Skip to main content

Finding (and filling) the cracks in your student's education

    Just like with anything in life, when you do something long enough, you start to notice trends. With Fairchild into its 13th year, we know where the cracks tend to be in a student’s education, no matter how fantastic their schools are! Those cracks are even more apparent in a year like the one we’ve had. 

    The big pieces of the puzzle are of course reading, writing, and arithmetic, followed closely by foreign languages. Math and language skills are “use ‘em or lose ‘em” type skills. If your student has a lengthy break between those subjects, like this year when some of our students may go most of a full year between them, those skills will be fading fast by the time the next textbook is opened. 

    Reading and writing go hand in hand. Our students are encouraged to read as much as possible, on any subject they’re interested in. We find that it not only helps their regular schoolwork, but it gives them a huge boost when it comes to the SAT and ACT. Writing is a hard concept for most students, we see it every year when the incoming seniors start to write their college application essays. Learning not only the structure of the different essays, but also how to find your own voice and style are things that English teachers only wish they had time to focus on with each individual student! 

    If you’re unsure as to what your student may be missing in the classroom, please reach out to Hillary to discuss our offerings through regular tutoring and summer intensives.

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Show Me The Money (and by money, I mean financial aid)

Applications are in, acceptances are starting to arrive. Now, the question becomes how to pay for it all: books, room & board, food, and tuition plus all the extras. It can feel overwhelming. It’s not a secret that a college education is costly. The conversation regarding student debt is one that is constantly in the news, and while a degree is going to be important for almost every career path, there is no reason to take on more debt than you actually need to.  Here are a few of our favorite tips: Get that FAFSA done. It’s frustrating because it’s really only one view of your family’s finances, but it is absolutely necessary to qualify for aid. Don’t be afraid to make a phone call. Colleges give you financial aid packages based on the information in front of them. If your situation is a little different, or if there’s something that the FAFSA isn’t presenting well, don’t be afraid to call your top school’s financial aid office and ask to discuss things further. Find out if wor...

A Fresh Start: Organizing the New Year

      “New Year, New You,” right? Even if it’s the middle of a semester for a lot of students, January 1 is a great time to reset and restart. For most students, that could mean a much-needed check-in on their organization and study skills. Here are some of our favorite tips to keep a student on track:      1. Use a calendar. Whether it’s paper or electronic, a calendar is crucial for keeping track of assignments, tests, and extracurriculars . This is also a great way for students to start seeing how they’re spending their time… and where that extra study session could fit in.     2. Note-taking . Study skills aren’t always a focus during school hours, so make sure your student is developing a system for note taking and reading. College will be so much easier if your student knows how to study! (Note: this looks different for every student and varies depending on their learning style.)     3. When school is in session, set up a...