Sometimes, parents think helping their student  complete their homework, or even doing their child’s homework for him, will help him achieve better grades in school.  Often, it’s just the opposite, creating a situation where children have not learned the concepts they are later tested on in the classroom.”

A simple way to help with homework is by create an atmosphere that works with your child to efficiently tackle school tasks. Really get to know your child’s homework style and develop a personalized plan for school success.

Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, offers parents the following tips and advice to develop a homework plan for school success:

1. Set Goals for each Class. Help your child set personal and attainable goals for each class and help her identify what will need to be done to reach each goal. For example, to get an A in American History, she will need to turn in all of her homework, participate in class, etc.

2. Know Your Child’s Learning Style. Because each child is unique, with different learning styles and academic needs, it is important to personalize the learning process.  People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group activity or through quiet thinking time.  If you help your child work within his personal style, he will work more effectively.

3. Create a Quiet Homework Zone. Set up an area in your home for studying, complete with a dictionary, paper and pens. Make sure the area is free from potential distractions and that study tools are at your child’s fingertips to keep him focused on homework.

4. Develop a Notebook or Class Files. Develop a color-coded file for each of your child’s classes. Make separate tabs for homework assignments, exams and projects, so your child can refer back to class materials when studying for comprehensive tests.

5. Set Weekly Milestones. For big projects or exams, get a large calendar for your child’s homework area and help him set short timelines to ensure projects and studying aren’t left until the night before. Celebrate your child’s success when each milestone is met.

When you work with your student to develop a personalized plan to efficiently complete homework tasks, you will find higher grades, fewer homework headaches and a more confident child as a result.

When extra books or clothing, a musical instrument or other equipment are added, the weight they carry can reach 20 pounds. But whatever the figure, those packs are simply too heavy for their still-forming bones and muscles.  Read the full article.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/04/23/heavy-backpacks-can-spell-chronic-back-pain-for-children/

Every student studies mathematics, and it has always been an important component in education. It is a tool that helps us make sense of the world around us, and it is particularly important because success in mathematics has been linked to success in college and future careers. Simply stated, math counts when it comes to a bright future.

In celebration of Mathematics Awareness Month in April 2012, Sylvan Learning located in Darien is offering tips that families can use to help their student excel in mathematics education and become an independent learner.
 
The theme of this year’s Mathematics Awareness Month is “Mathematics, Statistics, and the Data Deluge,” to demonstrate how mathematics and statistics provide the tools to understand data collected every day from various devices, networks and other sources.

“The deluge of data that children encounter in their daily lives today—and which they will encounter even more throughout their adult lives—makes it even more important that they build strong math and statistics skills. This flood of information contains good data and bad,” says Gwynne Campbell of Sylvan Learning located in Darien.
 
“Good skills in math and statistics can equip your child with the ability to discern valid data from misleading data, and to make intelligent decisions based on factual data,” Campbell added.

Here are some helpful tips that parents can use to help bridge the gap between the fears of math and the vibrant and essential world of numbers for our children:

VALIDATE IT: Don’t be a parent who says, “I was never good at math.” It will only send the wrong message that “math is hard” and it has null value. It’s better to stress that math is something that has to be learned like anything else, by putting the time and effort into studies.

ADD IT UP: Point out math in everyday life. Make sure your child knows that math is relevant to his or her life, whether it’s figuring out how long a road trip will take or making out a grocery budget. Think aloud and let your child see you work out everyday math problems.

MULTIPLY IT:  Find online resources that will help your child acquire the math skills he or she needs. There are plenty of free online resources geared to teaching and building math skills for students of all ages. You’ll find everything from entertaining math tricks to multiplication shortcuts to free online practice sessions like the ones you can find on SylvanMathPrep.com.  They provide online video lessons on all sorts of math problems that can help with math homework or studying for tests.

SOLVE IT: Get help before it’s too late. While classroom learning may be enough for one child, it may not be enough for another.  Supplemental math instruction from a professional source can provide the one-on-one attention that is sometimes missing from a busy classroom and should be considered when parents lack the time or skill needed to provide help at home. Giving a child the time and opportunity to ask questions and learn math at their own pace can open doors of understanding in ways a traditional classroom cannot—and eventually can provide them with the confidence they need to learn in that classroom setting.

CHECK IT:  If algebra is around the corner for your child’s level of learning, log onto www.Fit4Algebra.org and have him or her take the Fit 4 Algebra Challenge!  It’s completely free and only takes about 20 minutes to complete.  You’ll also gain access to many free online resources that can help your child strengthen skills and get in tip-top shape for algebra!

Mathematics Awareness Month began in 1986 when President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation for National Mathematics Awareness Week. The annual celebration is a collaboration of the American Mathematical Society, the American Statistical Association, the Mathematical Association of America and the Society for Industrial Applied Mathematics.

For additional math resources, contact Gwynne Campbell of Sylvan Learning located in Darien at (203) 655-3276 or gmcsylvan@aol.com, or visit us on the web at www.sylvandarien.com

I.

Day to Day

A.

Take good notes.

Very few students leave high school with this skill. College of DuPage’s Learning Lab can help you here. Some suggestions and observations.

1.

Always take the notes for a particular class in the same notebook. Spiral bound notebooks were invented because they solved the problem of keeping related information consolidated in one place. Take advantage of this.

2.

Date

each entry into your notebook.

3.

It is usually best to keep the notes for different classes separate from each other. Spiral notebooks with built in dividers are excellent for this purpose.

4.

Your notes should contain as complete a record of what the instructor said as possible. Of course, you should not try to write every word spoken, but don’t leave out ideas. When you study, your notes should call back to your mind the entire sequence of ideas presented. Take care to spell all new words carefully. It you don’t know how to spell a word, ask your instructor to write it on the board. Most will automatically do so for new or difficult terms.

5.

Anything the instructor writes on the board should appear in your notes. If the instructor took the time to write it out, he or she considers it important. You should do the same.

6.

If possible, try to take your notes in some kind of outline form. The organization of ideas is as important as the content of those ideas, especially when it comes to learning the material for an exam.

7.

You might find it useful to have a second color of pen or pencil available for highlighting important ideas or indicating vocabulary.

B.

Be involved in your classes.

Don’t simply pretend you are a sponge, ready to soak up whatever the instructor says. You are there to learn, not to be taught.

1.

If the instructor is moving too rapidly for you, or if you don’t understand what is being said, say something!

2.

Ask questions

if you are confused. Confusion is definitely your worst enemy.

3.

If your class includes group activities, participate as fully as you can. Such exercises are done for your benefit, not to provide a break for the instructor.

C.

Review your notes every day.

This suggestion is one which we have all heard a thousand times. Unfortunately, most of us never really believe it until we actually try it. Spend 30 minutes or so each evening going over the notes from each class. There are at least two tremendous benefits to be gained from this discipline.

1.

Research has shown that reviewing new material within 24 hours of hearing it increases your retention of that material by about 60%. This means that you will be 60% ahead of the game the next time you walk into class. If you want to significantly reduce the time necessary to prepare for exams, this is the way to do it.

2.

Reviewing material before the next class period enables you to identify points of confusion or omission in your notes, which prepares you to ask the questions you need to ask before the next lecture. Again, confusion is your worst enemy.

D.

It is excellent policy to give high priority to new vocabulary. Language is the most fundamental tool of any subject, and it can seriously handicap you to fall behind in this.

E.

Keep up on your reading.

Unlike most high school teachers, many college instructors don’t give specific reading assignments. You are expected to go to your text for the reading related to the materials covered in class. Be independent enough to do this without being told.

II.

Using Your Textbook

A.

Don’t expect your instructor to give you detailed, page by page textbook assignments. While some may do so, many do not. College teachers are much more likely to expect you to use your own initiative in making use of the text.

B.

In most cases, it will be most useful for you to at least skim the relevant chapters before each lecture. You should receive a course outline/syllabus at the beginning of the quarter, which will tell you the subject for each day. You may receive chapter references (or even page references), or you instructor may expect you to be perceptive enough to refer to the Table of Contents.

1.

When you first approach a chapter, page through it fairly quickly, noting boldface headings and subheadings, examining figures, illustrations, charts, etc., and thinking about any highlighted vocabulary terms and concepts. Also take note of the pedagogical aids at the end of the chapter–study questions, summary, etc.

2.

When you have finished surveying the chapter, return to the beginning and read in more detail. Remember to concentrate upon understanding. Don’t simply read through the words. Any words which you don’t understand you should look up. If you own the book and intend to keep it, you may want to write definitions of such words in the margins. You may also find it helpful to make observations and other useful notes in the margins. If you don’t intend to keep the book yourself, you should carry out similar activities on a page in your class notebook.

3.

On this first trip through the chapter, you should concentrate upon catching the major subjects and points of the material. Also take note of those things which you don’t understand. If the lecture on the material doesn’t clarify those points, you should ask your instructor to explain.

C.

Following coverage of the chapter’s material in class, you should go back to the book and read it again. It will probably be helpful to skim through it first, as you did when you first looked at it. The tables and figures should be more readily read in detail. If you are a truly conscientious student, you will outline the chapter and prepare a vocabulary list of the terms which are pertinent.

D.

At this time you should think seriously about the review and study questions at the end of the chapter. Do your best to answer all fo them as if they were a take-home exam.

E.

You may also want to develop a system of cross referencing symbols to use when comparing your class notes to your notes from the text.

F.

Remember that your instructor will probably not use the same words which you find in the text book. nothing is more frustrating than to discover that what you hear in class is no more than a rehash of what you read in the book. However, if your instructor knows his/her subject, and the author of your text knows his/her subject, the meat of what they say should be the same. NOTE: Nobody is infallible. Your instructor may make mistakes. Don’t expect him or her to be more than human.

III.

Preparing Assignments

A.

Here’s another thing we have all been told thousands of times: Don’t leave assignments until the day before they are due! If you have a paper to write or a lab report to prepare, begin it as soon as possible. In most cases, instructors will be delighted to receive work early. Remember that many papers or projects require quite a bit of research before you can even begin writing. In most cases, it is impossible to accomplish the necessary preparation in one day or even one week. In some cases, instructors won’t accept late work at all. They are perfectly justified.

B.

Another sore point:

Be aware of the appearance of the work you submit. You should want to be proud of every assignment you submit, and that includes being proud of its appearance. If possible, assignments should always be typed. Never turn in an assignment written in pencil. Pages torn out of notebooks are sloppy and unsightly. Think about this point every time you hand an instructor an assignment. That paper represents the quality of your work, and your instructor is perfectly justified in taking its appearance into consideration when assigning a grade.

C.

An increasing number of instructors are requiring that all outside work be typed. If you don’t type, you should consider learning how. If you don’t want to do this, you should begin investigating ways and means of getting someone else to type your papers. This will often mean paying a professional typist. Costs vary, but be prepared to pay a considerable amount. A really good typist may be able to turn out 6-10 pages an hour. Think about what you consider an appropriate hourly wage when you consider how much you should expect to pay a typist. Another point you must consider is that it will add to the time necessary to prepare a paper it you have to go to someone else to type it. In planning the time necessary for typing, consider the following points:

1.

Your typist may have other customers who are just as anxious as you are.

2.

A paper takes time to type.

3.

Even the best typist makes mistakes. your paper must be carefully proofread by you.

4.

After proofreading, the typist must have time to make the necessary corrections.

IV.

Preparing for Exams

A.

Keep in mind that you want to be an active learner, not a passive one. The more you use and manipulate the information, the better you will understand it. Using and manipulating information in as many ways as possible also maximizes your ability to access your memory.

B.

Do not wait until the night before an exam to study!

Of course, you should be regularly reviewing your notes, but the preparation still takes time.

C.

If your instructor hasn’t explained to you how he or she designs exams, ask. this is a perfectly legitimate concern. However, keep in mind that an instructor has the right to design exams in whatever fashion he or she sees fit, and in most cases you have no business asking for changes in that design. You need to learn to handle all testing styles–including the dreaded essay exam!

D.

A good first step in preparation is to read through your notes a couple of times. While you are doing this, you might also

1.

Highlight

major topics and subtopics, with the goal of generating an outline of your notes. Even if you take your notes in outline form, this is a good practice. Major topics often extend through more than one day’s lecture, and it is easy to lose track of the overall picture from day to day.

2.

With a second color, highlight all vocabulary terms.

E.

Outline the entire set of notes. When you study a large body of information, you should study from concept to detail, not the other way around. It will, in fact, be much easier to learn the details if you take the time to learn the concept and theory first. The least efficient approach to studying is to attempt to memorize your notes from beginning to end. It’s not the words which are important–it’s the ideas.

F.

Consider ways of dealing with the information other than those used in class. the more ways you can manipulate and experience the material you are trying to learn, the more secure your understanding and memory will be. Some suggestions:

1.

Make charts, diagrams and graphs.

2.

Make lists.

3.

If the subject matter includes structures, practice drawing those structures. Remember that a drawing is useless unless the important structures are labeled.

G.

There are almost always types of information which you will have to memorize (eg. vocabulary). No one has ever invented a better device for memorizing than flash cards.

H.

One of the most universally effective ways to polish off your study activities is to prepare a self test.

1.

Challenge yourself as severely as you can.

2.

As you are studying, keep a running collection of “exam questions.” If you seriously attempt to write difficult and meaningful questions, by the time you finish you will have created a formidable exam. When you begin to feel you’re ready for your instructor’s exam, take out your questions and see if you can answer them. If you can’t, you may need to go back and reinforce some of the things your are trying to learn.

I.

Never, ever pull an “All-Nighter”

on the night before an exam. This is a “freshman trick,” meaning that good students learn very quickly that it is futile. What you may gain from extra study time won’t compensate for the loss of alertness and ability to concentrate due to lack of sleep.

J.

On exam day:

1.

Try not to “cram” during every spare moment before an exam. this only increases the feeling of desperation which leads to panic, and then to test anxiety. You may find it useful, on the night before an exam, to jot down a few ideas or facts which you wish to have fresh in your mind when you begin the exam. Read through your list a couple of times when you get up in the morning and/or just before you take the exam, then put it away. This kind of memory reinforcement not only improves your performance on the test, it also improves your long-term memory of the material.

2.

Be physically prepared.

a.

Get a good night’s sleep.

b.

Bring necessary writing materials to the test–at least 2 writing tools, erasers, blue books if necessary, calculators if appropriate and allowed. Be aware of what the instructor has specified as permitted for use. Some instructors object to exams written pencil; some prohibit use of tools like calculators. It is your responsibility to know these requirements; you should be prepared to take the consequences if you don’t.

c.

This may seem silly, but go to the bathroom just before the exam. Don’t expect your teacher to let you leave to do this during the test! The tension which generally goes along with taking an exam may increase the need to perform this physical activity, so you may need to go, even though you don’t particularly feel like it.

V.

Some Final Suggestions

A.

You should receive a syllabus for each class. This is the Rule Book for that class (in my classes, we call it the Survival Manual). Know everything on that syllabus! Your teacher has the right to expect you to know and abide by any rules and stipulations on that document, and it is perfectly within his/her rights to penalize you for failing to do so. Respect dates and deadlines, and expect to lose points if you turn things in late.

B.

Never miss an exam

if you can help it. You will rarely be more ready for the exam in two or three days than you are on the scheduled date, and the annoyance the teacher will feel about having to arrange a special exam time for you can actually hurt your grade in the end. Miss exams only if you absolutely have to.

C.

Save everything.

Never throw away a handout or a returned assignment or exam. With this in mind, equip yourself with a pouched folder for each class.

D.

Develop systematic behavior patterns associated with your schoolwork.

1.

Keep your class materials together and neat.

2.

Never

allow yourself to be caught at school without the necessary notebooks and materials. If you develop systematic habits with respect to attending classes, etc., this will be no problem.

E.

It is excellent practice to set aside a study area at home, and to designate a particular span of time each day as study time. However, don’t fall into the trap of feeling that study should never exceed the preordained time limits. You put in as much study time as is necessary to master the material for your classes.

For more information and further ideas, visit www.cod.edu

The Third Quarter is fast approaching. Many of us will help make all kinds of well-intentioned improvements for our children during the second half of the year. . This is also an opportunity to encourage our children to make some resolutions of their own.  

Academic resolutions can be a good start for many school-aged children.  Similar to other New Year pledges, an academic resolution is aimed at dealing with areas that need improvement.  And just like those other resolutions, now is always the best time to start.

Sylvan Learning Center of Darien  offers parents and families the following tips to kick-start a successful New Year:

Work as a family.  Develop the goals together, encourage your child to involve a trusted teacher or friend, but remember the goals are ultimately his. Talk over general ideas – an improved algebra grade, better study habits, making sports editor for the school paper – and help him set priorities, but let him make the final decisions.  Setting his own goals increases his motivation and self-sufficiency. 

Keep the goals simple, clear, and easy to understand.  For young children, short-term goals are the best because they’re, well, short and result in higher rates of achievement.   Daily goals are the best – “What shall we do today in the park?”  “What book shall we check out of the library?”  Older students in late elementary and middle school can be introduced to longer-term goals.  This teaches planning.

Set up helpful routines.  Give your children the consistency of fairly regular routines (weekends and holidays can be breaks).  Bedtime, wake-up, study, homework, play, family time–children rely on these routines, and the structure helps them to feel safe, to know what’s expected of them, and to be successful.

Help them organize.  Organized students do better in school. Help them to set up their planners (written or electronic; it doesn’t matter), to keep their notebooks and backpacks neat and orderly, to break up large assignments into smaller ones so they don’t seem overwhelming, to maintain a work space at home that’s actually workable and not a disaster area, and to stick to the goals you’ve set together.

Maintain healthy habits.  Healthy students are better learners.  Help your children by monitoring their screen-time (TV, video games, cell phones, etc.), making sure they’re getting enough sleep, insisting on their good eating habits, making sure they’re involved in regular and aerobic exercise, and sticking to those goals and routines you’ve established.

Be a good role model.  Children learn from parents.  If they see that you’re organized, focused on what’s important to you and your family, staying healthy, and being true to your values, they’ll pick up some pretty important life lessons.  Stay positive and diligent – they’ll test your patience often.  When you or your family slips a little, pick yourself up and start over with renewed determination.  That’s an important lesson in itself.

Don’t give up.  Academic resolutions are every bit as important – maybe more so – than social or personal ones.  Let your children know that you’re serious about these goals and that their school success is as critical to you as it is to them.

Get help early if you need it.  When your children show that they’re having trouble despite your best efforts, get help early.  Ask a teacher or guidance counselor for help.  Get a tutor.  Find a “study buddy” for your child.  Just get help now, before the little problem grows into a big one.

Wishing you and your child a successful academic New Year!

2012: Enter the New Year with a New Academic Plan for your Children

As we usher in the new year, it’s a great time to think about setting new academic goals and priorities for our children.  If your child struggled during the fall semester, we can help him or her overcome frustrations with homework and test-taking to meet with greater academic success during the second half of the year. Most importantly, MID-YEAR EXAMS are right around the corner, and Sylvan offers the following helpful hints for helping  students do better this year on their mid-term exams:

1.      The most important thing to do is to ASK your teacher NOW what will be covered on the exam. Find all the NOTES you took in and outside of class. If you outlined each chapter and filled in with class notes (Cornell/SQ3R format is the best) you are already organized. IMPORTANT: Make sure you find out if the test is CUMULATIVE (the entire term) or just partial (only the most recent quarter).

2.      Gather all the OTHER MATERIALS you have that relate to the topic you are going to be tested on:

• HANDOUTS
• HOMEWORK/LAB NOTES, etc.
• ALL PAST QUIZZES/TESTS

Arrange these materials, together with your notes and outlines BY DATE.

3.      Now that you have some idea where to start, begin REVIEWING IMMEDIATELY! Go back to the first chapter to be tested and look over the vocabulary and the review questions at the end of each unit. Make FLASH CARDS for vocabulary you have forgotten, and make outlines for the questions you were not able to answer without looking back.

4.      REPEAT STEP 3 for all material being tested in each class. We know it sound like a terrific amount  of work, but that is why you are starting NOW!  Use a calendar and create a daily ACTION PLAN to plot out all your individual study times over the 10 day study period.

5.      FORM A STUDY GROUP. Technical subjects that require a large amount of memorization and tedious outlining are often best studied in a small group in which each student responsible fot providing the group with specific outlines and review questions.  Group members can then quiz each other and provide support during a stressful time.

6.      6. Be sure to ask your teachers about the FORMAT of the test. Will it be primarily essay (long or short), multiple  choice or a combination?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204644504576653004073453880.html

Another tenet of this article is that billions of dollars spent on counseling adolescents are, for the most part, ineffective. Active, involved parents can help guide and provide kernels of wisdom, and they have to gain trust and be supportive. The prolonged plasticity of the late-developing frontal areas of the brain in teenagers allows for growth from mistakes and experimentation before speed transmission from the brain’s white matter slows down, and maturity sets in. A final thought – If we smartened up at a younger age, we would end up dumber.

We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of
change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.”  Peter Drucker

“Be observing constantly. Stay open minded. Be eager to
learn and improve.” – John Wooden

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” –
Benjamin Franklin

“Experience is the name everyone gives to his
mistakes.” – Oscar Wilde

“I don’t expect anyone to be perfect.
It’s not human nature. What I do expect is that they will take risks, correct
mistakes, and learn from both.” – Mike Armstrong

“Don’t mind criticism. If it is
untrue, disregard it; if unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant,
smile; if it is justified, it is not criticism – learn from it.” – Author
unknown

“Tell me and I Forget. Show me and I
remember. Involve me and I understand.” – Chinese Proverb