What is The House of Tutor?
We are a small group of full-time private educators who have come together to help each other and better serve our students. We have our own practices, but we have come to know, respect, and admire each other over the years. We find it helpful to rely on each other for academic feedback, growth, and collaboration. We are better able to support our students with an excellent network who can provide instruction in any academic area.
Teaching is not a hobby for us; this is our career and our passion. We average 10+ years of experience as private educators. We have taught in both public and private schools, led teams of educators at other institutions, earned Fulbright scholarships, and educated royalty.
How are you adapting to the COVID-19 crisis?
We are currently meeting with students in person and remotely. Micro-schooling information is available upon request. Please contact us for details.
How often do you meet with students?
We recommend students meet with their tutor once a week for an hour or an hour and a half to ensure consistency and growth. Meeting more frequently would be appropriate for students who want to accelerate their improvement, struggle with executive functioning, lack the motivation to do work in between sessions, or have a test coming up.
What are your rates?
Rates range from $150-$300 per 1-hour session. All proprietary materials, testing materials, unlimited proctored practice tests for SAT/ACT/ISEE/SSAT, and homework help are included in the session price, so there are no additional fees.
What academic subjects do you teach?
While we all teach K-12 academics, standardized testing, and study skills, we do specialize for individual subjects in the sciences, languages, and upper level mathematics. A tutor will be recommended based on a personality fit and area of expertise.
Additionally, we teach standardized exams for post-college students such as GRE, GMAT, and CBEST. Please contact us for complete assessment of needs for specialized tests.
What is your approach to standardized tests (SAT, ACT, ISEE, SSAT, GRE, GMAT, GED, etc.)?
Some programs place emphasis on either strategy or content; our approach is a combination of both. Our curriculum includes a suite of tips, hints, and alternate methods for addressing questions on every exam. But we also address the underlying principles of the test to gain a better understanding of the exam. We are all well versed in the foundational aspects of the test, which are often necessary for a student to gain the broader knowledge needed for a large score improvement. The confidence this approach builds is crucial, especially for fearful test takers.
We teach all portions of the SAT and ACT; this is a high school level test that should be able to be mastered by a single individual. We believe it sends the wrong message to students if their tutor cannot teach all parts of the test.
Our two-pronged approach, addressing both content and testing strategies, leads to stronger score improvement than either approach individually. But we also teach students the skills to thrive and perform under high stress situations, acting as a mentor and a coach, as well as a teacher. Test taking is often a stressful, scary part of a student's academic career, but it doesn't have to be! We think it's fun and hope we can teach you to think so as well
How long does it take to adequately prepare for the SAT or ACT?
On average, students need about 22-26 sessions before their first SAT or ACT. This number can vary greatly, however, because we tailor each student's course to his or her individual needs. If a student is picking up skills quickly or has moderate goals, we may be able to shorten the course of preparation. If a student is struggling, we make sure to take the time they need. These tests reward mastery, and a too short or speedy course of preparation can result in a smaller score improvement or none at all.
What would be a good first step?
Give us a call at 818-305-4728, email us at info@thehouseoftutor.com, or schedule a time to chat at https://calendly.com/donnalazar/phonesession. We would love to hear more about you so we can make personalized recommendations. Every student is different and we specialize in customizing all aspects for your student.
I am still not sure what I want to do about tutoring. What if a tutor is not a good fit?
The best way to decide is to meet us!
For prospective students, we offer what we call a "no-commitment" preview session. It is a chance for us to meet and evaluate a student as a test-taker, and a chance for students to meet us and see how we work.
For standardized test preparation, we use the first part of the preview session to analyze any prior scores (i.e. PSAT, PLAN, practice SATs or ACTs), talk about any questions you or your student might have, discuss a plan for moving forward, and pick possible test dates for the exams. We then begin to work on some SAT/ACT concepts and problems so we can get to know the student as a test-taker. By the end of the preview session, we have much more information about the student as an individual, allowing us to customize a course of preparation; students pick up new skills and knowledge to use on their exams.
For non-standardized testing or academics, we use this session to assess foundational issues, learn about a student's history, discuss curriculum, and usually get right to work addressing a tricky topic to determine a student's learning style.
If you decide not to continue working with us after the preview session, there is absolutely no charge for the preview session. If you do decide to continue, the preview session is just the price of a regular 1-hour session, which is payable at the time of the second session.