Illuminate Tutoring

Remember: As part of my SAT/ACT program, students may participate in one or more timed, hosted practice tests leading up to the official test day, typically held at the Granite Bay Public Library on select Saturdays from 10 am to 1:30 pm. For only $20, students get a live, test day scenario that they can't simulate on their own no matter how driven they are. This is an invaluable experience that reveals the unexpected things students do to sabotage themselves on test day and helps prevent any disconnect between at-home practice tests and the real thing!

Now is a great time to start preparing for the ACT or SAT, as the first test dates of 2020 are 8-12 weeks away! See my flyer below for details on tutoring!

TOP REASONS FOR CONSIDERING THE ACT OVER THE SAT. While there is less of a difference between the two tests than there used to be, there are some key differences that might nudge you in the direction of the ACT. The ACT is more straightforward and a little more down to earth. While parts of the SAT are straightforward too, there are also parts of the SAT that require understanding of old-fashioned-style prose (reading test), more questions requiring inference beyon...d what’s explicitly in the text (reading test), and some math questions that combine concepts in 5+ steps. In contrast, the answers to the ACT reading and science sections are always in the text, just rephrased. And you’ll rarely encounter more than 3 steps on the math problems, even for problems testing harder concepts. But this fact (and those below) should be weighed against the facts that (a) the timing of the ACT is considerably more challenging, and (b) it has a science section, whereas the SAT doesn’t. Submitting an ACT score usually exempts students from having to complete one or more SAT subject tests (such as advanced math, chemistry, or literature). Every school accepts both tests, but some require or at least recommend that students submitting the SAT submit subject tests as well. However, they almost always waive this requirement if the student submits the ACT. ACT plays to the strengths of more STEM-focused (math/science) students versus those who are stronger in reading/writing/humanities. As mentioned, the ACT does have a science section, which will be nice for students for whom science has always come easily. And the good news is that it doesn’t test specific science content from, say, your chemistry or physics class: it’s just a test requiring the sort of reasoning you use in science. Further, even though the ACT does test more advanced math concepts, there is nothing really past Integrated 3. And you don’t need to be an expert at every concept or skill tested because, as I said, even the hard problems are relatively straightforward if you’re familiar with the relevant contentsomething that shouldn’t be a problem with our handy-dandy math reference! See more

Here’s an example of a recent individualized learning plan I put together with a German student (adult learner), which outlines her learning objectives. You can’t reach the mountain peak without taking concrete steps in a clearly defined direction. That’s why I formulate learning plans such as this with clear, measurable goals and facilitated by concrete steps. I use these learning plans to monitor a student’s progress (highlighting as we go) and to construct strategic lesso...n plans designed to get the student where he or she wants to be. I’ll typically upload it to a google doc so the student can check in periodically to monitor progress. This particular student and I spent about half the lesson discussing my proposed plan and tweaking it as needed. This is an abridged version of the original: Goal #1: To feel more comfortable with speaking Learn new common expressions weekly (Rob adds 2-3 per session twice a week) o And practice quizlet vocab _90___ minutes per week. Speaking (with accurate pronunciation) translations regularly during sessions Duolingo practice ___90_ minutes per week. Improve grammar (see goals #1 and #2) Goal # 2: strengthen the grammar concepts I know, including: Prepositions o Recognizing/memorizing dative and accusative preps: 50% 90% Nominative, accusative and dative case translation o Identify case by endings 50% 90% o Translation from English (with articles or possessive adjs) 50% 90% o Possessive Adjectives Memorize possessive adjectives in base form Decline endings with nominative at 75% Decline endings with nom/acc/dat at 50% Decline endings with nom/acc/dat at 80% o Word order (including with different conjunctions; see below) Forming questions o 75% success from both German and English o Establish a strong level of comfort and proficiency Verb tenses (future, perfect, simple past; see below) Goal # 3: focus on verbs Present tense conjugations (irregulars) o Non-stem change Recognition: 75% English to German: 90% o Stem change: 90% Word order with: o Declarative Review and establish proficiency o Questions (see above) Modals o understand function o memorize conjugations o translate with 75% success from German o translate with 75% success from English--needs more work (3/8) Different tenses (save past tense for after we cover the above) o Future Review From English 50% 90%

Line of the week from one of my SAT students: Student: "[reading a tip from a prep book not to use too sophisticated of language but to speak "colloquially"] What does 'colloquial' mean?" Me: "It refers to language that's casual and not sophisticated." Student: "...Isn't telling someone to speak more colloquially kinda hypocritical?"

Arguably the most challenging portion of the SAT is the reading portion. Even if students have learned to read for comprehension and meaning (which we can by no means take for granted any longer), they often still struggle because they're not in the habit of reading things written for educated adults. So, yes, students can improve their score by learning tried-and-true and problem-specific test-taking strategies. But the key to significant improvement is...to read...and to re...ad publications at or above SAT level. This is, by the way, the best way to improve writing too since practicing writing with the resources afforded by one's current skill level alone will never give one the input necessary to transcend that level. You may sound really good on paper until you realize that's just not how people talk/write. For starters, students can access dozens of such publications on www.aldaily.com. Or read such publications as Newsweek, Time Magazine, New York Times, The Economist, or Wired, all available online. Keep in mind that it's infinitely more beneficial to read what interests you. Reading book-length fiction is thus the way to go for most people (though I recommend doing both). For this, stick with the classics, or at least books that are challenging and have a broad vocab range. Read authors such as Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, George Orwell, Michael Chabon, Edith Wharton, and Charles Dickens. You might also read non-fiction classics such as Plato (e.g. The Last Days of Socrates), Locke's Second Treatise on Civil Government, speeches of past Presidents, or the Federalist Papers. Finally, students should read these ACTIVELY, practicing the same skills they're learning to implement on their practice tests. This means reading for the main point or claim, connecting evidence and support to claims, highlighting transitions and punctuation that signal shifts in logic, as well as words that reveal the author's tone. Students can wrap up an article or chapter by writing short 3-4 sentence summaries or "précis" of what they read.

Which grammar concepts do you actually need to know in order to speak and write properly and effectively? As a tutor, I’m never trying just to fill time because I want my students to reach success as soon as possible (parents run out of patience quickly). This led me over time to separate out dispensable grammar concepts from those that form a real foundation for a solid grasp of English. In grammar school, they just tell you, learn this, but unless a student goes on to stu...dy English in college, they never end up discovering what was valuable and what was more or less pointless. I’ve narrowed it down to 6 or so core concepts that students should know before moving on to the finer points of grammar, punctuation, and mechanics. Here is a list and a short explanation of their importance: PARTS OF SPEECH. If you don’t know how to identify verbs, you’ll struggle to identify subjects and you’ll fall victim to one of the most ubiquitous grammar mistakessubject-verb agreement errors. You’ll make similar mistakes if you can’t identify prepositions since you can mistake the subject for an object of the prep phrase. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ADVERBS AND ADJECTIVES. If you don’t know what these modifiers modify, you’ll end up making mistakes like, I like to read good books quick; I love this hat! It fits perfect; and, It was an exceptional dreary event. ACTION VS. LINKING VERBS. Knowing these matters because action verbs are followed by adverbs, whereas linking verbs are followed by adjectives. Further, action verbs are followed by nouns and pronouns in the objective case (direct objects), whereas linking verbs are followed by those in the subjective case. COMPLETE SENTENCES (RUN-ONS & FRAGMENTS). Knowing what makes for a sentence complete allows students to fix the all-too-common run-on sentence and sentence fragment. Students who simply think fragments are phrases that are too short and run-ons those that are too long are going to miss a bunch of questions on their next standardized achievement test. SUBJECTS AND DIRECT OBJECTS. These matter a lot when you’re nouns become pronouns. Would you guess that The superhero was him; They agreed to meet Jeremy and I; and It was her who asked to be in the contest are all incorrect?? You would know why if you could tell the difference between subject and object. INDEPENDENT AND DEPENDENT CLAUSES. Being able to identify these increases your chances of locating run-ons and fragments, helps you apply about half of the major comma rules, and allows you to write more interesting and complex sentences.

Repetitio est mater studiorum (Repetition is the mother of learning)seems especially true for younger students, and even truer when it comes to subjects like math. For young math students receiving tutoring help, extra practice outside the classroom and the tutoring session is almost necessary. There are a number of engaging resources out there for parents to take advantage of. Here are some of the top ones: Splash Math, Adapted Mind (math and English), IXL (math, Engli...sh, Social Studies, Science). Unfortunately, all the ones I've found that track progress and make learning fun charge monthly, but some are reasonably priced and/or offer free trials (there are free resources that serve a similar purpose, like commoncore123.com, but they aren't very engaging). Students also love abcya.com, a free site that includes tons of exercises in the form of games. If your student seems just not able to get over that hump, these are well worth a try! See more

Victor Frankenstein pondering whether anyone would even believe him were he to alert the world to the reanimated corpse he let loose on Geneva: "Did anyone indeed exist, except I, the creator, who would believe, unless his senses convinced him, in the existence of the living monument of presumption and rash ignorance which I had let loose upon the world!" Man, that Mary Shelley sure could write a sentence... #stickwiththeclassics

What is teaching? The following is a nice orienting definition: TO TEACH IS TO SHRE IN TRUTH. Notice the word "share" is used, rather than the traditional "transfer" or "impart," which imply that the learning process is a matter of packaging, distributing, and transmitting information from the brain of the teacher to that of the student. Such a view treats learners as receptacles or containers to be filled with knowledge. Whatever one is doing when one takes this approach, I ...don't believe we can call that "teaching." The teacher who recognizes that teaching is sharing or mutual participation in the event of truth knows that she cannot claim sole proprietorship to the projected content. Too many teachers forget that they NEED the learner. This is because, for teaching/learning to happen, the student has to venture out into a learning space to meet the truth for herself. This actually harmonizes with the root sense of the word "education," the Latin implying a "drawing out" of the learner to engage the truth. And if teaching is a kind of DRAWING OUT of the learner into a learning space characterized by mutual interest, this makes the primary task of the teacher the fostering of a hospitable learning space, where both free, creative thinking and respect for our own limitations is stressed. See more

Some of my favorite German words: 1) Flusspferd = Hippopotamus (literally, River Horse). And yes, you pronounce the p in "pferd" 2) Schicki micki = a snobbish rich person, somewhat like our English word "fancy-schmanzy" 3) Kopfschmerzen = head ache (just like the way it sounds) 4) Sitzpinkler = a sissy or wimp (literally, "a man who sits while he...pinkles")... 5) Kummerspeck = the excess weight put on by emotional overeating (literally, "grief bacon") 6) Backpfeifengesicht = literally, "a face in need of a slap." Describes someone who you feel needs a slap in the face See more

How many writing mistakes (punctuation errors, word confusion, coherence errors, etc.) can you spot in this paragraph? Hint: there are more than zero :) (note, this is not an actual student's paper.) "Paying college athletes could also solve a significant problem of athletes quitting schools and colleges; most of which do so because of the lack of incentive. Today most professional sports except athletes prior to them completing a college degree. Why are many college studen...ts making the decision to leave school early? Because of financial reasons. That is they are usually allured by the perspective to start earning money with what they can do best (sports) outside of college and in most sports their transition goes smooth. If a prospective professional athlete can earn real money doing what they love, and without any obstacles, than this effects the athletes educational motivation. Paying college athletes could help keep many of them within their schools/colleges, and help them earn a degree (TheSportster)." See more