Each month our team of mentors nominates a “Tutor.com Tutor of the Month”. We are pleased to introduce this month’s Tutor of the Month, Rebecca F!

After relocating to a new state Rebecca F. decided to stay at home full-time with her three kids. However, she missed the daily student- teacher relationships she had back in Wisconsin. As a high school biology teacher for 14 years she grew used to the constant demands of being a teacher, but the shift to stay-at-home mom brought new opportunities. That’s when a colleague referred her to Tutor.com. The chance to maintain a flexible schedule initially drew her in, but her dedication to staying connected to the classroom and helping students with biology is why she is May’s Tutor.com Tutor of the Month.

Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I currently live in Iowa, after moving from Wisconsin last year. I have been tutoring with Tutor.com since October of 2011, and am approved to tutor Biology and Elementary Science. I graduated from Marquette University in Education with a minor in Psychology back in 1997. Then I was able to finish my Masters degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Carroll University in 2002. For the past 14 years I was a high school science teacher in Greendale, WI where I taught Honors Biology, Biological Processes, Biology, and Physical Science. I also taught pre-service science teachers a science ethodology class at Alverno College. Last year my husband landed a new job in Iowa, and with the move I decided to stay home full time with my three kids.

How did you find out about Tutor.com?

One of my colleagues who knew about my career change mentioned Tutor.com to me and its flexibility in scheduling and thought that it may be something I might want to pursue part-time while staying at home with my children. I have always had an interest in online teaching and learning, and I value its benefits, so this opportunity was appealing to me.

What is your favorite part of tutoring with Tutor.com?

I miss the relationships I had with my students while teaching full-time, so I really enjoy when a student and I “connect;” when we both are excited about what we are learning together, and sometimes share a quick story or joke that relates to the discussion at hand.

I get the chance to work with lots of great students, and they always have new and challenging biology or science questions that keep me fresh and involved with science related topics. I also appreciate the flexibility I have to change my schedule week to week so I never have to miss one of my own children’s activities and events.

What is one piece of advice you think all students should know?

Students are their own best advocates in what they need to be successful in school. Nothing makes a bigger difference than when the student approaches me with a question or admits some content is confusing and difficult. That is when I know I need to re-teach a topic in new way or find other strategies to help that student figure the material out.

What do you like to do for fun?

For fun I enjoy spending time with my family. This summer we are taking a family trip Out West (Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, WY, and various places in Colorado). I also like to scrapbook, read, bike, spend time outdoors, volunteering at my boys’ school, and have recently become involved with various “mom” groups in the city I live in to create great learning experiences for my youngest daughter who stays at home with me while my two older boys are in school. I have also picked up running, and my goal by this fall is to run 10 miles as part of a team in the Fall 50 Race in Door County, WI along with my husband, who is going to attempt to run the entire 50 miles on his own!!

As “Enduring Corporate Partners” of the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), we were invited to attend yesterday’s ceremony in the Pentagon inner courtyard to honor the new group of companies and organizations joining the organization.

Companies like Tutor.com, Amazon.com, General Dynamics, The Home Depot, and a few dozen more were previously inducted into the Military Spouse Employment Partnership because of our dedication and commitment to hiring military spouses and sticking with them as they relocate to new homes across the nation and around the world.

For Tutor.com, hiring military spouses was an easy commitment to make. We were hiring military spouses before we even knew of this program, and many of our great online tutors are military spouses. We find them as a group to be smart, hard-working, creative and adaptable–characteristics that are really important when working as an online tutor. Also, many military spouses tell us that being an online tutor for us is an ideal part-time job because we offer flexibility; their work for us is not imperiled when they move from duty station to duty station.

Today, we welcome companies such as ADP, ClearChannel, Safeway, and TriWest, along with organizations such as the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) and the Association of the US Army (AUSA) to the Partnership, and we look forward to working with them to collectively hire tens of thousands more military spouses.

Above: Bart Epstein, Senior VP & GM of Military and Federal Programs at Tutor.com, is pictured with Patty Barron, Director of Family Programs for AUSA. Learn more about Patty’s experience with Tutor.com here.

For this month’s Tutor.com Reads post, book club newcomer Cardine Caffery, Graphic Designer and Australian native, reviews her first book club pick and tries to confuse us with talk of Utes and shouts.

After being part of the book club for one short month I was taken by surprise when asked to pick our next book.  I chose The Slap: A Novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas.  I had heard it was a controversial book, which presents the reader with uncomfortable situations and confrontations.  Being Australian myself, I thought I would heat up book club this month and at the same time confuse everyone with a lot of Australian slang.

The book starts with a barbeque amongst friends and family. The day looks like it could be pleasant until one of the children begins to act out. The boy is eventually slapped across the face, not by his parents but by another adult.  Although you believe the boy should have been punished for his behavior you also believe the man should be able to control himself, especially around a 3-year-old boy.

What follows is a chain reaction where we are shown the aftermath through eight different characters’ stories that were either directly or indirectly affected by the slap.

The book touches on various themes such as the difference between generations, differences in the way children are raised and adultery. Just a side note, on behalf of Australians I would like to make a disclaimer that although The Slap makes it seem as though we commit acts of adultery like it’s a rite of passage, there are  (I would like to believe) a majority of us that do not.  One of the more prominent themes throughout the book is multiculturalism seen through the various ethnic backgrounds of the characters, which is a huge part of Australian culture.

Don’t be deterred by how infuriated some (actually, most) of the characters make you. The book really does force you to think honestly about how you would act in certain situations. For me, the book pointed out that not every situation is black and white and I believe Tsiolkas accomplished this by taking us on an emotional tour within each character’s mind.

Did you enjoy The Slap? Then check out the trailer for the Australian T.V. show version:

Join us next month as we shift to a classic! We are reading Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. Read along with us & join in on the discussion as we live tweet our next book club meeting on June 5^th at 12PM EDT! #TDCReads

Are you active on GoodReads? Then join in on Tutor.com’s GoodReads group here!

Whether they are out saving the world or at home managing the household, mothers always seem to know best. And what’s best can be anything from getting a batch of cookies sent to your office, a much needed hug, or getting homework help from the right place. So this year we are celebrating Mother’s Day by sharing some of the Tutor.com student comments that showcase that relationship. They may not always be experts in math and science, but moms are always willing to try and lend a helping hand. All quotes are unedited.

“thank you so much. My mother and I really appreciate for what you’ve done!!!!! Keep up the good work ,Tutor.com!!!!!”

“The tutor helped me to figure out a math problem that my mom and I were both stuck on. This service is great, and I’m so happy that Stephanie could help me with the problem.”

“My mom and I love this website.  She has been telling everyone about it.  We have used is quite a few times.  She says she hopes it will still be offered as my sister gets older!!!   Thank you very much for the help you give!!”

“this was great i’ll tell all my friends about this. My mom will be proud on report card confereces”

“this is the best site i have ever used, my mom thinks its unbelievable…we owe  you chocolate ”

“this service is great now my mom was right”

And sometimes, we are lucky enough to hear from mom herself.

“This service helped my daughter enjoy her Math assignment.  She will deffinately be back again for more tutring.  Thanks, O’s Mom.”

“Thank you for offering this program!! I’m a mother and so out of tune with this school work. I use it to help my son and at the same time I can help myself.”

“I am a mom who uses this service to talk out issues I don’t understand so I can help my kids.  Thank you so much!”

“My sons are both GATE students and we have used tutor help with a couple of math problems that have stumped us.  It’s a great service and one that I hope the library can continue to offer.  It’s a wonderful service that empowers students to think about their resources when trying to solve problems.  Plus, as a parent, the Tutor Help reduces the friction between mom/dad and child when we’re trying to help our kids.  Thank you! Thank you!”

“This site is amazing.  I am a 40 yr old mom and I have no clue on alot of this stuff.  It has helped me to help my daughter immensely.  Thank you. My tutor was awesome and patient!”

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day?

Marine Corps Reservist, Lieutenant Colonel Brad Lanto has been part of the military for 20 years. While he works in the Pentagon as the Marine Corps Liaison for the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP) in Reserve Affairs, his wife and two children are back in North Carolina. We caught up with the Lt. Col. and his wife, MaryBeth, who is a middle school counselor, to see how Tutor.com has been making a difference for their seventh grade son, Zac. We also learned how the challenges Reservists face may be different than other military members. While Reservists don’t move nearly as much, they too face long deployments, which put many miles between them and their families back at home.

Tutor.com:  Lt. Col. Lanto, how long have you been away from your family?

Lt. Col. Lanto: I left for the Pentagon last October and I expect to be here for one year. While I’m gone, my wife is the primary caregiver and has to help with school work for our two children on her own.

MaryBeth:  Our son is a great student, but this year he’s in an advanced, honors math class and the pace is very fast. I’m never sure how to help him or if I’m offering the right techniques.  We’re glad to have access to Tutor.com.  Our son connects to tutors and also uses the resources Tutor.com offers, including the videos, worksheets and recommended websites.

Tutor.com:  That’s great. Sometimes we forget to talk about all the resources in the SkillsCenter Resource Library. When does he use those?

MaryBeth:  He likes to use the mobile app and check out the resources from his iPhone when we’re driving and then at home he uses his laptop to connect to one of the tutors for help.

Tutor.com:  We love to hear that kids are doing school work even in the car! With the app he could connect to a tutor from his phone too. Are there other features your son likes about getting help online?

MaryBeth:  Yes, he likes to review the videos of his own sessions that he has had with a tutor when he’s studying.  And it helps him with the math skills he needs. He’s a very busy student with a full course load of challenging courses and he plays in two soccer leagues.  So having help available 24/7 is really beneficial.

Tutor.com:  Lt. Col Lanto, how do you think Reservists will use Tutor.com?

Lt. Col. Lanto:  Many Reservists are going to school on the GI Bill and need help with their own work, such as having a paper proofread. Reservists who aren’t deployed may be working, going to school, and doing their drills for the military. Having tutors available around their schedule helps them get everything done.   Many Reservists also have families and multiple children who benefit from online tutoring.

MaryBeth:   Tutor.com offers so much and really is a relief for parents.  There are so many different  ways for children to learn – videos, worksheets and live tutoring.  It’s a great resource.

To learn more about Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families and how it supports families of Reservists and National Guard service members, please go to www.tutor.com/military.

The National Education Association summed it up nicely in their #thankateacher sample tweets: “if you can write your name, if you can read, and if you followed your dream, then there is a teacher you can thank.” From the simplest tasks to the most complicated concepts, teachers are there to help us learn.  And often that can go unnoticed. So today, along with thousands of others, we are celebrating all the things teachers have done for us!

I’d like to thank my dad, Ed Sobanski. I never had him as a teacher in a classroom, but he taught Math for over 30 years and would sometimes help me with my homework. Thanks to him I always had an appreciation of Math and saw learning as a fun game rather than a challenge. Thanks, Dad! – Evelyn Sullivan, Onboarding Manager

I’ll always remember Bill McCandless, Honors English Literature Teacher, 11^th grade, South Lake High School.  Mr. McCandless helped all of us see past the sometimes difficult vernacular of Shakespeare’s plays, showing the true drama and humor inherent in Shakespeare classics such as Macbeth and Hamlet.  I can still recall his explanation of just exactly how “Birnam Wood did come to Dunsinane Hill.” He also helped me realize that I needed to broaden my tastes and start reading outside of the genres that I usually chose back then.  From across a veritable gulf of years, a shout out to Mr. McCandless!! – Tom Squillace, Sales Director

Mrs. JoAnn Puleo (11th and 12th grade: Commercial Art & Photography). It’s because of her that I do what I do, and I love what I do. – Duane Romanell, Creative Services Director

My sister, Betsy Schrage (5^th Grade – Oxford, MI). Thank you for putting your heart and soul into teaching students about the values of teamwork and maintaining an open-mind.  Your kids are going to be world travelers and thought leaders thanks to the year they spent with you. – Steve Schrage, Marketing Coordinator – Military & Federal

My favorite teacher was Kathleen Depres. Not only was I lucky enough to have her as my fourth grade teacher, but she was my sixth grade teacher as well when she decided to leave the elementary school soon after I did.    What I remember most about her was her sense of adventure and curiosity. She loved to travel the world and explore new cultures. After every school vacation, she would bring us back tales of her adventures that she would craftily weave into the day’s grade school lessons. Because of that, I want to say thank you Ms. Depres for passing on to me your passion for learning as well as an amazing sense of adventure that still burns within. – Linda Gordon, K12 Trainer

Which teacher would you like to thank?

April was the Month of the Military Child, National Library week, and a variety of holidays from Earth Day, to Poem in your Pocket Day, to Patriots Day. Even though it was full of events, the debates on remediation in college, flipped K-12 classrooms, and e-tablets continued on. Those debates and more were the focus of our top reads this month. What were yours?

Have Increased Graduation Rates Artificially Depressed America’s 12th-Grade Performance? via EducationNext.org: One of the great mysteries of modern-day school reform is why we’re seeing such strong progress (in math at least, especially among our lowest-performing students) at the elementary and middle school levels, but not in high school.

With A New Educational Platform, TED Gives Teachers The Keys To A Flipped Classroom via TeleCrunch: As an increasingly powerful medium through which the world’s experts share their hard-won knowledge, TED is also an educator. In March, the organization launched the first phase of its “TED-Ed” initiative, in practice a series of a dozen short animated YouTube videos “created for high school students and lifelong learners,” in the big picture an invitation to teachers to collaborate with TED to create more effective video lessons that can be used in classrooms.

Report: College remediation fails students via Brownsville Herald: A new study released Wednesday faults college remediation programs for failing struggling students, but local trends suggest public schools have significantly helped lower the need for development education.

The rise of e-reading via PEW: One-fifth of American adults (21%) report that they have read an e-book in the past year, and this number increased following a gift-giving season that saw a spike in the ownership of both tablet computers and e-book reading devices such as the original Kindles and Nooks. In mid-December 2011, 17% of American adults had reported they read an e-book in the previous year; by February, 2012, the share increased to 21%.

Soure: Remediation: Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere, Complete College America

The stats are staggering:  51.7% of students entering a 2-year college and 19.9% of students entering a 4-year college are in remediation. And of those taking remedial courses, only 62% of 2-year college students and 74.4% of 4-year college students complete remediation. Even fewer complete remediation and associated college-level courses within two years. With 1.7 million students in remedial courses at a cost of $3 billion to states and students, it’s time to take a harder look at remediation solutions.

That’s just what the non-profit organization Complete College America did with their recently released report, “Remediation: Higher Education’s Bridge to Nowhere”. Relying on data from 31 states, the report takes a hard look at what’s going wrong with remediation and how to fix it to create a clear path to graduation for millions of more students.

The report shares compelling statistics as well as success stories from colleges around the country that have been implementing changes the group suggests including:

• Redesigning college classes with just-in time tutoring and support
• Moving extra academic help to be a co-requisite not a pre-requisite
• Working with high schools to provide transitional classes and earlier testing to see if students are on a college track
• Forcing students to choose a course of study right away

As a provider of online tutoring and academic support for 2-year and 4-year colleges and universities across the country, Tutor.com has seen firsthand how supplementing instruction with just-in time tutoring delivers results. And after a decade of delivering one-to-one, on-demand tutoring we have a good sense of why it works.

Anytime Help Motivates Students

The frustration of not “getting it” drives many students to tune out and then drop out of the challenging math and science coursework that they need for college. Once they are placed in remediation classes the same issues arrive. The introduction of 24/7 on-demand help from expert tutors gives students the support they need to ask the “dumb” questions and attain the skills they never learned in high school.

“Knowing I could connect to a tutor…whenever I needed to gave me the motivation to keep going and get the work done. The tutors always gave me encouragement and they gave me motivation to stick it out. It really helped my confidence, “ explained Melissa S a college sophomore referring to her experience getting on-demand help from Tutor.com for math help through high school and college. “I can’t picture my academic career without it. I don’t think I would have even tried to take college level calculus without Tutor.com.”

Unlike other intervention programs, Tutor.com is introduced the day a course starts and is available to students throughout the semester for help just when they need it. This on-demand approach to learning lets a student seek ongoing help and encourages them to complete more assignments, be better prepared for class and more engaged in the classroom and their own learning.

Working one-to-one with experienced tutors also helps students learn at their own pace and on their own terms – they choose when to get help and how much help they need. Embedding tutoring time into the class schedule gives students a healthy dose of one-to-one time to work out their own problems and keep up with the class pacing and assignments.

While online and on-demand tutoring support may not solve all of the remediation issues facing colleges, it’s a compellingly good start.

To learn more about the Tutor.com College Center, please visit www.tutor.com/higher-education.