Should auld aquaintance be forgot....

Happy New Year!

Believe it or not, it is almost 2008. But that's not the worst part! This year's kindergarten class will be graduating in the science fiction-esque year 2020 and graduating seniors were just born in 1990! Time has a funny way of making us feel older, regardless of how old we actually are. Couple this with the New Year's resolutions we make and break routinely come January 1st, it's a miracle we make it through each year in one piece. There is time to break this cycle with the younger generations, though. Helping them create meaningful and manageable resolutions now will provide a strong foundation for personal growth once they graduate in 2020, 2050, or 2082 (when a few of us here at the center will turn 100 years old!)

The American Academy of Pediatrics just published a list of resolutions for children and youth to help them live a healthier life, hopefully for a long time. While few of these are directly related to education, you will find that implementing healthier routines will positively influence your child's school performance and experience. Here are a few of the suggestions from the experienced doctors of the academy:

Preschoolers
* I will clean up my toys.
* I will brush my teeth twice a day.
* I will wash my hands after going to the bathroom
* I won’t tease dogs – even friendly ones. This way I won't get bitten!

Kids, 5- to 12-years-old
* I will drink milk and water, and limit soda/fruit drinks.
* I will find a sport or an activity that I like and do it three times a week!
* I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car.
* I’ll be nice to other kids. I’ll be friendly to kids who need friends
* I’ll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent’s permission.

Kids, 13-years-old and up
* I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day, and limit soda.
* I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.
* I will choose non-violent television shows and video games
* I will help out in my community
* I will wipe negative “self talk” out of my vocabulary.
* I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.
* When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk with an adult about my choices.

For more ideas, see the complete list on the AAP website! We can help children and young people break the cycle of breaking New Year's Resolutions for good! And they won't be the only people to benefit....

School's out!

Today is a great day for students across the Northern Virginia/ DC metropolitan area! School is out for winter break! Even though schools are closed, we'll be here at Educational Connections to work with you on finding a great Tutor or Educational Coach for your child. Since our matching process generally takes about three to five business days, we still have time to find a wonderful individual to work with your student by the time second semester starts. Please see our website for more information on services, testing, consultations, tutoring, test prep, rates, and fees. We look forward to being a part of your child's learning process! Of course, we are always available to answer questions by phone or email as well. Start the new school semester off right!

Challenge Yourself!

US News and World Report's Listing of the 100 best high schools in the country came out a few weeks ago and several local schools received top honors!

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology ranked #1 this year

Thomas Wooton High School #34

Langley High School #37
Walt Whitman High School #40

Winston Churchhill High School #42

Oakton High School #88

These rankings are just one of many lists compiled each year on high schools and colleges across the country. Jay Matthews from the Washington Post just brought out his Annual Challenge Index Survey recently too. The Challenge Index divides the number of AP, IB or Cambridge tests administered at a school by the number of graduating seniors. This statistic is just one measure of the 'challenging' academic environment a school provides.

If you're school didn't make the list, don't be worried! There are many solutions for high school students looking to be more challenged. Here are a few ideas:

1. Ask your teacher for extra assigments, or, when you find a particularly interesting topic, do a little research on your own!

2. Join an 'academic' club. Consider the debate team, Model UN, or Odyssey of the Mind

3. Take an online course, or a class at your local community center. There are many classes that you can get credit for too!

4. Enroll in summer camps that have an academic component or focus.

5. Many local area colleges offer high school programs during the summer and weekends.

6. Find an academic mentor. Talk to a friend of your parents, a teacher, or another professional about books they've read, how they got into their careers, etc.

7. Read the newspaper! Read the Economist, Wall Street Journal, or another reputable periodical.

8. Write your own memoir, or journal your thoughts. Participate in essay and/or poetry contests.

9. Go to local museums, new art exhibits, and other cultural events.

10. Play educational games like Jeopardy, BrainAge or Trivial Pursuit.

Have fun Learning!

Not So Happy Holidays...

Holiday celebrations are normally a time for family togetherness, fun, and laughter. To a child or individual with social, learning, or behavioral differences, though, this time of year can be extremely stressful and uncomfortable. Contact with distant relatives, family acquaintances, and strangers who don't understand them like Mom and Dad do can cause children impacted by disabilities to melt down or blow up if the pressure reaches a critical level. Compliments of LDOnline.org, here are some tips on how to make the parties, dinners, and get-togethers more manageable for your family, guests, and most importantly, your child.

1. Encourage your child to make unique gifts utilizing his or her special talents.

For example, you might help your whiz-kid daughter create and send an online greeting card or your Emeril inspired son make scrumptious holiday treats in the kitchen.

2. Show your child pictures of guests before they arrive.

Even just reviewing the names of those who will be in attendance, how your child knows them, and how they are related or aquainted with each other and your family will prepare your child for the oncoming hustle and bustle in the house.

3. Role-play different scenarios with your child.

You can practice almost any situation your child might find him or herself in over the holidays: Greeting guests at the door, receiving a present graciously, and thanking others by name can all be part of the pre-holiday prep. Best of all, your child will gain confidence and self esteem by feeling prepared.

4. Be honest with your family.

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you have extended family that you don't see often, you may want to talk with them about how your child's specific disability or difference can manifest itself. If Great Aunt Edna knows ahead of time that Jimmy's impulsiveness could cause him to interrupt, GAE may not be as angry or offended when Jimmy disrupts her story about Fluffly with a comment about his friend's cat. Letting your guests know in advance how your son or daughter may react to the stress and excitement of the holidays may eliminate some uncomfortable or embarrassing sitautions.

5. Give your child the opportunity to shine.

You can always have your child perform tasks that have already been mastered for the guests at your home. Cooking, handing out gifts, or leading a game, may provide your child a comfortable opportunity to contribute in a way that is meaningful to him/her.

6. Tactfully make accomodations for your child's difficulties.

If a child has trouble reading before a group, ask the first few people who open gifts to avoid reading cards aloud. Hand your child her gift and say, “This is from Uncle John." You can also set aside alone time so your child has time to decompress. If your son or daughter has difficulty interpreting humor, you can always explain the joke at a later time or restate the punchline in different language for your child while laughing along. This discretely brings your child into the communication without calling attention to the fact that he or she did not "get it" the first time.

7. Consciously include your child in conversations by asking his/her opinion or setting up an opportunity for your child to tell a story.

Most children have difficulty participating in grown up conversations, so by offering him or her a chance to contribute can bring a surge in confidence.

While you probably make these adjustments unconsciouly now, it's important to actively implement opportunities such as these for your child during this busy time of year. Taking the time to explain to others what you already know about your child is worth the minute or two it will take and will likely prevent a great deal of stress for your child. Use a child's strengths to his or her advantage instead of focusing on the negatives. For more tips like these, see the full article on LDonline by Dale Brown.

And the winner is...

Well, in the game of learing, there actually aren't any winners or losers, but there are tutors of the month. For December, we are happy to announce that Bill B. has been awarded this honor. Bill has been with Educational Connections for a while now, and he never ceases to amaze us with his consistency and his knowledgeable approach to subjects, including test prep. While Bill is too modest to recognize his accomplishments, he has not escaped the attention of the staff here at the learning center. Last month, Bill was able to help a student bring his ACT score up by ten points!

Bill has a great sense of what it takes to earn the trust and confidence of a student, so we asked him to describe his approach to tutoring. This is what he said:

My own approach, especially in the beginning, is to focus on the student with whom I am working, rather than coming with a pre-package program I will impose upon her/him. I think that knowing one's student(s) is an indispensable element of teaching, but a student has a natural fear of being known, since that may result in judgment or criticism. This is especially true of students encountering a tutor under conditions in which they already feel they have failed or are inadequate. I try to quickly discover some strengths and positive personal characteristics to affirm in a student, which communicates the message that I view her/him as competent and able. I find that this helps to motivate me as well as the student, since it helps me to appreciate him/her as an individual. I want both of us to look forward to our sessions working together.

Teaching is a challenging art, and I worry whether I will be able to meet the needs of every new tutoring opportunity. But I remind myself that the students are probably nervous themselves, and I try to be as open and honest with them as I can. I'm not an extrovert, but I soon discover things I appreciate in the young people with whom I work, and I find myself enjoying them as people. A sense of humor goes a long way, too; being able to laugh at myself not only helps me to connect with a student, but it makes me feel better! When I think about all the jobs people have to do, I'm grateful that I can do work that I enjoy. Some days I think, "I can't believe that someone is willing to pay me to do this!"

And there you have it! Bill's competence and enthusiasm for what he does shows through to each and every student he works with. More importantly, they all realize he cares about them and their academic success. The fact that Bill wants them to achieve personal fulfillment goes without saying. At Educational Connections, we are lucky to have Bill as a member of our team; and while there are no winners in this game, tutors like Bill are definitely first place in our eyes!

Presentations by Ann Dolin

For those readers who do not know our director, Ann Dolin, she is a very busy woman! Ann is often asked to speak for PTA's or other parent organizations about anything and everything related to school and education. Since she was a teacher herself, Ann is very familiar with the perils that can face students, parents, and teachers alike if learning is not addressed appropriately.

While she is extremely knowledgeable about any topic she presents, Ann is more well known for her engaging instructional style and interactive approach. Ann truly practices what she preaches and is available for any of the following topics:

Presentations for Parents:
1. Helping your child with organization and study skills
2. AD/HD: from formal diagnosis to treatment options
3. Summertime learning
4. Obtaining accommodations on the SAT
5. Strategies for success in writing and math
6. Dyslexia: from diagnosis to treatment options

Presentations for Teachers/Professionals:
1. Differentiating instruction based on students' learning styles
2. Helping distractible students achieve classroom success
3. Teaching students organization, time management, and study skills
4. Preparing students for standardized tests
5. Teaching writing to reluctant writers

If you would like more information on Ann's presentations and workshop schedule, please email us--we are more than happy to answer any questions that you may have.

Math Tests - Tips That Work!

If only all math tests were as easy as this problem!!

Below you'll find some great tips to alleviate stress during math testing.

TIPS:

-Read each question, noting all of its parts.

-Underline or circle what the question is ultimatley asking you to solve, and what operation you need to use to solve it.

-Begin working only after you have scanned over all the questions on the test. This gives you a sense of the whole exam.

-Look for the question, or part of a question that resembles what you know how to do, and begin poking it and prodding it and thinking about it to see what it is made of.

-Don’t panic about the other students in the room and that they're solving problems and you're not – they’ve got their own worries too!!

-Work efficiently, being methodical and complete in your solutions. Box, circle, or underline your answers where appropriate. If you don’t take time to make your work neat and ordered, then not only will the grader have trouble understanding what you’ve done, but you can actually confuse yourself – with disastrous results. SHOW YOUR WORK.

-When you get the exam back, don’t bury it or burn it or treat it like it doesn’t exist – use it. Discover your mistakes and understand them thoroughly. After all, if you don’t learn from your mistakes, you are likely to make them again.

-Don't cram

-Eat breakfast

Information courtesy of Math Academy.

Studying for Exams, Part Deux

Now that we've talked about active reading strategies for improving student scores on midterms and finals, let's discuss some active study techniques to improve memory and information retention! These methods work well with vocabulary (ecosphere, integer), individual identification (Clara Barton, FDR), concepts, and eras. Try them out today with your child to see how much more they can remember in just a short period of time (Click on the title for visual descriptions)!

1. The Smart Card Study Technique
Smart cards are very similar to flash cards, but have a few additions to directly tie into student experiences and memory. Just like flash cards, smart cards have the vocab word, person, concept, or time period on one side, and the definition on the back side. In addition to the usual explanation, however, smart cards also have a small visual aid that the student draws of the term in question. The student also includes a personal sentence in which the term is related to the student's life. Making that connection greatly improves the student's ability to recall the pertinent details and apply it to the quiz, test, or questions. Smart cards also provide a great way for children and parents to interact. Quizzing each other can be a lot of fun and can reinforce that learning doesn't have to be boring. For kinesthetic learners, parents can also scatter the cards around the room with the definition side up and ask the student to find the correct explanation of specific terms without picking up the cards (or vice versa).

2. Two Column Notes
Two column notes are created by folding paper into 1/3 and 2/3 sections. On the left hand side (1/3 side), you write the term to be defined. On the right hand side (2/3 side), you write the definition or explanation using abbreviations, summaries, or other short hand techniques. When it comes time to study, the student can simply fold the paper at the crease and quiz himself or herself from one side to the other. This method is easily implemented and can help students begin to organize their thoughts. Parents can also get in on the fun by quizzing the student using either side of the notes.

By introducing these methods to your child over the coming weeks, you'll be helping him or her gain life long study skills that they can use regardless of the class, level, or exam type. These are just two more ways to help students define what it actually means to "study" and to increase their ability to interact with the learning process.