The Wisdom Well of Love: Private Tutors + Critical Thinking = A WyzAnt Student !!!

Green, purple, yellow and orange. Jasmine, peppermint, cinnamon and spice. Who knew we were talking about tutoring for our children?

According to Dr. Sandi Ayaz, executive director of the National Tutoring Association, private tutoring in the U.S. alone has “exploded tenfold” over the past eight years.
WyzAnt.com currently has the largest network of certified tutors available on the web – over 66,000 and counting- which means exclusive access to top study tips and proven practices to help students succeed in the classroom. While some parents hire tutors to help their children overcome academic obstacles, other parents hire tutors to encourage and challenge their children in ways that might not be possible in a classroom setting. Whatever the objective of the tutoring may be, it’s important for parents to take the time to locate and hire a tutor who will work well with their child’s learning style and personality.

It takes as little as eight hours of one-on-one tutoring to improve a full letter grade, according to a nationwide poll of private tutors. While the majority of learning happens at school or during private tutoring session, there are some actions that parents can take at home to contribute to their child's overall academic success.

After reviewing hundreds of tips submitted by our network of private tutors, we found the following to be the most commonly reported:

Ask your kids to teach you what they learned during their lesson. “The most important feature of an engaged student is critical thinking. Critical thinking is understanding a subject in your own words, and being able to explain the subject to others,” says WyzAnt language tutor Rachel M., from Evanston, IL. Pretend that you’re unfamiliar with the topic and encourage your child to play teacher!

Initiate positive and open communication. “Always discuss the lesson and tutoring session with your child. Find out what is going on,” says WyzAnt tutor Valerie J. from Dallas, TX. The more you communicate the less you have to read between the lines to find out where and why they are struggling. In certain cases, the method of teaching can conflict with a child’s learning style, which is why WyzAnt offers a good fit guarantee for each student.

Emphasize a healthy mind and body! “This means eating right, getting enough sleep,” says WyzAnt test prep tutor John B. of Harleysville, PA. Many outside factors can affect sharpness in the classroom. While it’s impossible to control all aspects of your child’s day, a consistent bed time and balanced meals are important habits that can be established in the home. ~~

The following tips were created by WyzAnt.com with the help of private tutors all around the country:

Don't make yourself at home. Test preparation extends beyond pure mastery of the information you're being tested on. In the case of the SAT and ACT, you must prepare yourself physically for hours of continuous sitting - and you won't be sitting in a La-Z-Boy or sprawled out on a plush mattress. The age old adage "train as you fight" is applicable to standardized testing - for maximum success, try to replicate the testing environment as much as possible while studying at home. Many typical at-home distractions including music, snacks, and electronics are not permitted during examinations so you should eliminate them from your personal study space. Quick tips: Don't study in a reclined position or while laying down. Only allow yourself the amount of bathroom breaks or study breaks allotted for the actual test. If you can't study in pure silence, set your station to Classical.

Treat yourself. Sometimes you need some extra incentive to help you get excited for an upcoming study session. Whether it be a professional planner, a fancy notebook, a cool pen, or a decorative calendar, even the smallest upgrade can help revamp your attitude while studying. Additionally, a notable 2011 Chicago study suggests that post-exam incentives are effective in improving test performance. Rewards that immediately followed the test were the most effective in improving performance, so time is of the essence.
Apply the learnings from this report to your study sessions - with the promise of your favorite treat or a trip to the mall with a friend looming, you'll be eager to reach that light at the end of tunnel.

Go old school, Your smartphone is like a digital Swiss Army knife when it comes to study resources. Chances are your phone contains a thesaurus, dictionary, calculator, translator, measurement converter and more- all of which fit in the palm of your hand. While this is a space efficient solution, it may not be the most conducive to studying due to the abundance of non-academic functions your phone performs. Go back to the basics and dig out your parent's old books and resources. Quick tips: If you prefer the digital version for your study tools, turn your phone to airplane mode so you can't receive email and text alerts.

Get a timer. Hold yourself accountable for your time spent studying. Establishing a series of smaller goals will help you stay on track and feel accomplished at the end of every session. Set a realistic timeframe for each assignment (eg: finish 15 problems in the next 2 hours), believe in yourself and your ability to accomplish this goal, and go for it. When you finish your task you'll feel great! If you don't finish, reexamine your designated time frame or think about what you can do better next time. And finally--

Appeal to the senses. Humans are equipped with five senses for a reason - use them to your advantage! Psychologists have long studied the effect that certain colors and scents can have on mood. Altering what you see and smell are two low-maintenance environmental factors you can easily customize within your study space. Each person has different preferences and responses to stimuli so identify what motivates you to study and be productive. Quick tips: Cool colors (blue, green, purple) are calming and may be helpful for people who are naturally more alert of anxious by nature. Warm colors (red, yellow, orange) are more stimulating and may be better suited for people who need a little extra energy boost. Lemon, Lavender, Jasmine, Rosemary, Cinnamon and Peppermint are recommended for boosting mood and productivity.