The Most Powerful Practice for Academic Growth
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Help students develop a growth mindset with a few simple steps.
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Tips for Parents and Students During School Closures
/We’re only 3 months into 2020 and schools are now closed, many for the remainder of the year, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. As a tutor who primarily works with students online, I’ve heard from parents and students about the difficulties they’re facing with the unanticipated switch to online/distance learning. It’s been a tough time for everyone, and as we’re increasingly homebound, I’d like to give some tips to parents and students to make online/distance learning more manageable..
Also, click here for a free organizer you can use to help minimize confusion over when and how to access class materials and turn in assignments.
Some of the more frequent complaints I’ve heard?
Lack of the usual in-person coordination between teachers means work is often unevenly distributed during the week, with many hours of work assigned on one day and very little the next.
Inconsistent delivery of assignments and materials. Some teachers are emailing while others use Google classrooms, etc. Some post daily while others post less frequently.
Lack of clarity on how to turn in assignments. Inconsistency in delivery instructions.
Lack of motivation on the part of students. Feeling like it “doesn’t count.” Boredom/fatigue.
Here are some tips for parents and students to make things more manageable. For younger students (and older students struggling with motivation), parents will need to be more involved.
Make a simple hard copy table or document (handwritten or typed) with the following information for each class:
-Class name
-Teacher’s delivery method for materials and assignments
-Days/times when teacher will post or send materials/assignments
-Student’s delivery method for completed assignments
Click here to download a free organizer you can use.
Set aside certain times to check in for each class.
These days we might be even more glued to our devices than ever, which is why it can feel overwhelming to have assignments coming in periodically throughout the day. If teachers are doing live video classes, students know when to be connected, but if not, they may feel that they have to constantly check online platforms and email for new assignments. That’s why I think it’s healthier and more efficient to set daily check-in times for each class.
Based on when or how often teachers are posting or delivering materials, make a schedule of times to check online platforms, email, or to physically pick up materials from school, depending on your school and district.
Make a game plan for the day (and week, if possible) based on daily check-ins.
Some students tend to let assignments pile up while others will try to do them all immediately as they come in. I think a more sane approach is to make a clear game plan for each day and for as many days in advance as possible. It’s mentally less draining to identify the tasks for the day and check them off than it is to be constantly connected and trying to do everything at once or to let work pile up and then panic.
Use Google, YouTube, Khan Academy, and other educational sites to reinforce difficult topics.
Using outside materials to reinforce knowledge is always a good idea, but especially so when students are not getting the same amount of instruction or explanation as they would in the classroom. A simple place to start is with a Google search of the topic + “explanation” or “examples.” This of course requires more work and effort on the part of students, but my hope is that one very positive outcome of this situation will be that students emerge as more independent learners.
Take breaks. Exercise. Log off. Put devices away.
All of us, teachers, parents, and students, are struggling with technological overload in different ways, and even more so now that we are unable to do some of the activities we love. With gyms/studios closed and sports and music programs canceled, most of us are on our devices more than ever.
It’s so important to be mindful about our time spent on devices (as well as the content we’re consuming), and sometimes building in other activities is easier than trying to limit our scrolling of Instagram with nothing to replace that. While technology is helping us socialize safely via video calls and group chats, it’s crucial that students have other activities built in throughout the day to relieve stress and stay emotionally healthy.
In-Person Versus Online Tutoring: Does Online Tutoring Actually Work?
/The first few times I did tutoring online were completely by chance: one student’s family moved away and she wanted to continue SAT tutoring. When I realized how well virtual tutoring worked (in some cases, even better than in-person tutoring), I decided to make the switch and work with all of my students online.
Over the years I’ve noticed that some parents are completely comfortable with the idea of virtual tutoring, while others many parents aren’t sure how it works. Having done both in-person and online tutoring for a number of years, I wanted to share how online tutoring works and discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
Check out this infographic for a comparison of virtual and in-person tutoring. Credit to Kristin Craig.
Online/Virtual Tutoring: How it Works
Online tutoring can be done using a number of different modalities and technologies, including one or more of the following: video call (FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts, Facebook messenger video, etc.), online chat (text chatting, such as Gchat in Google, or Facebook messenger, etc.), email, online whiteboard applications, Google Documents, phone, text, photos, and many more.
I generally connect with students using Google Hangouts, which is a free video call function that allows for screen sharing. Anyone with a gmail account can use Hangouts, and there is even a Hangouts phone app.
Both during and between tutoring sessions, students and I may exchange photos of work and texts/emails with questions and explanations. Since Google Hangouts allows for screen sharing, if students are working on something on their computer (an essay, for example) they can share their screen with me so we can look at the work together. If we are using another video call application that doesn’t have screen sharing capabilities, students will just email me their documents.
For math (or science that involves equations and math operations), students will either send me photos of their work or email me documents if the work is available in digital form. We then talk through the steps and show each other on the camera (by writing on whiteboards or even notebooks with marker). We can also write in the Gchat chat box as needed.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtual Tutoring
Advantages:
Convenience. All that’s needed is a computer or tablet with an internet connection.
Efficiency. Student/tutor doesn’t spend time/resources getting to and from tutoring sessions.
Students gain familiarity/expertise in working with technologies that are increasingly used in the workplace.
Independence and ownership. Students are responsible for knowing what they need to work on and sending photos or links for any work to the tutor prior to the tutoring session.
Students/tutor are connected in real time and use technology to share and edit documents, work through problems, and review steps in real time just as they would do in person.
For math/science, students work independently while talking through their problem solving steps (instead of the tutor watching and intervening, as with in-person tutoring). Explaining/verbalizing their processes helps students become better problem solvers.
Disadvantages:
Students and tutor may never meet in person. Some people may feel that the relationship is “less personal.”
Some students who have major issues with organization may benefit more from in-person, hands on guidance to improve their organizational skills.
Temporary internet or technology failures may require rescheduling of tutoring. (However, this can be compared to cancellations of in-person tutoring for illness, bad weather, transportation issues, or other causes.)
Possibility of distraction. Just like in-person, in-home tutoring, parents need to set aside a quiet place for students to do virtual tutoring.
Access to technology. Although many students have access to computers or tablets at home, lack of these resources makes virtual tutoring more difficult. (One solution is for students to stay after school and use their schools’ computer or technology labs for virtual tutoring.)
Please let me know your thoughts on virtual or in-person tutoring in the comments below!
How to Find the Right Tutor for Your Child
/If you’ve decided that your child would benefit from tutoring, how do you go about finding a great tutor and making sure he/she is a good fit for your child? With so many companies and individuals offering tutoring services, it can be hard to know what will work best for your student. Word to the wise: tutoring is not a one size fits all scenario. It’s best to carefully think through what your child would benefit from and let that guide you in finding a great tutor.
First Step: Reflect
Here are a few questions to reflect on that will help you identify what you’re looking for in a tutor.
Does my kid need help in just one subject area or several? Would it be helpful to have a tutor who is experienced/knowledgeable with different subjects?
Does my kid have specific learning challenges that I’d like a tutor to be familiar with/sensitive to?
Is time/convenience/transportation an issue? Does my kid feel comfortable with and enjoy using a computer? Would virtual or in-person tutoring be a better fit?
Does my kid struggle with organization, remembering and meeting deadlines, and/or study habits and skills in general? Would it be helpful to have a tutor who is well versed in these common academic issues and able to propose solutions?
Does my kid lack confidence in a subject or school in general? Would it be beneficial to work with a tutor who understands these issues and can help my child build his/her academic confidence?
What Makes a Great Tutor: Look for These Qualities
With your child’s needs better defined, you can now identify potential tutors. A great tutor will have the following qualities:
Experience tutoring, teaching, coaching, and/or working with kids
Personable and easy to communicate with
Expertise/experience with the subject matter
A growth mentality (focused on improvement)
Caring and invested in students’ progress
A holistic approach that seeks to build study habits and academic confidence
How to Find a Great Fit for Your Kid
Individual vs Tutoring Company
While there are many companies that offer reasonably priced tutoring, both in person and online, from my experience I strongly recommend choosing a person, not a company that will assign one or possibly a revolving door of (often poorly paid) tutors to work with your kid.
As a former classroom teacher and longtime tutor, I’ve become familiar with the hiring practices and approaches of many tutoring companies, and I believe that parents are better off going with a well-qualified individual tutor who works with a handful of students than a company whose business model depends on having hundreds or thousands of students (and tutors) on its roster. Successful tutoring is highly personal: it starts with the rapport between your child and a caring tutor who’s invested in your child’s academic growth.
Subject Matter Expertise PLUS Teaching Ability
We all probably remember that one teacher who was a subject matter expert but whose explanations went right over our heads. There’s a huge difference between knowing a topic well and being able to break it down in a way your kid can understand and master. Having a background in education helps, but good teaching is both a science and an art. A great tutor can break down a complicated topic and effectively reteach it to your kid. A great tutor can also get right to the heart of your child’s academic challenges (Is it just difficult material or are there gaps in skills from previous years? Motivation/study habits issues?) and start addressing them.
Virtual vs In Person
I’ll discuss this topic more in a later post, but here is a helpful infographic to break down the differences between online and in person tutoring. Infographic courtesy of Kristin Craig.
Where to Look
You can start by asking around: ask your kid’s teachers or school administrators (note that some schools have a policy prohibiting tutor recommendations), ask other parents, ask neighbors, etc. You’ll probably get some great recommendations. If not (or in addition), you can look online on freelance sites like Upwork, Guru, Craigslist, etc.
It’s always best to meet with potential tutors face to face, or via video call (FaceTime, Skype, Google Hangouts, etc.) prior to setting up tutoring. If that’s not possible, exchange emails, texts, or have a phone conversation to get a feel for their communication style and personality. Hire a tutor only after you feel comfortable that person is a good fit for your child.
Questions to Ask Potential Tutors
Do you work with students in-person at an office, in students’ homes, or online?
What subjects and grade levels are you comfortable with and experienced in tutoring?
Do you have a background in the field of education? Have you worked with (elementary, middle, high school) kids?
How would you describe your approach to tutoring? (Look for someone who has an individualized, holistic approach.)
If applicable: have you worked with students with special needs or learning challenges? (Not necessarily a deal breaker if the tutor seems open to learning about it and otherwise seems like a great fit.)
If applicable: do you work with kids on improving their organization or study habits and skills?
What are your payment and cancellation policies?
When or how often do you communicate with parents? (Look for someone who seems open to communicate with and involve parents as needed.)
Based on a detailed description of my child’s difficulties, how many days/hours of tutoring would you recommend per week? (This is of course ultimately your decision as a parent, but it’s helpful to hear what an experienced tutor recommends.)
If you found this article helpful, please feel free to share on social media and tag me in the post. Parents, please let me know if you have any other questions or would like to share any experiences in the comments below!
How to Know if Your Child Needs Tutoring
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It’s sometimes hard for parents to know when it’s time to get outside help for their struggling student. Answer the questions below (taking your time to reflect honestly on your child’s academic situation) to see if your child may need tutoring.
Are your child’s grades in a class (or across all subjects) consistently lower than you believe his/her abilities and potential would suggest they should be?
Does your child feel upset or anxious about a class or about school in general?
Does your child verbalize or demonstrate that he/she believes statements such as: “I’m just not good at ____ [class, test taking, school in general].” “I’m not one of the smart kids.”?
Does your child often lose or forget to do homework assignments and/or generally lack organization and accountability for school work?
Is it difficult for you to help your child academically (due to difficulty of material, time constraints, conflict that arises when you try to help, etc.)?
Do you feel that your child would benefit from enrichment activities because he/she isn’t being challenged enough at school?
Does your child seem to lack motivation and/or the appropriate effort in a particular class or school in general?
Does your child seem to know the material but performs poorly on tests/quizzes?
Does your child have academic skill weaknesses or any diagnosed learning difficulty?*
Do you feel that your child would benefit from having someone outside your family provide academic support and guidance?
*For question 9, if your child has been diagnosed with one or more learning issues and is receiving adequate support at school, you can answer “no.”
If you answered “yes” to one or more of the questions above, your child may benefit from academic tutoring. The more “yes” responses, the greater the likelihood that tutoring would help your child.
In my experience as a tutor (primarily working with students in grades 6+), many parents report that their kids’ academic difficulties began in grades 3-6. Other tutors I’ve spoken with feel that grades 3-4 are when many academic weaknesses start to show up. If unaddressed, these weaknesses often continue to cause students to struggle throughout middle and high school.
I’ve come to believe that it’s best for kids to get help as soon as they begin to have difficulty (rather than taking a wait and see approach) in order to build proficiency and confidence with the skills they’ll need for higher grade levels. I’ve found this especially true for math, which builds upon previous skills with added complexity year after year.
In a separate article I’ll discuss what to look for in a tutor.
Why and How to Teach Learning Strategies and Self-Reflection about Learning
/As teachers, we have quite a bit of control over how we teach topics to our students, the activities we give them to enhance learning, and the preparation materials we give out before unit tests, midterms, etc. But we don’t have much control over what students do with what we give them as soon as they leave class for the day (and sometimes even in our rooms). Some students seem to know instinctively how to assimilate the new information and skills they learn in class, while others have parents who give them helpful study tips and fill in any blanks in their understanding. But unfortunately, others leave class confused about the topics covered and lack the tools (or the sense of agency) to improve their understanding.
While teaching learning strategies is often left to the realm of special education, in my experience most students benefit from gaining some insight into their own learning habits and practices. In fact, I think teaching kids how to learn is equally if not more important as teaching them what to learn. As a former classroom teacher turned tutor, I’ve realized that by giving kids insight into their own learning process we are setting them up to be able to approach future material confidently and to learn it successfully throughout their lives.
My goal in tutoring is to help students develop skills and habits that eventually make tutoring unnecessary, and I’ve found that one of the most powerful ways to do that is by getting them into the practice of being self reflective about their own learning. And it doesn’t take much in the way of formal teaching; with a series of questions and mostly student-driven discussions students become much more conscious of their approach to learning and about specific strategies that they can use to learn more effectively.
Clearly, one-on-one discussions with students are a great way to help them reflect on their learning, but unfortunately the classroom setting doesn’t give us much one-on-one time. I wanted to find a way to bring this beneficial practice into the classroom, so I’ve created this no-prep student self-evaluation that teachers can use and reuse throughout the year to get students thinking about the way they learn.
Research Backed Learning Strategies
There are also some general principles about learning that are supported by research that we can pass along to students (informally, no lesson required). One is “distributed learning” (aka the spacing effect), meaning that learning is much more effective when studying is broken into smaller chunks over time than when crammed. This is especially helpful for students who have attention difficulties and may feel frustrated or bad about their need to take breaks while studying—the research shows that this is actually a better way to learn!
While old adages about studying may have said “use a familiar and comfortable study spot,” studies have shown that learning is actually enhanced when the surrounding context is varied. This means that studying in different locations, listening to different music or a variety of background noise, and with any other environmental variations can actually be beneficial.
Another learning strategy shown to be extremely effective is testing or “retrieval practice.” After spending some time studying the material, it’s best to put it away and see if we can recall it. Retrieval practice can include a formal in class assessment, or a homework assignment, but quizzing ourselves or having someone else quiz us is a great learning strategy that is supported by many studies. In How We Learn, author Benedict Carrey summarizes what’s been learned from research on retrieval practice in a 1/3 to 2/3 rule: the fastest way to learn something is to spend 1/3 of your time memorizing it and 2/3 of your time reciting it from memory.
Testing is studying, of a different and powerful kind. —Benedict Carrey
I find it helpful to share these types of strategies with students whenever possible, since it can help them make their study time more efficient.
Questions for Learning Self Reflection
Here are some questions that I want my students to be asking themselves in order to become more conscious of their learning habits and strategies. I usually take them through these types of questions a couple of times initially, and then I just remind them to ask themselves periodically.
How did I learn about this topic initially (lecture/presentation, assigned reading, activity, research project, etc.)?
How actively did I participate in the initially learning? What grade would I give myself for my efforts? (paying close attention, taking notes, completing the task well, reading carefully, asking questions, etc. vs zoning out, doing the minimum, skimming/skipping the reading, letting others do the work, etc.)
How much did I learn (as a percentage of what I need to know or be able to do)? What grade would I give my current understanding of the topic?
Could I explain the topic thoroughly to someone who knows nothing about it? Could I show someone step by step how to solve this type of problem or complete this task successfully?
What methods usually work best for me to learn something new?
What tools, resources, and practices can I use to get my knowledge/skill set to 100% with this topic?
Steps for Learning Self-Evaluation
Here are some steps to take students through in order to help them evaluate their own understanding of a topic. These can be used in any subject area.
Identify the topic as specifically as possible.
State what we know, what we don’t know, and what we need to know, keeping in mind that as we proceed we may uncover more aspects of the topic that we don’t know about
Identify the learning method: lecture with slides? Assigned reading? Research project? Informational video? Etc.
identify other learning methods/tools/resources that might be helpful or have been helpful in the past: asking the teacher for help, asking a friend, watching a video online, reading more online, rewriting my notes, doing additional practice, etc
Evaluate how much we know now: 50%? 75%? 100%? Etc.
Repeat the steps until understanding is at or near 100%.
Incorporate Learning Self-Reflections in the Classroom
I think self-reflection is one of the most important practices that we can pass along to students. Becoming more reflective about our own learning habits and strategies, as well as taking ownership over our learning, is a lifelong skill with so many benefits. I’ve created a resource that can be used with students in grades 6+ in any subject area for this purpose. It has three different self-evaluations: pre-semester, pre-assessment (to be used at the end of a unit but prior to a unit test), and post-assessment (for students to reflect on their learning during the unit and their preparation for and performance on the unit test).
Click on the photo below to get this resource and please let me know what you think about teaching learning strategies and self-reflection about learning!
SAT and ACT Prep: an Overview
/College Entrance Exams Inspire Mixed (Mostly Negative) Feelings
I have my feelings about high stakes academic testing, and chances are you have yours as well.
On the one hand, the fact that individual students with all of their diverse talents and gifts are subjected to a single test that carries so much weight troubles me. I’ve seen first hand the anxiety that many students experience over their SAT and ACT scores. I’ve also seen the inherent disadvantages that some students face in taking the SAT/ACT.
On the other hand, I recognize that colleges need some “objective” method to both assess students’ readiness for college and compare students who may have almost identical academic records. Whether or not the SAT and ACT effectively meet this purpose is, of course, subject to debate. Studies have shown that students from wealthier and more educated family backgrounds tend to do better on the SAT and ACT than those from less privileged backgrounds. The SAT’s new adversity score attempts to contextualize students’ SAT scores based on their school, neighborhood, and home environments.
But for now, unless we opt out of testing (as some schools have allowed), SAT and ACT scores remain important factors in college admissions decisions. And if students are going to take them, they might as well give themselves the best chance possible of getting a high score.
There are many options for SAT/ACT prep, ranging from almost free and self-directed to pricy online and in-person courses and private tutoring. The good news is that with a solid study plan, some SAT/ACT materials, and consistent practice over a long enough period of time, students can improve their scores significantly without expensive SAT/ACT prep courses or private tutoring.
Content Knowledge vs Academic Skill
The skills tested on the SAT/ACT can be loosely grouped into content knowledge and academic skill.
Content knowledge is the specific material learned by students in a subject area, such as point slope form, special right triangles, and vocabulary.
Academic skill, on the other hand, consists of students’ abilities that apply across various subject areas (e.g., reading speed and accuracy, the ability to analyze a text for structural features, applying content knowledge to solve unique and unfamiliar problems, etc.).
There are some SAT/ACT questions that students could get right based on content knowledge alone. But the majority of questions involve academic skill of some kind, and without that the content knowledge only goes so far.
Content knowledge is relatively fluid. A student who has forgotten the rule for 30-60-90 triangles can relearn that rule pretty quickly. But academic skill is sticky; it takes a long time and a lot of practice to build.
Content may be learned, forgotten, and relearned, but critical reading, writing, and problem solving skills follow students throughout college, higher education and beyond, paving the way for better understanding and better academic performance. A longer view of SAT/ACT prep takes the approach of building these skills over the time necessary for them to become engrained, resulting in higher scores and better preparedness for more advanced studies.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
So what’s the best way to prepare for the SAT and ACT? Aside from intensive prep courses or private tutoring (which can improve students’ scores in a relatively short period of time, at a high cost), the best SAT/ACT prep approach is an early start with a slow and steady pace to build academic skills like critical reading, writing, and logical problem solving. (Guide to Self-Study for the SAT/ACT)
I recommend that students take the PSAT or PreACT as early as possible and look to fill in any weaknesses as identified by one of these tests. I also recommend that students begin a regular vocabulary building practice as early as 8th or 9th grade, since a broad vocabulary is a major advantage in both the Reading and Writing/Language sections (and of course in college and beyond).
The single best form of preparation for the Reading and Writing/Language sections of the SAT and ACT (and for higher education) is being an avid reader. Students who love to read outside of their assigned school work tend to be more analytical and efficient readers and have better vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills.
The Good News: Self-Study Works
While expensive SAT and ACT prep courses and private tutoring abound, diligent and self motivated students can improve their SAT/ACT scores with just a few affordable materials and a lot of practice spread out over as many months as possible. Check out this guide to self-study for the SAT/ACT for tips on how to prepare for these exams the right way, as well as the following resources for SAT/ACT prep:
Tons of free practice and full length tests for the SAT at Khan Academy
College Board Official SAT Study Guide 2020 Edition or 2018 Edition (Amazon)
Official ACT Prep Pack 2019-2020 Edition or Prep Guide 2019-2020 Edition (Amazon)
There are also many SAT/ACT prep books available from established test prep companies such as Kaplan and Princeton Review. These books recommend specific strategies for approaching different types of test questions.
I’ve also created the following resources that students can use independently for SAT/ACT prep:
Vocabulary for the SAT/ACT with tons of activities for better retention
Homophones and frequently confused words (often tested on the SAT/ACT)
SAT Math Formulas (FREE)
The Right Way to Self-Study for the SAT and ACT
/I think SAT/ACT self-study can yield great results for students who are disciplined, self driven, and consistent in their approach. For students who need more structure or have a short window before the test, the best option is to take an SAT/ACT prep course or schedule regular tutoring.
This is a general guide to self-study for the SAT and ACT without taking budget or time frame into consideration.
1. Assess
The first step in any SAT/ACT study plan is assessment. Students should take a full length exam and score it (if necessary to manually score) to determine where they stand prior to studying. Simulate real test conditions as much as possible to get the most accurate assessment of performance. The PSAT or Pre-ACT are pretty good predictors of SAT and ACT scores, respectively, but it’s best to take a full length SAT or ACT.
Khan Academy offers full length SAT’s online, plus students can link their College Board account with Khan Academy to input their PSAT and get personalized study recommendations.
2. Understand and analyze results/identify weaknesses
Section scores and subscores will tell a story about students’ current levels of preparedness. For example, a student who takes a full length SAT and gets a 700 in math and a 500 in reading and writing clearly has to focus his or her efforts on the reading/writing sections.
Within sections, both the SAT and ACT provide score information for the different categories of questions. Students should spend some time going over their scores and looking at the specific categories of questions within each section. Students should also spend some time becoming familiar with the test format and how the test is scored.
If other testing issues arose, such as time management, students should take note of them as well.
3. Identify goal scores based on admissions criteria of the schools students plan to apply to.
Determine what kind of improvement is needed overall and across different sections of the test.
If students have a long window to study, score improvements of 300-400 points on the SAT and 10-11 points on the ACT are possible (I’ve worked with students who’ve improved this much!). The shorter the time before the test date, the harder it will be to get large score improvements, but solid score improvements are still very much possible. Set a reasonable but challenging goal.
4. Get SAT/ACT prep materials and extra materials to cover weak areas, as needed.
Get materials with tons of practice problems, and content review materials for any subject areas that were especially weak. Here are the materials that I believe are essential to prepare for the SAT/ACT:
College Board Official SAT Study Guide 2020 Edition or 2018 Edition
Official ACT Prep Pack 2019-2020 Edition or Prep Guide 2019-2020 Edition
The College Board and ACT both make free practice questions available on their websites as well. Khan Academy also provides excellent free SAT study materials, including practice questions divided by topic. In addition, there are many other high quality study materials and online courses available, budget permitting.
The large test prep companies such as Kaplan and Princeton Review also offer workbooks and other SAT/ACT prep materials.
I’ve created the following resources specific to SAT/ACT vocabulary, grammar, and math that may be helpful for students:
Vocabulary for the SAT/ACT with tons of activities for better retention
Homophones and frequently confused words (often tested on the SAT/ACT)
SAT Math Formulas (FREE)
5. Based on the weaknesses identified, goal scores, and the prep materials available (depending on budget), create a study plan.
First, students should map out the time until the test date and break that time into weeks or months, whatever makes the most sense depending on the time period. Next, they should determine what they think they can accomplish during week 1/month 1 and each additional time period.
For example, students with low math scores would first need to spend a good amount of time reviewing math content. Unless a student scores over a 600 (or 25), he or she should review the content first and then start doing practice. If there’s still a year before the exam, students can spend a month reviewing math and any other content they might need to review. With only a couple of months to study, students can spend a week or two reviewing content.
Within the time period allotted for content review, students should break down the content further into chunks so that they have a day by day and week by week plan.
The ideal SAT/ACT study plan will have students doing something every day, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. The importance of consistency in studying for these tests can’t be overstated.
It’s far better to do 30 minutes a day of practice questions than 3.5 hours one day a week. That’s the same amount of total time spent, but there’s much more bang for the buck with the 30 minutes a day plan. The brain needs time and familiarity to assimilate everything that is learned in preparation for the SAT/ACT, and 3 hours one day and then nothing for 6 days just doesn’t cut it.
6. Practice, analyze answers, and learn from mistakes. As the test date approaches, do more timed practice using the actual SAT/ACT pacing for each section.
After doing any necessary content review, the majority of students’ study time should be dedicated to doing practice questions, analyzing why they got them right or wrong, and filling in any content gaps as necessary.
If there’s a year to study, students might spend a couple of weeks just working on one subject and really mastering it. With only a couple of months, students should spend no more than a few days doing practice questions in just one subject area.
As the test date approaches, students should mix the practice questions so that each test section gets some attention almost every day. The key is not to let any area get rusty before the test date.
7. Within the study plan, map out dates to take timed full length tests.
Students should plan to take as many full length practice tests as they can, with at least a few weeks in between each full length test. Over the course of a year, students can easily take at least 4-6 timed, full length tests. If students have only a couple of months, they should try to take a full length test every 3-4 weeks. Also, they should set aside time to do regular timed sections in any weak test areas.
5 Common Habits of Struggling Students and How to Address Them
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As someone in an “ally” position as opposed to a perceived authoritarian, I’ve also been able to gain some insight into students’ motivations, their perspectives on school, teachers, assignments, etc., and their perception of themselves as students.
Read MoreWhy and How I Teach Goal Setting
/Effective Goal Setting is a Lifelong, Life Changing Skill
Most kids (and adults) have dreams or ambitions of doing something. What often determines whether that something becomes reality is how we set ourselves up to achieve it. While of course some of our potential is influenced by what we get in the genetic lottery, a good portion of it is also the goals we set for ourselves and how effectively we direct our actions toward achieving those goals. It’s also influenced by how well we can work with our bad habits and replace them with good ones.
In short, effectively setting goals for ourselves and becoming more aware of our habits, good and bad, directly impacts the quality of our lives.
There’s no doubt that effective goal setting is a great lifelong skill, but there’s a lot of misunderstanding about how to set effective goals and the factors that influence whether they are achieved. While some learn good goal setting practices from parents, sports coaches, or music teachers, many of us get to adulthood without really knowing what good goal setting looks like. Imagine if we all learned about effective goal setting and habit change early in life!
“Set Goals” Isn’t Enough
I used to think of goal setting as one of those reflexive, automatic things that everyone knows how to do and does already. In my first year of classroom teaching I used to tell students, “set goals!” and think that was a meaningful piece of advice (sheesh). It hadn’t occurred to me that, for most of us, effective and meaningful goal setting doesn’t come naturally and needs to be learned.
As a tutor, I’ve realized that one of the most important tools I have to help students is to teach them effective goal setting. I’m now convinced that it’s something we should be actively teaching and reinforcing with all students.
Through effective goal setting, I’ve seen kids go from barely passing their classes to getting A’s and B’s and feeling good about school overall. I’ve also seen kids who had felt unmotivated and overwhelmed by school become focused and determined to achieve what they had set out to do. But it didn’t come from my telling them to “set goals.” It came from their understanding of what goals actually are and the specific steps needed to make goals into reality. It also came from their becoming more aware of their habits, good and bad, and how changing seemingly small habits is crucial to making bigger changes.
In order to help students become better goal setters, we need them to understand what effective goals look like, be able to break them into bite sized steps, and plan for any obstacles that may arise.
Step 1: Define Meaningful Goals
Meaningful goals are specific and measurable. The simplest way to think of this is whether the question “did you meet your goal?” can be answered with a simple yes or no. If not, the goal is not specific and measurable. Some goals may not lend themselves to setting a time limit, but when possible goals should include a completion time, like “tomorrow,” “for the semester,” etc. Once the time period passes, it should be easy to answer the question of whether the goal was achieved.
Step 2: Determine What Actions/Habits/Small Steps are Needed
Next, goals need to be broken down into small and specific actions that are also measurable (yes/no). For example, if the goal is to complete a 10K run by the end of the month, the actions might consist of your weekly training schedule (week 1: run 2 miles 3x, etc.).
If the goal is academic (“get an A in History this semester”), the steps might be things like review my notes every day after school, turn in all my homework on time, keep a running vocabulary/terms list and update it at least weekly, etc. Like the goal itself, the steps must be specific and measurable in order to accurately assess their completion when reflecting back on the results of goal setting.
Step 3: Anticipate Obstacles and Make a Plan for Overcoming Them
The next part is where people (especially yours truly) tend to fall down, unfortunately. Human nature is to procrastinate and avoid doing things that are less fun in favor of having fun. We think that by setting the intention to do something that we’ll be sure to do it, but as most of us probably know, it can be easier said than done.
We are also creatures of habit, and just as good habits can help us reach our goals, bad habits can make it more difficult for us to do so. Researcher and writer James Clear (check out his website here) writes that goals are like rudders, the things that give us direction, and systems are the oars, which actually get the work done. He also writes about the importance of habits in achieving goals, and specifically about how we can change our habits.
Effective goal setting requires consideration of the system that surrounds you. Too often, we set the right goals inside the wrong system. If you're fighting your system each day to make progress, then it's going to be really hard to make consistent progress.
There are all kinds of hidden forces that make our goals easier or harder to achieve. You need to align your environment with your ambitions if you wish to make progress for the long run.
—James Clear
By anticipating obstacles and challenges that may arise, we can prepare ourselves with a plan to complete our steps no matter what. This requires an honest evaluation of the types of challenges that may interfere with our achieving goals.
We can reflect on past experiences when we’ve set a goal and didn’t reach it for a number of reasons. We can also look at ways in which our environment can help us or hinder us in adopting the habits that help us meet our goals.
For example, I know that oftentimes I’ll get distracted with other projects or by texts or phone calls. So if I know I have to complete a step, I might plan to turn off my phone or put it far away until I finish. Or maybe I designate a specific time to complete the step so that nothing else can distract me.
I find it’s helpful for me to share with students some of my own obstacles and the ways that I deal with them in order to get them thinking about ways to better manage their obstacles.
Step 4: Reflect on What Went Well/Poorly
After the goal’s time period has passed, it’s important for students to learn to reflect on what went wrong and what went right. This process helps them to better understand themselves and their strengths and weaknesses. It also encourages a growth mindset that is focused on progress and learning over perfection.
Reflecting on success or failure (and especially the process that led to either one) is also important in informing future goal setting. If we become aware that a bad habit prevented us from reaching a goal, we can work to overcome that habit and replace it with a better one.
If you’re interested in learning more about habit change, I recommend Atomic Habits by James Clear (Kindle version and audiobook), or you can listen to a great interview he did on The Psychology Podcast.
I’ve also created this no prep resource for teachers to bring goal setting into the classroom with a pre and post term goal setting activity.
Please let me know in the comments what you think about teaching goal setting, what works, what doesn’t, etc!
Why Being a Good Math Student Doesn't Always Equal High SAT/ACT Math Scores
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SAT/ACT Math is Harder Than Typical High School Math
SAT and ACT math is deceiving in that it “only” covers topics up to and including typical Algebra 2 content. The ACT and new SAT do include trigonometry (which may or may not be covered in Algebra 2), but trig makes up a tiny percentage of the material on both tests.
Assuming students have taken Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, they’ve covered all or almost all of the math on the SAT and ACT. So why is SAT/ACT math so hard?
The issue isn’t that the content is harder, per se; instead, the way SAT/ACT questions are formulated, the time pressure, the inclusion of questions requiring numbers theory, logic, and imaginary symbols most students don’t have experience with, and the mixing of concepts across different math topics make the SAT and ACT math sections more difficult than the typical high school math content.
Question Formulation
Here are some examples illustrating why the same content can seem much more difficult on the SAT/ACT.
See the difference? The same content is required for both sets of questions, but the way the SAT/ACT questions are formulated is much more challenging.
Time Pressure
While students have undoubtedly dealt with time pressure before on tests, quizzes, and final exams, the time pressure of the SAT/ACT math sections is even more difficult to manage. The ACT gives just one minute per math question, while the SAT gives one minute 15 seconds on the no calculator section and one minute 26 seconds on the calculator section. This requires much faster and more intense work by students than what they’ve typically been required to do in math class.
Inclusion of Numbers Logic/Theory/Imaginary Symbols Questions
The SAT in particular (ACT to a lesser extent) will give questions on topics that are completely unfamiliar to the majority of students. They either involve topics students have seen many years ago (but haven’t been required to think deeply about), such as long division remainders, or rules that students work with but don’t explicitly know. There are also questions that involve imaginary symbols and operations. Chances are, students have the content knowledge and skill to answer them, but are often so thrown off by these unusual questions that they pose a challenge. Here are some examples:
a @ b = (a + b)(2a + 2b). What is x @ 4y?
For the equation c = b^3, which of the following statements are true?
c can never be negative
c > b
if b is positive, c is positive
What is the greatest possible remainder when any odd number is divided by 4?
Mixing of Concepts Across Different Math Topics
In the typical Algebra or Geometry curriculum there’s a bit of cross course material, but not very much and it’s highly teacher/course dependent. The SAT and ACT often mix algebra, geometry, and other areas of math both in the same question and throughout the test, requiring students to be well versed in what content knowledge to apply and when.
For Students: How to Handle SAT/ACT Math
There are two general approaches that I think work well for students to prepare for SAT/ACT math. One is to start by doing a math content review of the topics tested, and then doing practice questions regularly (every day if possible, even if only a few questions per day). I think this works best for students who perhaps have forgotten or never fully grasped a number of areas of math content. These students will need to fill in some content areas first in order to make doing practice questions more meaningful.
The other approach is to get into a routine of doing practice questions and fill in any missing content areas as needed. I think this works best for students who already have a good grasp on most of the test content areas.
I recommend that all students build a formula/rule sheet as they work through practice questions, and review that sheet periodically. If students realize in doing a particular practice question that they don’t know or have forgotten the content necessary to answer it, they should address it by reviewing that topic and adding to their formula/rule sheet as necessary.
For Math Teachers: Incorporate SAT/ACT Questions When Possible
Having kids do SAT and ACT questions in class can be a great way to add rigor and challenge to your math class. If kids can do SAT/ACT style questions on a particular topic, typically they will have achieved a deeper level of mastery and understanding of the topic due to the additional challenges that these questions entail.
When I’ve worked with small groups of students, I’ve found that having them verbalize (or write down) their approaches and solutions (giving guidance when necessary) helps them internalize the analytical process they’ll need to do well on the SAT/ACT math sections. Here are some ideas for how to incorporate SAT/ACT questions into your math class:
Give SAT/ACT questions as challenges at the end of class. Have students who get them correct use the board to explain/show how they did them and give guidance as needed.
Include topic relevant SAT/ACT type questions as a bonus on quizzes or tests.
Have an SAT/ACT question of the day up on the board for students to try to solve during class.
Use as early finisher assignments.
Assign each student one SAT/ACT math question to solve and create a small presentation/diagram/step by step outline explaining how to solve it.
Have students discuss alternate methods of solving SAT/ACT questions (often there are at least 2 different ways of doing a problem), determine which method is most expedient and least prone to error, and explain why that method is the best.
The College Board website has a ton of free SAT practice questions, and the ACT website does as well. I’ve also created this free SAT/ACT math formula sheet and this set of 100 practice questions divided by subject area.