HCM Tutoring

Holiday Math Tutoring

2008-12-15T07:56:00.000-08:00

Become a Super teacher with Super Teacher Worksheets!

2008-09-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

I'd like to thank Tim, the creator of SuperTeacherWorksheets.com, for passing his site over to me. As a teacher [on hiatus] and a tutor, I am always hunting for websites that offer free or paid subscriptions with an extensive library of printables. I have always used edHelper.com but you have to pay to the worksheets. At STW.com, everything is FREE!

Here is what you get:

hundreds of printable reading, grammar, math, spelling, handwriting, and puzzle worksheets
complete spelling curriculum for grades 1-4
monthly contest with great prizes
teaching tips with lesson ideas, activities, and tips (ex. "back-to-school lesson" ideas; fun ways to teach fractions; Tips for student teachers; etc.)
new worksheets added each week
worksheets designed with room for kids to write and age-appropriate font sizes
worksheets closely tied to real school curriculum

This site is great for teachers, tutors, families and home school parents. View samples below:

Search for Tutors Online

2008-09-23T13:23:00.001-07:00

Searching for a tutor who offers training in specific and sometimes less common subject areas can be a difficult process. If you look at tutoring flyers that hang around your town, the majority of them are for Math or SATs. What about Writing? Science? Computers? Even Home School? Turn to Tutor Match for help.

At TutorMatch.com, parents and kids can search for tutors for all subject areas and grade/education levels. Each tutor profile includes location, experience, area of expertise, price range, and education level.

And tutors, join now with a FREE membership or upgrade to Premium for only $29 a YEAR(such a good deal!) and get your listing at the top of the search and make yourself available for more than 1 subject.

Search now and spread the word about TutorMatch!

Multiplication Train: Learning Times Tables

2008-08-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

At around grade 4, children either love or hate multiplication tables. While small numbers are pretty easy to multiply, once you pass 5, it gets hard and very frustrating and usually that is around the same time you'll see your one time A student start to drop to the Bs, Cs and even Ds and Fs.

There are no easy solutions to mastering multiplication, but instead of drilling your child to the point that they give you a blank look as you hold up another card, take the cards to the floor and get them moving...your child that is.

I did the "flash card train" with one of my tutees who is a rising 6th grader. At the end of our sessions when we had a few minutes left, I would take the flashcards and line them up like dominoes from the table into the living room. My tutee then followed the flashcards reading the problem and telling me the answer as she made her way to the end. Every time she got the answer wrong, she had to start over again. You can eventually make the train longer. You'll surely get a smile or laugh from your child because it's actually kind of fun.

After doing the train for a few sessions, only include multiplication cards with the 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9s. Don't bother using a lot of the 0, 1, 2 and 3 cards. Perhaps throw in an easy one in the middle of the train to boost confidence, but you want the child to have as much exposure to the trouble numbers as possible.

GEPA Prep at Home

2008-01-24T09:51:00.000-08:00

If you have an 8th grader in New Jersey, he or she is probably in the midst of GEPA preparation in Math. The GEPAs are Grade Eight Proficiency Assessments that are sometimes used in addition to grades for high school math placement. They can be a big deal for some students who are borderline in their course.

You might be asking yourself, "how can I help my child prepare for the GEPAs?" Well you don't have to be a math whiz to help you child in one aspect of the tests. Your child will encounter word problems that require written explanations and reasoning to support the numerical answer. At home, you can do this by giving your child a basic math problem (that you know the answer to) and asking them to write as detailed an explanation as possible to support their answer. Yeah, they might moan and groan, but you are helping them prepare...no matter how easy the problem is.

To access more GEPA prep problems, click on any of the links below:

Great moments in the life of a tutor

2007-12-20T07:47:00.001-08:00

As a teacher, you hope that you motivate at least 1 child to engage in math on his or her own. I had a 'pat on the back' moment last night when I was out tutoring one of my middle schoolers.

A few weeks ago, I started using my extra time to give this boy some "Math Magic" problems because I could tell that he had a strong mathematical mind up there (but laziness was keeping his grades from climbing). After that first night, he asked for them every week and last night he showed me his book of Puzzle Logic that he picked up at Barnes & Noble. I was very proud of him for purchasing a math related book.

There are many benefits to giving your children logic puzzles as extra math work. The thought process involved in solving logic or math puzzles will help them approach more challenging math work in the future. Problem solving is very crucial both in math and other subjects.

Here are some fun math puzzle books (that would make good stocking stuffers):

Old material is still quizzable

2007-11-08T04:22:00.001-08:00

To better test your child's math retention and skill, give them mini quizzes that contain problems from a few chapters back. Since math chapters build on previous skills, you don't want children to lose their ability.

For example, if the topic is adding and subtracting fractions, here are some skills you can quiz them on:

basic multiplication and division
listing multiples of numbers
factoring numbers

If your child is studying decimal operations, quiz them on:

rounding to different place values
front-end estimation
identification of decimal place values (what is the tenths place, hundredths?)

When I tutor, I take extra time to give my students a mini quiz to test skills that they may have had trouble with in the past. For example, one of my students has trouble with her basic multiplication skills (she's in 5th grade), so when there is a few minutes left in our session, I'll giver her an assortment of problems to do and then I'll grade it.

Now, it always helps to approach these mini quizzes with a sense of humor. No kid wants a quiz at home, but if you approach it with a good attitude and laughter, they will be more likely to play along and do the task. I have found that works well because the student sees me as helpful and not forceful.

Sometimes, study time has to be negotiated

2007-08-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Most of the time, all that a child needs to improve his/her math skills is to do extra practice. An extra 5-10 minutes a night can be all your child needs. However, if getting your children to do extra practice is like pulling teeth, try this:

If your child is allowed to watch an hour of TV each night, negotiate their practice time by hitting the mute button during commercial breaks. Most breaks are just a few minutes and if your child can do a few problems during each break, then you achieve your goal.
If your child likes to read or draw before bed, work in 1-2 minutes of flashcards before they retire. Let them sit in bed, in a comfortable spot.
If you're child has a computer in his/her room, it is a good possibility that he/she is IMing, E-mailing, Myspacing, etc more than working. Instead of restricting this freedom and taking the computer away, set up the condition that if they do some online math practice first for 7 minutes, then they can talk to friends. Tell the you can track the computer to see if they are using it for the allotted time. Even if you don't know how to do it, tell them anyway. One site that I tell kids to use all the time is www.aaamath.com. It's great for drill work.

Don't think of this as giving in to your child's wishes or being less of a strict parent. You're not giving your children more free time and letting them do what they want. You actually get your way by working in the practice time. It teaches your children (hopefully) the value of "you give a little you get a little."

Back to School Jump Start

2007-08-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

Can't study? Change your scenery

2007-07-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

If you are having trouble focusing on a task-whether it is homework, writing a paper, or studying for a test-try changing your scenery. If you can drive or get a ride, try doing work at a Dunkin' Donuts, the library, or a Panera nearby. Most public places have free Wi-Fi if you need to work on your laptop. You can also get a snack or coffee if you need a pick-me-up.

When I was in college, I would also take my work with me to the Bison snack bar, put my earphones on, and work away. It wasn't so crowded that I didn't get work done, but it wasn't so quiet that I was constantly looking for a break. And I am one of those people who has to work with music on anyway.

Nowadays, it would be hard to find someone NOT working at a Panera, Starbucks, a coffee shop or even a bar (I had a happy hour on Thursday for the Bucknell Club at Salt Creek Grill and there were 2 guys working on their laptop drinkin' a beer before the crowd filled in).

Parents, if you read this and wonder how your child can get anything accomplished away from their bedroom desk or not at the kitchen table in front of your, I would give it a try. If you're not ready to drop them off at an eatery, try the library. Take it from someone who thrived on the public domain for working and find that her students need the same.

How to keep skills fresh over the summer

2007-07-18T07:20:00.001-07:00

The summertime is often a respite for many kids to take a break from school, homework, tests, and thinking! However, by the time school starts up again in September, many kids have to retrain themselves and often times relearn skills that will be essential to take with them to the next grade level. In addition to the many options for summer learning, like summer school and tutoring centers, parents can help educate their children in less structured and perhaps less threatening ways.

With the help of AssociatedContent.com, I have put together a list of how parents can keep school skills fresh at home or even on vacation:

play educational travel games to pass time
name capitals or cities of states that the family travels through
break out the flash cards for a post-dinner or pre-bed time ritual
read WITH your children. If they see you enjoying the downtime, hopefully they will learn to like it too. And let them read a choice book in addition to a required reading. While they read their choice book, ask them questions about it. Test their recall and analytical ability. Ask about theme, plot & characters. With young children, ask them about shapes and colors they see. Or why they like the book.
Since it is summer, never push your children to learn a skill. If you want your child to be in an honors level class and they resist the idea, chances are they are not going to remember what they study. They may fake "studying" instead of really retaining the knowledge.
Take your children to the supermarket with you. Practice estimation, addition, multiplication, etc.
Introduce your children to games like Sudoku to enhance their problem solving skills.

Why do I have to show my work???

2007-07-16T09:37:00.001-07:00

I hear it all the time: Do I have to show my work???

And my answer is always: Of Course.

Here are the reasons why:

Math is a process and by writing everything down, you can check your answer to make sure it is correct.
Most teachers give partial credit. Let's say there is a 5-point problem on your test. If you do not show your work and just give an answer that is wrong, you lose all 5 points. If you show your work and you make 1 small mistake, you may only lose 1 point.
As you advance to higher levels of math, the steps to solve become more complicated and involved. You can only do so much in you head. Leave the basic calculations to mental math.

If I asked for directions to Market Fair in Princeton and you told me Nassau Park Blvd and nothing else, I'd end up in the wrong place. However, if you gave me directions along the way, identifying landmarks along the way, I would probably be able to find it.

At Home Learning: Worksheets and Puzzles

2007-07-16T09:26:00.000-07:00

One of the best sites for creating printables for any subject is Edhelper.com.

I've used Edhelper.com to create worksheets for my students and kids I tutor. For math worksheets you can choose from Elementary level to Algebra and then, specify if you want addition problems, integers, decimals, fraction, word problems, GCF and LCM, you name it. With your printable, you also get an answer key. In addition to math, you can also choose from Reading Comprehension, Geography, Pre-K studies, Science, and Spelling. There is so much available to teachers, parents, students or anyone who needs curriculum worksheets.

If you want access to a specific subject, there is a yearly fee of only $19.95 and if you want to access everything, you only have to pay $39.95. That's a great deal especially if you don't have school texts to get at.

Beat the Multiplication Blues

2007-07-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

If your child is having a hard timing learning his or her multiplication tables, try this:

Pull out a pack of cards and play the game called War. Each time you put out 2 cards, have your child multiply the numbers. After awhile, they won't think about how frustrating it is to multiply because they will also be focused on trying to the win the game.

Simple Tools to Engage Learners-the Dry-Erase Board

2007-04-16T04:30:00.000-07:00

It doesn't matter what level your child is understanding math. Give him or her their own white board, and all they want to do is problems!

Every time I pull out my white board box, my kids get excited. They forget their anxiety about problem solving and feel empowered because they can think right at their fingertips.

I have been using theses personal gems ever since I tutored my own sister when she was in 8th grade (she is now 23 and credits me with helping her get an 'A' in math).

If you can make learning cheap and fun, why not! Click here for more styles and sizes.

When you need more practice...

2007-03-24T10:53:00.000-07:00

1) Ask a friend to give you problems to try

2) Take our your workbook/practice book and do problems

3) Most textbooks have Chapter Review in the back pages. Find them and do problems. Go to your teacher and ask him or her for the answer key.

4) Go to aaamath.com and do drill work

5) Make up problems with your friends. If you can make it a game or a contest, the learning part is more fun.

2006-09-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

You can never have too many handbags, especially when there are so many outfit coordinating opportunities (kind of like ties for guys).

Check out some of these gorgeous and very expensive LOOKING bags available from Big Buddha. A bag line that was started by a college guy in his dorm room, Big Buddha bags come in a variety of colors and can easily be mistaken for a celebrity designer knockoff.

I have nominated 2 bags for my pretty pick and trust me you'll understand why...

1. The Denise Bag ($36 wholesale, $60-$90 Retail): I spotted this bag at my favorite boutique, Charmed By Claire and immediately put it on my wish-list. Don't let the purple scare you. As Stacy and Clinton would tell you, your purse does NOT have to match your shoes. They would probably pair this bag with yellow shoes or maybe even red. Your options are endless now. Available in: Black, Blue, Brown, Cream, Green, Orange, Purple, Red and Tan.

2. The Harvard Bag ($34 Wholesale, $60-$90 Retail): This bag is the perfect blend of preppy and uptown sophisticate. Great for day trips or carting around campus. Nothing I've seen before. Available in: Burgundy, Black and Navy.

A little about Big Buddha's origin...
Courtesy of Kristen at Big Buddha

Love Big. Live Buddha.

Five years ago in the fledgling days of Big Buddha, handbag designer Jeremy Bassan caused quite a commotion when he started shipping a noticeable number of packages in his college dorm room.

From small beginnings designing purses from his home in Santa Barbara, California, the 25-year-old has been diligently working to establish Big Buddha as a front-runner in affordable fashion-forward handbags for women.

Bassan designs handbags for the modern woman who may juggle a career, school, or a family – Big Buddha is a lifestyle brand. Big Buddha bags are stylish, fun and casual and won’t break the bank. Bassan keeps busy overseeing every aspect of Big Buddha design and production.

Big Buddha bags have been featured in publications such as In Style, Teen Vogue, Ladies’ Home Journal, Life & Style Weekly, Teen People, and Marie Claire.

Big Buddha is continuing to grow as a young, vibrant company in a competitive industry – and is causing a commotion once again.