Tutor Quest: Finding Effective Education For Children & Adults
By Edward E. Gordon

Review

I think that Gordan has done a great service to parents and students by providing this remarkably trusty handbook. With the tools provided in Tutor Quest, especially the tutoring-quality rating scale and consumer’s guide to tutoring services students and parents have a foundation to protect them from inadequate educational services. With the tools provided in this trusty handbook students and parents alike can take an educated approach to finding a tutor that fits their needs. Gordan your book deserves a four star approval. I would have liked to see a little more evaluation on the companies listed in your services index to see which ones you thought were the most accomplished and effective. Overall a great read and reference for those looking to find an effective tutor.

Summary

As most parents and students may already know, finding the right tutor isn’t always an easy task.

Tutor Quest by Edward E. Gordon addresses the dilemmas faced when attempting to find an effective tutor.

Gordon has been a professional tutor for most of his years, he is the founder of Imperial Tutoring, and a developer of the Individualized Instructional Program, through these experiences he has gained an educated approach to effective tutoring practices and knows how to find an effective tutor.

Tutor Quest provides the tools for educating yourself about tutoring, such as; why tutoring is so popular, types of tutors and practices, and when to use a professional tutor.

Why Tutoring is so popular?

With an extensive history dating back centuries, tutoring is one of the oldest educational methods. Tutoring has remained popular because of it’s success rate throughout history. With a downward trend in public school achievements many parents are looking for something in addition to learning in the classroom. Students who have trouble with group learning can usually find a solution with one-on-one tutoring.
Privatized firms are forming an interest in the tutoring market, firms can see room for improvements and profits by molding a traditionally non-profit organization (public schools) into a privatized profitable entity. With better funding privatized educational services have the capabilities to hire better staff, implement new techniques, and develop better learning environments.

Types of Tutoring Methods?

Gordon examines many types of tutoring methods in Tutor Quest, such as, online tutoring, one-on-one tutoring, group learning, the individualized instructional program, and others. Gordon’s Individualized Instructional program is a fantastic technique that targets each individual student and focuses on what methods will most effectively reach the learning goals outlined. In addition to different techniques in tutoring there are also a variety of tutors such as, private practice tutors, community and non-profit tutors, school-based volunteers, peer tutoring, clinical tutoring, and franchised tutoring or learning centers. Each is unique could match or miss a students needs, his outline of each help the reader learn more about each type of tutor.

When to use a Professional Tutor?

Some of the educational scenarios that tutors can focus effectively are underachievement, slow learning, learning disabilities, and test preparation. These areas are perfect for one-on-one individualized learning and achieve where group learning has failed.

Tutoring-quality Rating Scale and Consumer’s Guide to Tutoring Services

After a brief education on tutoring as a whole Gordon provides a useful tutoring-quality rating scale and consumer’s guide to tutoring services. These tools are both very effective in evaluating you choices and making the right decision when looking for a good tutor.

What is a learning disability?
Learning Disability is not a specific term; it is a category containing many specificdisabilities, all of which cause learning to be difficult. The following definition of “learning disability” is used for legislative, financial, and educational purposes only. It is NOT a definition of dyslexia, which is one specific learning disability. The term ‘learning disability’ means a disorder in one or more of the basic processes involved in understanding spoken or written language. It may show up as a problem in listening, thinking, speaking, reading, writing, or spelling or in a person’s ability to do math, despite at least average intelligence. The term does not include children who have learning problems which are primarily the result of visual, hearing, or physical handicaps, or mental retardation, or emotional disturbance, or of environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantage.

Simple Definition of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an inherited condition that makes it extremely difficult to read, write, and spell in your native language—despite at least average intelligence.

Revised definition from the International Dyslexia Association
Dyslexia is a neurologically-based, often familial, disorder which interferes with the acquisition and processing of language. Varying in degrees of severity, it is manifested by difficulties in receptive and expressive language, including phonological processing, in reading, writing, spelling, handwriting. Dyslexia is not the result of lack of motivation, sensory impairment, inadequate instructional or environmental opportunities, or other limiting conditions, but may occur together with these conditions. Although dyslexia is lifelong, individuals with dyslexia frequently respond successfully to timely and appropriate intervention.

Research definition used by the National Institutes of Health
Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition, and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.

Cause of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an inherited condition. Dyslexia results from a neurological difference; that is, a brain difference. Dyslexia runs in families. f/MRI studies have shown that people with dyslexia do not activate sufficiently the same part of the brain when reading as other people. Studies by NIH (National Institute of Health) and other prominent researchers have demonstrated that dyslexic persons are deficient in phonemic awareness. more…

Why do we Need Tutors?
During pre-modern times a formal education was reserved for religious leaders and the very wealthy, including royalty, who enjoyed a one-on-one relationship with their teachers. Labor skills, however, were passed down in the age-old fashion of apprenticeships whereby a student or very small group of students learned from the master by watching and working side by side with him for many, many years. Girls learned domestic skills as they grew up working in the home by imitating their mothers. In none of these scenarios was the student-teacher ratio as great as it is today, with K-12 classes averaging 30 or more students per instructor. The individual attention that so carefully shaped the skills of past generations has been replaced by overcrowded classrooms full of underdeveloped talent. more…

Tutorz is seeking a web developer to work on brand new features, including social network, ratings, tagging, analysis, administration. You would also be responsible for QAing and web mastering our production site.

Desired Skills
PHP, CSS, Javascript, Cross-browser differences, mySQL and AJAX.
EducationBachelor’s Degree or currently enrolled in a college.

Benefits/Opportunity
You will work closely with all team members and have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in how a start-up business works. You’re not micro-managed. Instead you manage your own work and schedule. We trust you’ll do a good job. You have the opportunity to participate in a changing the way how students and parent find the best tutors for their needs.

About Tutorz
Tutorz is a Web 2.0 start-up company located in Port Hueneme, CA. Tutorz is 100% owned by its employees. This structure allows us to maximize employee value, i.e. personal growth, creativity and initiative as well a generating a healthy income. Working at Tutorz is a fun, healthy and rewarding.

Send cover letter and resume to jobs@tutorz.com