Imagine transporting yourself into another time — pretty cool, right? This is exactly what readers get to do with the historical fiction genre. These kinds of novels invite readers to escape to a different world in a different time.  However, when it comes to writing a historical novel, it takes a lot more than just jotting down some words on the page. You have to set the scene and create a convincing setting, where you readers can immerse themselves and lose track of time. You have to m

Middle school can be tough. Tough and scary. Elementary school if often forgiving,  but in middle school you're preparing for high school, as well as dealing with the challenges of where you are. But there are strategies for coping, and even thriving. Today we’re going to talk about reading strategies for middle school students. Expectations Coming In As controversial and sometimes woefully incomplete as Common Core Standards may sometimes be (don’t get me started, that’s a whole di

Westend61 / Westend61 / Getty Images If your child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), finding the right tutor is key to their academic success. Offering specialized instruction and support tailored to your child, an ADHD tutor can help open doors for children with ADHD. Tutoring reinforces what they learn in school and builds confidence as they progress in their studies.  What Is an ADHD Tutor? ADHD tutors are experts in helping students with ADHD maximize their educa

Does your child struggle with homework? If so, you're certainly not alone. Although most kids don't jump for joy when it's homework time, if you've noticed your child feeling particularly overwhelmed, they may need extra help with homework. Read on to discover the five signs that your child may need a tutor, and what you can do to help: 1. Is your child having trouble meeting deadlines? For example, you know he has a book report due on Friday, but he just can't seem to get started, eve

Curious about the benefits of signing your child up for public speaking lessons? Learn all about them in this guest post by Perth Amboy, NJ teacher Jeff S...   Do you think public speaking skills are important for kids? You might be surprised to learn just how beneficial they can be. In fact, public speaking can help kids boost their confidence, improve their communication skills, and even land them their dream job! As the fun times of summer segue into the stark reality of a new

Ah, the power of music!  Recent research has found that fast-paced beats can increase your exercise intensity and slow, quiet music can even reduce stress. But what type of music is best to help you study?  Los Angeles teacher Kelly K. shares her findings here...   It is widely accepted that the best environment for concentration is a quiet one; however the majority of students in the US say they prefer to study while listening to music, and in fact the highest achieving students ar

Interested in trying your hand at journalistic writing? Here, Olympia, WA tutor Tali H. explains the seven simple steps for writing an article... Being a reporter has a number of benefits: you get to meet people, talk, find out about what’s going on in your community, and keep your writing skills in tip-top shape. However, it can also be difficult –especially if you’re trying to meet an upcoming deadline. Here’s a simple breakdown for writing a medium-length journalistic article

The title of this article is kind of a misnomer. The bad news is there is no one secret to success in high school. At least not all the time. You can probably verify that with almost anyone who ever went to high school. The good news is there are some things that you can do to smooth out the whole high school experience, no matter what form(s) it takes during the current and post-COVID era. We can break it out into two distinct sections: things the student can do, and things a parent/guardian ca

Algebra word problems may not be pleasant, but skills in algebra are needed for so many different things in life. Learning algebra helps you develop critical thinking skills, including those related to logic, problem-solving, patterns, and reasoning.  That’s not to say that becoming an expert algebra word problem solver is easy! In fact, it takes a lot of practice to get the hang of these puzzles.  To solve word problems - which are simply just longer-form questions that require you

Editing your work is one of the most important steps to writing an essay! Create your checklist using these tips from Woburn, MA teacher Belynda C...   Editing is not simply about typos. There are many steps to writing an essay between the initial preparation, research, writing, and finally editing and proofreading your finished work. While proper spelling and grammar are important, there are other aspects to polished prose that need your attention. Some of these items include repe