One of the greatest flaws in the education system is the idea that all students can learn in the same fashion. While it is true that all students possess the basic ability to learn, certain ones might require more attention than others in order to achieve that pursuit. Likewise the study methods that work for one student may do nothing to help another. The following is a list of articles relating to study skill alternatives to the traditional methods for students who might be less than conventional.

1. An Alternative Paradigm for College Reading and Study Skills Courses:  Jim Reynolds and Stuart C. Werner, Journal of Reading

This article discusses the different approaches to handling incoming college students who are ill-prepared for the advanced academic world that they are entering. It explores the idea of a learning paradigm in which students are allowed to develop learning skills in their own way or style. It embraces the idea that not every student benefits from the traditional “one size fits all” method of studying.

2. Homeschooling Study Skills: Gertrude Elizabeth Greene

This article discusses the specialized study skills that should be taught to homeschooled students in order to prepare them for entering the more public and advanced educational realm of college.

3. 4 Helpful Study Skills for Online Learners: Stefan Knapen,

In this article Mr. Knapen discusses the different study skills needed for online learning. Because learning online requires not only a different environment but a different mind-set altogether the study skills that students find useful for in-class tutelage often do not apply as well in the online learning realm.

4. 6 Study Tips for Adult Learners: courseadvisor.com,

Re-entering the academic arena after a prolonged absence can be difficult for even the most studious persons. This article provides study tips designed to help adult students balance their work, family and school lives into a smoother experience.

Not every student responds to traditional study methods, and in particular those learning in a non-traditional capacity tend to suffer from scenarios for which these methods do not fit. With the advice contained in the above articles any student can special tailor study methods that work for their specific methods of learning and situation.

Scott Young started his blog 6 years ago while a student. Since graduating though, his interest in building skills and further education has only been heightened. We recently posted on our Facebook 

page a link video that Scott recorded detailing his latest challenge: to complete a 4 year MIT course in Computer Science in just 12 months (see the video here).

But just today we came across an audio interview Scott had with Corbett barr of Expert Enough- a site we love over here at Stepping Stone Tutors! But what I wanted to share were a couple of points Scott made in that interview that should be of value to you, as someone who’s looking to improve their knowledge, whether you’re using one of our online or in home tutors, or simply self-studying online.

Scott often refers to the way people who learn fast are able to effectively link the data and knowledge they’re processing  together, which therefore generates a much more deep rooted understanding of the topic being taken on. This is an alternative to simple ‘rote memorisation’, where students are challenged with the almost impossible of simply learning a ton of facts only to regurgitate these when asked about them. This ability to link things together- to understand in a much fuller way is what he calls ‘holistic learning’.

A method that’s often used to utilise this method of learning called the ‘Feynman technique’, which is an informal philosophy of how we can learn something deeply. As an alternative to rote memorization, which could take hundreds of hours for some subjects, the Feynman technique can be applied effectively to almost any subject. The video below will explains exactly what this is, and how you can apply this to your own studies, whether that’s for your upcoming ASVAB test, GED classes, K-16 classes, or test preparation (read about how we can help with this here) and revision.

The reason this technique works so much is because most people simply don’t know what it is that they’re trying to learn. They don’t understand which bits of a subject they need to expand on in order to full understand what it is they’re dealing with. The Feynman technique, however, highlights the exact aspects of each subject that you need to look into more in order to holistically grasp any topic you like.

Our last post discussed Richard Feynman’s study method (the Feynman Technique), which involves writing out a lecture to yourself, explaining in simple terms the topic you’re working on. As you’re working through this, you’ll reach points where you stop and become slightly confused, or unsure about something. At these points, you know you need to brush up your knowledge in these areas. By the time you’ve finished writing your lecture, you’ll have a far fuller understanding of the topic than hours and hours of rote memorization could produce. To read what we wrote about this, see here.

As a way to build upon Richard Feynman’s teaching and learning philosophy (especially from 40+), we came across the following video, which we’re sure you’ll benefit hugely from watching.

Test taking is a nerve-wracking experience for most people, no matter what you’re studying- GED, K-12. ASVAB. It’s the ultimate test prep.

While some can simply breeze through a written exam with no problems or intense heart palpitations the majority of the rest of us are completely bewildered come test time. The pressure to pass, the last-minute second guessing of answers and the sudden flooding of the mind with failure scenarios is enough to make anyone want to jump up and run out of the room. For those who have this completely normal fear of test-taking practice exams and test preparation tools are imperative. Practice tests in particular are an important staple in the preparation process for tests such as the GED.

Preparing For Testing-Taking

For those with an immense fear of testing the act itself can be enough to induce failure. Many find that they are unable to think straight, consumed with nerves over the implications of failing the test. This leads to rushed and scattered thinking, which can lead to rushed answering and misunderstanding questions themselves. All in all, this type of anxiety can lead to failure not because the student wasn’t prepared for the test, but because the act of testing itself caused them such distress that they were unable to recall the information they’d studied. Sitting for practice exams can help with this somewhat by allowing the student to practice test-taking tips such as breathing exercises or visualization techniques without the pressure of the actual examination.

Acclimating To Test

Anyone who has attended school for a long period of time, say K-12, knows that tests are different. Teachers ask questions differently, the types of test questions vary (multiple choice vs. essay), and even the type of material covered can vary (one teacher may harp on dates while another harps on event details). Practice tests such as those offered for the GED exam give the student a chance to see first-hand what the test will be like, including what types of questions they ask, what material they may expect to see covered, etc. This gives the student a leg-up in studying, offering them not only the opportunity to test their skills thus far in the studying process but also to get a handle on what and how they should be studying. After all, one preps differently for a multiple choice test than an essay exam.

Practice tests offer students a valuable opportunity to evaluate their study methods, acclimate themselves with the test itself and prepare themselves mentally for the act of test-taking. This experience is paramount for many pupils in their ability to adequately prepare for tests such as the GED, ACT, and SAT.

In today’s working world having a basic education is a must. In recent years it has become difficult to land even the least skilled employment without some degree of education. For most workplaces at least a GED is required.

In particularly for those who have been out of school for quite some time the art of test taking and studying can be a daunting task to master. For most, simply sitting down and reviewing material is not sufficient preparation for taking a major test such as the GED. For students who haven’t had to burn the midnight oil in a while try the following top 5 GED study tips:

1. Identify the Material- The GED consists of 5 sections: mathematics, science, social studies, reading and writing. It is essential that you review and prepare for all 5 sections before attempting the test.

2. Identify Your Weaknesses- While it is important to go over each section diligently you should also pay special attention to your weakest subject(s). If you find that you’re lagging in mathematics allot some extra study time for that subject. Get your hands on as many different types of preparatory materials as are available and become familiar with them.

3. Obtain Study Materials- There are a number of different study materials available for the GED exam. From print media to video tutorials students today have access to whichever methods they find make them the most successful. If you find you respond better to reading print materials and taking practice quizzes, do that. If you can more easily and fully absorb material that you watch on a video, obtain as many videos as possible. When studying for any test having the right materials is essential. There are several websites that also offer free practice tests.

4. Take a Preparatory Course- Most every city in the United States has an institution that offers a GED prep course. If you don’t have an institution in your town there are a number of different online courses available, some of which are free. For many students the hands-on in-class approach is superior to going it alone. Group studying in such an atmosphere might also prove helpful.

5. Prepare Your Body- Be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before the test. An all night cram session might seem tempting, but you’ll be doing yourself a much larger favor by getting a good night’s sleep. If you feel the need to cram before the test try going to bed early and getting up early for some last minute studying. The morning of the test it’s also essential that you eat a good breakfast. Our bodies and minds function at their highest when they are rested and well fueled.

6. If needed, get extra help- there are companies like us here at Stepping Stone Tutors who offer online and offline tutoring for exams such as GED, K-12, SAT, ASVAB etc. We’ve masses of experience in helping people young and old to pass exams they never thought they could actually pass, and work with you one-to-one to make sure you make progress as effectively as possible.

So, with the correct preparation you could be just one step away from your GED and financial success. A good education is the cornerstone of a successful career and a happy worker.

For anyone undergoing any form of study- whether you’re studying for your GED, SATs, K-16- whatever qualification you’re working toward- there are plenty of fantastic commencement speeches that ring true for you as well as for the undergrads they were originally aimed at.

These are our top 5 commencement speeches to build up that motivation and inspiration you need to push your studies to the next level.

1. Steve Jobs, 2005, Stanford University

“Remembering you’re going to die, is the best way I know, to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” – Steve Jobs

2. Ellen Degeneres, 2009, Tulane University

 “Really when I look back at it I wouldn’t change a thing. I mean it was so important to me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is – To be true to yourself. Ultimately that’s what’s gotten me to this place. I don’t live in fear, I’m free, I have no secrets, I know I’ll always be okay because no matter what, I know who I am.” - Ellen

3. Bill Gates, 2003, Harvard

“Even with the advent of the Internet and 24-hour news, it is still a complex enterprise to get people to truly see the problems. When an airplane crashes, officials immediately call a press conference. They promise to investigate, determine the cause, and prevent similar crashes in the future.

But if the officials were brutally honest, they would say: “Of all the people in the world who died today from preventable causes, one half of one percent of them were on this plane. We’re determined to do everything possible to solve the problem that took the lives of the one half of one percent.”

The bigger problem is not the plane crash, but the millions of preventable deaths.”

So, no matter what you’re studying for- whether that’s in school, or through an in-home or online tutor- these messages, stories, and lessons ring true for all of us, whether we’re undergrads, grads, or not.

Starting August 15, 2011…

We are very excited about our new partnership with The Princeton Review to offer online Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) courses just in time for the October 2011 SAT and at a fraction of the cost of a traditional center-based course.

Standardized tests like the ASVAB, GED, SAT or ACT can be challenging to many students, as test anxiety and fear of not doing well can cloud their mind and make studying difficult. Tutoring can help to instill confidence and test-taking skills that can help in college and beyond.

Test preparation tutoring starts with finding an experienced tutor who is familiar with the test you or your child is taking. Additionally, a good tutor can help your child learn test-taking strategies that help maximize scores. Many test-preparation specific tutors will administer practice exams to assess their student’s strengths and target areas need additional study. Tutors will also use flashcards, workbooks and lessons to prepare students for their test.

After completing the practice exams, both student and tutor receive a detailed report with a sample score. This report will highlight areas where the student excelled and which areas need further attention. The tutor will help the student with strategies for solving problems and answering specific types of questions, and may assign homework focusing on problematic subjects. Depending on the student and their level of preparation, additional practice tests may be taken a few times during the course of the tutoring.

When looking for test preparation tutoring, be sure to consider in-home and online tutoring. Online tutoring complements personal tutoring customized program s, and gives students extra help when a personal tutor may not be available (evenings and weekends, for example). Stepping Stone Tutors offers flexible in-home tutoring along with a variety of online tutoring packages specifically tailored to helping students prepare for standardized testing.

If you are an in-home tutor who uses the Internet in helping your students, then you might want to visit Shmoop.com now and then. This newest digital curriculum company makes fun, rigorous learning, teaching, and test prep materials. Master teachers and Ph.D. students from Stanford, Harvard, UC Berkeley, and other top universities contribute to Shmoop’s engaging content from the Learning Guides and Test Prep materials for students to the Teacher’s Editions for professional educators, like in-home tutors.

The company recognizes the wide range of devices that students use, such as iPhone, Android devices, iPad, Kindle, Nook, and Sony Reader, and has made their site compatible with all those mobile devices. Because of their innovative way of helping students learn, the company was recognized as an Official Honoree in the 2010 and 2009 Webby Awards. It was also named as one of the best educational products of 2010 by the Association of Educational Publishers, and was named “Best of the Internet” by PC Magazine.

Although in-home tutoring is commonly used to augment the school work of your kids, a one-on-one process for teaching children can also be an advantage when they need to take a crucial exam, which will determine their academic future. For example, grade school and high school children sometimes take entrance examinations to prestigious schools or qualifying exams for a high school or tertiary education. In-home tutors can help your child study for exams, cope with the pressure, and answer the exam as clearly and calmly as possible.

Study skills for school work are similar to studying for exams, but the latter requires students to absorb a huge load of information in such a short time that the students may experience mental fatigue. Mental exhaustion deters, rather than helps, learning and developing the right study habits.

The use of in-home tutoring is not new to the academe. In the United Kingdom, students enroll in cramming schools to learn all they can before taking the A-Level and the GSCE exams. India and Hongkong also have cram schools that not only help their students enter university, but also cope with strict academic requirements.

In the United States, the term “cramming” has a negative connotation. The word may mean studying too much information for too short a time, especially the night before, to pass an exam. It conjures nights of deprived sleep and too much caffeine. Because of this negative perception, cram schools in the States call themselves tutorial schools or tutoring agencies. They not only offer one-on-one tutoring or in-home tutoring, but also classes and study groups.

Out of 1.5 million students who took the SAT in 2009, 40% were minorities, an all time high.  In addition, more than 25% of students indicated that English was not their first language.

Historically, the majority of students taking the SAT were Caucasian which led many to discount the test as being biased towards this one group.  The College Board makes every effort to create current SAT exams that do not discriminate based on ethnicity.

In 2005, the College Board made a major revision to the SAT by removing analogies which they believed could favor students from specific socioeconomic backgrounds.  The analogies section also encouraged students to “cram” before the test to memorize as many vocabulary words as possible which ran contrary to the desired goal of the test.

The “new” SAT also included a written essay which the College Board believed was an integral part of a high school student’s eligibility to move on to college.