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I am a long-time advocate of hands-on learning, but sharing my new iPhone with young children is a touchy topic for me, and I can understand that others may feel this way, too. However, I do share my iPhone with my five year old nephew, Billy, safely, with strict guidelines. In fact, he has used my phone regularly throughout the past few months.
My iPhone rules: 1) Clean hands 2) Sit on the couch 3) No arguing allowed 4) Aunt Kathy or another adult needs to be in the same room!
I purchased the most protective case I could find, and covered the screen before walking out of the phone store. The extra protection resulted in less worry for me as I shared this useful tool.
Dozens of learning applications (Apps) are available for download from the iTunes store. Many are free. The focus for this article will be on favorite iPhone learning tools and apps for young children as a result of watching my nephew gain independence and learn skills while using this interactive techie toy.
Read more on The Risks and Benefits of Sharing An iPhone With a Five Year Old…
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Now that the Labor Day barbecues have come and gone, one reality is hitting home: Summer is in the rear-view mirror. Students across the country have returned to school and are settling in for a new year of reading, writing, problem-solving, investigating and exploring. Just as your child's teacher is providing direction for her new group of students, you can provide direction for your at-home tutoring sessions. In fact, there's no better time to chart a new tutoring course than in September, when the whole school year stretches in front of you.
There are several ways to plot out a plan of action for your tutoring sessions, but one of the most effective is the "Learning Contract." Promoted by leading differentiated-learning researchers, the Learning Contract provides a clear "road map" for students and teachers (or tutors!) who are striving to meet certain educational goals. The great thing about a Learning Contract is that in can be modified for students at any grade or ability level, and it can be made relevant to any academic subject. Read more on Learning Contracts: Road Maps to Success…
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Your child receives plenty of traditional instruction during the school day. There are the spelling tests, the vocabulary drills, the reading-comprehension quizzes . . . in short, while many teachers do put significant effort into making learning more interesting and accessible, a typical school day will almost always include a fair amount of cut-and-dried tasks. Knowing this, it's important that your child's tutoring sessions introduce a degree of pedagogical novelty. That's a fancy way of saying that it's perfectly OK to have fun during tutoring sessions — in fact, it's preferable!
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The best professors, classroom teachers, and academicians base their methods on their own experiences — and on high-quality research. And guess what? As a tutor, you too can utilize peer- and student-reviewed, time-tested research. In fact, the more you know about these types of field studies, the more effective of a tutor you will become. Thousands of resources are available on the Internet, and we'll also share some of our favorite strategies and methods here.
When it comes to organizations that do great work and affect social change, the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory based in Austin, Texas, is near the very top of the list. This nonprofit organization uses state and federal grants to carry out research that leads to a more equitable educational environment for all students. While SEDL offers invaluable insights into many different subjects, today we're focusing on a science-tutoring strategy that is generalizable to other areas. The strategy? Just think of it as the "Five Es." Each of these E-words is a mini-call to action, which will help you design a successful science-tutoring session for your child. Read more on The "Five E's" of Science Excellence…
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Academic Issues
As discussed in a previous post, parents can help their children to become more responsible, independent and successful learners by facilitating good study, organization and time-management skills at home while working on weekly homework assignments.
Many children struggle with homework due to academic issues. Language and processing problems, writing mechanics, written expression and spelling difficulty are examples of academic issues that translate into homework issues at home.
Following are some strategies to try.
Language Processing Weakness
- Additional one-on-one time with a parent who will be available as needed, yet guide his/her child to work as independently as possible
- Encourage your child to read directions aloud,
- Teach your child to underline action verbs and/or highlight key words and/or phrases to help reduce confusion and increase understanding of directions and concepts.
- Check for understanding: ask your child to rephrase (not repeat) what he just read.
- Teach your child to ask him/herself questions about what he/she reads.
- Watch your child as s/he begins a task to see that s/he understands.
- Be available if/when your child has questions.
Read more on Strategies and Solutions to Common Homework Issues – Part 2…
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Writing is one of the most important skills a student can acquire; not only does good writing lead to good grades, but it is also imperative for communicating at the university level, in succeeding in the business world, in maintaining social relationships, and more. But despite its vital importance, writing can sometimes be a difficult subject to teach. If your child needs help with her writing, there are several steps that you can take to ensure the tutoring sessions are beneficial.
One of the best ways to teach writing is to discuss a paper that your child has recently written. This can be a first draft of a paper for school — something that is in a formative stage and has not yet been addressed by the classroom teacher. (This, of course, does not mean that you're doing the work for your child; rather, you're helping her understand the ways in which she can improve her writing in this paper and in future papers.) Read more on Writing Feedback That Gets Results…
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Homework issues often have more to do with lack of effective organization, study and time management skills that a lack of academic ability. Parents can help their children to be more responsible, independent and successful students by working together to reduce distractions and to facilitate more effective use of homework and home study time.
Reduce Distractions
- Enforce a family “quiet time” to reduce distractions.
- Create a special homework area away from distractions.
- Discover your child’s learning style and preferences to help with problem-solving.
- A drink and healthy snack after school, before doing homework, can improve concentration.
- Children who take medication to help with focus may need a later dose of meds to help with focus during homework time too.
- Some children are able to concentrate better if they have a little time to play before beginning their work.
Read more on Strategies and Solutions to Common Homework Issues…
