lying around the house. All the younger students who visit eagerly read them in anticipation of the big day. “It’s a great way to get them the read,” she says, “and there are so many great Christmas classics for them to choose from.” Here is a list of all the classic novels that every young student should have in their library.

A Night before Christmas
Clement C. Moore’s classic poem is perhaps one of the best-known classics. You can read it to your students or, better still, get them to read it to you on Christmas Eve. It’s a cute little poem that has some complex language which you can help them with. Keep a dictionary on hand so that they can look up any words that they don’t understand.

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving
While Christmas time is supposed to be about giving and sharing, it’s easy for students to get focused on receiving. This is a wonderful book by Jan Berenstain to remind students of the joys of giving. Written in 1962, this true classic is a must for every student. You can augment the tale by asking your students to pick one toy to donate to those who are less fortunate.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Grinch has become a staple for every discerning Christmas reader. This delightful poem about a mean, green Grinch is fun and funny. You can read the book first and then watch the animated short or the full length movie by the same name.

The Nightmare before Christmas by Tim Burton
This beautifully illustrated novel is about a well-meaning Halloween skeleton who decides to play Santa with disastrous results. It’s the perfect holiday read for those who are fans of Halloween. You can read the book and then watch Tim Burton’s masterfully crafted movie filled with ghoulish characters.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
It’s the ultimate Christmas fantasy; as a young boy lies awake on Christmas eve, Santa swoops by with his reindeer and takes him on an adventure to the North Pole. It really is a magical journey filled with excitement and adventure. Read the book and then watch the movie too!

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
The story of little Teeka’s attempts to train Santa’s reindeer is not only a great guide for students on how to work well with others, but it also introduces them to northern cultures and life on the tundra. It’s a magical tale of how Teeka manages to get all the reindeer together for Santa’s big night by working with them and treating them kindly. This is a great book for older siblings.

This festive season, give your students the gift of books to help expand their seasonal libraries. Reading books is a great way for them to spend their holidays and get into the Christmas spirit.

How to Encourage Class Participation in Shy Students

Shy students are often a teacher’s dream as they work hard to avoid drawing attention to themselves. While this may be easier to deal with, no teacher wants your student to miss out on educational opportunities. Participating in class, asking questions and being part of school activities will help your student to have a richer educational and social experience. Students who apply what they have learned in class exercises are more likely to reach a deeper understanding of the material and retain more of the information they have garnered.

Talk to your Teacher

If your student is shy, speak with your teacher about this and discuss ways in which to encourage participation. Teachers can ensure that shy students are seated at the front of the class so that they are more visible. Shy students may need a little longer to feel confident enough to answer questions or participate and teachers who understand this can be more accommodating.

Teachers can work to build a rapport with your student and can work one-on-one with them wherever possible. They can also encourage your student to participate and join in class activities.

Get a Tutor

The effects of student peer pressure are great and most students are shy because they don’t want to be embarrassed in front of their peers. Fear of failure may stem from the fact that they don’t know the answers to questions, feel overwhelmed by course materials or simply just don’t understand. You can overcome these academic issues by getting an in-home tutor.

An in-home tutor can work with your student one-on-one in an encouraging and safe environment. As your student fills in the gaps in their knowledge, their confidence will grow. When they understand what is happening in class, they will feel confident enough to ask questions and participate in activities.

Social Skills

Encouraging your student to participate in activities outside of the classroom will help them to gain the confidence to get involved inside the classroom. Sports, extra mural activities and social events are great places for them to mix with other students and form friendships. Social bonds are important in improving confidence.

Preparation

When students feel prepared, their confidence improves. Get your students to prepare some questions or read up on possible topics prior to class.

You can also role play with students so that they are more able to deal with possible situations that arise.

Be very encouraging and help to bolster their self-confidence by focusing on the positive rather than dwelling in the negative aspects of their social interaction and academic performance. You can improve their confidence by rewarding small successes and focusing on their achievements.

How to Choose the Right Tutor for your Student

Struggling academically or doing a little extra tutoring to bring up a grade point average is a natural part of growing up. Most students need a little extra help from time to time and getting a professional in-home tutor is the best choice for improving grades. One-on-one tutoring will mean that your student gets the all the help they need. There are so many benefits to tutoring, but you must find the right tutor to suit your student in order to for them to get the best out of the situation.

Benefits of tutors

• Tutors are able to identify the gaps in your student’s knowledge and fill in the building blocks for them.
• Tutors focus on teaching the skills your students need to excel, rather than just disseminating information.
• Each student has a learning style. Tutors are able to identify the learning styles of each student and then present information in ways that your student understands.
• The one-on-one tutoring gives your student the opportunity to answer without fear of embarrassment which helps them to build confidence and improves performance.
• Tutors teach students study methods that work for them. They can help students to study for exams and tests, help with homework, help them to effectively manage their time and compile study schedules that leave enough time to study for each subject.
• In-home tutors come to you and fit in with your schedule, so you aren’t inconvenienced.
• Confidence gained through tutoring will help reduce the anxiety your student feels in academic situations.

Choosing the right tutor
Start by talking with your student and their teacher. This will help you to ascertain exactly what difficulties your student is having. Knowing exactly what the problem is will help you to find a tutor that is the right fit.
The success of a tutoring program depends on your student, so get their opinions and input so that they are part of the process.
Once you have established your student’s needs, contact your local Tutor Doctor for a list of tutors in your area. Ensure that the tutors have the right qualifications to teach your student. Ask about their experience levels and what experience they have with the grade your student is in and the kinds of problems they are having.
Work with your student, teachers and tutor to set very clear goals. Ensure that the academic goals are realistic and achievable.
If the tutor isn’t a good fit for your student, feel free to ask for a different tutor. Getting the right tutor will exponentially improve your student’s performance.
In-home tutors are able to give your student their undivided attention, but there are alternatives like extra classes which are given at the tutoring center, online courses or phone tutoring which reduce the costs of tutoring for families.

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Back To School Traditions for a Great Academic Year

After the excitement and nervousness of starting a new school or a new grade has worn off, the new clothes have become old friends and your student is feeling more settled and at home, it’s time to start some new back-to-school traditions. New habits only take a couple of weeks to instill, but they will mean a happier home life and a better academic performance. Here are some back to school traditions that will help you and your students to have a wonderful semester.

Smooth Morning Routines

Get your family together and ask them to write down the things that they don’t enjoy about your morning routine. Perhaps they would like more bathroom time, or maybe they don’t like to rush in the mornings; whatever their gripes, write them down in a list.

As a family, find ways in which you can reduce the stress of morning routines. This means being more organized. If bathroom time is an issue, set out a schedule so that everyone has a fair amount of time. You can move hair and makeup to a different room so that the bathroom is free for showering.

If you don’t like rushing in the morning, get your students to start packing their bags and laying out their clothing the night before.

Make a lunch menu that everyone can enjoy and share out morning chores so that everyone has the same amount of stuff to do. If one of your students is a better morning person, they may want to take on more responsibility and chores in the morning and have a free evening.

Academic Goals

Knowing where you are going makes it so much easier to navigate. Get each of your students to set out clear academic goals for the year. You should provide incentives for the achievement of those goals in the form of rewards. Work with your student’s teacher and tutor to ensure that the goals are realistic. Short term and long-term goals will give a sense of accomplishment.

After School Activities

Discuss what activities your students wish to do after school and ensure that they have a healthy balance of work and activity. Try to encourage activities outside of their comfort zone so that they can meet new friends and get active. Sports help to foster friendships, teach discipline and teamwork and keep your students healthy and active while creative activities help relieve stress and develop higher cognitive functions.

Starting fun back-to-school traditions will mean that your students have set goals, rewards to look forward to and fun activities to anticipate. A little planning at the start of the semester will mean everyone develops habits that help to make this the best academic year ever.

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Choosing the Right Tutoring Program will Ensure Success

It’s back to school now for millions of students and vicariously for their parents. And as they hit the books, virtually all have the same goal: raise grades and test scores substantially to get into a good college and have a chance in an increasingly competitive job market. But the bad news is that many students are falling short of their academic goals.

“Low or failing grades produce shame, frustration, helplessness, hopelessness and peer group rejection,” says Larrie Reynolds, Superintendent of Mount Olive Township Public Schools. “This allows the student to convince even themselves that their lacking success in school is actually a personal lifestyle choice, rather than an inevitable fate.”

The good news is that through an effective tutoring program, students can overcome the academic and resultant social difficulties.

There are many causes of poor academic performance, but it almost always leads to negative consequences for the confidence of the student. “They may be upset with parental pressure, have no strong drive, lack confidence, have learning problems or face other apparent barriers. So to simply start ‘tutoring’ them so often backfires, turning out to be an exercise in futility,” says Frank Milner, president of Tutor Doctor, a global network of academic coaching companies.

“That’s why our academic coaches begin with what our process refers to as a personal discovery. Our people find out what is in the student’s heart and mind before we begin to deal with English, mathematics or history. If we know that there is something working against the learning process, we can address it quickly and effectively,” says Milner.

As an example, we look at a sophomore in High School and a competitive swimmer who failed most of his classes during his freshman year. Family stress reached a boiling point and his parents reached out to a tutor for help. Sophomore year, the student went through the personal discovery process and was seen by an academic coach for both English and Math. The student proceeded to get A’s and B’s and his parents couldn’t be happier.

The personal discovery looks for five key issues that can be blocking the student’s academic success:

• Working parents have little time to help students with academics.
• Students that “struggle in silence.” These students are too embarrassed to reach out for help at school.
• Too many extra-mural activities impede the student’s ability to perform academically.
• Gaps in educational fundamentals.  These gaps need to be filled in while working on current studies.
• Situations where moving is involved. Moving from state to state, elementary to middle school, middle school to high school, public to private and vice-versa.

“We know that by conducting the personal discovery first and also by filling in gaps in the student’s knowledge before trying to go to the next level, “says James Zazeski of Tutor Doctor, ” our system proves that it is highly effective in accelerating the trajectory of learning.”

“Dakota has only been with her academic coach for two months and already her test scores in grammar, science and history have gone from D’s and F’s to high A’s,” says  Tracy Healey, a Tutor Doctor client. “Your careful selection in matching the right tutor to the student was spot on. Dakota’s confidence level is through the roof and she now feels that she is very capable of achieving great success as a student. As a parent, I’m thrilled!”

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