Skills for Collaborating with Classmates on a Group Project:

1. Listen to every student’s ideas.
2. Everybody in the group participates.
3. Ask each classmate his or her opinions.
4. Ask team members to complete a task (ie “Hey, you’re good at…could you help with this?”)
5. Students should be willing to compromise – get everyone to agree and be flexible.
6. Provide positive feedback and encouragement to one another. Be optimistic!
7. Disagree with the idea, not the student.
8. Don’t take things personally if your ideas are not accepted by the group.
9. Be patient with everyone in the group.
10. Stay on task and avoid the temptation to socialize.
11. Have fun with the process!

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.

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.

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.

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!)

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

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

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/digitalnation/

 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.