Meet Pat and Paulette: Tutorpedia Parents

Pat and Paulette, parents from San Carlos, CA, explain how Tutorpedia tutors helped their daughter improve her confidence in school.

Thinking about a Masters In Education?

For those teachers or aspiring teachers thinking about graduate work in education, there are an overwhelming number of choices.  We've found a great website to help people navigate the many options available to students who are seeking masters-level work in education (which includes teacher credentialing programs).  Both of Tutorpedia's Directors have Masters degrees in education (from Harvard and Brown), and believe strongly in teachers and tutors who further their own education.

Check it out:  www.mastersineducation.com

Meet Frans: Tutorpedia Tutor

Frans studied chemistry in the Netherlands and has also earned his Masters in Education and teaching credential. Now he's in the Bay Area. When he's not playing soccer, Frans is working with students as a Tutorpedia tutor!

Meet Natalie, Rachel, and Ashley: Tutorpedia Foundation

Hear how Tutorpedia improved Rachel's and Ashley's academic success.

We Got Thumbtacked!

Thanks to Ashley and the good folks at Thumbtack.com for featuring Tutorpedia on their blog!  Thumbtack is a website whose goal is to connect people with trustworthy local services, and we're honored to be one of those services.  Tutorpedia is today's Thumbtack Spotlight - read about what sets us apart!

Tao: Tutorpedia's Holistic and Student-Centered Approach to Learning

Meet Mignone: Tutorpedia Parent

Listen to one of our parents explain why she chose Tutorpedia for all 3 of her kids. Thank you Mignone!

Changing Education Paradigms

A great animated video of how our education system got to where it is today, and why it's so important to reform it.

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?

Want to make a difference?

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.

Set up for failure

Another great post from our Summer Intern. Thank you Heidi for your great work!

The New York Times recently published the article "Schools Are Given a Grade on How Graduates Do" which really hit home for me. The article touched on how New York Public School graduates are not ready for college-level classes and why these districts should be informed of their graduates' performance in college. Manhattan Community College student Sharasha Croslen's story mirrored that of mine, she was placed in a remedial math class because she lacked the basic skills necessary to succeed in college-level math. I also took remedial math last year and understand the frustration she felt over not understanding something I should have learned in high school. In fact, I felt embarrassed and scared that I would not even pass these basic classes, so I can deeply sympathize with students like Ms. Croslen. Although the New York school district is graduating high school students, they are not prepared for higher education, which is a problem I gather is common in public school districts. For students who already feel intimidated and out of place in college because of their of class standing, not being able to understand their coursework becomes the final straw leading working-class students to drop out of college. I think it would be incredibly beneficial for these schools to gain information regarding the number of their graduates placed into these remedial classes, and also the percentage that graduate from college. I sincerely hope that maybe if these districts learn how much they are failing their students they will take some steps to solving this problem.

How can educational standards be the same for everyone if we all learn differently?

From our Summer Intern, Heidi:

The daily journal recently published an article "Math standards cheered-with some concern" which really caught my attention. As a person who is less than stellar at mathematics, I felt saddened by what I read. California recently adopted the Common Core Standards "which makes small changes to the English curriculum and introduce[s] algebra to students earlier." Students in the state of California will be required to take algebra 1 in eighth grade, rather than having the option to take it later in high school. I was disheartened by this because I struggled with algebra 1 in high school and even now in college. If it weren't for the basic math class I took in eighth grade, I would have lacked the skills necessary to progress to algebra. Everyone learns at their own pace and we all possess different strengths. I wouldn't have been able to pass an algebra class in middle school; however, that in no way reflects my abilities as a student overall. I am entering my second year of college in a few weeks, and I am proud to say I have received straight A's in all of my college courses. I do not want to see a student be denied access to high school or college because they are not proficient in every subject when they are talented in others.

Quality Education for All!

From our Summer Intern, Heidi:

In the recently published New York Times article "A School District That Takes the Isolation Out of Autism," Garner Moss (a teenage boy with autism) in the Madison school district shows how including disabled children in classes with regular students can yield positive results. Despite experiencing some troubles in his daily life, (such as tying his track shoes) Moss possesses many other talents. Unfortunately, the funding for the Madison school district is being cut, which puts Moss's education in jeopardy. This is because in order to attend regular classes and succeed as an athlete, Moss often needs an aide to assist him. Nonetheless, it would undermine the purpose of public education in America for him to receive less of an education than he deserves. He is attending school in order to become a contributing member of society; however, he can not do so without being socialized around regular students. It is crucial that adolescents with disabilities such as Moss continue to receive the help they need if the United States wants to be not only a socially just nation, but also a globally competitive one.

SAT prep workshops begin July 26th!

Don't miss out on this opportunity to conquer the SAT test! Within just TEN SESSIONS you can improve your score!

Looking to improve your math score, but scared to death of geometry? Can't ever remember anything from those long, 'boring' critical reading passages? Hate writing, or feel that you have a limited vocabulary? This class will simplify all of that, making it easier for you.

What if I told you there is a proven strategy to master the SAT?

What if I told you that the 'intimidation' most people associate with the SAT can be overcome, and that, come test day, you will be brimming with confidence, certain that you will do well !

This class focuses on reorienting your mind toward the SAT by breaking down each section and showing the secrets to 'SAT thinking.' Students learn that the SAT has a pattern that can be learned, like many other standardized tests. We do a wealth of diverse sample problems to ensure each student's comfort with the patterns and expectations of the SAT. You'll know exactly what to expect, and exactly what the SAT wants from you. The result: extreme confidence, no more intimidation !