Here's an overview of my approach to each section. My approach is not limited to these areas, but these are some core teaching guides:
Games
LR
Answer Choice Strategy (LR and RC)
LSAC specifically designed answer choices to mislead you. They will make the correct answer choice as awkward as possible, and they will make one incorrect answer choice particularly attractive. Dealing with this pattern is Critical!
Structure
Each lesson is two hours - this allows for us to properly do the deep work the LSAT demands. If we just did one hour, by the time we got warmed up it's almost time to go.
Two hours gives us the time you need to understand these abstract concepts and help you hone the techniques to master them.
It also ensures you're not rushed, and your questions are answered.
In the beginning of each lesson, we start by reviewing any recent practice tests and homework. Then we dive in to give you techniques for the areas where you need support. We wrap up each lesson by assigning homework targeted to hone the techniques you were taught, answering your questions.
Video Format
Lessons are done via zoom so we can see and respond to each other - and we can view problems on screen together. If you prefer a different platform i.e., google, skype etc., I am flexible.
How often do we meet?
You can buy individual lessons, though most students purchase a number of lessons (five, ten, or more) - learning these techniques takes time and practice.
I generally recommend meeting once per week at a regular day and time. This helps give you a routine and structure for your studies as well as helps keep you accountable for your efforts. Some students would like to meet more frequently, i.e., 2 times per week, that is an option as well.
Discounted packages are available, as well as payment plans for buying a "bulk" number of lessons i.e., 5 or 10 lessons.
How do we work together? Do you give me techniques, or do I just bring you problems to help me with from my studies?
Both! I don't think it's adequate for me to only go over problems with you - to use LSAT jargon, it may be necessary, but not sufficient ;-)
As the adage goes, I want to teach you to fish for yourself. That means I give you techniques that you can use to solve these problems for yourself when you're in the middle of the exam. After all, I'm not allowed to be there with you while you're taking the LSAT!
We'll target the areas you need help with the most. Then I give you time-tested effective techniques to address those areas. But that's not enough - we need to make sure you can implement those techniques on demand. That's where practice comes in - we work on problems together for the specific purpose of making sure you can implement those techniques as needed on the LSAT.
Do you assign homework?
Of course - with a purpose.
Some courses/teachers assign homework for the sake of assigning homework. Certainly, I agree you need to work at this. But it is more important that you work effectively. So, my goal is quality over quantity. I'm not going to give you say 40 questions of a type to do so we can say I'm working you. In that case, students often just try to get it done, rather than master the technique properly. I'd rather give you fewer questions and tell you to focus on mastering technique - if you can do those problems correctly, great, move on to another concept. If not, then practice more - but do it deliberately - self correct, analyze what you need to fix etc.
Quality over Quantity - Deliberate Practice!
In addition to homework, I generally recommend 1 practice test per week. This will regularly condition you to the exam and allow you to apply our techniques to battle-test them to grow and learn. I also provide logs for you to journal what you learned from your PTs and review, which we go over at every lesson. These regular practice tests also allow us to monitor your progress. It's kind of like an airplane heading toward a destination - we monitor and adjust regularly to target our work to maximize your score.
Do I have to take a practice test before our first lesson?
No. If you have a recent PT, we can certainly refer to it. But it's not necessary - there are lots of techniques we can get you started with that you can apply to future practice tests.
Games
- Inferences. Inferences are unwritten rules based on the rules and circumstances of the game. I give you concrete steps for making inferences and encourage you to find unique patterns so you're not "brute forcing" through problems.
- Fool proofing. This technique is huge for improving on games but there's lot of misinformation about it. I teach you how to do it properly.
- My overall goal is to be instill the essentials and best practices for games to maximize your foundation and not be overwhelmed by all details. Focus on the thing that makes the bigger difference.
LR
- Question types - Techniques you can depend on 100 percent of time. (Other factors are involved, but these are the most reliable techniques based on my 5 years teaching the LSAT).
- Stimulus - I teach best practices for processing the stimulus so you can give it an adequate read through. I want you to give yourself the freedom to read and reread, break sentences into smaller parts.
- Question first (Before Stimulus).
- Passage Analysis: focus on the very few key elements to give you a foundation of passage. When you go to questions, you can go back, but you’ll go back in a more targeted way.
- Question types: Like LR Question types, you always get the same questions so why not get a head start by learning question types for RC?
Answer Choice Strategy (LR and RC)
LSAC specifically designed answer choices to mislead you. They will make the correct answer choice as awkward as possible, and they will make one incorrect answer choice particularly attractive. Dealing with this pattern is Critical!
Structure
Each lesson is two hours - this allows for us to properly do the deep work the LSAT demands. If we just did one hour, by the time we got warmed up it's almost time to go.
Two hours gives us the time you need to understand these abstract concepts and help you hone the techniques to master them.
It also ensures you're not rushed, and your questions are answered.
In the beginning of each lesson, we start by reviewing any recent practice tests and homework. Then we dive in to give you techniques for the areas where you need support. We wrap up each lesson by assigning homework targeted to hone the techniques you were taught, answering your questions.
Video Format
Lessons are done via zoom so we can see and respond to each other - and we can view problems on screen together. If you prefer a different platform i.e., google, skype etc., I am flexible.
How often do we meet?
You can buy individual lessons, though most students purchase a number of lessons (five, ten, or more) - learning these techniques takes time and practice.
I generally recommend meeting once per week at a regular day and time. This helps give you a routine and structure for your studies as well as helps keep you accountable for your efforts. Some students would like to meet more frequently, i.e., 2 times per week, that is an option as well.
Discounted packages are available, as well as payment plans for buying a "bulk" number of lessons i.e., 5 or 10 lessons.
How do we work together? Do you give me techniques, or do I just bring you problems to help me with from my studies?
Both! I don't think it's adequate for me to only go over problems with you - to use LSAT jargon, it may be necessary, but not sufficient ;-)
As the adage goes, I want to teach you to fish for yourself. That means I give you techniques that you can use to solve these problems for yourself when you're in the middle of the exam. After all, I'm not allowed to be there with you while you're taking the LSAT!
We'll target the areas you need help with the most. Then I give you time-tested effective techniques to address those areas. But that's not enough - we need to make sure you can implement those techniques on demand. That's where practice comes in - we work on problems together for the specific purpose of making sure you can implement those techniques as needed on the LSAT.
Do you assign homework?
Of course - with a purpose.
Some courses/teachers assign homework for the sake of assigning homework. Certainly, I agree you need to work at this. But it is more important that you work effectively. So, my goal is quality over quantity. I'm not going to give you say 40 questions of a type to do so we can say I'm working you. In that case, students often just try to get it done, rather than master the technique properly. I'd rather give you fewer questions and tell you to focus on mastering technique - if you can do those problems correctly, great, move on to another concept. If not, then practice more - but do it deliberately - self correct, analyze what you need to fix etc.
Quality over Quantity - Deliberate Practice!
In addition to homework, I generally recommend 1 practice test per week. This will regularly condition you to the exam and allow you to apply our techniques to battle-test them to grow and learn. I also provide logs for you to journal what you learned from your PTs and review, which we go over at every lesson. These regular practice tests also allow us to monitor your progress. It's kind of like an airplane heading toward a destination - we monitor and adjust regularly to target our work to maximize your score.
Do I have to take a practice test before our first lesson?
No. If you have a recent PT, we can certainly refer to it. But it's not necessary - there are lots of techniques we can get you started with that you can apply to future practice tests.