COVID-19 and all its variants are still with us; teachers are overwhelmed and kids are in danger of slipping. I wrote a few months ago about the "covid slide" and explained what, exactly, students were facing in the fall of 2020. Unfortunately, the problem has continued even as kids returned to the classroom. Between teacher and substitute shortages, COVID flare ups, and the back-and-forth year+ we've all head with virtual learning, a lot of students have started to realize trouble is on the horizon. I encourage you, the parents, to communicate with teachers, but I have also found that it is increasingly difficult for teachers in the classroom to give kids the individual attention those kids require. They're stretched so thin (I have a teacher right now who has two hundred students!) and so many of their students have learning gaps that it's no If you've reached that point, it may be time to invest in a tutor. The tutor can work as a go-between for you, your student, and the school/teachers. When a parent comes to me with a student who is recently struggling, the first thing I do is ask to see all the current assignments -- which is wonderfully easy when schools have material online. I am then able to find the gaps and develop programs to work on the skills that may have been missed over the last two years. I've also found teachers welcome the additional assistance; taking a little bit off their plate benefits everyone... most especially your child.

It's almost Thanksgiving here in the States, which means a little bit of a break is on the way. Kids are usually finished with their midterms and younger students have no homework at all. However... some teachers do expect work to get done -- you might have a paper or a take home test that needs to be finished over the holiday. It's important to keep track of what work you may need to do over the holiday and tackle a little bit every day so you can enjoy that turkey with your family! Have a wonderful holiday, we'll see you after the break!

Being a student can be incredibly stressful; remember all those important test dates looming over you? All the pressure of social and educational activities? While we at Kate's Tutoring firmly believe in the importance of education, we also take a well-rounded approach to our tutoring programs here. Your child's mental health is important to us, so we've come up with a few suggestions for some of our stressed-out kids. For our littles... Blow on a pinwheel. It helps slow breathing down and distracts from whatever is causing anxiety. Blow bubbles! It's a similar idea to the pinwheel, albeit a bit messier. Create a calm down box with your child; include fidget toys, a stuffed animal, a lollipop, stress balls, snow globes, etc. Use the box when things start to feel overwhelming. For the middle/high schoolers... Name your feelings. When you start to feel stressed, stop and say "I feel stressed". Then remind yourself why. "I feel stressed because of this big math test." Ask yourself what you can do RIGHT NOW to help stop that feeling. "I feel stressed because of this big math test; I can spend 10 more minutes studying, then give myself a break." TAKE A BREAK. Seriously, stop working and go outside. Read. Just chill. It's okay. Write a letter to someone you appreciate. It can help us calm down to think about the people we care about. When you get really lost in a spiral, stop everything and ask: WHAT IS THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ME IF I FAIL? For example: if you bomb the ACT , what could happen? Well, you might not get into the school you want. Okay. That could suck. But where would you end up? Probably not in a ditch somewhere, right? You might go to community college for 2 years and ...oh, hey, transfer to the school you wanted in the first place. That's possible! It's not all doom & gloom, you see?

These Sound Like You? DO NOT Get a Tutor! You don't need one! Whoa, whoa, whoa -- that's right. I'm telling you when to NOT get a tutor, when you do not need one. Yeah, I'm probably talking myself out of work, but you know what? Your money and time are both valuable and there are circumstances in which you simply do not need to pay someone to help your child. Check them out! 1. Your child is younger than 2nd grade. I strongly recommend holding off on expensive private tutors for young elementary (and pre-elementary) aged students. They don't need me yet; they need mom and dad to take a proactive stance in their learning. Read with them, write stories with them, engage! Don't send them to me just yet. Truly, they do not need me. 2. Your student actively fights me. I'm not a miracle worker; there's not much I can do if your child does not want to be with me. I'm not talking about the "new activity" hump, but the sincere lack of effort all week long, a minimal amount of time with me, and an attitude the entire time. You don't need to put us all through that. 3. You don't think it's worth the price There's no hiding it: tutoring can be a hefty investment. Your child's personalized, individual education can be pricey. If you find yourself fighting the cost, it may not be worth it for your family -- maybe you think your child isn't benefiting anymore, or maybe you want to try someone cheaper. Whatever the (perfectly valid) reason, it's bad form to try to negotiate with someone who is educated and trained; you wouldn't do that to your doctor or lawyer. If you don't find the value, that's okay! You probably don't need tutoring.

We've prepared a full page of information the best time to take your ACT or SAT test. If you're wondering what the best schedule for your exams is, make sure you get in touch and review the best test prep timeline! First up: get at least a full round of testing in by the end of your junior year. ​ Most students take the PSAT in the spring of sophomore year or fall of junior. By the end of junior year (so, May) you should have sat for the ACT, AP tests, and/or the SAT. You can retake any test in the fall / winter of senior year. ​ You will most likely want to take your entrance exam (SAT or ACT) THREE TIMES: spring junior, fall senior x 2. ​ The test dates for the SAT are here. The test dates for the ACT are here. ​ Which test? We generally recommend the ACT. You don't need both. However, this is highly subjective to each student so we recommend getting in touch with us. From here, you have a few options. Junior Year PSAT in October SAT or ACT in March, May, or June ​ Senior Year SAT or ACT in September, October, November, or December ...TWICE! OR Junior Year PSAT in October SAT or ACT in March SAT or ACT in June/July AP Exams in May ​ Senior Year SAT or ACT in September, October, November, or December ...TWICE! You can take these exams many times -- we really only recommend doing it three times. By then, your score should be pretty reflective of your performance. Remember: the ACT comes with super scoring, which can really help your score if your school accepts it. So as we start looking at test dates for the fall, make sure you're ready and on the right timetable. If you're looking for an SAT or ACT test prep tutor, drop us a line!

It's all too important to arm our children with all the best tools -- it's how we know they'll have fruitful adult lives and be prepared for whatever the future brings. And the absolute best tool in your belt? A great education. Whether your child is falling behind or would do well with extra enrichment, online tutoring is a great resource. Let's check out five reasons why it's a great bang for your buck. 1. The work your child does from elementary through high school sets him or her up for the rest of his or her life. It can open paths to elite colleges, jobs, and a bright future. Those universities, however, are more competitive than ever. Without great grades, it becomes very hard to get into a dream school; online tutoring can help improve those grades and teach valuable life lessons in organization and self-motivation. 2. The quality of education in online tutoring rivals, if not exceeds, that of traditional in-person models. You have greater access to tutors around the world and resources in person can lack. The attention given is the same -- 100% -- and the results are fantastic. Plus? You don't have to fight traffic! 3. Confidence. So much of the work we do here at Kate's Tutoring is about setting your student up for a lifelong love of learning and giving your child the confidence he or she needs to take on the world! 4. Learning tips & tricks to be a better person all around. Yeah, we teach academics. And yeah, we're darn good at it! But I also strive to give my students an intellectual curiosity and strong critical thinking skills so they can go into the world and be people, not just robots. 5. No fights! Kids will get their homework and tests done with the support of a tutor to help them when they hit a harder section. Access to that tutor means your child won't feel lost and you won't feel frustrated. Kate's Tutoring provides world-class tutoring to students all over the world via our online tutoring options. If your child is struggling, you may consider booking some time with one of our awesome teachers.

From a first grade reading exam all the way through the BIG college application tests, exam stress is a real thing that kids have to grapple with -- and it can be so hard to watch your child struggle. So what can you do to give her some extra tools for those tough days? Here are some things I tell my ACT/SAT prep students and I think they hold for all ages... Acknowledge it. Say hi to the feeling (not.. literally, unless you want to) and know it's there. DO NOT keep taking your test. Put that pencil down, take a breath, and wait for the rushing feeling to settle. Breathe in for four, out for seven. Count. In, in, in, out, out, out.... Your body thinks it's under attack; this will lower your heart rate and let it come back to reality. Journal! I love journaling as a way to pour out all the anxieties. You can use this space to go through the last tip... What's the worst that can happen? The absolute worst. "I fail the ACT and don't get into ANY colleges". Okay. Then what? "I can't get ANY jobs". Huh. Okay. Is that realistic? "...no, not really". Because in the grand scheme of things.... It's not a big deal. It's just not. It's a test. It has no bearing on how good you are, how kind you are, how smart you are. It's one test. And if you have a kid who is already worried, she doesn't need extra pressure -- it's okay to not do well if you try. It's okay to stumble if you get back up.

Yes! Yes, yes, and yes again! I will caveat that you need to hit on the RIGHT private tutor; he or she needs to jive with your kid, but that's not usually a monumental task. Part of being a private instructor is being able to quickly pivot personality and learning style to best suit the student's needs. Delivering confidence to kids is one of my favorite things; so often I get "I hate school" students who really just find themselves lost and frustrated. They don't hate school, they hate that feeling of being left behind and confused. Teachers have a lot of students; they have a lot of pressure and so, so much work to do. A private tutor can slow things down, can find the holes in education and plug them in. In turn, they give confidence back to the student -- it's not that your child hates school, it's just a wrong turn somewhere and we need to course correct. Working one on one also allows us to delve into topics that are more interesting for the student. For example, if I have a kid who hates math, I don't spend the entire time harping on sets of formulae. As a private instructor, I have the luxury to develop a course that hits on his hobbies. Let's say video games. Easy! Let's explore how math is used in gaming -- how designers need to adhere to physics (which is math!) or how you unconsciously use math to calculate resources during gameplay. I find common ground and get to use it to find a reason for a student to think positively about something she may have found hard. One on one, private tutoring, pulls some of that performative pressure off the student and lets him or her shine.

Organization is the absolute keystone to having a strong academic career. Here are a few quick things you can do with your child -- or if he/she is old enough, to tackle alone! Grab your backpack. Dump allllll the paperwork out. All of it! All the binders, everything. Go through it all. Make piles for classes (Social Studies, Math, etc.), a "keep for me", and a "throw out" pile. Every paper, even ones IN the binder, are pulled out and examined. "Do I need this? For what?" If you do, put it in the pile. If not, get rid of it. If you're not sure, get it out of your bag and keep it in a folder on your desk. If your kid doesn't have finals, don't keep old work. Let it go! If he or she does, you may want to put it in a safe place for future study sessions. You should have a much tidier bag now! You can repeat this with any workspace -- desk, cubby, etc.

Over the winter break, I spent some time brainstorming how to help prepare ALL students for the ACT exam. With that in mind, I've created a new ACT crash course, which you can check out below. I've included some examples of quick tips to help get you started; the packet is far more comprehensive. If you like what you learn, check out the whole packet! WHY THE ACT? I generally recommend the ACT over the SAT for most students -- the simplest reason being: it is an easier test. It's easier to teach, it's easier to take, and it's a more forgiving exam than the SAT. The SAT's redesign has fostered a "trick the kids" feeling that no kid needs when he or she sits down to take these monster exams. Take the one you'll do well on; for most students, that's the ACT. WHAT IT COVERS The ACT has four sections: English (grammar), Math, Reading, and Science. There is also an optional essay, which I'll discuss later. You should prepare to take it THREE TIMES. That way, if something goes wacky, you still have more opportunities to retake the test. TIME HACKS This is a huge, long test. But you don't have a ton of time to answer everything... So what do you do? Here it is, the big hack: Don't answer all the questions. BUT ALWAYS, ALWAYS GUESS. With a caveat -- obviously this doesn't work if you are aiming for a high score. But if you're struggling in the 19-21 range and want to break just a little higher, you do not need to answer every question. Instead, you'll want to strategically skip. Which ones look hard? Go ahead and move past them quickly. Here's the other big key: ELIMINATE ANSWER CHOICES AND GUESS. Usually there is at least one ridiculous answer you can write off. You don't have time to get stuck, so do some elimination and guess. Then move along. ... NEW ACT CRASH COURSE- We get it. One on one tutoring can get pricey. Or maybe you started studying a little bit late. Whatever the case, I've developed a new crash course to help. You'll get a 20 page PDF complete with tips and tricks as well as two complete ACT tests to help you practice. It isn't as fully comprehensive as one on one work is or will be, but it's a great place to start. $49.99 flat, one time rate. Email for payment & delivery.

We know -- tutoring can be a big investment! It's part of why so many parents choose to wait until their student is in high school to pay for help. Unfortunately, problems don't always start in upper level classes and it can be very hard to both catch up and keep up simultaneously. That doesn't mean those upper level kids are "beyond help" -- not at all! But it does mean that hiring a tutor to nip problems in the bud can be incredibly crucial. Children who don't receive additional support early on can fall behind very quickly. School moves at such a fast pace today and so much is expected of such young students, having an outside resource simply makes the most sense. If your child is buckling under the pressure of homework in elementary school, the habits set up at age 8 will continue at age 18, so it's important to make sure they're good ones! The confidence boost that comes from excelling is immeasurable. It takes time to get there but it's worth the investment!

Here we are in October and we're probably starting to get progress reports and updates from our teachers... and it might not be great news. Here are a few tips to get over that Covid Slide! The Covid Slide is not unlike the summer slide, which is when students face a regression after summer vacation. It's normal -- that's important, so let me reiterate: it's NORMAL. It happens. We all expect summer vacation slides! What we didn't really expect was for schools to close down in March, "kinda" reopen in April, and then run virtually until at least November. Yikes. Unfortunately, this means that students haven't retained learning gains in the same way they would have if they were in class and if schools hadn't closed. Don't get us wrong: it's important for public health that we closed schools, but kids are certainly sliding. According to research, students heading back to class this fall retained only 63-68% of their learning gains in reading and 37-50% in math compared to a regular year. So when kids came back to class virtually, teachers had some big adapting to do. And imagine having to stretch to fit a whole HOST of ability with 30+ kids ...remotely. So what can we do about it? How can we best support our kids? 1. What needs improving? Now that we have progress reports, use them to see where your kids are struggling. Ask your student directly what strengths and weaknesses he or she sees, what he or she may need help with. You can give us a call for a free consultation and we can talk about what your student needs. 2. Work with a tutor. One on one, personalized sessions with a tutor is the best way to stop any slide in its tracks. An effective tutor will create a program specifically designed for that individual student. Remote tutoring has been a fantastic way to stay safe and stay educated. Many students report that online tutoring has been even MORE helpful for them than regular methods! To learn more about virtual options with Kate, click here! You're just an email away! 3. Start a study group. If your student has a friend or two who is also struggling, it's a great time to band together and save a few resources by starting a study group. If you have the time, you can organize it yourself -- or you can put together a few kids and let us do the heavy lifting. It can save a few bucks while still being incredibly effective. Studies have shown that when students teach material to their peers, it helps reinforce the lesson and they perform better on exams. Check out more about our study groups here.