As you are preparing for college you may ask yourself if you are ready to take your ACTs or when most students take them? There are many things to consider when deciding when to take ACTs. It is not uncommon to see students take their ACT 2 or 3 times to try and improve their test scores or to get their score where they want it to be. Most students take the ACT test in the fall of their Junior year and then again in the spring. Then following up by taking it for the final time in the fall of their senior year. This schedule works for most students but not all. This is seen mostly with student who are preparing independently for the test. The ACT is offered 6 times in a year, in September, October, December, February, April, and again in June. If you chose to take the tests multiple times, you will need a realistic amount of time between tests to study and prepare to actually see improvement in your test score. Do not put if off to the very last date to give yourself a cushion in case you have an off day or get sick and are unable to make it to the test for whatever reason. If you are planning on taking the ACT early, remember to start your test prep early. While the ACT covers more advanced math than the SAT. The test also has a science section, but it does not require knowing information that only upperclassmen know. In fact, you have learned enough for school skills and knowledge as early as your freshman or sophomore year. If you take advanced math courses like precalculus or calculus, you may have to go back and review algebra and geometry because you may be a little rusty. Another benefit of taking your ACT early is that you may have more time for studying for it because you won’t be preoccupied with college applications, AP classes, varsity sports, community service, or any of the other activities in which you get involved. There are reasons that you would not want to take the ACT early and the main one is lack of preparation. It is not a good idea to take the ACT with zero studying. If you take the ACT the first time and use it as just a trial run, you may have issues getting your scores if the committee sees too high of a jump in your score or sense inconsistencies in your test scores. Especially with recent security breaches around the ACT and SAT, these organizations carefully monitor any hint of foul play. I would recommend not taking the test to many times, especially more than 6. Taking it any more than that and you start to send a message to the college that you are not putting in the effort when it comes to preparation or are struggling to achieve the score that you want. Find a good balance between good test prep and leaving yourself with enough test dates to still hit your target scores. Consider taking a good test prep course to help you achieve your results. One way to properly prepare for your college testing is through taking an ACT test prep class. These are wonderful classes that allow you to prepared properly and keep you from taking on multiple times. Test prep classes are offered by Elite Home Tutoring, along with others companies.
A common mistake that many adults make is thinking that only adults suffer from depression. The truth is even children can suffer from depression. As many as 1 in every 33 children may have depression. In teenagers, the number can be as high as 1 in 8. If you are questioning whether your child is showing symptoms, then it is a good time to learn about depression and how to help if your child, or a child you know, seems depressed. There are many different types of depression. Major depression, dysthymia, adjustment disorder with depressed mood, seasonal affective disorder, and bipolar disorder (or manic depression) are the types that affect kids and teenagers the most. Depression isn’t typically caused by only one thing. Most of the time it is caused by many different things put together. Depression can also run in families so if you have a close family member that has it, then your child’s odds of developing depression are slightly higher. It can also be a side effect of some medications. To meet criteria for a diagnosis of depression, five or more of these symptoms must be present for longer than 2 weeks: a feeling of being down in the dumps or really sad for no reason a lack of energy, feeling unable to do the simplest task an inability to enjoy the things that used to bring pleasure a lack of desire to be with friends or family members feelings of irritability (especially common in kids and teens), anger, or anxiety an inability to concentrate a marked weight gain or loss (or failure to gain weight as expected), and too little or too much interest in eating a significant change in sleep habits, such as trouble falling asleep or getting up feelings of guilt or worthlessness aches and pains even though nothing is physically wrong a lack of caring about what happens in the future frequent thoughts about death or suicide If you think that your child has depression, it is important to take action and get them help. Some parents don’t want to admit that their child could be depressed and dismiss signs or think that they will go away. Other time parents don’t get their child help because they feel guilty and think it is their fault. Parents often feel responsible for things going on with their kids, but parents don’t cause depression. However, it is true that parental separation, illness, death, or other separation can cause short-term problems for kids, and sometimes can trigger a problem with longer term depression. It is important to let your child know that you are always there for them and that you are there when they need you. Remember, kids who are depressed may see the world very negatively because their experiences are shaped by their depression. They might act like they don’t want help or might not even know what they are really experiencing. The good news is that depression can be successfully treated in more than 80% of cases. If it goes untreated, it can be deadly. It is important to get your child help and diagnosed as soon as you suspect your child has depression
Exams can be stressful and studying for them can be just as tough. Knowing how to properly prepare for them can be very helpful. Here are the top 5 tips to help you study for any exam. Be sure to understand your study topics in your own words. It does not matter how many times you have been told something from a teacher or textbook. If you can’t explain what it means in your own words, you will not be happy with your grade. You can not just memorize what you are learning and check it off the list. Get in the habit of explaining it in your own words what you are learning so that you will remember it better and are able to understand your study notes. Don’t be afraid to ask study questions.William Arthur Ward, who is one of America’s most quoted writers of inspirational maxims, said “Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning.” Don’t be afraid to ask a question that you think is stupid. Embrace your curiosity, after all the only stupid questions are the ones not asked. Depending on what you are studying, it can be difficult to understand what you are trying to learn. Your teacher, lecturer, or other educator is there to help you learn and they are willing to answer your questions. Quiz yourself. After you think you understand a concept, the next step is to quiz yourself on it. Write out an exam and then try to duplicate the conditions. Make sure you turn off your phone, don’t talk, and time yourself. This will help you get more comfortable with the exam process and you can find out how well you really know what you are trying to learn. Flash Cards are handy for trying to quiz yourself. They are also great for boosting your memory and help you recall theory, definitions and key dates. You can also use them as a quick study session right before an exam. Get Creative with online study tools.There are many different ways to study so pick one that works best for you. There are many study tools and techniques available to help you study. Be sure to try many different ones to find the right one for you. Some good examples are online flashcards, mind maps, mnemonics, online study planners, as well as video and audio resources. Also bring study notes with you wherever you go. This way when you have extra time you have a quick study session. Set your study goals and create a flexible study plan. An important part of success is knowing what you want to achieve. Set your goals and make a flexible study plan. If you set your study plan too strict, then you will have problems when things come up. As you get closer to exam time, the more concrete your plan should be. Using these 5 tips will help you achieve success with your exams. Remember the earlier you start preparing for your exams, the more you will remember and understand.
Finding the right tutor for your child can be a frustrating process. You may wonder what to look for in the right tutor or what questions to ask a tutor to find out if they are a good fit. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to tutoring. A lot of it depends on your child’s needs, setting, convenience and cost. You can choose a private tutor, tutoring center, or an online service. You will have to determine what is the best fit for your child. It’s often a good idea to look for a tutor that has a college degree and has completed a tutoring program. Make sure that the tutor that you choose has experience in the subject that your child is having issues with. This will ensure that the tutor has been trained in different approaches to help your child with the way that they learn. Find out if the tutor has helped children that are around the same age and has the same learning style that your child has. Also look at what kind of attitude and personality the tutor has. Are they patient, upbeat, and encouraging? How do they interact with children? Make sure you ask for references and check those references. Ask the parents questions and see how the tutor helped their children. Did the kid’s grades improve and were they able to do their homework better? Make sure you meet with multiple tutors and compare the pros and cons of each tutor. Make goals with the teacher, tutor, child, and you. Parents and tutors are aware of what the goals should be, but you know your child better than anyone. Make sure that your tutor is willing to work with your child’s teacher. This will be beneficial in the long run because your tutor can give your teacher updates and your child’s teacher can update the tutor on how your child is doing in the classroom and what your child is needing help with. Make sure that the tutor gives progress reports and find out how often they give them. Ask for a sample of the progress report and see if it gives the kind of info that you would like to see on your reports. What kind of policies does the tutor have? Will you get charged for a session if your child is sick and you did not give them a 24 hour notice that the session will be canceled? Also it will be a good idea to find out their policies on make up sessions and substitute tutors if your child’s tutor can’t make it. Will you have any say in who is teaching your child if there is a replacement? Be involved in the process. At the end of each session, find out what your child is supposed to do before the next meeting. Remember that you play an important part in your child’s education. There is a lot involved in finding the right tutor for your child. Just remember that it will be worth it in the end.
There are many different reasons to love flash cards. Maybe you haven’t found your reason to love flashcards yet and think they are very boring. Here are some of the reasons that we love flashcards and thing that you should too. Let’s start off with why flashcards are important. There are tons of articles online talking about flashcards and what they can do for you as a student. In case you missed all these great articles, check out our list of reasons to use flashcards… Study flashcards burn information into the brain as they engage active recall. They aid in spaced repetition. If you’re unfamiliar with the idea of spacing in learning, it basically involves spacing learning events apart rather than massing them together. They activate metacognitive faculties. An example of this is when you believe something to be true and suddenly find out that it isn’t true. Because the answer shocked you, it has become ingrained in your memory and has deepened the learning association. This type of self-reflection is known as metacognition. They are a method of self-testing. They enhance retention. They improve comprehension skills. They allow for visual learning. With improved learning comes better exam results. Now that you know the importance, it is time to make flashcards! There is a great article online titled “8 Ways to Create Better Flashcards”. Here is some ideas from this great article: Use Pictures. For best results use pictures with words. More is Better. Create a variety of cards of the same thing to help you remember it in different ways. Keep it Simple. Sometimes you may be tempted to group things together in categories. This makes it harder to remember stuff. Try to keep the cards to 1 thing instead of grouping them together. When you’re right, you’re right. Sometimes you have words that are synonyms. As long as you get one of them, call it a win. Eventually you will remember both words. Opposites Attract. Don’t let them. Using phrases like the opposite of hot is _____ are a bad idea. This will not help you remember the words. It will only confuse you. Keep it Short. Keep your questions simple and direct. Our brains are lazy will try and find the easiest way to remember the thing on the card and forget the rest. Learn, then memorize. Understand what you’re teaching yourself before you memorize it. Be careful with corrections. If you use cards like ones that have you fix the error, your mind may remember the error in the future instead of the correct thing. There are many ways to make using flash cards fun. A fun article “Becoming a Flash Card Master” lists cool ways to make flashcards more fun. One of the things this article talks about it using a scorecard to keep track of scores while playing games with the flashcards to make it more interesting. Make a game out of flashcards and have a competition to see who can get the highest score! Here are 5 games they wrote about: The Magic Show The Quick Flip The Hint/ Gesture Game The Slow Reveal The Pictionary
Being a teenager has its pitfalls, which can include overwhelming pressure and stress with school and grades. Classes become more difficult and teachers often demand a tremendous amount of general homework, projects, and reports to be completed. As a parent, it is imperative that you be there for your high school student to make sure your child performs well to help with college and beyond, even if extra help may be needed. High school is a common time for tutoring to be needed. Here are 7 strong signs that your high school student needs a tutor… Different methods: Times have changed and so have the teaching methods they use in schools. You may know how to get the answer yourself, but do you know how your child is being taught to get the answer? Your child may be learning how to do things differently than you did them. This will make it harder for you to help them when you don’t know the current methods being taught. It Has Been Too Long Or You Do Not Remember Enough To Help: If your child is studying long division or fractions and those aren’t something that you deal with on a daily basis, then it may just have been too long since you’ve done some of these things for you to be the best tutor for your child. Could you look at a book and remind yourself. Maybe math wasn’t your thing or you don’t remember how to do signs and cosigns. You can look over the worksheet your child brings home, but you weren’t in class with them. Even if you were getting the concept across to your child, if you don’t really understand how they are trying to do it, then it may not work. Tutors will have several different ways to approach a subject in order to help your child. Need A Someone To Help Who Has More Patience: Let’s face it, our children know how to push our buttons and make us mad. Often we do not have as much patience with our children as we would like. I know there are times when I have more patience with other people’s children than I do with my own. This is where a professional tutor come is. This is what they do. Your child will learn better if they have someone that is more patient with them. Plus, maybe it is just me, but there are times when it seems like your child will listen to everyone else except you, especially teenagers. Time Commitment: How much of a time commitment can you make to help your child? Sometimes it can be hard to find the time needed to help your child. Fitting a solid hour with no distractions, 3 times a week may not be something that you can do. If you get your child a tutor, they can often meet at the school either before or after classes. Your Child Is Trying Not To Disappoint You: Our children don’t want to disappoint us, so they may say that they understand something when really they don’t. They may also feel stupid asking a question for the third time if they still don’t understand the answer. Tutors are used to this kind of thing so they can try to rephrase an answer in order to explain it differently. This way it may click with your child so the finally understand it. More Convenient: Work can be exhausting, so there are pros to having your child meet with a tutor. Having your child meet with a tutor before or after school would be a lot more convenient than having to try to find a time after you get home from work. Since your child is already in the learning mode at those times and more awake it should be easier for them to learn it during those times. Let’s say you get home from work at 6, eat at 7, and finally get around to helping them at 8, chances are your child is already out of school mode and not pick it up as easy. Specialization: Your child could have a learning issue like dyslexia. Finding a tutor that specializes in teaching children like yours will help your child way more than you can. Sometimes it is hard to admit that you can’t do it all as a parent, especially once your child reaches high school. Deciding if your high school student needs a tutor may be a difficult one, but the end result may be worth it.
Dyslexia is a problem is a learning disability that is undiagnosed in children, even though they struggle in school.There are many symptoms that your child is struggling with dyslexia. Some of them depend on the age of your child and how severe they have it. Dyslexia is most noticeable in children. It can affect your child’s ability to read, write, spell, or even speak. Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in children and it can persist into adulthood. The sooner it is recognized and treated, the better the outcome will be for your child. Here are 5 symptoms that your child is struggling with dyslexia. Reading Problems – You may notice your child can easily read a word on one page but on another page won’t recognize it. Other times you will notice that your child knows phonics but can’t or won’t try to sound out a word they don’t know. They may also switch letters when reading a word. For example the word “from” might be “form”. Or “was” might be “saw”, “now” might be “won”. They might also misspell common words that they see all the time such as they, what, where, does, and because despite practicing them a lot. Spelling Problems – Your child might also misspell words when copying them off a board or a book. Your child might also try and avoid writing whenever possible. Some children with dyslexia are also up-down confused. They might confuse letters like b-p or d-q, n-u, and m-w. Writing Problems – Children with dyslexia also have problems writing. You may notice that your child’s handwriting is either poor or unreadable. They might also have poorly spaced words and take a long time to write out their letters. Your child may also write their letters in an unusual way. This is because they can’t remember the correct order to write the letters. So they start somewhere and keep going until the letter looks right to them. Math Problems – Children with dyslexia are often time very gifted in math. This is because of their ability to visualize the problems in a 3 dimensional way. It allows them to “see” the math concepts more quickly. Despite this your child may still be having difficulty with math. Your child may know all the steps in long division. But your child often mixes up steps, despite knowing how to do it and then comes up with the wrong answer. Many problems are see in directions, rote memorization, reading and sequencing. They can make the math tasks so difficult that their math gifts are never discovered. Directionality Problems – Most children with dyslexia have problems with directions. You may notice that your child has problems reading and understanding a map. They have problems with North, South, East, or West. They also have problems with telling the difference between right or left. Dyslexia can be very different from one child to the next. Children with dyslexia can have a mix or cluster of different signs and symptoms. Dyslexia is commonly diagnosed on a child that actually is suffering from another learning disability because of the similar signs and symptoms between Dyslexia and other learning disabilities. A great way to test for Dyslexia is through taking the Dyslexia test online to dig deeper into what may be going on with your child. Print the results and bring them to your child’s physician to review. Watch your child and make notes as things come up. Having examples is extremely helpful when it comes to properly diagnosing your child. The sooner you solve the problem, the quicker you can find a solution to help guide your child. Many amazing people have grown to overcome dyslexia through learning to work with the issue. With time and effort, your child can too.
Studies have shown time and time again that children with parents who are involved in their education have more success than children without parental support. Children are found to have better behavior, have higher grades, and better all around attitude towards education that results in a more successful life. Getting involved with your child’s education begins at home through simply asking your child about their school day. It is natural for children to not give much information when asked about their school day. How they respond and what they share truly comes to the relationship you have with your child. Keeping an open line of communication is important for the parent-child relationship, especially when it comes to school. Some children do not like to open up and talk about their day or school. If you find your child not saying much than ask questions that do not require only one word answers. Get familiar with their school routine to help bring up more specific questions. Taking time every evening to go through your child’s schoolwork with them is an important part of being involved with their education. Taking the time to look through their bag and asking them to explain some of the items to you can help you get the conversation going with your child about their school day. Unless the teacher sent tons of paperwork home, this process does not have to be long and detailed. Just enough time to see what your child has for the day and show them that you care about their school education and life. Many parents find they can keep up with their child’s education, even if they are not home after school, through making a rule of informing the parent about schoolwork when they arrive home and needing to complete it before anything else. If you have a younger child that you are trying to work with, check their planner every day for notes from the teacher. Many times, teachers will write notes to you, as the parent, or have the child write a note regarding work that needs to be done. No matter your child’s age, ensuring that they keep you informed on what is going on is important. If your teacher is willing to give you their phone number or email address, it is helpful to communicate with them about your child via phone or email. Every teacher and school is different on the best line of communication, so make sure to follow what is best for the teacher to help be better connected. Most schools have 2 official parent/ teacher conferences a year. Try and make these a priority. Conferences are a great opportunity for teachers to give a full update on your child’s progress for the year. Before the conferences come, try to write down questions you may have regarding your child’s work, so you can ask the teacher. Listen to what the teacher has to say. Most teachers are skilled at observing the children and what goes on. It is important to visit your child’s classroom and see where they spend their day. Busy parents tend to overlook visit your child’s classroom. It is amazing what parents can be learn about their child from spending a short period watching what goes on in the classroom. If your time schedule allows it, try and volunteer in your child’s classroom. This is not always possible though. If this is something that you are able to do, get with your child’s teacher. Tell them that you would like to help, but don’t know what to do. There is a good chance the teacher can find something for you to do. Some schools have guidelines on the type and amount of assistance a parent can give. Make sure you talk with the principle to find out what those are. Sometimes teachers just need help behind the scenes. Stuff like planning holiday parties, advising on a computer installation, helping with fundraising, or even writing a grant. It is harder to keep in touch with your child’s teacher once they start middle school. There are more teachers to communicate with. At this age your child is less likely to want to talk to you about what is going on. Participation at this age is still important and recommended. Typically each child is assigned either a guidance counselor or a primary teacher. Use this person as your contact and develop a line of communication with them throughout the year. Even in middle and high school, the teachers may still appreciate your help with planning field trips or organizing fund-raising projects for the school. Information received from your child’s teachers can be helpful at the middle and high school grades. In fact, for college-bound children, these talks are as important as ever. The teacher may have insights about your child that may affect selection of college and career. Although participation is important, you must learn to become less directly involved with your children’s schoolwork. By middle school, your child should be taking most of the responsibility for their own homework. If you are a parent that has not been involved with your child’s education, it is never too late to begin. If you are just beginning when your child is older, keep at it. Never give up, as it is about finding the way that works for your child. Children who are not used to their parents being involved with school may be more hesitant to your sudden involvement. Communicate with your child about your desire to be involved with their education to help your child feel more comfortable talking about school. A pattern of poor involvement with your child’s education can lead to your child feeling any conversation about school means they are in trouble. Ensure your child that you are there to learn and be apart of their school life and education, not find things they are doing wrong. There are many ways to participate in your child’s education. You do not
You may find yourself wondering why tutoring is important for kids or when it is needed. There are many reasons that tutoring is important for kids, more than could ever be explained in a single blog post, but we did our best collecting information on why children need tutoring and what tutoring can do for them. Every child learns in their own way. What works for one child does not always work for another. At times, it does not matter how well your child’s teacher explains the material, your child may need more time to practice the skill or understand the content. Tutoring provides an opportunity for one-on-one instruction to help a child learn in their own way. One good need for tutoring occurs when children move in the middle of the school year and the new school is at a different place than the old school. Children are to be taught certain standards every year for their grade, but how or when they are taught is up to that school district. Your child may struggle because they may have missed things they should know already for their new school. A tutor can help fill the gaps that happened as a result of the move and change of curriculum timing. There are many other reasons why a child may struggle and need a tutor. It does not mean that the parent, student, or the teacher did anything wrong. Some of it has to do with the cognitive ability to receive the information and receive it well. As you may have noticed, schools have become more sophisticated with the way subjects are taught. Through these innovations, subject matters become more integrated and developed. Because of this they are more challenging for students. Sometimes, kids may find it hard to cope with their lessons. Tutoring allows your child to cope with the material they learn in school. It provides your child with the leverage that they need in handling the subject matter. Tutoring is a personal approach that allows you to convey the information to the person you’re tutoring effectively, helping them improve in school performance. Tutoring is also important because it helps children prepare for future standard tests. This is accomplished because the tutor and your child work on mastering what they are having problems with. This will effectively allow your child to tackle tests with full preparation and confidence. Many high-profile executives and inventors struggled in school at different points in their life. Some had tutors and others did not. Albert Einstein was a great example of a genius who admittedly did terrible in school. Imagine what would have come if he had tutor to help him through the difficult times? Tutoring is an important asset to the development of your child’s performance and confidence. It helps your child learn and grow to their full potential when it comes to subjects at school. This effectively provides a sense of fulfillment and progress in their studies, as challenges are becoming more evident at school. As a result, tutoring is important if you want to help your child cope with the increasing difficulty of the school system. A tutoring service will help your child out in building that confidence and coping with school. Tutoring can be very important to kids. I am not saying that every child needs a tutor. You have to use your judgment to decide what is best for you and your child.
Starting preschool is a big step in your child’s life. To help them get off to the right start, we can help prepare our children through working with them weeks before they begin. Remember to keep it slow paced to keep from overwhelming your child with too much at once and always make it fun to help them interact and retain information better. A great way to get started is through incorporating preschool routines at home and using pretend play to help your child learn about preschool. Take turns being the parent, child, and teacher. Act out daily routines like saying good-bye to mommy and/or daddy, taking off your coat, reading stories, singing songs, playing outside, having circle time, and taking naps. Help your child feel in control by answering their questions patiently. Reassure your child that preschool is a good place and that they will have fun, learn, and make new friends. These different actions, like taking a nap, eating at a certain time, and more are useful to help get your pre-preschooler into a routine, especially for those struggling with a schedule for their child. You can find books about preschool at your local library and online full of information to help you with your specific child needs. Read children books on preschool together and talk about the books after you are done. Ask your child how they are feeling when learning about preschool. Read books for parents to help you learn how to help your child through the transition, and more. Start reading the books over the summer that are geared towards them to help.. Make a game of self-help skills like unzipping their coat, hanging their coat on the hook, putting on their backpack, and tying their shoes. You can have races with your child to see who can put on their shoes the fastest. When you play school together you can practice the things they have learned. If they will be bringing packed lunch, have a picnic a couple of times so they can practice taking out their food. Take a tour of the preschool with your child and allow them to ask questions. Show them where their room will be. Make it a fun day. Every child is different, and being at daycare daily before starting preschool does not mean that preschool start will be easy. Some children are overly comfortable and some struggle at first. Try to pick up on any cues you see along the way to help when and where you can, if your child struggles with this new change. Listen to your child’s worries and fears. Do not dismiss them. Also watch for nonverbal messages. Sometimes your child does not know how to tell you what they are feeling. About 2 weeks before the big day, take them to purchase their first backpack. If possible, let your child pick out the backpack. This will help give them a sense of control. Make sure to point out that they are a big kid now. Label all of your child’s items with their name on it. You will also want to talk to your child about the morning and afternoon routine. Let them know what to expect. Around this time you will want to start having them go to bed at the time they will when they start school. This will give them time to adjust to the new schedule. The night asking different questions to try and answer any questions your child has as our little ones are still at a time where it is hard to explain their feelings. Let your child choose the clothes they will be wearing for their first day. Try to not make a big deal out of the first day and don’t focus on it too much unless they want to. Try to keep the bedtime routine smoothly and relaxing. The morning of the big day, make sure you wake your child up with plenty of time so they don’t feel rushed. Make breakfast for your child and if possible sit down to eat with them. If you can’t sit down, at least talk with them while you get ready and they eat. Review the day’s routine with your child. Pack your child’s backpack. If they are bringing a lunch, try and pick out their favorite snacks. Plan to stay an extra 15 minutes after you get to the preschool. Explore the classroom together and meet some of the other children. Remember to keep your tone upbeat and positive. When you are leaving, if you hear your child crying, try and resist running back to them. This will be the hard part because we all hate to hear our child cry. Instead, you can wait outside the classroom for a few minutes to ensure that all is well, or call the school later in the morning to check-in. If you feel your child may not be ready for preschool education-wise than begin early and work through getting fun flashcards and games to focus on building basic counting, colors, and shape skills needed. Testing for preschool allows us as parents to have laid out the areas of struggle, but many times we can see problems before. Begin working with them if you see problems but ensure to focus on struggle areas you find during testing. Preparing your child for their first day of preschool does not have to be complicated. Remember to have fun and not overdo it.
Being able to speak the local language or at least knowing some of the basic phrases can make your trip to a different country more enjoyable. Or maybe you just have an interest in a language and would like to learn it. Here are the top 5 ways to learn a new language completely free on any device. Duolingo Duolingo is one of the most popular language apps there is and is also one of the highest rated apps. An independent study conducted by the City University of New York and the University of South Carolina, about 34 hours of Duolingo is equivalent to a full university semester of language education. The great thing about it is that Duolingo is easy to use. You work on lessons to learn basic words, phrases, and grammar. You then practice what you have learned by translating real world content from blogs and websites. There are a few less languages on the apple and android apps than there are on the website. Languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Irish, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Polish, Esperanto, Turkish, Norwegian, Ukrainian Available: Apple, Android, and Windows 2. Busuu Basuu uses crowd-sourcing as part of its language learning system. When you first start out with busuu you will use a lot of flashcards for learning new words and phrases. As you advance, you will have the opportunity to practice writing and answering questions, which will be marked by other users who speak the language that you are learning. They offer 12 languages and you are encouraged to listen and speak the language by interacting with native speakers. Languages: English, Spanish, German, French, Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Polish, Turkish, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese. Available: Apple and, Android 3. Memrise Memrise is great for visual learners. They have over 200 languages to choose from. They use a scientific learning system that is supposed to boost your brain to learn 44 words an hour. They also use multiple game modes to drill different parts of your memory. The content is user-generated, so the quality may vary. Languages: 200+ Available: Apple and, Android 4. Lingualy Lingualy uses flashcards and games to help you learn. You practice what you learn by reading articles of things that interest you. When you come across a word that you don’t know, you can click on the word and it will give you the meaning and the translation. Languages: English, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Turkish. Available: Apple and, Android 5. HelloTalk HelloTalk helps you learn are over 100 languages to choose from. You can select your entry level and you will start learning and practicing immediately. You connect with others on the internet that also want to learn. You can type in your native language and they can type in theirs. You just tap and hold to translate or pronounce any sentence. Languages: 100+ Available: Apple and, Android Learning a new language doesn’t have to be hard or boring. Thanks to these great apps, you can learn almost any language you choose. Best of all, most of these apps are free, allowing you to learn as much as you want without investing a dime.
Fighting your child to do their homework is even more difficult when your child hates a subject. Finding ways to make the subject fun for your child can make homework time easier for both your child and yourself. There are many reasons why your child finds a subject boring. It may be because they don’t find it interesting or they are facing difficulties with the subject. If you determined that the subject truly is not interesting to them, there are a few things you can do to help them. Learn 3 key things to help make subjects more interesting. Discover the Context Make Stories and Mental Pictures Use the Knowledge. Discover the Context: Figuring out why something is useful, relevant or important is the first step to believing it is interesting for a child that is bored. Look for ways that you might use the subject or topic in a real life situation and make a game out of it. Believing something is interesting solves a common problem with students when it comes motivation and memory. Make Stories and Mental Pictures: If your child is finding a book too boring, try reading a chapter or two out loud to them. Make the story come alive by changing your voice tones and showing excitement in your voice as you read. Sometimes after the chapter is read, your child will continue to read on their own to see what happens next. You can use this technique for other subjects like history, social studies, or science. When you make the story come alive your child will remember the dull facts better. Use the Knowledge: Sometimes your student is spending too much time studying that they don’t have time to use what they are learning and they don’t see how it applies to real life. For example, if your child is having difficulty in math with fractions, you could have them try making a recipe or pizza in the kitchen. Have them use the fractions that they are learning while cooking. Have them figure out what combos they will need to make the right measurement for the recipe. If your child is able to read you a simple book, don’t get hung up on the word-by-word pronunciation that leads the story to lose the meaning to your child. Also, try to get them to tell you stories. Try to write them down to help them appreciate the importance of their words. You will also end up with a nice memento of this time in their life – silly ideas and all. Whatever your child is having difficulty with, it is important to remember to stay positive. Getting anxious or cross will only put them off more. And most important remember to make it fun. If they don’t seem interested in the simple science they are doing, perhaps you could take them out on a clear night to look at the stars. You could also buy a cheap microscope and put an ant underneath it. You will probably learn something cool along the way and it could be a great bonding experience also!
With the holiday break over, it’s time to start getting back to classes. When it comes to classes, it is always great to have a couple of apps to help keep things organized and running smoothly. Both Apple and Android have a wonderful selection of apps to help you get started. Here are the “Top 7 Apps” to get you started for college in the New Year: Dictionary.com Dictionary.com is a great vocabulary building app. It is great for helping you get ready for exams. With over 2,000,000 definitions, you are sure to find any word you are looking for. The main app is free. It does have ad banners that allow it to be free. It has search history, word origin and history, word of the day, synonyms, antonyms, a thesaurus, and much more. The IOS version and Android version are both very popular and growing apps. Quizlet Quizlet is a great study tool. Filled with millions of flashcard study sets for several topics that have already been created by both high school and college students. If you can’t find the subject that you are looking for, it’s very easy to make your own. You can also use images and audio in your flashcard sets. It is great for adding variety to your learning process. The IOS version and Android version both average a 4.2 star rating.This is a handy app that every college student should keep around. Google Drive Google Drive is a wonderful resource for taking and keeping notes, drawing diagrams, creating spreadsheets, and building presentations. The great thing about Drive is the cloud storage, which allows access any computer or mobile device that is connected to the internet. Google Drive is a collection of cloud based “Office” programs that include spreadsheets, documents, presentations, diagrams, and more. You get 15GB of free storage and you have the option to purchase more if needed. You can sign up with an email address. If you have a Google account, you automatically have an account. The IOS version has 37,190 reviews with a 4 star rating. The Android version has 1,046,549 reviews with a 4.3 star rating. Make sure to take advantage of this wonderful tool! Wi-FI Finder Between checking your grades online to checking out what is on the menu in the cafeteria, you won’t get far in college without WiFi. This app is great for finder of all the free internet hotspots in your area. Learn more about the IOS version and Android version,as this app is a great one to keep around to minimize mobile data and keep connected. Amazon Kindle The Amazon Kindle is a great app, if you like to read e-books. You can turn your smartphone into a book library. You can use this app to organize all your eBooks and read them offline. A great thing about the Amazon Kindle is that it has a built in dictionary so you easily find the meaning of a word while you are reading. Check out the IOS version and Android version with an average rating of 4.1.. Whether it is a book for a class or for pleasure, this is an app you want to keep around! Evernote Evernote is one of the top apps for taking notes. It has cool features like bookmarking, composing, clipping, and much more. It even has a to-do list to keep you on track! You can sync it to an online account. So you are taking notes on your phone you can access them later on your computer. There is both a free version and a paid version. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the many features available be sure check out this comprehensive beginner’s guide. Check out the IOS version and the Android version with an average rating of 4.6. Mathway If Math is a weak spot for you, then Mathway is a great app for you! It does all the work for you when it comes to solving the problem. The app does everything from Arithmetic to Geometry. It also does Theorems to Calculus. It helps make your math classes a little easier, with less headaches. Check out the IOS version and Android version. Now you have a few more tools to help you better succeed in 2016. Make sure to share with other students apps that you love, as this is the best way to help one another get through the tougher parts of school. Don’t forget that these apps aren’t just for college students!
Congratulations on your decision to go to college! It is an exciting time in your life, that may also a stressful one. There are many important areas to consider when you begin to think of the best way to be ready for college, as a student. Preparing For College Means Two Things: Be Prepare To Work Hard Be Prepares To Take Time Inside & Outside of School To Explore Your Career Interests A strong academic foundation in high school improves your odds of getting into a good college. During high school, focus on completing the following: 1 year of High School Physics 1 year of High School Chemistry 1 year of High School Biology Math (up to Calculus) 2-4 years of a Foreign Language 4 years of English 2 years of History and/or Social Sciences To create this foundation, take at least five solid academic classes every semester. Start with the basics, and then move on to challenging yourself in advanced courses. Most colleges require students to meet certain college prep curriculum standards, so just meeting the minimum is not necessarily the best way to prepare for college. Make sure you check to see what your college of choice requires. Strong preparation means going beyond the minimum. Colleges also expect students to have interests outside of academics. Sports and other extracurricular activities show admission officers that students are well-rounded and can contribute to life on campus. Volunteering or working part-time also indicates a sense of duty and commitment, further proof that students are ready for the responsibilities college entails. It takes a lot of work to prepare for college admission. With a little effort and time, you will do great. Remember to choose extra curricular activities that you enjoy to show how unique you are.
What is tutoring? That is a very good question, When using the dictionary, tutoring is defined as “a person charged with the instruction and guidance of another.” A question many ask is why would you need a private tutor? The purpose of tutoring is to help students through teaching them to become independent learners who will eventually no longer need a tutor and have the tools to grow their education independently. A tutor provides expertise, experience, and encouragement but they do not provide “answers.” Instead a tutor assists in problem solving and helping you learn how to get the answers on your own.The challenge is to focus on assignments within the context that they are assigned. There are tremendous benefits to tutoring, let’s look at some of them. Benefits of Tutoring: Encourages a higher level of thinking Permits advanced students to study lower level material without embarrassment Increases ability to manage your own learning and study strategies Increases subject specific knowledge Increases related general knowledge Provides more empathy with the student Offers individualized, systematic, structured learning experience Provides greater congruence between teacher and learner Improves academic performance Improves attitude toward subject area Motivates self-directed learning Provides intensive practice Improves your self esteem Content knowledge is an essential ingredient for a tutor. However, to be truly effective, a tutor must combine content knowledge with empathy, honesty and humor. Empathy requires a tutor to “read” the emotional states, attitudes and perceptions of their students. It is also the ability to see others from their personal frame of reference, and to communicate this understanding to the person involved. In order for tutors to establish a supportive relationship with their students, tutors must be open and honest. We often find that students are reluctant to talk with a stranger about their academic problems. If a tutor is perceived as genuine with a strong desire to listen, students are often more willing to open up and discuss their problems. Surprisingly, Humor can play an important part in a tutoring session. Humor helps reduces tension and shared laughter is a powerful way to reinforce learning. If a tutor uses humor, it can set students at ease and increase rapport. Humor can also be used to compliment, to guide or to provide negative feedback in a positive manner. In addition, a successful tutor demonstrates a caring attitude. Caring consists of being organized for the tutoring session and being punctual. It also consists of establishing a learning relationship with the student, developing unique teaching strategies, and becoming familiar with the learning process. Ultimately, tutoring is sharing yourself with another student in a way that makes a positive difference in both your lives. All-in-all, tutoring is a wonderful resource for students of all ages and needs.
You have decided on your career and the college you want to attend. Now you have the task of finding a loan so you can afford to attend college and help your dreams come true. Paying for college is a scary thought, especially when the average public college tuition costs $24,061 and average private is $47,831. There are similarities and differences when it comes to student loans and ordinary loans. Student loans are similar to other loans in the way that you borrow money from a lender and promise to repay the loan with interest. The difference from student loans and ordinary loans comes in the repayment terms of student loans. With an ordinary loan, you are expected to begin paying the loan off in installments as soon as you receive the money. In the case of a student loan, you are traditionally expected to begin repaying the loan after your education is over because of the lack of employment needed to pay the loan is not there until you complete your schooling. As you will read below, some types of student loans are vastly superior to others. There are 2 main categories for student loans, federal and private loans. Let’s take a look at the different types of loans that come with federal and private loans: Stafford Loans are the most common type of federal loan that students apply for and use for funding their college education. Stafford loans are capped at a certain amount per year, based on whether you are dependent on or independent of your parents and what year you are in school. There are two types of Stafford Loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. Subsidized loans are awarded based on your financial need. The interest on these loans will not accrue while you are in school at least part-time. The interest will also not accrue if you apply for “deferment” following your education to help you have time to get an established job and full-time employment. Unsubsidized loans are not based on your financial needs, and the interest will begin to accrue from the moment the government gives you the loan. If you are an undergraduate, a subsidized Stafford Loan will have a lower interest rate than an unsubsidized one. Perkins Loans are for students with extreme financial need. The interest rates for Perkins Loans are a standard 5%, and the loan is limited to $5,500 per year in aid. PLUS Loans are issued to parents of students. Your parents can borrow a PLUS loan to supplement the costs that were not covered by other forms of financial aid that you have received. A consolidation loan combines one or several loans into a single loan package. According to the nonprofit American Student Assistance (ASA), interest rates on consolidation loans are calculated by doing a weighted average of the rates of each individual loan being combined and rounding up to the nearest one-eighth percent. The interest rate is capped at 8.25%. Institutional loans are offered by the school you’re attending. Unlike a scholarship, this money must be repaid to the school once you graduate. Private loans are sometimes called “alternative” or “deal” loans because they are different from government-funded Stafford, Perkins and PLUS loans. Unlike government loans (whose interest rates don’t vary and which have standard repayment schedules), the interest rates of private student loans can change over the life of the loan, and repayment schedules are not standardized. For this reason, private loans tend to be a greater financial burden for you when you take them on. These loans are recommend for you to use only when all other sources of financial aide have been exhausted. After learning about the different types of loans available, the first step is to fill out a “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) form. A few things you will need for this form are: Your Social Security Number Your W-2 and Tax Return Paperwork From The Previous Year Your Parent’s W-2 and Tax Return Paperwork From The Previous Year (if still legally a dependent of your parents) Submitting the FAFSA form online is the most recommended route as it is the fastest way to apply. The next important step is to find out the total cost of the school that you are want to attend. For this you will need to factor in: Tuition Additional Fees and Charges (These vary from school to school, so ask your admissions and records office what that may be.) Housing Books and Supplies Transportation Miscellaneous After you find the total cost, find out how much your family is able to help with your education funding. Sometimes your parents will have set up a savings account to help with these cost. Once finding out what loans you are eligible for, investigate the different types and what they have to offer. What is the interest rate? Total amount owed later? Accept the loans that are right for you and ensure to budget your money to last through the year and cover everything you will need. The process of applying for loans is repeated every year, as your income can factor in State and Federal grants, depending on what your state has to offer. Your income also factors how much interest-free and interest loans you are eligible for. Don’t just assume that your loans will be the same as they were the previous year. As income and other factors change, so do your loans. If you are stuck in a difficult spot when it comes to paying for school and do not have enough loans to cover, search out grants and scholarships offered for students in your position. There are many companies offering new grants and scholarships every year.
Being a parent isn’t the easiest job. There is no manual to help guide us. When problems arise at school, it can become frustrating for both you and your child. Many times, children attempt to hide school issues from parents. This can happen from fear of getting in trouble, worrying about telling on others, and many more reason. As parents, it is our job to pay attention to our children to try and catch abnormal behavior, whether small or big. If you are worried about your child’s recent behavior, here are symptoms your child may be having problems at school: A child who usually cooperates with adults suddenly begins to be disobedient at school. This is often the first indication of learning problems in preschool and kindergarten. It is typically not a child’s goal to annoy, disrespect, or frustrate you. They are trying to figure out how to be their own person and where they fit into the world and feel significant. The more you proactively give your child constructive ways to experience personal power, the more cooperative they will be. Point out your child’s successes and be sure to point out when they are improving. A child who usually gets along well with other children gets into fights at school, hurts other children, or takes their things. Your child could be having anger issues and is not sure how to handle it. Your child has trouble staying still or seated during class. Your child could be bored because they already know the material and just need something to challenge them. Another option is to talk to your teacher or doctor about getting them tested for ADHD. ADHD can easily be treated and worked with to help your child learn the best. Your child’s grades are dropping or have never been good. Your child could be what is referred to as a shut-down learner. They have become academically discouraged or disconnected from school over time. This could have many causes that add up to a shut-down learner (cracks in the foundation + time + lack of understanding + strained family communication). Your child does well in most subjects but suddenly is failing or struggling to keep up in a subject. This is often a sign that your child needs extra help in a certain subject. Try helping him more in the subject or consider a tudor. Your child complains of headaches, stomachaches or other physical problems at school or shortly after coming home from school. Your child frequently refuses to go to school or becomes very distressed about going to school. Try talking with your child about what is bothering them. Maybe they are getting bullied in school or are having trouble with a subject and don’t want to ask for help. Your child seems to have trouble remembering things or learning new things, or your child seems to learn well at home, but does poorly on tests at school. Another symptom with this is your child becomes quieter than usual, seems discouraged, or doesn’t seem to try at schoolwork any more. Consider talking to your child’s teacher and having them tested for learning disabilities. If you are seeing these symptoms, speak with your child about what is going on to see if you can learn more about what is going on. Make sure to always remind your children that you are there whenever you need them, without fear of getting in trouble or getting others in trouble. At times, children feel they will get in trouble for things that many times they will not. If you have trouble getting answers from you child, reach out to their teacher(s) and dig for answers. Children cannot resolve these issues on their own, so try and find answers as soon as you can.
As our children grow older, they become an age where they begin to learn the concept of money. Don’t wait to teach your children until they are older, begin when they are first learning to count money in school. Starting young will help teach them tips that build skills for a lifetime. Here are a few ways to incorporate lessons about money into your children’s life. Giving Your Child an Allowance. Teaching how money is earned is an important. Speaking to your child about chores they can do around your home to earn an allowance. Every family is different on how much allowance is given and how much work needs to be done. When it comes to their allowance, make sure to talk to them about saving a part of their allowance. Children never want to save money so it may be necessary to enforce a rule of saving a percentage of amount of all money earned to teach important habits for life. When you begin a pattern of saving your money as your grow older, it sticks with you as an adult. Play Monopoly or The Game of Life. Playing monopoly or The Game of Life may seem silly but these games create a wonderful opportunity to teach lessons on life. Money is needed to survive in the real world and these games bring in this reality in a great way. You will not just be teaching about money but spending time with your child at the same time which every child will love. Ensure to talk about life lessons while playing these games to help them understand how money is earned and spent in life. Discuss the cost of items and share experiences from your life or others you know to bring them into perspective. Bring Your Child Shopping. Bring your child with you to the store for your weekly or bi-weekly grocery shopping. Work with them to manage your list and budget throughout your shopping. I love grocery stores that have calculators on their carts but these are rarely seen any more so bring a calculator or let your child use your calculator on your phone to add up the items as you go to ensure you keep in your budget. It is amazing to put in perspective trying to not spend too much on needed items. Children know what they want when you go to the store, but to be part of this shopping allows them to learn how much these items cost. Show your child the different brands and the cost difference between them. Explain to them how much work was needed to earn this budgeted shopping money to put in perspective hard work with your grocery money. Encourage Your Child To Earn Money. As your children older, encourage them to start earning their own money. We all know those neighborhood kid side-jobs that we saw as a child. Whether mowing, babysitting, cleaning houses, yard work, and more, there are tons of opportunities for kids to earn extra cash! Teaching your child to go out and find ways to earn money when they want a more expensive item is a great way to teach them to strive for what they want and reach goals with money saving. Open A Saving Accounts. As adults, we know money in our pocket will burn through our pocket. Open your child a savings account to teach them to save and put money away where they cannot touch it to have for when they need. Saving money should be part of everything they do, so enforce a rule of saving a part of all money earned and received as a gift to help them reach savings goals. Find a number they want to save to and help them through going to the bank and putting their earned money in the bank. It is exciting for children to feel older through having an account and putting it away at the bank. Always remember to teach about life whenever you can. Life is tough and the lessons we can teach as parents is important.
As parents, it is so important to help our children as they learn to read. Our job is to help them grow the skills that they are working on to lead to reading growth. At times, it can be difficult to know where to begin when helping your new reader. If you are a parent who feels lost on where to begin with your growing reader, use some of these tips below: Remember to always go slow when beginning with your new reader. When first learning to read, you can never go slow enough, at times. Always keep this in mind as you help your child. Have your child read out loud the words from the book. Reading out loud is one of the best ways a younger reader can develop their skills. While reading out loud, have your child sound out each letter to help them put together words. The best way to start helping your child is through your local Library. Begin making weekly trips to the library where there are no distractions around. The library is a quiet, easy place for the two of you to concentrate and spend time together. Spending this time alone will help your child build their confidences and get them on the road to being a great reader. Many libraries have story nights which is great for your new reader. Having them listen to the story while following along to the words in the book. Find a book that comes with a CD to listen to in the car. Have them listen and read along to the story as it is read on the CD. You can always try to find a book that also comes with a CD. That makes car rides a little more fun. They can read the words as the story is being read. This will make road trips a little more fun and keep their minds and eyes in a book. This will also keep your younger ones learning too! This will open their minds up as much as your new reader! The more you get them interested in books, the better off they are! As you read together, begin going over what they read and talking about the story. Comprehension is a strong part of reading that leads to better reading skills. Ask your child questions about the story: Who was in the story? What happened in the story? Teaching your child to pay attention to the story as they read is important to their reading growth along with something that they will be tested on later on. If your child feels frustrated by the idea of remembering what they read, then take it slowly. Always remember to be there for your child as they read. Never read what they should be reading to get the work done quicker for your child. The first year of reading in school is one of the most important years. Finding new books at their reading level helps bring interest to your child. There are plenty of reading books to pick from at your local library and/or library.
Do you have a child you think is gifted and talented ? Through the New York school system, they have a the Gifted and Talented Program. To get into this program, you need to take a test that determines if you are eligible. This test includes both verbal tests from the OLSAT (Otis-Lennon School Ability Test) and nonverbal questions from the NNAT (Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test). You should look over all the information with your child and have them practice the test that will be given through the available practice tests. This will help your child become familiar with what information they need and help them cut the stress and anxiety that your child may have! Testing begins between the ages of 4-7 for entry into grades K-3rd grade and determines eligibility for the NYC Gifted and Talented Program. There are a few steps you have to do in order to get your child in THE Gifted and Talented Schools. The first step to this process is submitting a “Request for Testing Form” (R.F.T) in the Fall of the Year before you would like your child to start participating in the Gifted and Talented Program. You can do this either online or in writing by completing the form in the appropriate Department of Education handbook and submitting it to your child’s public school or local Borough Enrollment Office. The deadlines are posted on the Department of Education’s website in late Fall. The city-wide testing for your child usually starts in January, and only children who have turned 4 years old can participate. You will be informed of your child’s score in early Spring, and IF your child is qualified for The Gifted and Talented Program, you will be sent an application. If your child scores in or above the 90th percentile, he or she will be invited to apply to a district G&T program. If your child scored in or above the 97th percentile, he or she will be invited to apply to a citywide Gifted and Talented program. Admission to the Gifted and Talented program is only guaranteed to incoming kindergartners and first graders who rank every district option on their application. There are no guarantees for city-wide spots, as there are more children who score in or above the 97th percentile than there are seats. Placement is based on sibling priority, test score (percentile rank), family preference and available seats. A lottery is held to determine who gets a spot if there are more applicants than spaces. The completed applications are usually due in late spring, and acceptance notifications are usually sent out in early summer. Remember, even though your child may score high, these tests are based off a percentages. Even though your child may get a high score, they may not be in the right percentile and therefore not get into the school of your choice. Be sure you have your child practice as much as they can! Learn more on their website.
