After School Tutoring for High School/College Students
It can be embarrassing to ask for help. Many of my high school and undergraduate students only come to me after slowly realizing that they need extra support, and even then, it can be difficult to talk about. As students enter higher level classes, they may find their usual studying techniques (including not studying at all) don’t work as well as they used to. Maybe they get a poor grade on a test, or a report card comes home and the A they expected is a C or a D instead.
Time management and study skills are not things you either have or don’t. The truth is, very few kids are ever taught to learn, and even the ones who are taught are only shown a few techniques and expected to figure it out from there. But most students in this situation are resistant to friendly advice from teachers and parents. They’re struggling, and they feel embarrassed about it, like they aren’t living up to their potential.
Learn Study Skills First
I don’t blame them. The same thing happened to me when I first got to college. I was falling behind in all my classes, and my grades were dropping every week. It wasn’t clear how I was missing assignments, or why I got poor test grades even when I studied. I just needed someone to sit with me and show me how to be an adult learner, instead of relying on the techniques I’d used as a kid. That someone was a student a few years older than me, someone I trusted and who was doing well in school–headed to a prestigious law school, in fact.
Mentoring Through After School Tutoring
Now I’m trying to be that same mentor for my students that my friend was to me. Armed with the knowledge about studying and academic success that I now have, I can guide struggling students through this transition without judgment. We meet as often or as infrequently as the student needs, but we meet consistently, so I can make sure they’re on track in their courses and developing age-appropriate academic skills.
Students who were struggling often realize it wasn’t the material that was giving them trouble (though the material is obviously helpful, too, and I have a strong grasp on that), but their own study skills. One they realize that solid executive functioning skills make their time work for them and not against them, the material becomes much easier to handle. Grades increase, confidence goes back up, and they start to get excited about school again. After all, everyone likes doing things they’re good at.
What to Expect
I tailor each tutoring session to the student's individual needs. I'll use the syllabus, course schedule, and communication with their teacher to anticipate the expectations of the class and make sure the student meets them.
Most students come to me after they know there is a problem, so our first objective is “academic first aid”: we work hard to raise their grade to an acceptable level. After that, we’ll shift our focus to study skills and reinforcing the material presented in class. I offer 1h-45m sessions ($260) and 45m sessions ($110).
There is no contract and no commitment, so we can meet as often as you’d like. However, students should understand that consistency is key to getting good results.
Before I meet your student, I’ll ask you to share any relevant information you’re comfortable with. Many parents choose to share transcripts, grades, teacher communications, IEP/504s, and even neuropsych evaluations.
I strive to provide a compassionate but focused learning environment. I’ll communicate with you throughout the program to update you on your student’s progress and how I feel we’re connecting.
With your permission, I’ll also communicate with your student’s teacher about the class expectations and materials. Nearly all teachers are very receptive to this.
Need to Meet Right Away?
Sometimes families are having an "academic emergency" and want to meet right away, without a consultation first. If this is you, you can schedule right now by clicking the button below.
Let's Talk About Your Child's Learning Needs
Free 30-minute consultation includes:
I’ll ask some questions to get to know you, learn about your goals and your obstacles, and start coming up with a study plan.
Based on the information you provided me and what I learned from the conversation, I’ll craft a study plan. This is my proposal for what I think we should cover, the order we’ll do it in, and the methods we’ll use.
If you think my plan will work for you, we’ll talk about signing up for private sessions.
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