The Three Biggest Pitfalls in Hiring a Math Tutor and How to Handle Them

When searching for a math tutor there are things you need to have in place to ensure a good experience. Having a good tutor can be a great benefit - far more bang for your buck than classroom education - but there are three common problems that can interfere with your getting your money's worth. These problems are inability to communicate, lack of real knowledge of the subject matter, and plain irresponsibility. On the other side of the equation, you can (if you are deliberate in your choosing) find a tutor who doesn't merely avoid these problems but gives far greater benefit than all the teachers you've ever had combined. FACTOR #1: ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE Some brilliant mathematicians are notoriously bad communicators. (Those of us who are not downright schizophrenic, like John Nash, famously portrayed in A Beautiful Mind, often love the world of ideas especially because of its removal from real life!) If you have an absent-minded-professor type for a tutor, you have an abundance of knowledge but no way to access it. If you have a present-minded tutor who knows how to nurture the students' learning process, you have an invaluable aid to your learning. What a good tutor and good tutoring company do to communicate clearly: A good tutor listens. She/he is patient, she listens to your needs, she works with you at every step and continuously monitors your progress and takes you from where you are to where you want to be. (Not from where you aren't.) A good tutor is very experienced at tutoring-not just at classroom teaching, which is a very different activity. A good tutor is intuitive about students' needs. A good tutoring company hires good tutors, not just brilliant mathematicians, or certified teachers, or people looking to earn a buck. When it contracts a tutor, a good company director asks her/him to teach a sample lesson. They have a conversation. They interact. An experienced tutoring director knows when someone can communicate well. They've paid attention to their students, to feedback, and have analyzed and reflected on the communications process to see what works. Some students need things to be spoken slowly, some need things repeated many times, while others may need things to go fast in order to keep their attention focused. FACTOR #2: ATTENTIVENESS An experienced tutor should not only take into consideration the student's learning abilities and knowledge of a particular subject matter, but should also be able to take into consideration other factors as well. Very often the obstacle to understanding mathematics is not necessarily due to a person's learning abilities, but is due to the person's current psychological and emotional state. A student may have things going on at home, at work or in a relationship, which can cause a significant obstruction to learning. He or she will be with their tutor during a tutoring session, and instead of focusing on what the tutor is trying to explain, the student is engaged in thoughts pertaining to his/her problems. This can cause attention deficit, inability to focus, and lack of desire to learn or listen to the tutor. If taking on a student for long term tutoring, a good tutor or tutoring company should try as much as possible to take these factors into consideration and craft their tutoring sessions with this information in mind. FACTOR #3: GUARANTEEING RESULTS Being able to guarantee the results of your work is a big plus. An experienced tutor or tutoring company, after spending a couple of sessions with a student, and making the necessary assessments, should be able to tell how many sessions the student should need in order to do well in a course or to pass an exam. The tutors should be able to guarantee whether the student will do well in the course or on the exam (on the condition that the student does all the work that is assigned to him and cooperates with his tutor. There are many cases where families or individuals buy large tutoring packages for themselves or their families, go through the tutoring sessions, do all the necessary work, and then don't end up doing well in their respective courses. This is unethical, because a tutoring company should take a certain measure of responsibility, to be able to guarantee the final outcomes in performance. If such a case occurs, then you should contact the company and ask for your money back. However, if you or your child spent time with a good tutor who has done all the work from his or her end, and you or your child did not participate or do the necessary work, then your failure should not be the company's responsibility. At the same time, if a company or a tutor notices a student who is not interested in learning, this situation should be immediately addressed, and further efforts should be made to change the situation around. After carrying this out, if indeed there is no desire to continue on the student's end, then all further sessions should be cancelled. There are many tutoring companies who take advantage of such students. Those, for example who are not interested in being tutored, but are forced to attend lessons by their parents. There is little or no benefit from such sessions. People who apply to work as tutors at many tutoring companies have studied at some of the top universities in the country. Yet there are some candidates who shouldn't be hired even with the kind of credentials any student of mathematics would envy, simply because they do not have listening skills. In matching you with your tutor, a really good tutoring director listens carefully and gets a sense of what the best kind of match will be. And if he really has class, then if he doesn't a match for you, he won't pair you with a tutor who can't really help your needs-he'll simply refer you to one of his competitors. What YOU can do to ensure your needs: When you speak with a tutoring company the first time, be sure to ask about the communication skills of the tutors. Then, when you get matched up, have a conversation with the tutor yourself, and ask questions. Ask the tutor to explain a mathematical concept to you. If you don't understand the explanation, or if you find you're having to work hard to understand or keep up, this might not be worth pursuing. What to look for: • a great tutor will ask you questions while explaining, and find out if you're following. • a great tutor won't assume that just because you're hearing the words that you're understanding. • if you don't understand the first explanation, a great tutor will explain it differently the second time, rather than simply repackaging the original explanation in different words.• a tutor will have the attitude that if the explanation wasn't clear, the student is not to blame (on the condition that you are cooperating and actually want to learn). The customer is always right. FACTOR #4: KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER A tutor needs to know the material not just well enough to pass the exam himself/herself but know it when on the spot, and be able to explain it as well as doing it. Real knowledge of subject matter is actually a different skill set from the ability to solve a problem and get a grade on a exam. A tutor needs to have teaching-knowledge as well as learning knowledge. Concepts often seem to slip out of some people's heads when they're asked to explain them. A real understanding of the context for a mathematical concept is necessary, and of the fundamental principles involved, not merely a pat method for solving a problem. This is particularly true on the SAT or ACT, tests of reasoning rather than subject matter, and on higher level math courses such as college and graduate courses. For higher-level courses: if you're a college or graduate student, you need a tutoring company that specializes in tutoring for college graduate school classes. There are few people in New York City who are advanced enough in mathematics to be able to tutor these subjects, and very very few tutoring companies who have them. The best mathematicians in New York know the best places to work-so ask them which companies are good. Some tutoring companies are geared toward their bottom line, not your learning. Their corporate structure legally requires them to maximize their profits-not your learning. They use rote teaching methods, formulas to ensure that quality is controlled. The downside of this is that, since the tutors aren't free to depart from the tried-and-true methods, the improvement in students is very slight. The tutoring isn't individualized or tailored to the student's particular needs. As a business model it makes sense: put a large quantity of students through a rote program and ensure they're all slightly satisfied. But the great additional gains that could have been garnered are all lost. How a good tutoring company ensures knowledge of the subject matter: Good companies test everyone who works for them. Potential tutors have to take several written and oral qualifying exams, to ensure complete knowledge of a subject and proper teaching skills. A good tutoring company doesn't go by references alone. Asking tutors to explain a concept aloud, on the spot, in order to see directly how they teach. Many good companies give you a chance to "test-drive" a tutor for one session and guarantee a full refund if you're not completely satisfied. How you can ensure knowledge of subject matter: When you approach a tutoring company, ask what credentials the tutors have. Look at the tutor profiles page. When talking with a tutor ask the tutor to explain why something works as well as how to do the math. Factor #5: Responsibility The reality is some tutors, especially in fast-paced New York City, just don't show up, or don't return phone calls for weeks at a time. What A Good Company Does to Prevent Run-away Tutors We've had a few come through our company even. We were astonished that some people could be so unprofessional. We learned. Now, though our default attitude continues to be trust-based, we understand it is possible for this to occur, and if you came to us for tutoring you'd need to know about us that a tutor who does this is removed from her/his jobs and replaced, period. They don't work for our company again. (Who knows, they may be working for some other company now-so be sure to do some due diligence!) We expect this is how any good company will handle this. But not all companies do have a backup tutor at the ready, one who's fully competent to take over in the middle of the process and get your ready for your exams. This kind of thing happens very rarely with tutoring companies, and is by far the most infrequent of the three problems we've outlined here. But when it does happen it can be very distressing for students. So it's good to know you won't run into that problem. How to Do Your Due Diligence: Ask a tutoring company if they've ever had this occur, and how they handled it. Ask for a guarantee that not only will your problem be addressed but that a backup tutor will be available immediately to ensure you're ready for your exams in time. And that this backup tutor be at least as good as the original. Summary: How to Get the Best Tutor for YOU In summary, communication skill, real knowledge of the principles behind the material, and guarantees of responsiveness are the three most important things to ensure you're getting a good tutoring experience that brings you to where you want to be in your studies and your grades. Don't just take our word for it-ask us, ask whatever other company you look at out there. Take the time to get it right the first time, since it will waste valuable time and make things that much more frantic if you have to do it all again later-plus adding more confusion to your studies or those of your child. And also, if you get a really good tutor, a really great match, you won't just get the benefit of repairing what's not been working in your education previously-you may find you are learning worlds more than you were before. To recap: What to ask the tutor or tutoring director: • how do you/your tutors communicate? What tools do you use to make sure communication is getting through to me in a way that I actually get it?• Explain a mathematical concept to me.• Explain to me why this thing works, what's the substance behind the method, as well as how to do the math.• Have you/your tutors tutored before or only taught in a classroom?• My learning style is _____. Do you have a tutor/can you tutor to my specific learning style?• I don't know what my learning style is. I've always had trouble with ____. Can you help me figure out what my learning style is, and will you/the tutor be able to tutor to that learning style?• What qualifications do your tutors have?• Ask if there are backup tutors in case of irresponsibility, and ask if the company has ever handled the situation of a runaway before. What to look for: • a great tutor will ask you questions while explaining, and find out if you're following what she/he's saying, rather than assuming you're understanding (or that you're the one who's at fault if you don't understand). • a great tutor won't assume that just because you're hearing the words that you're understanding. • if you don't understand the first explanation, a great tutor will explain it differently the second time, rather than simply repackaging the original explanation in different words.• Backup tutors are available if anything should happen with your tutor.

Get An Online Accounting Degree While Holding A Full Time Job

Online courses are great way to get an online accounting degree without the hassle of attending college. Why should you choose accounting? Accounting is a vital part of any business to keep track of business finances and for personal finances. All industries need an accountant for this purpose. However, not just anyone is qualified vedic maths for the job. Accounting is a field that calls for certification or a degree. Those who have jobs may not have time to attend a campus so an online accounting degree is ideal for them. If someone has worked in a related industry, they are usually familiar with accounting 101. Attending the typical college campus may seem boring and unnecessary to them since they have met or surpassed the requirements. They will view it as a waste of money and time to take a class that is not needed. This can lead to lack of motivation and frustration. Many online accounting degree programs address this problem by permitting them to take tests to show their abilities and test out of a required class yet still get the required credits. It gives them the chance to advance faster through the class and get their degree sooner. Taking classes online also allows the student more time flexibility to hold a full time or part time job. Most online degree programs have increased in popularity because they are less expensive than traditional colleges. Online certification programs are less expensive because they remove the necessity of a formal classroom and the teacher pupil ratio is greater. Grants and tuition aid programs can lower the cost even more. It is easier to budget since you pay for only the classes you need in contrast to paying for several classes at once. Your next step is to find the right school to get an online accounting degree. Here is a checklist to follow when selecting an online school.The school should be accredited. Many schools allege to be accredited but they may not meet your needs. Choose a course that follows the guidelines of the Fundamentals of Bookkeeping program or The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. If you already have credits with another school, find out if they are able to transfer credits. You should not have to waste your time taking courses you took at a different school. The school should furnish the most current technology to the industry. Current technology is important to learning online. A majority of virtual classes apply websites, forums, email, videos, and audio. Choose a school that lets you learn at your own pace and provides a trained faculty. Ask what financial options they offer like student loans or scholarship programs. Will you be assigned a personal adviser? A personal adviser will help you with enrollment details and with the selection of subjects, so take advantage if the service is offered. As you can see, online accounting degree programs can be extremely beneficial. It is not only less expensive but also more convenient and flexible. Picking the correct school is something to think about carefully. It is suggested to read reviews before you apply to any school.

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Part Time MBA Program

MBA is a much sought out course that many want to earn to climb the ladder of success. Students want to enroll themselves in this program to value add to their resume. Working professionals who always wanted to join in an MBA course and did not get time to pursue the course, want to join in a full time MBA course while working with their respective organizations. Apart from many traditional B-schools, many universities offer these programs. Both types of MBA program, that is a MBA part time and a MBA full time have advantages and disadvantages. A student has to see which type suits him or her and join in it. With technology coming to aid the MBA part time program is structured in such a way that any student can get access to the course content, attend virtual classes and even get his or her doubts clarified in a chat medium. All this can happen when a student logs into his account provided by the university for online MBA. Students are provided with username and password with which they can access to the course from anywhere and at anytime. However, there are some disadvantages also. Let us see the advantages and disadvantages of such a program. Advantages of a Part time MBA These programs are advantageous for students who want to grow more in their present career. These programs are also beneficial to the students who have an experience in business or working with some organization for a period of time and want to gain managerial skills and develop their career or business. • Classes usually take place in the mornings or in the evenings. That is before or after working hours. • Managerial skills can be developed without quitting the existing jobs. • The MBA Part time program costs less as compared to a MBA full time program. That is the reason why many students who cannot afford for a MBA full time program also enroll in the part time MBA program. Disadvantages of a part time MBA • Class room feel is missing in MBA part time program. A regular class that usually helps a student is missing in it. • While completing a part time MBA program, frequent travelling and relocation may be a hassle for those who do not want to travel. • In many MBA program, there is no transfer of credits when there is a shift from MBA part time to full time.

Online Colleges - Frequently Asked Questions

The US Congress has given a new edge to education in the budget bill for the month of March. Unlike the case previously in the United States, even online colleges will be entitled to federal aid. Previously, the online education industry had a dubious reputation for its profit motive. However, the Congressional Republicans have become sympathetic to the entrepreneurial ethics of Internet-based colleges due to the convenience they offer to students. With more and more students opting for online courses, there has been a steady increase in Internet colleges over the years. However, there are certain queries that are frequently asked regarding such institutions. Online Colleges: FAQs The following are the answers to some of the frequently asked questions about online colleges and the courses they have to offer: What are the main benefits of online institutions? Flexibility is the main reason why students opt for e-learning. An online course can be pursued from the comfort of one's home, at one's own pace, while still qualifying for all the benefits of classroom learning, including interaction with instructors and peers. This is also a good option for professionals who can earn while pursuing a full-time or part-time course. Moreover, online colleges are comparatively cost-effective and have no locational bindings. How do employers look upon an online institute? As online education gains popularity, employers have begun recognizing Internet programs as a substantial addition to a résumé. A study conducted by the Distance Education and Training Council has proven that more than 70% of the corporate supervisors consider online programs equally or more valuable than classroom degrees. What are the costs involved? The overall cost of an online degree is lower than the usual college courses. However, the costs vary from institute to institute, depending on factors such as: type of degree prior course credits (from a different college) A large number of students pursuing online courses qualify for financial aid, which helps them either completely or partially with their educational expenses. Online schools have financial advisors who help students choose their best financing option and also handhold them during the application process. How to apply? This is relatively simple. Students have to fill a web-based application form. Once this is done, the admissions representative will contact the student and fix a time to discuss course-related goals and interests. This is also a good time to ask any questions the student might have regarding the particular college or course. You can search for renowned online colleges at the website of TopEducationGuide features a comprehensive list of training institutes in the US, which a potential student can search through alphabetically.

Computer Skills Are a Necessity in Today's Workplace - Distance Learning Courses Can Help

These days, the more computer skills you have, the better your chances are at not only finding a job, but also applying for one. Today's companies post their jobs online as well as have online or digital applications. So, before you even get to the interview, your computer/internet skills need to come into play. Nearly every industry in the world relies on some form of technology to keep their business running smoothly. Try to guess one industry that doesn't rely on some form of technology. Thought of any yet? Me neither. Even if you work in an industry where you can't possibly imagine computers becoming an everyday part of your job...they probably already have somewhere along the line. The vast majority of today's workers are required to have more than basic computer skills to keep them viable in today's fast paced job market. Older Americans seem to be having the most trouble keeping up with technology, simply because it didn't exist in mainstream society as it does today. The good news is that even if you are...should we say... technology challenged, there are plenty of computer training opportunities out there that can help you not only in your career life, but in your home life as well. Computer career training is an excellent and convenient way to learn the computers skills you need to succeed in today's workplace. If you don't have time to physically go to class, there are a number of distance learning programs that are not only convenient, but affordable as well. Many distance learning programs can be completed in as little as six months and a number of schools offer affordable monthly payment plans.

The Importance of Having a School Website

A public elementary school needs multifarious approaches to attain its mission and vision. Usually, the school aimed to produce graduates who are globally competitive and skilled enough to land better jobs. To realize this, the school has to improve its instructional and institutional strategies. The limited financial resources of the school could sometimes hinder the implementation of school projects and activities. Take the case of a school with a small enrollment. The few number of students means few parents and a meager slice of the school budget based on per pupil allocation. This means it has less income in terms of voluntary donations and less maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE). The few students, however, still require quality instructional materials same as with other schools. To raise funds for TV sets, DVD players, laboratory apparatus and other learning support materials, the school then has to establish linkages with its stakeholders. Project proposals have to be submitted to local government offices and non-government organizations hoping that they could partake whatever funds they have. One of the most untapped resources is the school alumni. Today, workers abound who are gainfully employed either here or abroad. These people have their hearts on their Alma Mater, the only problem is right communication. Here comes Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, Friendster and other social networking sites. Billions of people used these sites, and for sure, graduates of the school are using them too. To connect to these people, a school must create a website where its accomplishments, problems and aspirations could be posted. It can invite its alumni to visit the school website, post their comment, read its articles and reports and revive the attachments between students and their Alma Mater. To ensure speedy contact, the school website may utilize Facebook, Twitter and other networks. A school website has the following aims: 1. To establish contact with the school alumni and friends of the school; 2. To bring school updates, accomplishments and concerns to the readers; 3. To seek financial assistance through networking; 4. To harness journalistic skills among the students; and 5. To maximize utilization of the Internet and Information Technology. How will the school create its website? Just follow these simple steps: 1. Look for free website hosting. There are millions available in the internet. Just choose those which have no hidden charges. One of the best is Google sites. 2. Register a free account with this site and utilize their website templates to start creating the school website. 3. Organize the school editorial staff. Write the needed articles and post them to the website with photos according to the desired website pages. 4. Publish the website in the internet. 5. Create a Facebook account for the school and connect them to the school website. Invite friends through Facebook and ask them to visit the school website Then after the school website and Facebook are successfully published, one may just be surprised of the number of alumni that will visit the school. The school now has people who will readily help its projects.

Online College Degrees In Horticulture

Horticulture is actually a form of agriculture whereby emphasis and effort is made in the cultivation of crops prevalent in gardens. These plants may range from fruits or vegetables to flowers. Horticultural success relies heavily on how those practicing that profession are able to control the environment; soil factors, light, water and of course pests have to be controlled. Simply put, it is the cultivation of a garden. College degrees in horticulture is a study that blends science and art. It is also a study based on plants. Students enrolled for this course undertake critical study and evaluation of plant life. Students taking online college degrees in horticulture have vast opportunities awaiting them; these include employment in government, private or non-governmental research facilities and breeding stations, and lastly but not least, green house related businesses. A college degree in Horticulture enables the student to take a critical examination of plant life form and equips the graduate with immense knowledge of plant world. It is thus needless to point out that a college graduate in this field is far more equipped for the challenges concerning horticultural profession and plant-related businesses. These online courses will give the student an unrivalled flexibility and freedom to study at his or her own pace. This alone helps the student to exercise early freedom in life to decide when to 'attend' class and when to work for other life's challenges. The course that the student is likely to cover online, besides horticulture, include the study of soil, its permeability or absorption, nutritional content essential for different plant forms and toxicity. The horticultural profession embraces many studies. Propagation, grafting, cutting and other techniques are employed. A student taking this course online has the advantage of practicing the techniques he or she is leaning at his or her own garden. This gives them the benefit of utilizing approved methods in tending to their own plants. What a student actually needs to get a degree in horticulture are good grades in the science subjects for example biology, chemistry and mathematics. The student also needs to get good grades in art based subjects like geography. The graduates of this discipline are highly marketable. The reason to this is because as more and more populace become urbanized there is need to maximize the use of every inch of free soil to give maximum benefits, be it fruits, vegetables or ornamental plants.