I really enjoy tutoring writing. I'm blessed to be able to do something that I like to do and get paid for it. Today I met one of my favorite students at the Panera on West Kennedy and worked with her on some ways to improve the assignments that she is doing for an online course at USF.

This photo taken by Mohammed Riza. Licensed under Creative Commons. 

I also got the chance to read a children's book that I found at the New Tampa Friend's of the Library bookstore. It's Christopher Mouse: The Tale of a Small Traveler by William Wise. I think I will work on creating a writing prompt to go with the book for one of my younger students.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story because it's well written, fun to read, and nicely illustrated. I think it would appeal to 3rd to 5th graders who has strong reading skills. I hope my student will enjoy it as much as I did.

If your son or daughter would like some extra one-on-one help in reading, writing, grammar, or vocabulary, call Tampa English Tutor Eric Anderson. He tutors students in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel and Temple Terrace, Florida. Reach him at tampatutor at tampabay dot rr dot com or by calling 813.787.8959.

        

Most colleges require applicants to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the ACT.  Although a few colleges or universities require one or the other, many accept scores from both. So, which one should you take?

Here is a quick break down to help you decide: 

• Time – Both the SAT and ACT are approximately three hours long.  The SAT takes 3 hours and 5 minutes and the ACT takes 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete.


• Cost – The cost of the SAT is $43. The basic ACT test costs $30, and if you take the optional writing portion, you pay an additional $14.50. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/billselak/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
Photo created by Bill Selak and licensed under creative commons.


• Frequency – The SAT is given seven times per year. The ACT is given six times per year.


• Structure – The SAT has ten sections: three critical reading, three mathematics, three writing sections (2 sections plus mandatory timed essay) and an experimental section that can be reading or math and is not indentified to test takers. The ACT has four sections: English Math, Reading, and Science. The ACT also has an optional fifth writing section that is a timed essay. Test takers may choose to take the ACT with or without the essay.


• Scoring – Each of the three sections of the SAT is scored on a 200 to 800 point scale. There is a quarter-point penalty for wrong answers on the SAT. ACT sections are scored from 1 to 36 and averaged to get a composite score. The ACT does not penalize test takers for wrong answers. 


• SAT Test Content – The SAT covers math up to Geometry and Algebra II. SAT Reading includes short, long, and paired prose passages with comprehension, vocabulary in context, and inference questions. Passages come from fiction, natural sciences, and social sciences. Each of the SAT reading comprehension sections include a section of sentence completion questions that test vocabulary. SAT writing includes a timed essay and questions covering grammar, usage, punctuation, and word choice. 


• ACT Test Content – The ACT covers math up to trigonometry. ACT science tests basic science knowledge and interpretation of graphs and data. The ACT Reading test includes four passages (Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Science, and Prose Fiction) with 15 questions each. The ACT English test stresses sentence-level grammar, punctuation, and style. The ACT has an optional essay.


• Websites: The SAT is given by the College Board. http://www.collegeboard.com. The ACT is given by ACT Corporation http://www.actstudent.org.

Before deciding which test to take, look at the requirements of the colleges you are considering, think about your academic strengths, and talk to your parents. Review the admission policies of your school choices carefully. Try to take a few practice tests of each kind if you are not certain which test is right for you.

Eric Anderson is a Tampa, Florida-based English tutor. He tutors Reading Comprehension and writing for the SAT and Reading and English for the ACT. Contact him at tampatutor at tampabay dot rr dot com or by phone at 813.787.8959.

        

I've been working with a few students to get them ready for this Saturday's ACT. Although questions on the ACT are easier than those on the SAT, the ACT demands that students work quickly. I have been tutoring one ACT prep student to help him develop strategies to complete the 75 question English section within the 45 minute time limit. We have also been working on ways to improve his speed in the ACT reading section.  Today, he completed a practice reading test within the time limit.


In a recent post, I mentioned number2.com as a resource for SAT students, and this site is also a great place to find practice ACT questions and ACT test tips for procrastinators.

Best of luck to all my Tampa ACT prep students and all New Tampa high school students taking the ACT on February 6th. Upcoming ACT test dates and registration deadlines can be found here.

For students and parents who live in New Tampa, Wesley Chapel, or Carrollwood and would like to get help preparing for the English and reading portions of the ACT, contact Eric Anderson at 813.787.8959. Although he does not tutor the math portion of the SAT or ACT, he can recommend an excellent New Tampa math tutor.

        

I was exploring some teacher websites in an effort to find more SAT students and I discovered a gem in the favorite links page of a New Tampa reading teacher. It looks like a wonderful free resource for students who want to track their progress as they prepare for the SAT.

This photograph is the work of seeminglee. Licensed under creative commons. See more of his photos on Flickr.

It's called http://www.number2.com and includes excellent tools for tracking student progress. Those who read this blog know that I recommend College Board's SAT Question of the Day as a great way to sharpen SAT skills.

Right now, I am just starting to use the number2 site, but it looks to be a superb SAT prep resource.

If you are trying to help your son or daughter get ready to take the SAT or ACT and would like to get him or her some one-on-one private SAT tutoring, contact Eric Anderson, New Tampa SAT and ACT tutor at 813 787 8959 or at tampatutor at tampa bay dot rr dot com. I hope that you find number2.com useful.

        

It's crunch time for those taking the SAT on Saturday. I was tutoring a student in Barnes and Nobles this afternoon and noticed the place was crowded with students doing the last-minute SAT cram.

I know the Spanish guitar has nothing to do with studying for the SAT, but I like the photo...



It seems like a million years ago when I took the test. I remember it being unbearably cold in the test room at USF. All I can say to those taking it on Saturday is get a good night's rest and bring a jacket.

I have been blessed to study with some talented students. I wish all of them extraordinary success on Saturday's SAT.

Eric Anderson is an English and history tutor in Tampa, Florida. He tutors students from grades 6-12 and adults in reading, writing, grammar, language arts, and in the Reading Comprehension and writing sections of the SAT. Reach Eric at 813.787.8959 or at tampa tutor at tampa bay dot rr dot com. Eric is a freelance web content writer and a graduate of Chamberlain High School and Stetson University.

        

I read something worth sharing in Power Writing, the newsletter of publications coach Daphne Gray-Grant. Her newsletter is wonderful for anyone who wants to learn to write better and faster. (Her book is on my wish list...)

Anyway, she wrote an article about HabitForge, a new site that allows you to describe habits you want to develop and set daily goals. Each day the site sends an e-mail asking whether you met your daily goal. The site is based upon the premise that it takes 21 days to form ahabit. You get the reminders until you answer yes to your goal questionfor 21 consecutive days.

Photo by Wonderlane and licensed under Creative Commons. See more of her photos on Flickr.
Dog lovers will appreciate her blog post about Christian the Dog Thief.

I am giving the HabitForge a try.

Maybe students preparing for the SAT can use it to build good SAT review habits. I would love to hear from students who are trying HabitForge. Is it working for you?

Eric Anderson is an English, history and American Government tutor who lives in Wesley Chapel, FL. He tutors students from grades 6 through 12 and adults. Eric is a graduate of Stetson University. Contact Eric by e-mail at tampa tutor at tampabay dot rr dot com or by calling 813.787.8959.

        

Although I love to read, I have never liked writing book reports. If you’ve been assigned one, try these tips for writing a good book report.

Tip #1:  Read the book.  Don’t try to fudge by reading only the book jacket and summary on the web.  If your assigned book is dull, read it out loud, or have your parent read parts of it to you.  Start on the assignment early so that you have plenty of time to finish the book and write, revise, and proofread your book report.

Tip #2:  List the characters.  Write down your impressions of them.  Be sure to pay attention to the point of view of the story. Is the story narrated from the point of view of one of the characters? Is it told by an all-knowing narrator?

Tip #3:  Set the scene.  As the author describes the places where the story is set, make notes and think about why the author chooses certain settings.

 

Tip #4:  Summarize each chapter as you read. Keep track of the key events of each chapter. Keep it short.  

Tip #5: Review the format for the book report supplied by your teacher. Make certain that your report is written in the correct format. Plan your work so that you can show your teacher a rough draft before the book report is due and get some advice on ways to improve your report.

Tip #6:  Put it all together.  Once you have your notes completed, you are ready to write the book report.  Book report formats vary, but many include a summary, the main characters, the setting and an evaluation of the book.

Eric Anderson is a freelance web copywriter. He lives in Wesley Chapel, FL and tutors students in grades 6-12 and adults in English, Language Arts, essay writing, grammar, and SAT reading comprehension and SAT writing. To reach Eric, call 813.787.8959 or email him at tampatutor at tampabay dot r r dot com.

        

One of the e-newsletters that I read comes from writing coach Roy Sorrels. This week his newsletter had some great advice. He has been kind enough to let me share his article here:

The Whole Truth

***The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but….” If you’ve ever testified in a courtroom you’ve spoken those words, a solemn promise to tell the truth.

The problem with much of what we write is that we do indeed tell the truth, but often we don’t tell the whole truth.

Here’s what I mean: When I was teaching one of my face-to-face memoir classes, an elderly woman wrote about her wedding day. She wrote about how happy she was, how much in love she was, what a fine fellow her new husband (who was still her husband after almost 50 years) was.

And it was all, I believed, the truth.

But I suspected that it wasn’t the whole story. And I told her (gently) that I thought the whole story, the “whole truth,” would make a much more compelling piece of memoir.

The next week she brought the piece back, revised. Now it included the fact that the wedding was in the middle of the Great Depression. She was out of work, her new husband was out of work. She had holes in her shoes. Her wedding dress was borrowed and a color she hated. She’d eaten the last frankfurter in the fridge for breakfast. And she was pregnant. Yes, she loved her new husband, but she was also angry at him for his part in getting her into this pickle. And, of course, she was angry at herself. She even admitted being angry at God.

Usually, we tend to write the truth in draft #1. Then, if we’re determined to make what we’re writing as good as it can possibly be, we start as we revise trying to tell the whole truth. And, as we do, our writing becomes more interesting, more compelling, more dramatic, and often funnier.

*** Working with people who are writing about their own lives is, for me, one of the most interesting and rewarding parts of being a writing coach.

They are often in a process of self-discovery that can be very valuable for them. And they are often creating a gift for their children and grand children that, in my opinion, is the most important gift they can give.

If you are interested in learning more about Roy or any of his online writing workshops, visit him at www.RoySorrels.com.

        

I needed some good news today and I got some. One of my very best students got his PSAT scores. Due to his hard work and extraordinary discipline, he achieved a PSAT score in the 99th percentile. I am so proud of him for his dedication to excellence.

        

If you are a high school student, you probably have to write regularly.  From homework to term papers to college application essays, you get your share of writing assignments.  Even good writers sometimes have difficulty writing. At times you may feel as if you have nothing to write about a particular topic. 

You have writer’s block. 

Here are a few tips to help you overcome writer's block.

• Don’t procrastinate.  Procrastination can make writer’s block worse, but it can also cause it.  The pressure of a deadline can be paralyzing.  Try to get a draft done well before it’s due.

• Don’t worry about the details.  The most important part of writing is to simply write.  Avoid focusing on spelling, grammar, and punctuation as you get your ideas down on paper.  Fix those details during editing.

• Write about what you know.  If you are facing a creative writing assignment, write about something you know about.  Ann Lamott, a novelist who writes about writing in her book Bird by Bird, suggests writing about experiences in the school cafeteria.  It sounds strange, but her point is that when you write about a personal experience, you can sometimes get the momentum to overcome your writer’s block.

• Read or go to the movies.  If you are really at a loss for writing material, reading will be an immense help. Read about your topic; read something that has nothing to do with your topic.  Reading opens the mind and invites new ideas. Isaac Asimov’s answer to writer’s block was a trip to the movies. Sometimes the best thing to do to get the words flowing is to let the world tell you a story.

• Do a body check.  While this may sound like part of the new TSA screening procedure, it’s not. When I’m tired, I find writing harder. Check yourself and make sure that you are eating well and sleeping enough. Create the conditions that will let you do your best writing.

If you are stuck and need help writing an AP History DBQ or essay for English, call Tampa Language Arts tutor Eric Anderson’s tutoring hotline at 813.787.8959 or reach Eric by email at tampa tutor at tampa bay dot rr dot com.