Newsletter September 2008
September 12, 2008

Welcome to the August, 2008 edition of "How to Succeed in School," the A+ Home Tutors Newsletter.

Below are links to this month's headlines:
Tutoring Can Help You Start the Year Off Right

A+ Home Tutors Makes the Grade

Experts Can Help You Pay For College

Tips for Back to School Success

Literary Debate—Print vs. Online Reading

Home Sweet Home-school

As the fall nights roll in and summer feels further and further away, we settle into our new schedules.This is a great time to sit down with your children and assess their school schedules, study habits and work load.

Do they have a difficult class or demanding teacher that they are concerned about? Are they struggling to get back on track with math classes after the break? Entering their first year in a foreign language? Whatever the issue, the beginning of the year is the perfect time to integrate tutoring into the new schedule. Planning to get them the support they need now will set students up for a great and encouraging school year.

A+ Home Tutors is ready to find the perfect tutor for your child's personality and learning style. To schedule a free consultation, give us a call at one of our local numbers below:

San Jose and South Bay Area: 408-689-4131
Peninsula: 650-641-3773
San Francisco and Marin: 415-963-4353
Alameda County: 510-868-2620
Contra Costa County: 925-215-4939

Or email us at aplushometutors@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks to all who participated in our customer survey last spring. We always appreciate and value feedback. Your candid comments are what keep us on track in offering the very best in tutoring support.

The Verdict Is In
The survey had one simple, but crucial question: how likely are you to recommend our tutoring services to others? In an overwhelming response, 88% of those surveyed said they were very likely to recommend A+ Home Tutors to a friend, colleague or family member. For us, this serves as the ultimate compliment—it shows that our customers are not only happy with our services, but that they stand behind our work and trust our ability to help others the way we’ve helped them. Thank you to everyone who recommends us to others. A significant portion of our new clients come to us through referrals, and we are grateful for your part in this.

Net Promoter Score
We know a business’s success depends upon the satisfaction of its customers. This was the idea behind our survey, which was based on the concept of a Net Promoter Score. This score measures the amount of customers pleased enough with your services to recommend them to others, and those who are dissatisfied, even to the point of dissuading clients from your company. This score allows businesses to gain a clear view of their services through their customers’ eyes. Based on your feedback, A+ Home Tutors has a score of 78%. This is right up there with top companies, from Harley Davidson, Amazon and Apple!

Spread the Word
Please continue to give us feedback and suggestions, and if you’re happy with our services, tell someone who can benefit from them.

Help with College Planning
In addition to the important task of choosing the right college, students and families also have to consider the finances needed to pay for the higher education. It can be overwhelming to plan for tuition costs, not to mention books, a laptop and other necessary college tools. Over the summer, I attended a seminar in Walnut Creek presented by two college planning specialists, Sean Connors and Alexis Alekna. With their company College Funds Now, Conners and Alekna help families apply for and receive thousands of dollars in financial aid. I was impressed by the presentation and their vast knowledge of loan and grant programs, “free money” options, and even tax strategies.

The Timing is Right
College Funds Now’s expertise is crucial at this time of the year, when financial applications are being filled and processed. Furthermore, so far the first half of 2008 has seen more students filing federal student aid forms. Up 16.3% nationally, and nearly 20% in California alone, a record number of college students are seeking aid as the country’s financial woes continue to affect families. With company layoffs, housing foreclosures and increasing food, gas and other living expenses, more students are applying for and qualifying for financial aid. These figures remain the same for the Bay Area, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle, with 17 to 21% increases seen in aid applications for the area’s large universities and colleges. State budget problems add to this growth as public colleges and universities receive less and less contributions, giving schools no choice but to raise tuition costs. Private School tuitions are on the rise as well.

A Free Consultation
Conners and Alekna are extremely well-versed in different strategies for paying for college, and also work to help families understand these processes so they can take control of their college finances with confidence. They will meet with any family and address their specific financial situation, creating a customized plan for getting accepted into college and footing the tuition bill. Conners and Alekna are upfront if they feel they can’t be of assistance, and the one hour consultation is completely free and with no obligation. College Funds Now seminars reveal how to increase your eligibility for grant money, even those who have saved for college and have a substantial income.

I highly recommend this company for parents and students who need help with college applications and financial processes. Even if you’ve been told you make too much money for aid, they may be able to assist you. More information is available at their website, www.CollegeFundsNow.com or by calling 888.210.2606. Don’t forget to mention the A+ Home Tutors Newsletter when you call!

Statistical figures from: Schevitz, Tanya, “Student aid requests soar as economy plummets,” August 11, 2008, www.sfgate.com.

Back-to-school time can be as daunting for parents as children. It means a new schedule, priorities and responsibilities for everyone. Here are a few tips to help make the transition smooth.

Let Me Check My Calendar
Don’t underestimate the power of a calendar to help keep each family member’s commitments and schedule in one easy-to-read place. Color coding, wipe boards—use whatever helps you organize best.

Ease Into a New Schedule
The change in schedule that accompanies the school year can be hard to adapt to. Give yourself and your children time to adjust gradually so no one is left feeling exhausted. Mealtimes may also shift with the new schedule. Be sure everyone is nourished enough to stay focused all day.

Modify the Morning Routine
If mornings at your house are chaotic, try to find ways to minimize what needs to be done in the a.m. hours. Packing lunches at night and creating a bathroom schedule can help speed things along.

Streamline the Household
With school comes more hectic schedules. Prepare for this by cleaning and organizing the house, creating a monthly menu plan or even frozen dinners for those nights when you have limited time.

Source: Ewer, Cynthia Townley. “Tips To Get Ready for Back-To-School,” www.organizedhome.com.

There’s no doubt we live in a digital age. It seems technology becomes a central point in our lives more and more each year—Internet, cell phones, GPS navigation. This is especially true for our children, who have spent their entire lives growing up in a world where technology is seamlessly integrated into almost everything we do. Often for them, life without the Internet is unimaginable. With such a wide and endless variety of information at your finger tips, who needs books or encyclopedias? But some wonder about the effect of students turning from the printed page to online reading sources.

Are Test Scores Speaking Volumes?
As scores for standardized tests in reading decline, some advocates for good old-fashioned book reading argue that the Internet is to blame. There’s no debate children are spending more time on the Internet each year. They argue that these hours spent online decrease attention span and grammar skills and devalue the tradition of reading as a pastime. Others believe the Internet simply constitutes a new, modern form of reading, one that is still valid from a literary standpoint. They argue that Internet text inspires students who would otherwise not be reading at all, and that the web offers many different points of view on one subject.

Looking to the Future
No one is arguing against the value of books. But, those who are optimistic about Internet reading say it is time to be realistic—children aren’t likely to read literary classics for fun. Furthermore, web skills will help these students succeed in today’s digitally-demanding job environment.

The Differences
While books usually travel in a continuous line, with a clear beginning, middle and end, online the experience is largely self-driven, as readers can surf where, and for how long, they please. Some see the benefits in this flexibility and diversity of opinion as it sets them up for the non-linear functions of daily life; others equate it to the literary version of empty calories. Those who believe the latter also suggest that the mediums of the Internet—photos, sounds, streaming videos—weaken reading ability.

To Each His Own
It’s true reading takes on different levels, from basic communications of daily life, to the more intensive pursuit of emotional and intellectual stimulation. This is what traditionalists hold on to—a kind of knowledge that is not “google-able,” but that they feel can only come from books. Whatever your stance on the debate, the fact remains that children of all ages need to develop strong reading skills. These abilities help them focus, engage their imagination, analyze information, and possibly even earn higher incomes. A majority of experts believe a variety of reading experiences—from emails, to op-ed articles and novels—are the best way to hone a child’s reading and comprehension skills.

Source: Rich, Motoko, “Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?” July 27, 2008, www.newyorktimes.com.

While homeschooling is now legal in every state, regulations differ within each one. New legislation in Washington D.C., has just made it more difficult for parents who home-school their children. Parents must now give officials advance notice before withdrawing their child from school. They also must maintain portfolios of student’s work for review. In California, however, the court just reversed a recent ruling that would have placed further restrictions on homeschooling in the state.

In February of this year, the 2nd District Court of Appeal stated that teaching credentials were necessary for any parent who chose to home-school a child. Now, a new decision from the Court claims that California state law allows for homeschooling, and has even created provisions in certain laws to accommodate the choice in the past. Under this new ruling, the privilege to home-school can only be overturned if a child’s safety is at stake.

A New Outlook
The original decision, which was in part due to a child-abuse case in Los Angeles, was met with much criticism from home-school advocates to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In February, the court denied that parents had a constitutional right to home-school. But challengers claimed the decision was in violation of a parent’s right to educate children without state interference. A month after the initial verdict, the court agreed to rehear the case, eventually vacating the initial decision before it had even been enforced. This will come as good news to parents of what is estimated to be some 100,000 to 200,000 homeschooled children in California.

Source: Ristine, Jeff. “Court backs off ruling that restricted home schooling,” August 8, 2008, www.signonsandiego.com. Millman, Gregory and Martine, “This Just In...Homeschooling is Legal!”, www.education.com.