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The original idea for using time-out with children was adopted from time-out in sports, and the initial purpose of time-out for children was to temporarily separate a child from the environment where inappropriate behavior was occurring.
Time-out can be an effective strategy when dealing with difficult behaviors if the parent/professional thinks through how to use time-out as a brief time-away from an unpleasant situation rather than punishment.
Time-out can give both adults and children some needed time away from a challenging situation. Some children need only a brief time away in order to make better choices. Proper use of time-out can help a child to learn self-control.
On the other hand, time-out can be used ineffectively and can easily become punishment, or feel like punishment to a child. Below is my personal list of do’s and don’ts, followed by a list of issues to think about before using this strategy.
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Many parents struggle with helping their child(ren) with solving math word problems.
Following are some strategies and key questions that you can share with your child as you work together to solve word problems. Keep in mind that different problems may call for different strategies and, depending on your child’s learning style, some strategies may or may not be helpful.
Read and work to understand the problem.
Ask your child to read the problem aloud.
Suggest that s/he try ignoring the numbers at first and focus on the story.
Try to find a way for your child to relate to the problem.
Can s/he rewrite or retell the problem in his/her own words?
Can s/he use a formula that s/he already knows?
Look for and highlight clues and key words.
Read more on Strategies for Solving Math Word Problems
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Common problems that lead families and schools to seek testing include: learning and academic difficulty, speech and language issues, neuromotor, behavior and social skill deficits.
Parents who consider having their child tested, quickly discover that there is a large amount of specific, unfamiliar vocabulary used by testing professionals that they need to learn in order to be a better advocate for their child(ren).
Some of the common terminology used with the different types of evaluations for the common problems that lead families to request testing are listed and briefly explained below. This information is simply an introduction to typical tests and related testing terminology.
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Do you remember what you had for dinner last night? How about two Sundays ago? Do you remember where you were when your spouse proposed to you? Could you recall where you were when your accountant called to ask a routine question?
Unless you have a photographic memory for food or just really, really love your accountant, you probably don’t recall exactly what you had for dinner two Sundays ago or where you stood when you last spoke to your accountant. However, chances are good that you know what you had for dinner last night and that you could name the exact day, time, and place your spouse proposed. That’s because we remember things that happened recently, and we remember things that had a major impact on our lives. Making memories is a very important part of the human thought process, and it’s a very important part of learning. Read more on Remember This: Helping Students Improve Their Memory
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Parents are often the first to pick up on possible problems that may affect their child’s performance in school, but are not always sure how to go about getting the best help for their child.
Different testing instruments can help to pinpoint specific problems and the information from these assessments can lead to helpful interventions. A good pediatrician can help parents to pinpoint issues and concerns, and to discover resources and options available in the local community.
If it is determined that pre-screening and psychological testing is a next step, the question of where to go follows. Families vary in the reasons they choose one method over another. Read more on Pros and Cons of Private vs. Public School Testing
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Sometimes, as tutors and as parents, we have the tendency to vilify the Internet. "Stop wasting so much time on the computer," we might tell our students. In many cases, though, this is the wrong thing to say. While it's true that students can get distracted by playing games or watching videos online, it's also true that the Internet is a powerful learning tool — and a powerful teaching tool. In the mid-1990s, researchers at San Diego State University developed a highly adaptable online teaching mechanism called a WebQuest. Not only do WebQuests work wonderfully in the traditional classroom, but they also make a great addition to nearly any tutoring repertoire.
At its most basic level, a WebQuest is a lesson that gives students support as they develop research skills. WebQuests are frequently utilized in differentiated-learning environments, as the levels of support can be increased for students who need additional help and, conversely, decreased for students who are working above their grade level. A tutor can create a WebQuest for a student on nearly any topic although science and social studies lessons can make for particularly robust WebQuests. For example, if a student is studying the plant and animal kingdoms, a WebQuest could require him to name the levels of taxonomy and to share interesting facts about certain members of each species. A more structured WebQuest would provide clues about where to look, while a less structured WebQuest would leave it up to the student to choose the appropriate sources. Read more on Let's Go on a WebQuest
