Study Habit

OUR PHILOSOPHY

Study Habit is a belief in providing students and parents the tools they need to nurture a lifelong passion for learning. We believe it is not only crucial to be able to provide families the support they need in areas of academic difficulties, but also to challenge and enrich them whenever possible. We do this by offering encouragement by engaging students and letting their natural abilities and strengths shine. We are deeply committed to helping build solid work habits and self-confidence, which are essential for long-term success in and out of the classroom.

FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Shanda J. Manion

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES, B.A. '06

Shanda brings over thirteen years of teaching expertise and passion to Study Habit. Having worked extensively in elite private schools in Los Angeles and San Francisco, she is adept at implementing and creating coursework for students at all levels. As a professional member of PEN (Parents Education Network), Shanda also specializes in working with students with learning differences, IEPs, and unique learning profiles to ensure academic and life success. 

Academic Coaching

Study Habit offers a comprehensive approach to helping students who are having academic difficulties. We seek to find the root cause of learning issues by examining current study habits and student's unique environment. One-on-one tutoring is designed to effectively review core concepts taught in class, help students complete homework consistently and developing valuable Executive Functioning skills for long term success. When necessary we also reach out to teachers and counselors and work together with them to help your student in areas of need.

S.O.S. - (S)TUDY HABIT (O)NLINE (S)ESSIONS

Introducing a new and modern alternative to in-home tutoring, we now offer S.O.S. via Zoom, Skype, Google Hangout, or FaceTime. These sessions are meant to have flexible times and hours to accommodate different student's academic needs. Whether they need quick help on a difficult problem, or need to review for a big test later into the evening, we are available from our home to yours through our HD streaming camera so students don't miss a thing. 

TEST PREP

Standardized testing has always been a key component of the admissions process. Study Habit Test Prep sessions focus on thoroughly explaining difficult concepts, improving time management, reduce test taking anxiety and building confidence to boost scores.  Practice tests are also proctored and designed to create test like conditions so your student can be prepared for the big day. At this time we offer sessions for the following tests: SAT, ACT, PSAT, AP subject tests, LSAT, MCAT, SSAT, & ISEE.

STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOPS

At Study Habit, we know that excelling in school (and life) requires mastering executive functioning and metacognitive skills that are rarely taught...until now! In this series, we teach students the most effective ways to develop these much-needed skills, empowering them to become confident and proactive participants in their academic lives. Each child is taught to use the tools they need to conquer homework, testing, motivation, organization, time management, and study skills problems that can prevent even the brightest students from realizing their full potential. Students have fun as they learn to make dramatic and lasting improvements in their school performance.                             

Key learning goals include practicing the 5 critical classroom skills all A+ students use, creating helpful homework and test preparation schedules to master time management, discovering the best ways to harness focus and attention, and organizing backpacks, binders, and at-home learning environments for maximum productivity. In this workshop series, participants also learn to effectively tackle the test preparation and test-taking process using tools that guarantee an excellent performance every time.

ADMISSIONS COUNSELING

Planning the academic future for your student is a much overlooked aspect of education. Whether your child is applying to local private schools or national universities, here at Study Habit we have an extensive knowledge of academic programs from across the nation and can help guide you through the process by finding the most suitable academic programs based on your students' personal interests, skills and academic level. Study Habit will also assist you through the application process by coordinating admissions deadlines and helping your student write effective, personalized essays.

COLLEGE CAMPUS TOURS

Visiting and experiencing College and University campuses first hand is an integral part of motivating your students to work hard for their future. We offer personalized trips to local and out of state schools to give students and parents an idea of what different programs can offer them in terms of academics and lifestyle. We feel like the best time to have your student explore his academic options is between 7th and 10th grade when they still have time to influence their overall application.

CINDY F.

“An utterly dedicated, organized and supremely capable tutor, Shanda is remarkably intuitive and attentive to our child's state of mind and approach to learning. Always encouraging, she goes above and beyond to think through the best strategy and approach for our child, and always leaves him feeling strong, capable and excited to challenge himself and to be prepared. When she started with him, he was a completely inexperienced test-taker, who stressed about timing, and understanding the types of questions he would face. She took him on a slow and steady confidence building journey which ended with stellar results, and a child brimming with well-earned confidence that he can learn and overcome anything that comes his way academically."

MARIANNE K.

“We have been using Study Habit Los Angeles for our son, and I must say we would be totally lost without them.  We have used them many times on an emergency basis and they have gone out of their way to help us. They are very passionate about their work and it shows.

Erick is very easy-going and a pleasure to work with. He and my son have a wonderful working relationship. He is very versatile and can teach many subjects which comes in handy when unexpected tests and quizzes are assigned. Most of all, Erick is a kind and wonderful person and I am proud to say, our friend. 

Shanda is absolutely terrific and works very well with my son as well.  She tutors our son in Algebra II and Chemistry and has gone out of her way to help us by staying late and creating extra practice problems. She helped prepared our son for a Chemistry Test and he got an A-, and this was all in one night, she is simply amazing!

I would highly recommend Study Habit Los Angeles. Erick and Shanda make a dynamic team and they will not disappoint you.”

RENEE P.

We are so lucky to have found Shanda! She has helped our high school daughter understand and build confidence in a wide variety of subjects. Shanda's dedication and care comes through - they have a wonderful working relationship and Shanda finds a way to work with her constantly changing schedule. They work hard together and it comes through in her grades. Shanda's help has alleviated much anxiety and stress for our family. 

ESSIE B.

“Our son had just started middle school and needed help with various subjects. Not only did Erick assist him with assignments, but he taught him invaluable study methods and organizational skills so that he could be a better overall student. Because of the one-on-one lessons that he received, our son was able to quickly grasp concepts and gained confidence in his ability to problem solve and facilitate his own learning.

Erick is incredibly flexible with our busy schedules and has even offered to tutor remotely via Skype with last minute questions before tests. I would highly recommend Study Habit for their in-depth academic knowledge, ability to create an individual educational plan based on each child's personality and learning styles, and most importantly, their ability to effectively communicate with their students and their families.”

CHERYL D.

“It was clear that assistance would be needed for my son to improve his SAT math and ACT scores. Weekend and online classes were not right for his schedule, so we were so glad to find the right person. Shanda Manion worked with my son's schedule, and is highly skilled assessing a student's strengths and needs.  She is a clear communicator and adept at breaking down complex material into doable steps. She's been a great resource and cheerleader through the college prep process for both mom and son!”

BERNIE S.

“Erick Huezo from Study Habit Los Angeles is by far the best tutor our son has worked with. Our son has had a lot of tutors through the years, from Kumon to Tutoring Club. Erick by far has made a lasting impression on our son's life. He helps our son with all his subjects and has also helped him become more organized and academically ambitious!”

VIVIAN M.

“WOW! What can I say, Shanda has been such a success with my daughter and our family. My daughter has learned so much and her grades continually get better. My daughter looks forward to learning from Shanda because she knows that she will reap the benefits of her hard work. My daughter’s confidence and interest in her studies have increased. Shanda’s professionalism, kindness and positive attitude is a welcome surprise. Her skill has proven to be beyond what we could have imagined.”

STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOP

"Danyce thoroughly enjoyed your workshop last Saturday.  She told me it was a "life changing" experience and thanked me for signing her up for it.  We immediately went to Target and purchased new supplies and the next day she cleaned her room.  It took 5 hours but she did it! Yes, it was that bad.  She was very impressed with your ideas  and thought you were very, very nice.  She understands that doing homework on the floor in front of the tv (even with the tv off) does not work.  She will now do her homework at her beautiful desk in her clean bedroom. She's have the beautiful desk for 3 years and it's never been used for homework. I'm still very hopeful that her new attitude (also knowing there are others just like her) will get her on the right path. Thank you so much for doing an amazing job and I promise to keep you updated on her progress
-Parent of High School Freshman after Study Skills Workshop
 
"Isabella was really energized by the workshop and told us how confident it made her feel."
-Parent of High School Freshman after Study Skills Workshop
 
"My daughter was very motivated and charged up after your class. I'm overwhelmed with joy about her grades in Spanish II and World History. They've improved from last year!"
-Parent of High School Freshman after Study Skills Workshop

"Thank you for all your great work at the Sunday workshop. The girls had a great time with you.  The first words we heard were, "Wow, that was awesome!" and "Shanda is awesome." As soon as Claire got home she cleaned her room and read the materials you gave her . She seemed very excited and motivated by what she learned" 

-Parent of High School Freshman after Study Skills Workshop