Oprah Winfrey on "Waiting for Superman"

There's a bold new movie out, "Waiting for Superman", and it's getting lots of press. Time launched their cover story with the movie; The New York Times wrote an article last week; and now Oprah is talking to Bill Gates and Davis Guggenheim, the director of the movie, about this film and its message. And she gave $1 million to various charter schools, including Lionel Wilson Prep in Oakland, an Aspire public school, and Summit Prep High School, in Redwood City (full disclosure, and proud note: Tutorpedia and the Tutorpedia Foundation work with both schools).

We will be getting a group of tutors together to see this movie soon. I won't comment on it before then, but I want to see what the hype is about. Your thoughts?

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Be a tutor. Be a mentor. There are so many students right now who need help with reading, writing, and math skills. Science literacy. Technology. College applications. They're behind with homework, studying for their exams, they could use a caring, experienced adult to walk them through their school work, to make it less daunting, to engage them in the learning process. Give a child that spark to succeed! Build a relationship with them that motivates them and encourages them to learn.

Right now Tutorpedia has openings at several Bay Area schools:

Summit Prep, a charter high school in Redwood City: M/W from 3-5pm tutoring pre-calculus and chemistry
Horace Mann, a public middle school in San Francisco: M from 2:30-3:30pm tutoring basic reading, writing, and math
Building Future Now, a nonprofit in East Palo Alto: schedule TBD (working with middle and high school students)
Mandela High School, a public school in Oakland: M from 3-6pm tutoring all math, English, and science

Tutorpedia is also looking for math/science/SAT tutoring in the East Bay, Peninsula and SF, and will have many more after-school programs (free tutoring for low-income students, paid for by the district) starting in the next few months. Please see http://tutorpedia.com/about/jobs.php for more info about our available jobs. If you are interested, send a cover letter to jobs@tutorpedia.com, and you can start filling out our job application here. And please pass this on to any of your interested friends and colleagues!

Back to School

Interesting article from the New York Times Magazine, Achieving Techno-Literacy. Kevin Kelly argues that "technology helped us learn, but it was not the medium of learning. It was summoned when needed." There is a rash of discussion about the need for more technology, ie. computers, in the classroom. But because of the rapidly changing nature of technology, the minute we learn a new tech device, it becomes obsolete. So he says it is not technology that we need to learn, but technological literacy - "proficiency with the larger system of our invented world" - and all the assumptions and limitations that technology provides.

Why all this talk about techno-literacy in September? It's back-to-school season, and that time of year always engenders the question, Why are we in school? What is the purpose of the 7:30-3:30 school day, classroom periods, tedious homework and stressful tests on a periodic cycle? To get good grades, high test scores, and accepted to college? To become productive citizens of society? To be technologically literate? To be, or not to be?

School is important for all these reasons and more. Studying is important, and parents have an effect on this. Very recent studies show that our thoughts on how we study best were all wrong. We don't want a static and sparse study hall, but what's better is a dynamic environment, with moving parts, in our learning experience - the more we have to remember, the better we learn. If parents don't have the extra time to help their kids, it's best to outsource some of those tasks. I am biased of course, but I spoke to a parent today who said that it was just not in her best interest to tutor her daughter - the math was beyond her, and she felt their relationship would be better if they spent time together doing other activities.

Kelly continues in his article, "Education, at least in the K-12 range, is more about child rearing thank knowledge acquisition. And since child rearing is primarily about forming character, instilling values and cultivating habits, it may be the last area to be directly augmented by technology." I couldn't agree more.

Meet Sarah: Math Tutor

Sarah, a Stanford STEP graduate, high school math teacher, and veteran Tutorpedia Tutor, explains why she loves working with Tutorpedia students.

Meet Marielle: Math and Science Tutor

Marielle, a Harvey Mudd graduate and Tutorpedia tutor, explains why she loves to work with students to help them better understand math and science.

Tutorpedia has really fine tutors!

San Francisco parent Geoff explains that it's the individual tutors that makes Tutorpedia's tutoring services great, and why he chose them to help his daughter improve on her SAT. Go to www.tutorpedia.com to see more parent testimonials.

Meet Kate: Berkeley parent who used Tutorpedia for 3 years

Berkeley parent Kate shares why she chose Tutorpedia after interviewing many different tutors and tutoring companies, and describes the relationship that her son formed with his tutor, Tutorpedia's Founder & CEO, Seth.

When it comes to increasing academic success, there is nothing more effective than personalized tutoring. Tutorpedia is founded on the belief that every student can benefit from a tutor. We at Tutorpedia are dedicated to providing students of all ages, grade levels, abilities, and incomes with exceptional learning experiences that will not only help you do better in school, but will also give you the intellectual tools to become lifelong learners, and be successful in school, work, and life.

Meet Liz: English and SAT Tutor

Liz, a Harvard graduate and Tutorpedia tutor, shares why she thinks tutoring is important.

When it comes to increasing academic success, there is nothing more effective than personalized tutoring. Tutorpedia is founded on the belief that every student can benefit from a tutor. We at Tutorpedia are dedicated to providing students of all ages, grade levels, abilities, and incomes with exceptional learning experiences that will not only help you do better in school, but will also give you the intellectual tools to become lifelong learners, and be successful in school, work, and life.

The Teenage Brain

David Taus, Tutorpedia's Director of Education, talks with high school Seniors at City College of San Francisco about teenagers' brains and how understanding our brains can help us do better in school. This excerpt is part of a Tutorpedia Talk, a FREE educational speaking engagement given by Tutorpedia's Directors, who are both credentialed teachers, graduates of Harvard, Stanford, and Brown, and have a combined 30+ years of teaching and tutoring experience.

To learn more about Tutorpedia Talks, please visit www.tutorpedia.com. If you're interested in having David and Seth speak with your organization, please email david@tutorpedia.com.