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It’s getting closer every day: summer! With less than 75 days left in the school year, it’s crucial to make sure your child is prepared for the whirlwind days that wind down the academic year.  Read more…

Here are some tips to help your child be prepared for the days ahead, and to keep their spirits and focus high before summer days are upon us.

Ducks in a Row

Perhaps most important in finishing up the school year strong is that students should really take this time to reflect upon the past year and the course material. A good, simple way to start is to take a look at what is on your child’s plate. Make a list of all the final projects and assignments, and their due dates, so your child can begin to plan their schedule accordingly and avoid cramming last minute or rushing important projects with heavy grade value.

Stay Focused

This is also the time of year where teachers are figuring out and assigning final grades, so it’s very important that students show their best efforts and continue to participate in class and follow up on anything they don’t understand. One easy way to help your student stay focused is to keep an emphasis on their school days as the year winds down. Continue to ask about what they learned each day, what exams they are nervous about, and what material they feel they’ve aced. This kind of continued effort to be involved reinforces the importance of these last school days, and helps students realize summer is not here just yet! Also, remind students of any special goals they set earlier in the year. Did they want to bring their math grade up, or get better feedback on their essays? Whatever the goal, show them that you are there to help them achieve it.

Plan of Attack

Make sure students pay special attention to any courses where they have struggled in the past, and particularly those where they are trying to bring their grades up as much as possible before the year ends. It’s very likely that students will have final tests and exams that cover the scope of material learned throughout the entire year. This can seem daunting, especially with subjects or lessons they struggled with early in the year that seem far away to them now, but with a little review—whether with your help or the added help of tutoring sessions—children can feel confident with their grasp of the course material. Maybe your child needs the benefit of extra tutoring sessions, to help drive lessons and course material home and help keep their frustrations down. This kind of help can work wonders towards a positive approach to the last weeks of school and avoid the common burnout students face anticipating the freedom of summer.

Summer Schooling

Finally, it’s a good idea to not give students the impression that once the final school bell of the year rings, learning is on a hiatus until fall. Make it clear that your child will need to continue to learn over summer, and that keeping their scholastic skills up to par will benefit them next year. Be clear on any plans for summer tutoring, or other academic-related activities they have on their plate. They should be looking forward to summer, but not expecting to spend their days wasting away in front of the TV or computer. Make plans for summer reading, to visit museums or special camps, libraries, and other educational, but fun activities.

While snow days are nothing but fun for students, those in our area are now paying the price for those wintry days off with more pressure in the classroom.

Regardless of what was decided for each individual county, with the end of the year approaching, and the potential of fewer school days, the snow days leave for a lot of material to be covered in a short amount of time.  Read more…

There is always a bit of the “crunch feeling” to the last months of school. However, with the added impact of a generous winter, this year many teachers now have to move through lesson plans more quickly, to ensure they cover all the material before breaking for the summer.

This not only adds pressure to teachers and administrators, but also to the students, who are expected to keep up with the faster pace, and who may experience less time to grasp materials and practice course lessons than usual. In situations like these, a tutor can help your student fill in the gaps and help them practice and reinforce any weak areas or subjects. Tutoring sessions help guide your child through the end of the year push, keeping them at their best, and ensuring that they finish off the year confident and feeling positive about their ability to “get it.”

Strauss, Valerie. “MoCo schools won’t make up snow days.” March 17, 2010, www.washingtonpost.com.

“How will schools make up missed days?” Feb. 16, 2010, www.wtop.com.

It’s probably one of the age-old challenges for teachers, parents and tutors alike—the average student just doesn’t like doing homework. But the fact remains that homework is a crucial part of the learning process and needs to be done. Growing up, most of us didn’t like homework, but we recognized or learned quickly that it was a necessary part of schooling and we did it.

Whether students lack the motivation, don’t care about their grades or don’t see the real value in it, the excuses for skipping out on homework are numerous. If homework time turns into a fight every night in your house it’s time to get to the bottom of it. Talk to your child and find out why homework is such a struggle. They may have never really thought at length about this, and making them put it into words may lead to some important revelations.

In the meantime, here are some of the classic excuses for trying to get out of homework, and how you can try to work around them.

What’s the point?

Students who use this excuse are having a hard time seeing the relationship between homework and the real world. They need to be taught that homework goes beyond practicing the material learned in class and is also a lesson in responsibility and time management. This cycle of assignments and deadlines put them in practice for their eventual career and builds responsibility skills.

Homework turns into an argument!

Homework is one area where students can exert control and ignore their parent’s instructions. Whether they realize it or not, students often use homework as a power play when they feel like they don’t have control over other areas. The best way to address this is to give your child some more control. A good way to do this is instead of giving complete control, offer your child choices, so either decision is a good one: “You can choose from 3 topics for your history essay; which one do you want to do most?” Or: “Do you want to start with science or math homework first?” Giving children a choice and then following through with it teaches them that their opinion matters, and helps boost their own motivation.

It’s just one assignment. No big deal!

Students don’t always realize the impact a single “zero” can have on their overall grade. Show them some simple math to demonstrate that one missed assignment can do some serious damage to their grade, or if you can check grades electronically, log in to see how the grade changes after assignments.

I lost my homework!

Some students just have a harder time staying organized than others. Make it easy for your child to keep all important papers in their right place, whether he or she needs to put all homework into one folder, have separate binders for each class, or some other arrangement. Staying organized avoids students getting frustrated before they even start their assignments.

It takes too long!

This may be for a number of reasons. Often, homework takes longer than expected because the student is distracted, or multi-tasking. Make sure your student isn’t watching TV, texting or surfing the Internet while working on homework. This goes a long way toward time-management lessons and skill building. However, remember that some students may have a real issue with the material that does make homework hard to get through in a timely manner, and would benefit from reviewing it with the help of a tutor.

Source: Kruger, Susan. “Homework: What to Do When Students Don’t Do It.” www.soarstudyskills.com.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, has gotten a lot of attention recently. When children fall behind or are struggling in class, ADHD is often the first thought. But, according to Drs. Brock and Fernette Eide, authors of The Mislabeled Child, a potential attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may be covering up the real issue—dyslexia. Thought to occur in as many as one in 10 people, dyslexia is a commonly misdiagnosed issue.

Children struggling from dyslexia are often considered to be slow, sloppy, or inattentive, which, according to the Eides, is a major misrepresentation. “Dyslexics are overrepresented in creative and inventive fields like art and architecture, or computers and engineering,” says Fernette Eide. “As young people, their gifts and talents may be overlooked because society only sees their weakest link.”

While dyslexia is a common learning disability, parents and teachers may not be aware of some of its telling signs. Because of this, the Eides feel its even more important for parents to watch out for signs so they can get their child the proper evaluation and help he or she needs.

Here are some red flags, according to the authors:

-Slow and strained reading, especially when reading aloud

-Difficulty understanding or appreciating rhymes

-May skip small words, such as “a”, “an” or “the” while reading

-Dislikes or avoids reading aloud

-Performs better with oral tests

-Better listening comprehension than reading comprehension

-Mixes up order of letters

-Reverses letters or has unusual spelling errors

-Makes wild guesses with new words

-Careless errors in reading test instructions or in math problems

If your child is struggling, the important part is to address the situation right away to figure out the underlying problem. Whether it’s ADHD, dyslexia, another learning disability, or simply being behind in class material, the sooner the diagnosis, the sooner you can get your child the help he or she needs.

Source: Wood, Danielle. “Not ADHD? Think Dyslexia.” www.education.com.

The types of things teenagers spend their time worrying about can seem like small potatoes compared to real-world, adult issues. But, adolescent years are very important years filled with change and development, as young adults begin to figure out who they are and what is important to them. While many teens process these difficult, identity-forming changes by pulling away from their parents, it’s important to stay connected with your teen and be there when they turn to you for support. Peer pressure and media-delivered messages can be powerful and persuasive to young adults. It’s normal for teens to want to spend more time with their friends, but research shows that when parents offer an open, supportive environment at home, kids are more likely to make the right choices on their own.

Even though it may not always seem like it, your teen does want to feel connected to you. Here are some steps parents can take toward keeping the lines of communication open and creating an encouraging parent-child relationship.

Listen Up

Teenagers often complain that their parents don’t really listen to them. It’s important to them that parents are interested in what they have to say. Show your child that you are paying attention when they decide to share with you by asking questions, or discussing topics that interest them.

Time Together

Even though they want to run off with their friends at any free moment, it’s important to still do things together as a family. Movie night or shopping trips are classic examples, or you can get creative by participating in an organized activity, class or workshop. Family dinners are an important and easy time to sit down together too.

A Little Help From Friends

Since teens want to be everywhere with their friends, it’s important to integrate their friends into certain activities. Knowing about their friends also shows that you listen and care who your child spends his or her time with. It’s a good idea to know the friend’s parents too, so you know what kind of environment your child will be in when they are with their friends.

Great Expectations and Goals

While it may not always seem like it, teenagers still turn to parents for praise and encouragement. They want to make you proud, so talking about your expectations and values teaches kids how to make better, more informed choices. Setting long-term goals is also a great way for kids to start taking responsibility for their own actions and future. Young adults who have plans to go to college or enter a specific career typically make smarter choices.

Be Open

It’s important to not only be open when it comes to communication, but also to be open to your child’s individuality. When kids feel that they are supported for who they are, they often find it easier to discuss difficult topics with their parents, getting the guidance they need to discover their own identity and easing the transition into adulthood.

Source: Allen, Kim, “What Can Parents Do To Keep Connection With Their Teens?” www.missourifamilies.org.

By Heather Margaret Hay

The latest buzz on campus is that succeeding in college is a whole lot easier than the actual process of getting admitted. However, using these six insider tips, your chances of college admission will be substantially enhanced:

1. See For Yourself
The summers between junior and senior years afford great opportunities to narrow down your choices by visiting campuses. A campus visit is the best way to see whether the college you are considering is a good match for you, and it gives you a chance to get to know individual Admissions Counselors before you submit your application.

2. Apply Early
Set aside the Admissions’ jargon of “Early Action,” “Early Decision,” and “Regular Decision.” The fact is, applying early gives Admissions Counselors more time to consider your application before the onslaught of applications arrives. According to the Admissions Department of George Mason University, in Fairfax County, VA., early applications are considered “a positive indicator of a candidate’s level of interest….” And for schools with rolling admissions, the earlier you apply, the sooner you receive a decision.

3. Standardized Test Scores, GPA and Class Rank Aren’t Everything
Most Admissions Counselors agree that the types and level of high school classes have a lot to do with whether or not you will be accepted. Take challenging classes as soon as they are offered by your high school, and don’t let up in senior year, often considered a strong predictor of college success.

4. Treat Each Application as if It’s Your Only One
Be careful to include everything that is requested, and remember to send in any required supporting materials, such as transcripts and recommendation letters. Leave enough time for proof-reading and editing, preferably by a third party. Consider hiring a professional Admissions Consultant to advise you on select areas of your application, such as the Admissions Essay and Personal Statement.

5. Show them the Real “You”
Admissions Counselors are instructed to consider the whole person when reviewing applications. Demonstrate your commitment to success out of school by highlighting community service and in school through leadership and membership in clubs and on teams that show a consistent and passionate involvement. Counselors at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C., for example, try to predict a candidate’s “…potential contribution to the Georgetown campus community and the degree to which a student is likely to become globally engaged later in life.”

6. Tell the Truth
There’s a fine line between marketing yourself smartly to colleges and just plain stretching the truth. Think about it: the more honest and open you are about yourself, the more Admissions Counselors can judge whether or not their college is the best fit for both you and the school.

Next month: Sewing Up Scholarships!

Heather Margaret Hay is a principal in J & H Tutoring and Educational Consulting, specializing in Admissions and Scholarships. The firm has offices in Chicago and Milwaukee, but works with students across the United

States, Canada and the United Kingdom. For further information, go to www.jhtutoring.com and email us at jhtutoring2009@gmail.com for special pricing for newsletter readers.

Now that the school year is pushing ahead, chances are your student has already had his or her fair share of tests. Even if students are starting to get into the pattern of learning, reviewing and then putting their new knowledge to work, many face anxiety when they are presented with quizzes and tests. This is common for many students, even if they are well versed in the material.

Test anxiety can bring a host of symptoms, from fear, headache and upset stomachs, to anger or even depression. New research helps examine how this emotional stress can affect students, including inhibiting their ability to understand and remember information. Anxiety can create distraction in the brain and nervous system, impairing our ability to not only retrieve information but also to comprehend it and think logically.

Conversely, positive feelings can lead to synchronization in the brain, allowing us to think more efficiently and clearly. One of the easiest ways to avoid undue stress for your student is to help him or her be prepared with the proper tools and approaches to test taking. Here are some tips, courtesy of the Institute of HeartMath.

Address Emotions and Fear

If your student is anxious about doing well on a test, help them stay neutral in their thinking. Negative feelings can cause a cycle that adds to self-doubt or discomfort. Helping them stay calm can avoid them entering the test day already expecting to do poorly. Some students get anxious over “what if” situations, psyching themselves out by asking questions like “What if I fail?” or “What if my mind goes blank?” While it’s important to acknowledge these often natural thoughts, it’s important to turn them into positive notions, such as “What if I am able to think clearly and remember the material well?” or “What if I go into the test feeling sure of my strengths in this subject?”

Arrive Well Rested and Fed

Big tests in particular can require mental stamina and focus. It’s important that students have a proper night’s sleep, typically 8 to 10 hours, the night before a big test so they are alert and ready to think. The same goes for breakfast. The brain needs fuel to maintain focus and clarity, and eating a healthy breakfast goes a long way towards being prepared. Cereals, eggs and wheat toast provide sustained energy, in contrast to high sugar foods like soda or cookies.

Review the Material and Questions

In addition to being psychologically prepared for a big test, it’s also important that the student has reviewed the material and addressed any areas where they remain unclear. This can include practice tests with parents or in tutoring sessions, including doing exercises such as having the student “teach” you the material so they can see where any holes in their understanding may be.

Source: “Helping Children Overcome Test Anxiety,” www.heartmath.org.

New findings show that exercise doesn’t just lead to a healthy body, it can actually lead to a healthier mind! Regular workouts can improve memory, learning, and attention span. Excercise can also be a stress reliever for students, and can help reduce the effects of ADHD in some children.

Of late, increased research is being conducted on children, in whom many believe the benefits of exercise may be even stronger than adults. In fact, studies have found more accurate answers on standardized tests from children who had moderate exercise before being tested, compared to those who had been sitting still.

A 2007 study measured 259 students’ physical and academic abilities. Published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, the report revealed direct correlations between the number of physical tests passed and the child’s scores on achievement tests-regardless of gender, race or economic background.

In a time where recess, sports and extracurricular teams are being cut from school programs, exercise seems even more crucial than ever. The good news is with summer here, your child can enjoy the freedom of the summer days spent playing outside, riding bicycles, taking hikes and swimming. A strong mind and strong body go hand in hand!

Source: A Fit Body Means a Fit Mind

Even if the thought of summer reading is daunting for your child, it doesn’t have to be painful, or the grounds for arguments at home. You can help your child create a plan for completing his or her summer reading list. Here are a few tips:

Make a Plan. Whether it’s in the morning, as an afternoon break or a way to wind down after dinner, try to set a structured reading time for your child every day.

Read Together. You can read aloud, or you can both read the same book silently, stopping to discuss as you go. When reading together, you can help make sure your child is grasping the basic storylines and plots and demonstrate that you enjoy reading too!

Compromise. Allow your child to take a break from “required reading” by selecting a book, magazine or journal of their own choosing.

Here are a few suggestions if your child needs a break from required reading:

Kindergarten: Mud Puddle by Robert Munsch

1^st Grade: S is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet by Helen Foster James

2^nd Grade: See the Ocean by Estelle Condra

3^rd Grade: A Mirror to Nature: Poems About Reflection by Jane Yolen

4^th Grade: Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

5^th Grade: A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements

Middle School: The Ghost in Allie’s Pool by Sari Bodi

High School: Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson

Summer reading is an important part of wrapping up the school year and segueing into the next. So, encourage your children to keep reading this summer!

Sources: “Under the Sun: Best Books for Outdoor Summer Reading.”  and “Tackling School Reading Lists”

While lots of us have had experience with bullying and know how painful it can be, kids today face challenges earlier generations never saw. Social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook facilitate bullying outside school and around the clock. When talking with parents of my students who want to learn more about issues impacting their child, I tell them that the biggest factor preventing a student from focusing on academics may not be lack of interest or understanding, but social issues like bullying.

Talk with your child about bullying and offer them support. Some tips:

• · Communicate with your children every day. Parents are often the last to know their child is being bullied (or being the bully). Create open communication, where you know things about your child’s friends and who he or she interacts throughout the school day. You are much more likely to be aware of problems if you regularly talk about social issues.
• · Get involved. Speak to school officials if you believe bullying is occurring and learn what steps will be taken to stop the problem. Schools that approach the problem with ongoing educational programs about respect and diversity are usually more successful than school’s with zero tolerance or punishment-driven policies.
• · Understand cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a relatively new concept to many adults but is a fast growing problem area. Cyber bullies need to be taught that they are responsible for their actions, even online. Studies show that the risk of cyberbullying goes up with the more online exposure a child has, so consider limiting online time and monitoring usage by younger children.

I encourage you to visit two online sources with more information about bullying:

• The Bullying Information Center: tips and advice on how to approach bullying conversations with your child
• Stop Bullying Now: animated webisodes and games for younger children

Remember…we can all help put an end to bullying!

Source: Education.com