After a Long Sabbatical, We're Back!!!

 

After a lengthy sabbatical, we're excited to be back to our blog!  Please check back beginning next week (June 6, 2022) for what's new and interesting in the academic world!

It's Not Too Early to Hire a Tutor

Sara's Little Formula has been around for more than 30 years - and has helped hundreds of students become more successful in school, in college, and in life.  Sara believes that it is never too early to hire a tutor.  Whether a student is struggling or successful - Sara's Little Formula is designed to improve grades, understanding, and knowledge of the concepts - in math and reading.  Sara's Little Formula also provides improvement in study skills and time management.  And one of the best parts of Sara's Little Formula is the academic coaching and motivation piece.

School has just begun - but it's not too early to hire a tutor!

Sara Fitts and SLF Consulting are located at 8425 Dorsey Circle, Suite 102 in Manassas, Virginia - and also available world-wide via Skype.
Contact us today  so you, too, can experience Sara's Little Formula!

When to Hire a Tutor

It's Back-to-School time and Sara's Little Formula is focused on when to hire a tutor in order to have greater academic success this school year.

So many people only think of hiring a tutor when a student is failing - and there are two or three weeks left before the exam.  Rarely do things improve in this scenario.  The stress and struggle have already taken their toll on the student - and the family as a whole.  So I'm providing a few things to think about when thinking about hiring a tutor.

1. Set the stage for success at the beginning of the school year.  Based on last year's grades in a particular subject (math for example), hire a tutor early in the academic year if the student experienced a lot of difficulty with the subject-area.  If the student did poorly in algebra 1, hire a tutor early in the algebra 2 course in order to avoid the same stress and struggle in the new school year.
2. When grades are dropping, stress is increasing.  Avoid further decreasing grades by hiring a tutor to get the student back on track quickly.  
3. When the student is disorganized and struggling, hire a tutor to help with organization.  The student will become more organized and will struggle less.  Stress and struggle lead to many other issues - so hire a tutor quickly.
4. When the student is consistently making B's and C's, but is capable of making A's a tutor can make all the difference.  This is extremely important when trying to improve grades and overall GPA in high school prior to applying for college.  
5. When the student is making good grades but doesn't really understand the concepts of the subject a tutor can bring clarity rather quickly.  This is extremely important in sequential courses.  Students need a solid foundation in order to move ahead easily.
6. Before taking the SAT or ACT, hiring a tutor is money well spent.  You want to make the most of the testing situation with a tutor who can provide specific test-taking strategies and a few tweaks to improve your score.  This is extremely important in making sure the college of your dreams is in sight.

Hiring a tutor is an important part of a successful academic year.  The results for the student include:

• building confidence
• reducing stress
• learning the concepts
• faster success
• improving grades
• improving test scores
• improving the overall GPA
• assisting in getting accepted into colleges
• happier learning experience

Getting Ready for the New Academic Year

Sara's Little Formula is focusing on the upcoming academic year and creating a successful academic year for all students.  SLF Consulting provides tutorials in math and reading, test prep for SAT, ACT, PSAT, Praxis, GRE, MCAT, GMAT, and other standardized tests, academic and instructional coaching, workshops for students on time management and study skills, as well as college transition.

For more than 30 years, Sara Fitts has developed a formula for student success (that is now named Sara's Little Formula) that provides the tools necessary for academic success at all levels.  By reducing stress and struggle, Sara Fitts has helped hundreds of students improve test scores, improve grades, and most importantly, improve their knowledge and understanding in order to become more successful.  The real payoff is confidence.

Our Summer Session 2016 Begins Today

Our Summer Session 2016 begins today!  Call now to enroll in one of our courses to make your next academic year even better.  We provide SAT and ACT prep courses for $500, study skills for $150, and reading or math improvement for $350.  Call now to select your spot in our Summer Session!

All courses are one-on-one based on an initial assessment that shows the specific needs of each student.

Why Hire SLF Consulting for your Tutoring Needs?

There are many math tutors, test prep and tutoring businesses that provide assistance to numerous students for any number of reasons to include improving grades, preparing for SAT, ACT, SOL, and other standardized tests, and study skills.  Some tutors and tutoring businesses charge more than others for their services.  How do you know who to hire or which tutoring business to choose to help the student in your life?  Some of these businesses charge monthly fees, initial assessment fees, and registration fees - and yet do not provide one-on-one instruction unless additional money is paid.  Some monthly fees are $299 - $339 per month - and that includes being in a group setting, not in a one-on-one setting.  And some of the tutors working in these businesses are not licensed and certificated educators.  

So why hire SLF Consulting for your tutoring needs?

• Sara Fitts is a licensed and certificated educator with more than 30 years of experience working with students
• Every session is one-on-one based on the specific needs of the student
• The $65 per hour fee includes unlimited texts/calls/emails for additional help during the week as well as the initial assessment
• Every session includes academic coaching, strategies and techniques for academic success, and motivation in addition to the session topic
• We work with students at all grade levels - including college - in mathematics, reading, time management, motivation, study skills, and test prep as well as transitions from high school to college, middle school to high school, elementary school to middle school, and college to work
• SLF Consulting has a proven track record since 2000 of improving grades and test scores and assisting clients in getting into the colleges of their dreams
• SLF Consulting uses Sara's Little Formula - and no one else has that!

SLF Consulting can help the student in your life with math, reading, test prep, study skills - and usually the results occur quickly.  Contact us today to see how Sara's Little Formula can help you.  Click here to contact us today.

What Sara's Little Formula Can Do

What can Sara's Little Formula actually do?

1. Help students improve their grades.
2. Help students get into the colleges of their dreams.
3. Increase standardized test scores.
4. Transition from high school to college - or from middle school to high school.
5. Transition to full-time employment.
6. Calm stress and reduce struggle.
7. Solve problems - quicker, easier, and with much less stress.
8. Teach students how to communicate more effectively.
9. Motivate and cultivate environments for success.
10. Manage time for study.  Manage time for success.
11. Break down lessons into simpler concepts.
12. Assist with the college application process.
13. Reduce parent's stress.
14. Help create successful students who are happier, calmer, and much more productive.

Sara Fitts and SLF Consulting have been using Sara's Little Formula for more than 30 years - with a proven track record of success.  For more information about how Sara's Little Formula can work for you - or the student in your life - contact us today.

SLF Consulting is located in Manassas, VA at 8425 Dorsey Circle, Suite 102.  We provide tutorials in algebra 1,2, and 3, geometry, trig, prob/stats, pre-calculus, and SAT prep in addition to academic coaching, time management, study skills, and vocabulary and reading improvement. 

Summer Catalog of Courses

For more than 30 years Sara Fitts has developed a formula for working with students that gets results.  She relies on her experience as a math teacher, administrator and instructional coach to improve the way students learn. With more than 24 years in public education and owning SLF Consulting since 2000, her track record speaks for itself.  Our clients have been accepted into numerous colleges and universities - including Virginia Tech, UMass, Brown, UCLA, JMU, GMU, and UVA to name but a few.

SLF Consulting uses a one-on-one approach to teaching and learning that is based on the specific needs of each individual student.  We provide academic coaching that enhances each tutorial session and paves the way for the next level of learning.  We work with students to meet a variety of needs:  to improve grades, to learn new concepts, to remediate needed skills, and to improve self-esteem.  We reduce stress and struggle for students as well as for their parents.

Sara's Little Formula is the crucial distinction that sets Sara Fitts and SLF Consulting apart from all other tutors and test prep companies.  We work with each student in a one-on-one setting to improve the learning environment and only work on the specific needed skills of each student.  SLF Consulting does not use a cookie-cutter approach to teaching and learning.  Every lesson, every session, and every course is prepared only for the individual student.  And that is why SLF Consulting has been effective and successful in getting the results that students and parents want and need.

If you want to experience successful academic results, contact SLF Consulting today.  Limited space is available in our Summer Session - beginning on Monday, July 6.

For a complete listing of our course offerings, check out our Summer Catalog of Courses here.

3 Study Structures that Improve Learning by 100%

Sara's Little Formula is highlighting 3 study structures in today's post that will improve your learning by 100% if you utilize them together.  If you choose to only use 1 of these structures, you will still improve your learning significantly.  Try them and let me know what your results are.  A study structure is simply a tool that helps you learn.

The first study structure that I recommend to all my students and clients is index cards.  I prefer the use of spiral-bound index cards, but any index cards in any color or size will provide a structure for study and for improved learning.

How you use the index cards is really up to you and your specific and particular learning needs and/or subject; however, I promote using one side of the card for a vocabulary word and the other side of the card for the definition or example.  This study structure can be used with any topic, any subject area, as well as any grade-level.  Lots of college students utilize this structure with great success.  I used this structure with students in algebra, geometry, trig, pre-calculus, and AP Statistics.  It really does work.  And if you prefer a digital version of this study structure, you can use Quizlet .

The second study structure that I recommend to all students and clients is My Textbook Page.  This study structure can be used for any subject area.  When I utilize this with my students and clients it becomes My Math Textbook Page.  This tool can be used for every topic in math class.  The way I organize the page is to list the topic or concept at the top of the page and then to divide the page into 6 blocks - 3 on each side of the page.  The blocks should have the following labels:  Summary of the Concept; Examples or Step-by-Step instructions; Hints and Tips; The most important things to understand about this concept; How this concept/topic relates to other topics/concepts we've studied; websites and links to find out more or to practice.  Again, with any study structure it must relate and be meaningful to you and your specific learning style.  So make My Textbook Page work for you.  And if you want this to be digital, take a few minutes to create a template on your device for your use.  When test time comes around, you will have your very own textbook written by you as your own study structure.  If you have questions or want to see a copy of one I've used, contact me.

The third study structure that I recommend to my students and clients is a daily exit ticket from class.  You can use an index card for this or have a separate section in your notebook for these.  Also, you can do this digitally by using certain apps - Whiteboard is one.  Often times your teacher will ask you to complete an exit ticket and turn it in prior to leaving class. The study structure exit ticket is a little different.  This one is an exit ticket you keep for yourself and your own learning.  The exit ticket that I recommend most often is a 3-2-1  that is comprised of 3 things you learned in class today, 2 things you already knew from previous learning, and 1 question you need to answer about the topic.  If you cannot answer the question before the next class, please ask the teacher.  In this way, you will have a strong study structure that will improve your learning - and your grades!

These are simple study structures that can be applied to students from elementary school through graduate school.  They are tried and true - and work when utilized on a regular basis.  If you have questions, please contact me and I'll help you out.

Sara L Fitts is owner and operator of SLF Consulting in Manassas, VA specializing in academic and instructional coaching and consulting, math tutoring and test prep, and college readiness and transition.  For more information visit our website , follow us on Twitter ,and like us on Facebook .

6 Websites that Help with Math Homework

Sara's Little Formula is providing 6 fabulous websites that really can help you with your math homework.  I hope you find these sites helpful.

Mathway provides help with all mathematics courses including higher math - statistics and claculus - as well as chemistry.  You simply write the problem in their text box and they solve it by showing you the steps.

Webmath provides help with all levels of math as well.  Steps are shown as a tutorial.

Khan academy provides help in most subject areas - not just math.  The videos are well-done and very informative.

Math is a website that offers help in all areas of math - including elementary school math.

Paul's Online Math Notes is a website created by a college professor who teaches algebra and calculus 1, 2 and 3.  It is an excellent source of help for your math homework.

PatrickJMT is a website of just math tutorials.  Lots of good videos are on this site to help you with your math homework.

I have found these math websites to be among the best help for students working on their own without benefit of an in-person tutor.  I hope you will find them helpful!



Sara L. Fitts is an academic and instructional coach who 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, visit our website , follow us on Twitter , and like us on Facebook .

Here's A Quick Way to Improve Your Math Grade

Sara's Little Formula gives students a quick way to improve their grade in math class - no matter what math class it is.  Whether you are in high school, middle school, or even a college math class, here's a quick way to improve your grade.

1. Know where you stand today in terms of your grade.  Make sure you know exactly what your grade is today.
2. Know the grading scale and the percentage (or number of points) each type of assignment is awarded.  Check the teacher's website, syllabus, and class contract. Spend more time, effort, and energy on the most important and highest percentage assignments.  If homework is only 10% of your grade, and you are already behind, don't waste time making up 10% work when a project or test is awarded 50%.
3. Assess your strengths and weaknesses in this class.  If your strength is homework, make sure you do all problems assigned.  If your weakness is tests and quizzes, make sure you have the dates of each test and quiz in your phone or other digital device.
4. Prepare for tests and quizzes every day - not just the night before.  Make sure you re-cap your notes and class examples every day.  Review your class notes every day.  Practice your example problems every day.  Re-work homework, test, and quiz problems every day.  
5. Ask for help when you need it.  Don't wait until the day before the test!  Utilize office hours, help sessions, before school and after school time with your teacher.  Ask questions in class, before class, and after class if you don't understand a concept.
6. Believe in your ability to get the problem right.  You may think this is rather silly; however, I know it works.  I've seen it work in my students for more than 30 years!  The truth of the matter is this:  whether you believe you can work the problem or not, you are right!  So believe that you can, and get it right!
7. Stay up-to-date on your assignments.  Whenever you get behind, it can really hurt your grade.  So stay on track if you possibly can.  and if you get behind for whatever reason, go back and read #2 and then #3.

Sara L Fitts is an academic coach who helps math students improve their grades in their math classes.  For the past 30 years, Sara has been a math teacher, a high school principal, and an instructional coach.  If you would like to have Sara help you get better grades in your math class, visit her website and complete the contact page. 

Shop Small on Small Business Saturday

SLF Consulting is promoting Small Business Saturday on November 29.  We are offering excellent deals on November 29 in support of small businesses everywhere.

Our amazing deals are available on November 29 simply by visiting our website and registering on our Contact page.  All registrations submitted on November 29 will be valid for these special prices.

SAT Prep Course for 1/2 Price!

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

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

Doing Whatever It Takes

Sara's Little Formula really comes down to this:  doing whatever it takes to make a student successful.  It is a combination of many things that help students.  I've developed this little formula over a 30-year span that has proven over and over that it works.  There are hundreds of students that have succeeded because of my simple little formula that works. That's why it's called Sara's Little Formula - and it benefits students in different ways depending upon what they really need.  Not every student needs the same things in order to be successful.  But regardless of what students need, Sara's Little Formula is here to help them when and where they need it.

Over the years I've seen students stress and struggle in their various math classes.  It is difficult to watch students stress and struggle - so I decided a long time ago to develop a way to help students that works regardless of what type of stress and struggle they are experiencing.  With most students, Sara's Little Formula works quickly.  Sometimes it takes a bit longer to refine the particular elements within my formula.  But the bottom line is always this:  Sara's Little Formula works because it provides for implementing whatever strategy, technique, or method that works.  It can help students improve from a B to an A while at the same time taking a student from an F to a C or better.  And in rare cases we get an F to a D.  
Life is short - and we want students to have less stress and struggle in math classes. Period. That's the point of Sara's Little Formula.

If you would like to find out how Sara's Little Formula can benefit you or the student in your life, please contact us today via our website or the SLF Consulting page on Facebook.


Sara L Fitts and SLF Consulting provide math tutorials in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trig, Pre-Calculus, and Probability & Statistics in addition to offering 6-week courses in SAT and ACT prep.  E-courses in Study Skills and Time Management are coming soon!

Rapport is Key

Another key element in Sara's Little Formula is having rapport with my clients.  In order for students to do well in my math tutorials and test prep courses, I must build rapport with them from the very beginning of our work together.  The student must be comfortable with me and I must be able to talk with them first as people and then as students and clients.

Rapport is usually built quite quickly with my clients.  I've worked with teenagers for more than 30 years - and while I now am on average 40 years older than they are - I have stayed up-to-date with trends, technology, and what's important to teenagers so it remains easy to build rapport quickly.  As I often tell them:  "Don't let the gray hair fool you"!

Students have to know that I can help them improve their grades in math class.  Students have to know that I talk to them sincerely and that I care that they learn math more easily and with less stress and struggle.  Building rapport does not happen by talking down to them.  Building rapport does not happen by putting them down.  Building rapport does not happen by telling them "old school" ways of doing things.  Building rapport happens when I can connect with the student in a way that gives them immediate insight to solving their first problem.

Rapport is key to Sara's Little Formula.

SLF Consulting is now enrolling students in one-on-one math tutorials to improve grades in math class.  We are conveniently located across from Prince William Hospital at 8425 Dorsey Circle Suite 102 in Manassas, VA.  For more information, please contact us through our website.

Participation is Vital

Sara's Little Formula is comprised of many elements and today I will discuss the importance of participation as a major component to student success.  Too many times students want to watch a problem being worked.  Then when it's time for homework or other independent practice, they lose their way.  They don't know what to do in order to work the problem.  Sometimes they can't even begin the problem.Often students don't understand why this happens - but the simple answer is this:  they haven't participated in working any of the problems themselves.  They simply watched the teacher work problems during the lesson.

Participation is a critical and vital element in Sara's Little Formula.  During my tutorials with clients, participation is really what moves the student toward seeing immediate success. Even during mistakes in working problems, the student experiences the actual feel of the problem and learns the concept quicker and easier with less stress and struggle.

Motivation is Essential

The next essential element in Sara's Little Formula is motivation.  Without motivation, a great deal of success will never happen.

I learned a very long time ago that many of my students didn't really like math.  So I made it my mission to motivate them to succeed.  My mission is never to make them like math.  But I've always believed that if students improve in their math classes, they have to like math a little bit more - but that's a secondary benefit.  And no one has to like a subject in order to be good at it.

Motivation is important in order for success to occur for a myriad of reasons.  If a student is struggling to comprehend a particular concept, the stress and struggle often take over and shut down the brain.  Poor grades further the downward spiral and then there is (in the student's mind) very little reason to continue working on the concept.  And sometimes students can even experience failure to a degree that shuts them totally down.

Stress and struggle occur in many facets of life.  But my belief is that students shouldn't have to contend with stress and struggle when a remedy exists.  Enter Sara's Little Formula to the rescue.

Motivation is essential in my formula because it sets the stage for immediate relief as well as sustainable success.  Like I said in yesterday's post - whether you think you can or you think you can't do something, you are right.  Therefore, motivation is key.

I don't set out to teach my students, I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.

Sara L. Fitts and SLF Consulting are dedicated to academic and instructional coaching and consulting - and student success.  For more information, please visit our website today.

What is Sara's Little Formula?

Over the past 30 years I have developed a style and system of working with students.  This system has led to many successes for hundreds of students since the 1980's and continuing today.  One day not so long ago I began thinking about my system and what made it work for my students.  After a major deconstruction of this system of mine I realized that it was simply a formula for success - the student's success.  So I then re-named my system.  I now refer to it as Sara's Little Formula.

Sara's Little Formula is comprised of many elements.  Sometimes all parts of this formula are used with students and other times only a few of the most needed elements of the formula are provided to students.  In this way I can configure my formula to work with a variety of students and get the specific results that are needed.  

The most important element of Sara's Little Formula is belief in the ability of the student to improve.  Every student with whom I have had the pleasure of working over the years has had that from me.  By simply believing in the student and in his or her ability to improve, success begins.

Because whether we believe we can or we can't improve, we are right.

More to come.........



Sara L Fitts and SLF Consulting are dedicated to academic and instructional coaching and consulting - and student success.  For more information, please visit our website today.

Welcome to Sara's Little Formula

Welcome to my newest blog, Sara's Little Formula!  I have decided to re-launch SLF Consulting with a focus on test prep for SAT and ACT in addition to math tutorials in Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Trig, Prob/Stats, and Pre-Calculus.  The actual re-launch will take place in August but we are getting ready for new students beginning today!

If you are in need of help with preparing for the SAT or ACT, please let our experience and expertise help you get the results you want and need in order to receive acceptance into the college of your dreams.  Over the past 30 years I have developed what I now refer to as Sara's Little Formula.  And this formula is what I use with all my clients to help them achieve the results they want and need to succeed.  

If you are in need of help with your math class, please let us show you Sara's Little Formula so you can make better grades with less stress and struggle.

For an initial assessment and consultation, contact us today to see how Sara's Little Formula can help you!