In the past year, fidget spinners won the hearts of children all over the nation. As coined by Varda Epstein of Kars4Kids Education Blog, a fidget spinner is “like small propeller attached to ball-bearings” that rotates freely while generating a soothing vibration in one’s fingertips. Advertisers claim fidget spinners to be the newest solution to channeling nervous energy and treating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children. Despite all of the fanfare surrounding their functionality, fidget spinners may prove to be more of a hindrance to your child’s education than a help. Research shows that tactile or mind-focusing treatments can aid children experiencing symptoms of ADHD to a certain degree. In a Business Insider article, clinical psychologist Dr. Dave Anderson from the Clinical Mind Institute attests to the individual effectiveness of strategies like stress balls or music to calm to focus the mind. However, Dr. Anderson also states that “there are no universal recommendations of a particular toy for stress relief or a particular object for stress relief.“ Furthermore, there is little to no evidence that fidget spinners’ improve a child’s focus. In fact, since fidget spinners have only enjoyed a few months of popularity, no long term study of fidget spinners’ impact on child development exists at all. Therefore, experts are unable to verify the usefulness of fidget spinners to any degree; and the extent of their potential negative effects also remains unexplored. Many school systems have banned fidget spinners in classrooms, citing them as major distractions. Teachers feel that students utilize the fidget spinners as toys, rather than focus tools. The spinners distract pupils visually, causing the user to focus more on the spinner itself than on the lesson. School districts in both Massachusetts and Chicago were among the first to ban fidget spinners during instructional time, excluding only those students with clinically diagnosed conditions. Without legitimate evidence to bolster the claims of fidget spinners’ effectiveness, parents might want to exercise discretion when allowing their children to bring the devices to school. Even during homework time, fidget spinners may detract from studying and prolong the time required to finish assignments. With the mounting pressures of college admissions and the delicacy of your child’s development, is the risk of a fidget spinner throwing them off of their game really worth taking?
Education reform, “No Child Left Behind”, increased testing and requirements for students. Every country is seeking their competitive edge and educating future generations seems to be the key. Young minds are daily bombarded with tests and decisions regarding their future. Preschool parents are making choices about education and beginning foreign language in preparation for college. Though it’s true, you cannot begin too early in presenting a palette to these young minds, ready to absorb, it should be considered that these are individuals and have their own bent toward one subject or another. Each student will be “better at” and more inclined to certain subjects. “I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.” – Albert Einstein It is our responsibility as parents and educators to supply knowledge in the subjects students desire as well as finding creative ways to teach common core subjects. The problem with a system is that it teaches one style to the majority. But there are some who learn differently and it should be every educator’s goal to teach each child how they learn, not how to learn. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” – Albert Einstein Our future doesn’t lie in the hands of what the next generation learns but in the passion they have to follow their dreams. For born out this passion is an excellence in learning that can be surpassed by no educational reform. It is time to begin dreaming again. Society needs creatively thinking minds to solve the problems of the future. But if the system of education puts every child into a box that conforms their thinking to memorization and certain core knowledge, we as a a society risk the rise of a generation who cannot think for themselves. “Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” ― Socrates. When students are allowed to orient their own learning, something wonderful occurs. They learn to discover what is beautiful to them and uncover its truths. When knowledge is sought, it blossoms into wisdom. Educators and caregivers, the challenge to you is to find each student’s gifting and nourish the object of their attention with questions and theories and allow them the freedom to discover truth for themselves. This world is big and meant to be explored.
If you’re among the more than 1.6 million students who are planning on taking the ACT exams this year, you probably have mixed feelings about the process. On one hand, you know that this is your chance to show colleges how well you can perform on standardized tests and how dedicated you are to academic endeavors. On the other hand, you know that will mean lots of studying and preparation. Not to fret, getting a great ACT score is possible, even if you dread the idea of taking the test. If you’re looking for some inspiration and helpful tips to make the process better, look no further: Get familiar with the format. First and foremast, take some time to learn about the ACT exam and what it involves. Do you know how it’s different than the SATs? Do you know what the sections of the exam are and what the format is like? Don’t register before you learn the basics about the exam and know what will be expected of you so that you can study all topics accordingly. Give yourself a lot of time. Yes, it’s a fact that studying material over a longer period of time versus last minute cramming is the way to go. If you’ve got the option of spending an hour per day over a month versus three all-day study sessions, always opt for the longer term plan. 3) Think about the ACT exam differently. The ACT exam isn’t just another test, like that one you have next week in your social studies class. It is incredibly important and can play a big role in you getting accepted into your dream college, so give it the time and energy it deserves by preparing thoroughly. This may mean working with a tutor to establish an effective and productive study routine that ensures you’ll be prepared when test day arrives. 4) Use official ACT resources. The official ACT website offers a number of resources that every student should take advantage of, including practice test questions, tips, a question of the day, and more. Visit the page here to review the available material, and take note that some materials are available free of charge while others must be purchased. 5) Take practice exams. Before you start officially studying for the ACT exam you may want to take a practice exam to determine your base-line score. This will give you a starting point so that you can track your improvement and get an idea of how prepared you may or may not be already. By taking the exam a few times, you’ll also feel more comfortable with the format and know just what to expect on test day. With the right preparation, there is no reason you can’t excel at taking the ACT exam. Through preparation and planning, you can cut down on stress and ensure that you’ll get a score you can be proud of. Don’t feel you need to do it alone–get help from others and push yourself to be in your best mental shape! Dusty Fox is a full-time world traveler and freelance writer who contributes to the Ivy Trainers network. Visit the Ivy Trainers website to learn more about the services they offer. when it’s time to take the test!
Elite Home Tutoring is pleased to announce that Laura has joined our team of tutors in Chicago, IL. Laura has an undergraduate degree in elementary education from National Louis University. Laura tutors students in elementary math and reading with 10 years of teaching experience. With all of her experience she will make a great addition to Elite.
Elite Home Tutoring is pleased to announce that Angela has joined our team of tutors in El Paso, TX. Angela has an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from University of Texas at El Paso. Angela tutors students in elementary English and ACT English with 5 years of teaching experience and holds a teaching credential. Angelas’s vast experience is her field of expertise makes her an excellent representative of Elite Home Tutoring’s strong team of tutors
Elite Home Tutoring is pleased to announce that Rose has joined our team of tutors in Colorado Springs, CO. Rose has an undergraduate degree in Physical Education from Fayetteville State University, NC and a graduate degree in Educational Admin from Western Oregon State, OR. Rose tutors students in Algebra, Geometry & Calculus with 20 years of teaching experience and holds a teaching credential. Rose’s vast experience is her field of expertise makes her an excellent representative of Elite Home Tutoring’s strong team of tutors.
Jason Goetz Owner and Operator of Goetz Educational Services (www.goetzeducation.org), and Author of Essays on the Classics!, The Decline of the Epic?, and The Bubble Boys Students: How Will You Conquer the New SAT? The recent changes to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), given by The College Board several times per year to high school students who wish to attend four-year universities, carry heavy implications for the students who intend to take it. These changes are scheduled to take effect in 2016, when the current crop of high school freshmen are juniors. The test is not their older siblings’ SAT, and is even farther removed from their parents’ SAT. Students and their parents should look at these changes carefully so that they know what test they are taking and are able to prepare themselves adequately. The changes include the following: 1) The writing portion of the test is to become optional; 2) When students choose to take it, the essay they write will be one analyzing a written passage, rather than (as at present) one in which students respond to a prompt using their own experiences; 3) The reading portions will require students include ‘evidence-based’ multiple choice questions; 4) The passages students will be looking at in presumably both the reading and writing portions of the exam will be texts of special relevance to American history or science, rather than the haphazard passage selection of the present exam; 5) The vocabulary portion of the reading section will use common ones rather than ‘obscure’ ones; 6) The math section will be restricted in scope, covering algebra, data analysis, and ‘passport to advanced math’; 7) Points will no longer be subtracted for incorrect multiple-choice answers; 8) The scoring will revert to a ceiling of 1600, rather than 2400; 9) The exam will be offered in both print and digital formats. I will start with the last point, and then go back to the beginning. The availability of a digital format for the SAT is a huge step forward and an opportunity for students to take strong advantage of. When I took the SAT in 2005, the first year of the version currently in place, my writing score was determined to a much larger degree by my poor handwriting (which can be very difficult to read, especially if I am forced to wake up very early in the morning) than by my actual writing ability. During my junior year of high school I was able to write a paper on the aesthetic theory presented in James Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man that my high school teacher claimed would keep a squad of graduate school professors arguing. Yet my SAT Writing score came out as a 630 both times I took the exam, so that I looked like a very average writer. This was a reflection of both the mechanics portion, which I will discuss a few paragraphs from now, and the written essay portion, on both of which my scores were average. I was then, and am now (as can be seen from reviews of my books on Amazon), among the most gifted writers in the nation, yet the SAT as it was then constructed was unable to recognize that. The SAT looked at my writing ability in much the same light as Shakespeare critics often look at his: they claim that because his handwriting is poor he must not have been capable of writing his own plays. This fooled plenty of college admissions offices, and even several high AP Exam scores (which were taken in the afternoon or late morning) could not overcome the short-sightedness of the planners of the SAT. By the time I took the GRE, in 2012 and in digital format, a pair of essays that I felt were less than perfect got me in the 97th percentile. Thus the digital format alone proved highly beneficial to me, as it will to hundreds if not thousands of students whose handwriting leaves something to be desired. Allowing students the choice of whether to take the writing portion is likewise highly beneficial. On one hand it allows students the opportunity to take the initiative. Students who choose to take the section should be given extra consideration by college admissions office not only because they are challenging themselves to do extra—in and of itself a skill that admissions offices often proclaim they are looking for in candidates—but also because compared to those who choose not to take it they will be forced to spend the extra hour or so on the exam itself. This means a greater challenge to their stamina, both intellectual and physical, and reflects deeper ability. One can only see whether this has the effect I am suggesting, though, after a year or two of students taking the test and applying for college admission. Moreover the change in structure of the written essay should be cheered, though it presents significant challenges for students, especially in my home state of California. The ‘personal feelings’ approach to essays is problematic because the writer never knows who will be reading his paper, and thus who will be judging its contents. Some readers may not share the same values as the writers of the paper, and though they are instructed in how to be impartial they are never likely to get to the point where they are in fact unbiased. No matter how many times a reader is told to judge an essay on its mechanics, strength of its thesis, and organization, he is unlikely to make his decision entirely on those criteria. And while this is equally true of essays written to analyze a passage, but whereas a subjective essay will bear subjective criticism, an objective essay will tend to be judged more objectively. One either addresses a written passage effectively, or he doesn’t, and it is much easier to differentiate between the two cases and the degree towards which an essay approaches the one or
This is a guest post from Yael Redelman-Sidi, who has helped hundreds of students get into their dream schools and programs. She is an expert in essay editing and coaching high school students on their college personal statements. Visit her website at admit2college.net. You’ve heard it before, and it’s true – the personal statement has a significant impact on your admissions chances at top programs nationwide. With an increased number of applications per student, as well as a higher number of applications from international students, getting into your dream college seems to get more difficult every year. In 2014, Stanford admitted only 5% of its applicant pool; even the admissions director mentioned how difficult it is to differentiate between these who get in and those who don’t. Here are 5 easy tips that will help you get started on your personal statement: 1. Don’t wait for inspiration Maybe you’re hoping that one day you’ll just wake up and have an amazing idea of what to write, or that you’ll meet someone who will give you the best advice ever on a topic. Forget about it. This doesn’t happen to 99% of applicants, so you shouldn’t count on it. Start by creating a note on your phone, a piece of paper or your computer, with some ideas. Don’t criticize them yet – just collect them—anything from talking about that basketball game your team lost (or won), to your love of tacos, to what it means to have very small feet (or red hair). Collect ideas. 2. Ask your friends and family for ideas Ask your friends who have already written (or at least started contemplating) their essays what they are going to talk about – hobbies, school, family? Not everyone will feel comfortable sharing their stories, either because they are shy or because they don’t want someone else to use their idea, but by hearing others’ stories you will be inspired and feel comfortable with more concepts, formats and approaches. 3. Find out more about colleges and universities By doing your research on your target schools, you are likely to come across topics you are excited about – whether it’s a semester abroad, living in Boston, or moving out of the suburb you’ve lived in for the last 18 years. 4. Read something good (or at least some sample essays) There are numerous books out there for students, if you are really not sure about what to do or what makes a strong essay, get one of them from the library, or just sit at a local bookstore and read them for a few hours. These books can be a little overwhelming, especially if you feel that these applicants would have gotten in anyhow (they had already saved the rain forest at 16 and cured cancer by 17), but try not to let them stress you out. Instead, when you read these essays, think (and take notes) about what you liked and disliked about them, so you can refer to these guidelines when you write your own version. 5. Don’t be shy about seeking help Sometimes it’s easier to speak with someone than to sit down and write a full-length essay. Find a friend, family member or a professional admissions counselor who can brainstorm with you and help you identify potential topics. Talking to yourself is great, but having an outsider give you feedback on what’s interesting (or not), what’s unique (or just standard) is paramount. Acknowledging the fact that you would benefit from guidance is a first step in taking ownership of your education. Talk to your friends and family and see who helped them with writing and editing their college applications There are so many factors that are out of your control when you apply to college, but the personal statement is NOT – this is the place where you have 100% control of the outcome, from the content to the format to when you are ready to submit it. Enjoy it as much as you can – after all, it’s about you, your dreams, and what matters most to you.