Check out Good Reads (www.goodreads.com)! When your child finds a book he loves, help him find another one! Create an account and connect with others to see what they are reading. It’s likely you’ll find a book your child will like based on what others have read and suggest. You’ll love this site so much you’ll want to create an account for yourself!
As students grow and mature into young adults and enter the workforce, there comes an increasing need to be able to work together, or collaborate, effectively with one’s peers. Middle schools and high schools in Raleigh and throughout the Triangle (and across North Carolina for that matter) have group projects built into the curriculum that help students practice collaboration; however, even though there are group projects that exist, parents and teachers shouldn’t assume that students know the skills it takes to collaborate with one another effectively. Effective collaboration in a school setting requires student knowledge of oneself, the necessary skills to work within a group, and of course practice in doing so. Below are some essential skills that students must know when collaborating with their peers in a group project:
Skills for Collaborating with Classmates on a Group Project:
For any tutors reading this post, if you are tutoring a student who is working on a group project (be it in math, writing, science, or history), be sure that you tutor your student on these essential skills. Parents, review with your child these skills and talk to him or her about the project. It will make a significant difference not only in the classroom, but in the real world as well.
I may not be able to remember what it was I ate for lunch a couple of days ago, or the name of my co-worker’s spouse, or even my neighbor’s phone number. But ask me the names of my teachers in elementary school through high school, and I can rattle them off in chronological order as quickly as I can recite the alphabet.
It is astounding to try to measure the amount of influence teachers have in our formative educational years, which is why it makes it all the more impressive when you encounter those expert instructors that have the ability to transform their classrooms into a hub for growth, confidence, and support not just for educational learning, but for life’s lessons.
Thinking back on the teachers that made the largest impact in my education — no matter how different they were as individuals — when it came to their conduct in the classroom, there were a handful of techniques they all executed effectively. Disciplined instruction, encouraging engagement, positive support, unbiased individual attention, and creative presentation topped my list. These approaches didn’t just influence my willingness to learn, but they encouraged me to strive to excel.
My guess is you, too, have those particular teachers that stand out in your mind as experts within their craft as well. And if you are an instructor yourself, perhaps you were inspired to become one because of a special teacher from your past.
This brings me to my question for you – instructors and parents alike: What characteristics and classroom techniques have you found make an effective teacher, especially in today’s challenging world, with the barrage of distractions all vying for the attention of today’s youth?
Please feel free to share examples and post your comments, as this is meant to be a helpful and thoughtful forum.
You’ve graduated from high school. You’ve entered the college of your choice. There you are in the large auditorium that services as the classroom, eager and ready to learn. You’re an intelligent student – you know you are. Then why are there sometimes particular instances that seem to put your brain on pause? Have you ever wondered why you can’t seem to make the mental connections click on certain concepts?
Maybe the way you were being taught didn’t necessarily mesh with the way you learn. The way you learn and process information is an individual experience, and understanding how you naturally prefer to mentally process information can help you better approach those sometimes difficult to grasp problems.
A model of learning styles generally referred to as the Felder-Silverman model, by Dr. Richard Felder in collaboration with Dr. Linda K. Silverman, an educational psychologist, was originally formulated for use by college instructors and students in engineering and the sciences, but it has subsequently been applied in a broad range of disciplines. Revised in 2002 by Dr. Felder at N.C. State University, the Index of Learning Styles (ILS), an on-line instrument used to assess learning preferences on four dimensions of learning styles can be taken by students interested in exploring their tendencies within the following dimensions:
1. Sensory and Intuitive
2. Visual and Verbal
3. Active and Reflective
4. Sequential and Global.
In the dimension of Sensory and Intuitive, sensory learners look for the facts and seek concrete, procedural information to aid in the comprehension process. On the other end of the spectrum are the intuitive learners. Instead of looking for facts, intuitive learners are interested in finding meaning and seek conceptual, theoretical explanations.
The next dimension is the Visual and Verbal approach. Visual learners prefer diagrams, graphs and other visual tools that convey the information at hand; however, verbal learners respond more favorably to the same information explained through the written word or heard aloud.
The third dimension explores Active and Reflective learners. Active learners are hands-on learners that problem-solve through actively trying and working in groups, while reflective learners analyze and evaluate the information in detail first, and often prefer to problem solve on their own.
The fourth dimension assesses Sequential and Global learning. Sequential learners process information best when it is presented in a linear, step by step way. As the details are put in place, they are then able to understand the entire picture. Global learners prefer to start from the top – see the whole picture first, and then work in the details.
Once you are aware of which category you lean toward within each dimension, you can move forward in strengthening your learning methods. Perhaps it is a matter of implementing more balance within the various dimensions, or maybe it is posing particular questions to your instructors that may aid you in gaining a clearer perspective. Obtaining knowledge on techniques you can employ to help yourself learn will not only accelerate your comprehension process, but it will make your overall learning experience all the more effective.
At www.freerice.com students have a chance to test their knowledge in grammar, vocabulary, math, geography, chemistry, art, and a variety of world languages. For every question they answer correctly, ten grains of rice are donated to the United Nations World Food Program. Share the link with your children, and instill in them the importance of philanthropy and helping others. Helping others while learning has never been so addictive! Visit www.freerice.com!
Parents are often surprised to find that their children, who earned great grades in elementary school, struggle in middle school. (For some, the struggle may not show up until high school.) Many students are simply smart enough to listen in elementary school and make good grades and continue to do so without any effort when they first begin middle school. When parents notice a drop in grades, they often have their children tested to only find that they have above average intelligence and no learning problems at all . This is good news, but continued poor performance puzzles parents.
The problem for some is that as classes and teachers become more demanding, those “smart” students, the ones who never had to study, find themselves earning failing grades. They have no idea about how to fix the problem because they never learned to study. Sadly, they think that completing homework assignments means that their school work is finished. (After all, that’s what earned them A’s in elementary school.) How wrong they are! When these students tell me that they finish all of their school work in 15-20 minutes, I’m usually shocked that they don’t have D’s and F’s in all of their classes rather than just a couple. Those few low grades often bring them to me for coaching in study skills, time management, and organization. What a difference a study plan can make! In addition, a weekly meeting with the “coach” is an effective tool for holding a student accoutable. (It’s like stepping on a scale in front of someone at Weight Watchers!)
hello everyone, thanks for visiting my post, i am native Arab from Egypt.I enjoy teaching and transmitting my ideas to others. You will learn a lot and enjoy your experience with me. I have been educated twice; once in Egypt {history and arabic language} and once in the United States{computer information systems}. I am in the process of establishing a language school here in Alexandria. I love to travel and i have been to many countries.
Teaching languages is my passion, I can not get enough of them.
I teach Arabic, Spanish basic, and English as second languages. I teach all levels; beginners, intermediate, advanced, business and much more. I also teach Egyptian dialect and modern standard Arabic.
my Skype id is; The_Arabic_Professor
اهلا وسهلا بالاخوة العرب
انا ادرس اللغة الانجليزية لجميع المسستويات
Hola amigos,
Me gusta enseñar y transmitir mis ideas a los demás. puedes aprender mucho y disfrutar de su experiencia conmigo. yo he sido educado en dos ocasiones, una vez en Egipto y otra vez en los Estados Unidos. Estoy en el proceso de establecer una escuela de idiomas aquí en Alejandría. Me encantaria viajar y he estado en muchos países.
la enseñanza de idiomas es mi pasión, que no puedo tener suficiente de ella.
yo enseño el árabe, el español básico, y Inglés como segunda lengua. yo enseño todos los niveles, principiantes, intermediano, avanzado, y mucho más. yo enseño también el dialecto egipcio y árabe moderno estándar.
mi skype es; The_Arabic_Professor
As I have tutored off and on for several years, I have found that I try to give parents information that answers the following questions.
If you are looking for a dependable tutor, ask the following questions:
1. Where will you tutor my child? in my home or public library, etc.?
2. What are your fees? Are they per the hour?
3. What is your teaching background? years teaching? what grade levels?
4. Will you allow time afterward to discuss the session?
5. Will you give me (parent) ideas of how to assist my child before their next session?
6. Will you provide your own materials? or will I (parent) have to provide them?
7. If I (parent) need to cancel or reschedule a session, how much notice do I need to give? Will you still charge me a fee?
8. Are you flexible in how often I want you to work with my child? once a week or more often?
And make sure that you ask any additional questions that would fit your particular situation. You should always meet with your prospective tutor, in person, before hiring them AND before they meet your child. Trust your instincts.
I hope these questions and information are helpful as you search for your child’s future tutor.
Carol Cosetti of Clayton, NC
In the 1970′s, Cat Stevens sang “Wild World.” Well, today we live in a “wired world.” The question is, “Are we too wired?” This PBS documentary (Digital Nation) explores life in the digital world of the 21st century. Is multi-tasking ruining deep, sustained thought? Is technology truly strengthening our students’ learning? Wrestle with the issues yourself as you watch Digital Nation.
Selecting the right tutor for your child is an important step and should not be taken lightly. Consider the following steps when conducting your search:
1. Do you feel comfortable with this tutor as a person? Will your child feel comfortable with this tutor?
2. Has this tutor passed a criminal background check? Have you conducted a sex offender search?
3. What is the tutor’s style or method of instruction? Will this style/method fit your child’s learning style?
4. Has this tutor demonstrated knowledge of the subject or topics with which you are seeking help?
5. How does this tutor plan to assess your child’s specific needs? Will this tutor be willing to communicate with your child’s teacher so as to better focus his/her sessions?
6. Will this tutor have a scheduled plan for your child with checkpoints along the way? Will this tutor create goals and ways for assessing your child’s performance?
7. Does this tutor have references? If so, don’t hesitate to contact them.
