Back to School Boot Camp: Top Apps for Students

This Week with Sara Fitts focuses today on the top apps for student success.  These apps are easily used on all devices - especially phones.  And most are free and available on all platforms.  

1. Office Lens is free and available on iOS, Android, and Windows.  This app is from Microsoft and takes pictures of whiteboards, blackboards, magazines, books, etc. and converts them into editable and shareable text.  You can save images in PDF, Word, or PowerPoint files.
2. Dragon Dictation is free and operates on iOS platform.  This app allows you to talk while it writes what you say.  Powerful tool - especially for students who aren't strong spellers.
3. Microsoft Office mobile app is free for iOS and Android platforms.  The app includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote.  
4. myHomeworkStudentPlanner is free and available on all platforms.  The premium version is $4.99.  This app keeps you organized and on time for all projects, assignments, and tests and exams.
5. Free Graphing Calculator is available on iOS and Android platforms.  It provides on the spot access to a scientific calculator and is extremely helpful for all math classes, including calculus and statistics.
6. Flashcards Deluxe is $3.99 and available on iOS and Android platforms.  When studying any subject, flash cards are extremely helpful.  
7. Evernote is free and available on all platforms.  It very helpful in taking notes in all subject areas.
8. Merriam-Webster Dictionary is free and available on all platforms.  This app can prove to be a valuable asset.
9. ScannerPro is $3.99 and available on iOS.  This app allows you to scan all paper and make you digital-only - which saves time and keeps you more organized.
10. Tinycards is a free flashcard app on iOS platform.  It comes pre-loaded with many subjects; however, you can create your own flashcards, too.
11. Dropbox is a cloud-based app that allows you to keep all your notes, papers, and projects in one secure place.
12. Scribd is a virtual library.  Although costly at $8.99 for a monthly subscription, it is still a deal if you are required to read articles from different magazines and newspapers.  Check it out to see if this app would work for you and your educational needs.

As you see, lots of apps (and they are being developed daily) are out there to improve student success.  Take advantage of the technology that exists in order to improve your learning, your grades, your organization, and lessen the stress in your studies.

Back to School Boot Camp: Setting the Stage for Success

This Week with Sara Fitts is all about Back to School in this week's installments.  Today the focus is on Setting the Stage for Success.  It takes just a few things to improve each student's chances for a successful academic year - and the following will hopefully set the process in motion.

First, be organized.  Most teachers require notebooks and other items for class.  Make sure the requirements are followed and understood so that all assignments and notes are easily located when needed.  Utilize a variety of colors in order to color-code different items and/or subjects.  Often it is a very simple way to organize that makes all the difference.  Make sure the organization works for you.

Next, utilize technology.  So many apps are available - many for free - that will help you in organization, study skills, test prep, and actual help with a variety of subjects.  (More on this later this week.)  The key is to be open to the technology that is available and utilize it for your best results.

And don't forget old school structures:  index cards, color-coded sticky notes/flags, and binders with dividers.  Whatever it takes for you to set the stage for success, you must incorporate it into your "back to school" mindset.

And, perhaps the most important thing to remember in setting the stage for academic success is your mindset.  If you are to be successful, you need to 

• believe that you will be successful and envision what your success looks like:  Honor Roll, Dean's List, no D's - however you define your success
• set specific times for study and homework - and study is different from homework!  So set times for both!
• have specific places for homework and study - quiet without distractions, music if it helps you work and study, and time limits
• take breaks, exercise, drink water, and get plenty of sleep
• reward yourself for your successes and use your times of less-than-success for re-grouping and learning 
• enjoy the learning and make it meaningful - even if you take courses that you may not like, it will lead you to a diploma and a job - so make the most of the journey!

...More to come

Ready for the New Academic Year

This Week with Sara Fitts is gearing up for the new academic year.  Test prep makes an incredible difference in the lives of students and their parents.  Whether it is PSAT, SAT, ACT, SOL, or any other standardized test, the preparation is the real key to success.

To be successful on standardized tests, the test-taker needs to focus on:

1. time management - managing the time it takes to read the question and prepare the answer
2. stress management - managing the physical, mental, and emotional parts of test-taking
3. test management - managing the various parts of the test to create maximum return
4. curriculum management - managing the actual material that is on the test, knowing the material to be tested, and understanding the process
5. confidence in taking the test

Summer Session 2016 Begins This Week

Summer Session 2016 at SLF Consulting begins this week!  We are offering an 8-week SAT prep course, and 8-week ACT prep course, reading and math improvement at all grade levels, study skills and time management for all students.  Instead of our regular fee, we are offering reduced prices for our Summer Session courses.  Our SAT and ACT programs are $500 and include all materials, textbooks, practice tests and assessments.  Our reading improvement and math improvement courses are $350 for 8 sessions/8 weeks.  And our Study Skills program is $150 for 3 hours.  

Each of our students will work in a one-on-one instructional environment based on the specific needs of each student.  

We have a proven track record since 2000 - and have something that no other tutoring business and test prep company has - Sara's Little Formula.  

Our space is limited for the Summer Session - so please contact us today to enroll in Summer Session 2016 and get ahead of the game.  We are the clear difference in test prep, tutorials, and teaching and learning.

Reducing Stress and Struggle for Students

This Week with Sara Fitts is all about reducing stress and struggle for students.  For more than 30 years I've been working with students in various capacities - as a math teacher, a high school principal, instructional coach - and business owner committed to reducing stress and struggle for students as well as for their parents.

First of all, I think we can all agree that life has its stress and struggle - and that being said, schools should not be places for undue stress and struggle.  Schools should be places for teaching and learning.  Schools should be places for growth and development.  Schools should be places where it is safe to practice new academic skills without fear of failure and added stress and struggle.  

Schools should not be all about the test scores.  Schools should not be only concerned with teaching to a test.  Schools definitely need to examine what is being taught and what is being learned; however, testing only for the sake of getting a particular score is not the answer that is needed in education today.  Schools today are often such stressful environments.  Not much can ever be learned in stressful situations.  No one can learn their best lessons - or teach their best lessons - when intimidation abounds.

And I strongly believe that rigor is an essential element in all curricula and in all classrooms.  Rigor is very much needed; however, I see the lack of rigor in schools and classrooms where the only driving force is test scores.  So here's my plan.......

Begin with the end in mind.  By this I mean know what the final expectation of the course is - and then build the curriculum around that end result.  After students are presented with the basics, and then master the concepts - bring on the rigor!  Students will rise to the challenge because they will not be so stressed with the "threat" of test score numbers.  They will only be achieving and rising to the next level of learning.  And they will do so without intimidation, without stress, and without struggle.  And I bet you money that the test scores will be better than ever!

This is my Simple Little Formula for educational success.  And with it comes reduced stress and struggle for all students.  And all students can succeed to even higher levels.  And rigor will return to the classrooms once again.  And test scores will be good!

Sara Fitts is an academic coach and educational consultant in Manassas, VA.  She owns SLF Consulting and works with students to reduce stress and struggle.  For more information, visit her website and to contact her, click here.

Summer Session

This Week with Sara Fitts is announcing SLF Consulting's Summer Session that begins next week - July 6.  We are adding several different courses to our offerings this summer as a result of requests by students and their parents.  For a complete list of our Summer Catalog of Courses, click here .  

Some of the highlighted courses we are offering this summer include Math Improvement (both 3-week and 6-week editions) and Reading Improvement (both 3-week and 6-week versions).  The need for these courses is crucial to students' sustained success for the next academic year.  Just a few strategies and techniques will improve the learning for students and will create a broader base for success in the next academic level of coursework.

Senior Seminar is another excellent option for rising high school or college seniors.  This 3-hour course is a must for providing a structure for success at the next level after graduation.  We offer coaching to set goals with an action plan for success.

Vocabulary Builder is a course for all grade levels.  It is designed for the specific needs of each student.  A student with a strong vocabulary is a better student overall.

We also offer a College Math Placement Test Prep course that reviews basic algebraic skills, geometry fundamentals, and trig.  This is a 3-hour course.

And our 6-week SAT Prep course in addition to math tutorials in all areas of mathematics are still our trademark courses.

For more information - or to enroll - please contact us today - visit our website today.

Balanced Calendars in Education

This Week with Sara Fitts looks at the pros and cons of balanced calendars in school systems.  Traditional calendars have usually had school begin in southern states during the month of August and end in late May.  Other systems have started the academic year after Labor Day and ended in June.  Basically the school year is made up of 180 days of classes for students - regardless of start and end dates.

The current trend for many school systems is to balance the school calendar in order to keep students in school longer in order to avoid significant breaks in learning.  Many believe that students forget too much over the summer vacation.  A balanced calendar in education means that schools will have start dates in August and have several breaks built in for vacation days and still end in June having a shorter summer for students - with more chances for sustained learning and fewer chances for "forgetting" what they learn.

Balanced calendars bring pros and cons to the discussion.  Among the pros are sustained learning time, a series of regular breaks within the academic year, more balance of time with school and vacation days, more consistency for time-on-task, and less time to forget what was taught over the summer.

Among the cons of balanced calendars in education are the loss of the summer - where many  high school kids earn money for college from summer jobs, where many children spend sustained and quality time with the parents with whom they do not live during a traditional academic year - and the increased cost of child-care due to having more breaks in the school year.

There is no significant research at this point to prove that balanced calendars are better for improving learning or test scores.  A lot of school systems across the United States are moving to change their calendars from traditional to balanced.  There are costs associated with this move that many may not have thought about.  The school systems may have higher costs associated with this calendar change.

More to come......


Sara L Fitts is owner and operator of SLF Consulting in Manassas, VA.  She is a former teacher, administrator, high school principal, and instructional coach.  SLF Consulting provides math tutorials, academic and instructional coaching and consulting, and test prep courses.  For more information, visit our website , like us on Facebook , and follow us on Twitter 

The Trends in Education for 2015

This Week with Sara Fitts is talking about trends in education for 2015 today.  It is always a bit difficult to know exactly what will be trending in education this year; however, based on the trends of late 2014, I am comfortable and confident moving into some strong predictions for this calendar year.

I feel strongly that rigorous learning goals will be a strong trend for the entire year - if not decade.  Everyone wants our students to be prepared and in position for the very best educational environments in every school system in 2015.

Data should drive all educational decisions regardless of location.  If something is working, it should continue to be implemented for further growth.  If something is not working, that data should be utilized to create or find something that will work.  Data is important and should drive the decisions.

Assessments will continue to be important; however, the specific assessment may be refined and revised.  It is so important to know that students are learning and that they can utilize what they learn in order to broaden future learning.  I think that all major assessments will be reviewed and revised in order to be more meaningful to all - students, parents, and educators.

Technology will continue to be utilized at all levels and in all subject areas.  The one trend for 2015 is that more technology will be available to be used on all devices - not just on iPads, for example.  So many school divisions have BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) systems in place - with a large variety of devices in those classrooms.  When apps can only be used with particular devices, the educational experience in classrooms declines.  

Flipped learning will have a greater focus and greater impact in 2015.  More teachers will be implementing this trend and, as a result, we will see much more of its use this year.

Personalized learning in every classroom will be a huge trend this year.  With the fact that most students will have devices in every classroom, it will be the expectation that each student can make the strong case for differentiation on a daily basis.

Individual student outcomes will have a sharper focus in 2015.  Again, data should drive all decisions making individual student outcomes easier to determine and assess.

Professional development for teachers is extremely important in 2015 due to technology and digital tools for all classrooms.  The teacher is still the one who facilitates all learning - so the PD programs need to be state-of-the-art in order to provide the necessary information to all teachers in 2015 - and beyond.

Sara L. Fitts, an academic and instructional coach, owns and operates SLF Consulting in Manassas, VA specializing in math tutoring and test prep, academic and instructional coaching and consulting, and college readiness and transition.  For more information please visit our website and follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

8 Easy Ways to Differentiate Instruction

This Week with Sara Fitts is reviewing 8 easy ways to differentiate instruction.  Differentiation of instruction is definitely not a new concept; however, some educators treat  it as if it were.  Hopefully the following strategies will emphasize how easy it really is to  differentiate instruction.

1. You already differentiate instruction regardless of what you call it.  There are always at least two ways to work a problem or two ways to define a vocabulary word. So whenever you illustrate a different way to do something, you are differentiating instruction.
2. Break your lesson into mini-lessons.  By simply breaking down a lesson into several different parts, you can easily differentiate instruction.  You can present a mini-lesson and then let your students practice the new concept.  Then the next mini-lesson can build upon the next part of the lesson.  Continue this process and you will see definite benefits.
3. Ask open-ended questions instead of yes or no questions.  This immediately increases the teaching and learning in the moment.  It requires much more from the student.  It leads to higher-order thinking skills - leading to higher-order writing and speaking.
4. Focus only on what is essential for the student to know and understand.  By focusing on the essential information, you know the student will also focus on the essential information.
5. Base your content on student interests and you will definitely see increased engagement in the lesson.  Whether I was teaching algebra or AP Statistics, I tried to utilize what my students were interested in to base my class examples on.  It is amazing to see how fashion can be used in a class example!
6. Have high expectations for every student every day.  Continue to raise the expectations higher and higher and reap the rewards.  
7. Provide students with choices in class work assignments, homework, and projects.  When students can have some choice, I have found that they will work harder and get  better grades and scores.
8. Give personal feedback to students as often as you can.  This provides  encouragement as well as praise for every student regardless of ability.  And I believe  very strongly that every student will improve based on your candid assessment and  feedback.

These are simply some of the easiest ways I know to incorporate differentiated instruction into any classroom regardless of content or grade-level.

Sara L Fitts retired from public education as a math teacher, high school principal, and instructional coach.  She owns SLF Consulting specializing in academic and instructional coaching and consulting.  Please follow SLF Consulting on Twitter and like us on Facebook.  For more information, visit us today.

4 Things Every Teacher Needs

This Week with Sara Fitts is naming 4 things every teacher needs to have in order to be successful.  I believe that these are 4 things that are so important - regardless of the school, district, or grade level.

• The first thing that every teacher needs is time.  Time to plan, time to grade, time to complete administrative tasks, time to think, time to create, time to practice with new technology.  

• The second thing that every teacher needs is support.  Support from the educational leaders within the school and district.  Support from instructional coaches.  Support from department heads and team leaders.  Support from IT and media specialists. Support from colleagues - across curriculum lines.

• The next thing that every teacher needs is full access to resources.  Technology, best practices, good professional development options, along with the appropriate memberships needed to access the total wealth of resources available.  

• And the 4th and last thing that every teacher needs is candid and timely feedback. We all strive to do our very best work - and we want honest feedback.  It means so much more to receive candid feedback in a timely manner - in order to make adjustments from another set of eyes.  It means very little to receive any feedback that isn't time-relevant.

Sara L Fitts is the owner of SLF Consulting located in Manassas, VA.  She is a retired math teacher, former high school principal, and instructional coach.  SLF Consulting provides academic and instructional coaching, math tutoring, SAT/ACT prep courses, and college transition.  For more information, please visit us .  We are also on Facebook and Twitter.  

4 Things Every School Needs

This Week with Sara Fitts is naming 4 things every school needs in order to be a school of excellence.  When educational organizations have these 4 things, excellence is the by-product for everyone involved.

The very first thing every school needs is a consistent message.  It really doesn't matter so much what the message is - it has to be consistent.  Consistently stated.  Consistently promoted.  What does the school stand for?  What is the purpose?  What is the mission? What is the vision?  What is important here?  Strategies can (and should) change.  And each strategy and technique implemented in the school should support and strengthen the overall message of the school.  

The next thing that every school needs is a strong commitment to teaching and learning. Some people think that this goes without saying; however, a commitment to teaching and learning is not evident in every school - believe it or not!  In order to have excellence in teaching and excellence in learning, the commitment must be evident in every aspect of the school.  A commitment to teaching and learning is really about finding what works and doing everything possible to support what works - for teachers and for students.  It is also about continuing the search for better ways, better methods, better strategies, better techniques, better technology, better scheduling options, better support, better professional development, better practices - all on a daily basis.

The third thing that every school needs is instructional coaching.  Instructional coaching should be the true catalyst for excellence in every school.  The benefits of instructional coaching are infinite.  Teachers and students are much moire engaged with much less stress and struggle when instructional coaching is well-implemented.  And I'm not just talking about professional development sessions that spout the flavor of the week.  I'm talking about instructional coaching that is built and supported by a consistent message and a strong commitment to teaching and learning.  There is a huge difference (along with huge results) in the latter.

And the final thing that every school needs in order to become a school of excellence is balance.  Balance between academics, athletics, co-curricular activities, and extra-curricular activities.  When my sister and I each left home for college my dad gave us this message:  "Remember this, girls.  It's not all in the books.  We expect you to study and work hard.  But we also expect you to have fun and enjoy yourselves.  But remember that the person in the gutter didn't plan on being there!"  True words.  And they apply to every school as well.  There has to be a balance - sometimes even a fine line - but there has to be some fun, too.  And this is true for teachers and for students.

I believe that when every school implements these 4 things, excellence for everyone is the by-product.  Teachers will be happier and less-stressed.  Students will have higher grades. And the school will likely raise scores in all areas.


Sara L Fitts retired from public education after 24+ years as a math teacher, high school administrator, and instructional coach.  She has owned SLF Consulting since 2000 providing math tutorials, SAT and ACT prep courses, time management strategies and study skills courses.  SLF Consulting is located at 8425 Dorsey Circle Suite 102 in Manassas, VA.  For more information, please visit our website.  

Small Business Saturday is November 29

This Week with Sara Fitts is promoting Small Business Saturday.  This year Small Business Saturday is on November 29.  SLF Consulting is participating in the Small Business Saturday with some excellent deals for math tutoring and SAT prep.  On Saturday, November 29 our special deals are available simply by going to our website and registering for these deals on our Contact Us page.  All registrations from November 29 will be valid. Here are the amazing deals!

SAT Prep Course for 1/2 Price!

Our 6-week SAT Prep Course is $575 when you register on November 29 only.  This registration is valid for the January 24, 2015 SAT.  This special price includes all materials.

To receive this special deal, please visit our website and register on our Contact Us page on Saturday, November 29.

Math Tutoring Packages

Our tutoring packages for Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trig, Pre-Calculus, and Prob/Stats are available at discounted prices.

5 Tutoring Sessions for $325

10 Tutoring Sessions for $550

20 Tutoring Sessions for $1000

To receive these packages at these discounted prices, please visit our website and register on our Contact Us page on Saturday, November 29.

Education is a Matter of Building Bridges

This Week with Sara Fitts is using Ralph Ellison's quote "Education is a matter of building bridges" for this post.  This quote sums up what I think is needed in education right now. There are so many, actually too many, "new" ideas being thrown around in education with little thought as to how to implement them in any sense of the word.

I have worked in educational settings where in a one-month period of time the mathematics department (of which I was a member) was told to implement 5 different strategies to improve teaching and learning.  The unfortunate part of this request was the fact that those in leadership positions had no idea that these 5 different strategies could be implemented together to make a stronger statement for improvement.

For example, differentiated instruction is not necessarily separate from flipped learning.  In other words, the two can be "combined" to create a stronger lesson.  That's what bothers me most about education right now - some of the leaders in schools cannot seem to "bridge" the different strategies in order to make stronger lessons and a stronger bridge between teaching and learning.  Remember Venn diagrams?

"Education is a matter of building bridges" where no bridge exists.

There is really no difference between combining strategies and building upon concepts in any lesson. Education should always be about using all available methods to provide the best learning environment for students.  Regardless of the method, strategy, or technique that is being lauded, most can be simply integrated into any lesson seamlessly in order to get the best results for the students.  We must all remember that "education is a matter of building bridges" for students and for teachers.


Sara L Fitts has had more than 30 years of experience in teaching and learning in a variety of settings.  She founded SLF Consulting in 2000 and continues to teach and learn.  For more information about how Sara L Fitts and SLF Consulting can help you or someone you know, please visit our website and like us on Facebook.

Top 10 Motivational Quotes for Success

This Week with Sara Fitts is posting my top 10 motivational quotes that promote success.  I hope they will inspire you and promote you to the next level.

• Do more than talk - say something.  John H. Rhoades

• The biggest temptation is to settle for too little.  Thomas Merton

• Do a little more each day than you think you possibly can.  Lowell Thomas

• It is easy to sit up and take notice.  What is better is getting up and taking action.  Al Batt

• The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can't find them, make them.  George Bernard Shaw

• You cannot achieve a new goal by applying the same level of thinking that got you where you are right now.  Albert Einstein

• Can't is a word of defeat; can is a word of power.  Sara L. Fitts

• There is no giant step that does it - it's a lot of little steps.  Peter Cohen

• Goals are dreams with deadlines.  Diana Scharf Hunt

• When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this:  you haven't!  Albert Einstein

Bonus Quote:  Stop talking about it and get it done!  Earl B. Fitts

Sara L. Fitts and SLF Consulting assist students in getting better grades in their math classes and in improving their SAT and ACT scores in order to get into the colleges they want.  For more information, please contact us via our website.

Connections

This Week with Sara Fitts is all about connections - from a personal standpoint.  Several years ago I joined LinkedIn and made some connections with a few people.  And then allowed work and life to take over and drop me out and away from those connections.  In June I re-connected with my LinkedIn connections and grew my network considerably.  I also joined Facebook this past summer - primarily (or so I thought) for the re-launch of SLF Consulting.  Little did I realize then that Facebook would transform my connections with friends and family - even re-connecting with college friends from 30+ years ago!  

While working in DCPS (District of Columbia Public Schools) I learned the power of connections in new ways.  And I'm pleased to have stayed connected with some of the finest educators with whom I've had the privilege and pleasure to work and know. Connections are important.  These connections helped tremendously when I began working in MPCS.  And my connections from MPCS continue to grow.

Connections were important last night as well.  SLF Consulting held the first (of many planned!) Open Office (since it is an office and not a house) events with the entire reason being connections.  Connections are powerful.  Connections are important.  Connections matter.  

Throughout my educational career I taught students to make connections from topic to topic and concept to concept.  In my coaching career it has always been about connecting one concept with another to build businesses, relationships, teams, schools and yes, even dots. Connections are powerful.  Connections are important.  Connections matter.

And over the course of a 30+ year work life, I've explained to hundreds of clients/students/teachers/parents that the connection is simply the connection.  Success is the by-product.  There is no magic wand for success - it is only a by-product of connecting with people.  Connections are powerful.  Connections are important.  Connections matter.

Success can be measured in many ways - some say it is money, others say it is power or prestige.  But my definition of success is being at peace with myself, being at peace with all others, doing what I love and loving what I'm doing, and treasuring the connections that I've made in all the different places I've been.  I treasure the connections of family and friends - even those I haven't seen in 30+ years - or those I've only been able to see a few times over the years.  Connections are powerful.  They empower me.  Connections are important.  The people in my life are important to me.  Connections mater.  All with whom I have ever connected matter to me.

Connections are powerful.  Connections are important.  Connections matter.

Sara L Fitts owns SLF Consulting.  She is an academic and instructional coach who helps her clients make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.  SLF Consulting specializes in math tutorials and test prep.  For more information, please visit our website

Infographics as Teaching Tools

This Week with Sara Fitts looks at infographics as teaching tools to boost teaching and learning.  Several sites are available for free to create better presentations, posters, and any graphic to be used in your lessons.  Infographics make data come alive.  Infographics make learning simpler and easier.  Difficult concepts can be broken down into interesting shapes, colors, and designs that really stay with students and increase learning.

Some infographics are simple while others can be more involved.  Students can also create these as part of digital portfolios in any content area.  These are great tools for teachers and students - not to mention excellent tools in business, marketing, medicine, entertainment. There is really no arena where infographics could not be used.

There are several sites where you can easily get started.  Among them are infogr.am , canva , visual.ly , easel.ly , and piktochart.  For a few minutes of work, you can create a visual that will increase learning in your classroom.

In this digital age we all need to be utilizing any tools that improve teaching and learning.  Inforgraphincs can simply be used to send important messages as well as subject-area content.

Please let me know how you use these tools in your classroom.  

Why Hire a Tutor?

This Week with Sara Fitts asks why hire a tutor.  Here are some good reasons:

• To improve grades
• To improve understanding of the concept/topic
• To reduce stress and struggle
• To gain confidence and self-esteem
• To focus on one-on-one teaching and learning
• To set the stage for the next level 
• To challenge the student
• To improve standardized test scores
• To provide different approaches to learning
• To provide transition to the next level of learning

Sara Fitts is a retired educator with 24 years in public education as a math teacher, administrator, and instructional coach.  Since 2000 she has owned SLF Consulting and has assisted numerous clients in being admitted to many major colleges and universities - including UMass, Brown, UCLA, University of Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, to name a few.  She was named Manassas Park High School's Educator of the Year in 2014.  SLF Consulting provides academic and instructional coaching, math tutorials, and SAT prep.  Contact us today.

Tutorials vs Extra Help

This Week with Sara Fitts looks at the differences between tutorials and simply providing extra help to students.  In some ways the differences are small while in many ways the differences are incredible - and mean the difference in passing and failing - as well as in making an A or making a B.

Tutorials provide extra help - but also provide a framework of support that extends well beyond the 60 minutes of direct work with the student.  Tutorials utilize academic coaching in all areas:  review, current support, extension of the topic, and setting the stage for all topics that follow.  Tutorials are structured with the intent of bringing out the very best the student has to offer.  While the structure of a tutorial session may be less like a classroom filled with 25 or 30 other students, there is a platform for inquiry, for growth, for moving forward toward the next lesson and beyond.  

Tutorials provide motivation.  Students are freer to express their fears - and with academic coaching, conquer them.  Success breeds more success.  Once a student tastes success in a subject that has been so difficult for them, all things are then possible in the mind of the student.  Once the student has a mindset of motivation and success, success is much more easily attained.

Extra help is wonderful and can bridge many gaps - but it is usually not sustainable.

Tutorials combined with academic coaching are sustainable.

If you are a student who is struggling - or you are the parent of a struggling student - please consider hiring an academic coach to provide one-on-one tutorials.  It can be the huge difference that is needed.


Sara L. Fitts is an academic and instructional coach and consultant who works with students to improve their abilities in mathematics.  For more information, please visit www.SLFConsulting.com today.

Lessons Learned from the Little League Champions

This Week with Sara Fitts takes a look at the lessons learned from watching the fabulous US champions in the Little League World Series last week.  The Jackie Robinson West All Stars team from Chicago represented the United States in the Little League World Series.  While the team from South Korea won the world title, Jackie Robinson West won the US championship and our hearts.  

While watching this amazing team of 11 - 13 year-olds and their fabulous coaches, it occurred to me that they were providing many lessons that all teachers and students can carry into this academic year.

Among the many lessons that I believe were learned are the following:

• Believe in yourself and in your colleagues/peers.
• Stay focused.
• Play your position - whatever it is at the moment.
• When things are not going well, don't yell!  Stay positive and encourage your team.
• When things are not going well, believe in yourself even more.
• When things are not going well, simply put everything in proper perspective.  What's the worst that could happen?  So?
• When things are not going well, keep your eyes on the ball.  More mistakes happen when you don't.
• When things are going extremely well, never become arrogant.  Things often change quickly.
• When things are going extremely well, continue to keep your focus.
• When things are going extremely well, cheer on your team!
• When things are going extremely well, celebrate the moment.  Again, things often can change quickly.
• Never miss an opportunity to say "nice job."
• Never miss an opportunity to say "good try."
• Never miss an opportunity to say "you'll get it next time."
• Never miss an opportunity to praise your team.
• Never miss an opportunity to encourage your team.
• Never tell anyone they are worthless human beings.  Never berate your team.
• Motivate your team with encouragement.
• Motivate your team with kindness.  
• There is always a way to say what needs to be said.
• No matter how strong we look, we are still human beings just playing in the game.
• No matter how old we look, we are still human beings just playing in the game.
• And as important as the game is, always remember:  it is only a game (or job!).

I was so impressed by the fact that the coaches never berated the young men.  They encouraged and motivated even when errors had occurred.  They got in their faces - to encourage and motivate, never to belittle.  The lessons learned from Jackie Robinson West from Chicago will stay with me - and I hope with you and your "teams" this academic year.

Have a wonderful academic year!  Work hard.  Teach hard.  Learn.  And don't forget to play hard!

Sara Fitts is an academic and instructional coach and consultant in Manassas, VA.  She is the owner of SLF Consulting.  Motivation is the main ingredient in Sara's Little Formula that she uses to get results for her clients.  Visit http://www.SLFConsulting.com for more information.

Getting Ready for the New Academic Year

Back to School is an exciting time for students and teachers.  Teachers are preparing their classrooms, websites, class syllabuses, and all the exciting activities they plan to bring to their eager students.  I think the most important item for teachers to plan for is the very first day.  It is the day that first impressions are most important.  It is the day when you can introduce yourself instead of your subject.  It is the first day to build the team that will carry you through the entire year.

Some of the team-building activities that I have used (borrowed, discovered, found, revised) over the years still make me smile when I think about the reaction each activity had on the various classes.  And the students have fun getting to know more about their teachers than the teacher's undying love of their subject.

The important thing to keep in mind is that students don't fully engage - even with technology - unless they become involved.  The first day is the day to begin the transformation from student to team member.  The year will be smoother for the students and the teacher.  The year will be more productive for the student and the teacher.  The year will be easier for all involved.  And the first day will be so much more fun!

Here are some ideas that I offer this week:

Seating arrangements can be designed in a number of interesting ways.  One way I have arranged seating is by greeting the students at the door of my classroom with a stack of randomly-numbered index cards.  I hand a card to each student upon entering and they find their desk.  This allows for an alternative to alphabetical order as well as an alternative to sitting with friends.  This seating arrangement method can also be revised with color-coded index cards using 4 colors.  Each student receives a color-coded index card and then is seated at a desk with the same coding.  This method offers a little bit of choice for the student.  

Introductions can be done in a number of interesting and fun ways.  One way is 3 Truths and a Lie where the teacher leads off telling 3 personal  truths and 1 lie.  The students must identify the lie.  They will never forget what they learn about their teacher.  Then the process continues as the class, student by student, introduces themselves in the same way.

Another way to accomplish introductions is Take as Much as You Need.  Taking a roll of toilet tissue the teacher tears off 6 or 7 pieces and then hands the roll to a student with these words:  "take as much as you need" and nothing else.  After every student has taken some of the toilet tissue, the teacher begins by tearing of the first segmented piece and tells something about himself/herself.  Then he/she tears off another piece and tells something else.  This continues until the entire class has introduced themselves.

Team-Building activities might include a team poster that represents the individual team members' commonalities.  This is usually a way for students to interact and find out more about the students in class.

Another good team-building activity is a Scavenger Hunt.  Some items in the scavenger hunt might be "the students who have had classes together since kindergarten" or "the students who have the same birthday" to get you started.  This can be a very good exercise for students of all ages.

The point that I'm making is that in order to really make students want to work for you, I think they need to know that you care about them.  If you want to find out interesting things about them, then it shows you care about them.  This can make a huge difference in the way the academic year goes - for the teacher as well as for the students.

This Week with Sara Fitts will discuss more ways to spice up the first day in the days ahead.