The No Cost First Consultation/Tutorial

1. Contact me using the message widget on the right, or email: oxbridgeprep101@gmail.com
2. Indicate what you require help with. I will reply with a few questions.

3 I am open to help Middle, Junior and Senior High School, NSCC , University, Adult Learners and local Business Leaders.

4.What I can help with:

• goal setting and organizational skills
• motivation
• homework
• test and exam preparation
• individual and group projects, essays (help you choose assignments and work them through)
• reading and writing skills
• note taking
• research
• essay and project revision (editing, redrafting) 
• help with home schooling
• advanced curriculum work for motivated intrinsic students, basically, University preparation.

• cv's, resumes, cover letters, College and University applications, bursary and scholarship requests. You should be working on these now with my tips on how to enhance your profile. 

• general guidance
• IB experience
• leadership versus management skills for local employers/organisations. 

A Good tutor will smooth the mortar and you supply the bricks. 

11/11

Mid Term Crisis/High School Report Looming???

Thus far we have looked at my philosophy and psychology of education. Simply to give YOU, parent or student, an idea of my background and ideas about learning. The most important criteria is what the student requires from a tutor, mentor, coach or teacher. This includes Uni and NSCC students and Adult Learners!!!

Nothing has to be awkward. Simply communicate your needs. No contracts, no obligations. Get in touch in various ways: 

my kijjjiiiiiiiii ads

the contact post on the right side of this page.
or

oxbridgeprep101@gmail.com

Individual work, negotiable, $10 to $20 per session, minimum 1 hour. You are charged per session, not hour. 

My greatest successes as an educator have been with non-motivated students.  I relish the challenge. 

BUT, if you think you as a student would benefit from learning history through the lyrics of "American Pie'    you are sophisticated!!!!!!!! You may challenge me!!

Four Types of Learners

The last post (no bugles, please) alludes to why we learn or are simply 'motivated' to do certain things.

A summer prof at STFX submitted there were 4 types of learners. Normally, the research or a google hit will really only itemize two motivations or types. Extrinsic and intrinsic. However, Dr. Salient Fraser added achievement oriented learning and social motivation. We all do different things for different reasons but see if you can categorize yourself into one of the slots simply in terms of why you try to achieve in school. 

EXTRINSIC- The extrinsic learner wants to reap a material reward. There is a carrot on a stick, usually in the form of gift from your parents. Certain grades will get you a car, a new phone, a ski trip during break and even money. So, you simply work hard to receive something not necessarily linked to learning or education at all. The only caveat being extrinsic learning could be associated with needing to do well to obtain a scholarship but not because you enjoy the subject(s). 

SOCIAL MOTIVATION- You learn to simply please someone, usually a parent or guardian, or to not let them down. If you are not succeeding or working hard enough, guilt either naturally manifests itself or comes from your parents. Working diligently and compiling good results gets you a pat in the back from a parent, guardian, teacher you like or even a coach. The kudos or the kick in the butt are the only reason you learn. You memorize everything, you have that skill, work your butt off, are rewarded with a scholarship enroute to med school. In your undergraduate degree you learn that you really aren't that intelligent and switch to business or become a teacher. 

ACHIEVEMENT- You are intelligent, gifted even, but you work harder still because of your ego and the drive to win, to be the best. You have to be number 1, 'the top of the heap.'

INTRINSIC- The intrinsic learner has NO outside trappings. No carrots or dog bones on a stick, no need for hugs or adulation. You couldn't care what other grades people achieve as long as you LEARN WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY INTERESTED IN. You look forward to each class in certain subjects, you request extra work or books on the topics. You are on high alert!!!  BUT, in other subjects you may be dozing off, doodling or peering out the window. 

Intrinsic learners often do not have a high average in High School. They only are intrigued by certain subjects and couldn't care less about the rest. Ironically, over 70% of students in Post Grad studies (Masters, P.hD.)  had only a middling average or grade point score in high school. 

So, can you classify yourself???   Why did I shovel and mow for a bag of bones?? (see previous post)

Why do you learn?

Please indulge as I regale a true little story. The point is why we learn or do certain tasks. In the next post we will discuss four reasons for learning.

The Reward

In today's scholastic world, extra-curricular activities, part-time employment and volunteer work are paramount to compiling background for Community College, University or even job applications. Students seeking scholarships and bursaries and even acceptance will go out of their way to bolster their applications and c'v's. Student council, candy striper, the school paper and mentoring younger students are all great ways to bolster your portfolio. Helping or visiting the elderly, doing odd jobs for free are also fine endeavours if you are doing it/them for the right reasons. (Which if you know how to correctly write an essay, provides a smooth link to the next paragraph.)

In my teens, only your grades counted. Point Stop. We submitted our academic transcript and you were accepted or not to college or university.  Although I am sort of the black sheep of the family, my mom and dad insisted that I help people in the neighbourhood for no reward or return. I was obligated to mow the RICH elderly ladies property across the street and shovel their snow before walking off to NGHS. This frustrated me as the old gals didn't ever even peep through the curtains or acknowledged me.  My dogs Piper and Copper continuously got in my way especially if I was in a hurry for school or to get out golfing. No cold lemonade after a hot summer mow or a steamy coffee to warm me up after shoveling. I'm sure they thanked my Mom but my effort was never acknowledged. The dogs loved the quality time. I was so frustrated,  I'd hoped every time they'd leave their mark, everywhere!!!!!!!

In the 11th grade, the old gals must have heard through the 'prune vine' that I was off to boarding school. So , after the last ever mow, Ms. T@#$%^&*() came to the door as I was heading back across the street. 'Tommy, come here for a sec, please.'  I walked up their steep steps, all sweaty and annoyed, I must have missed a spot or hit a flower. 'Tommy, we realize you are off to school next week and we want to thank you for all the work you have done over the last three years. We don't know what we could have done without you.' ( in the back of my mind I was thinking, you coulda paid me!!!)  'Tommy, after you clean up your mower  come back over, we have something for you!!!!!!!!!'

Well, when I wrote that they were rich, I was not exaggerating. In those days, the T@#$%^&* family (coal) were the 'top of the heap.'   I had visions of a large cheque, a second hand car, even some new books!!!  I had a shower, dressed up a bit and meandered back across the street. Ms. T didn't invite me in for an ice tea or anything. She simply slipped me a Sobeys bag. 'We really appreciate all you have done for three years, Tom. You and the dogs were the highlight of our day. Thank you, thank you and good luck at school.'   

I was so so excited, I ran home before opening the 'goodie bag. ' In my bedroom I dumped the contents on my bed, a pile of steak bones for Copper and Piper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, what motivates us to do things, what factors motivate you to learn??????

It's Okay to be Smart

Homework, Hail or Hell?

A renowned  Principal in Ontario and former Pictou County fastball star relayed to me that most tutors he encounters delve mostly with assisting students with their homework. Homework or 'prep' has become a contentious issue in education. Research has delved into what grades, subjects and the time allotment given to homework. There are salient (look it up, LOL) points on either side of the debate.

Analysts believe prep is an act of laziness on behalf of teachers as they cannot cover the material fully in a class lesson. Others contend that most homework is mundane and repetitive making the exercise tedious and frustrating. Researchers submit prep should be stimulating, interesting and thought provoking if assigned at all.

The other side of the argument theorizes that homework is a reinforcement of what has been taught and that 'practice makes perfect.' Musicians, artists and athletes all practice! They simply don't play games. No pun intended.

Students argue that prep is time consuming, tiring and robs them of any social time left in the day, especially if they work part time or are involved in extra-curricular or volunteer activities.

A good tutor can help you with your prep and assist with subjects you find troubling at the same time. The tutor can provide tips on how to schedule your homework, avoid diversions and make the entire exercise less arduous and even fun. The tutor can help you organise your notebooks and highlight important themes in textbooks readying you for tests and exams.

Remember, at University and Community colleges you are constantly bogged down with labs, long readings and essays. So, homework is actually good preparation for post secondary schooling.