TD Takeaway of the Day:

I read a quote from a special ed teacher today that really struck me...
"I am constantly asking myself: What can I do for children? This simple yet profound question provides the focus I need when the going gets tough. This question keeps me in the mode of turning my passion into performance. I’m talking about purposeful performance that links my core values with an empathetic awareness of the views of those around me."

All children should be fortunate enough to have teachers who act, feel, think and teach in this way every day. All teachers should remember WHY they started teaching in the first place. And all parents, well, we just need to remember that this is a JOINT effort and we can get as much out of our kids, schools and teachers as we put into it.

Top 5 Questions to ask when looking for a tutor

There are many different tutoring services out there and it can be a dizzying adventure trying to pick the right tutor for yourself or your child. Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing a tutor or a tutoring service.

1. Is there a fee for an assessment or consultation and is it required?
Some services require you to pay upfront for an assessment before they will recommend a package. These fees can range from $50-$200. You may go through the assessment and then find you cannot afford the tutoring services proposed.

2. Do they have customized packages?
Some tutoring services only have standard packages and will not be flexible.

3. Do they use their own curriculum or do thy follow the student's curriculum?

Some tutoring services will introduce the student to a brand new curriculum in addition to the curriculum the student has to absorb at school. If you or your child are struggling, learning a new curriculum rather than focusing on the existing curriculum may not be wise.

4. Do they provide in-home tutoring or center based tutoring?
Some tutoring services are center based only which means one more trip for the student and for the parent/guardian to fit into a busy day's schedule, while other tutor services come to the home or will meet the student at a convenient location.

5. What is the tutor to student ratio?
Some services will have a 4 to 1 student to tutor ratio or higher, while in-home tutoring services can offer a much more desirable and focused one-to-one tutor to student ratio. If you are looking for individualized attention and need a focused learning atmosphere, one-to-one will be much more conducive to improved learning skills and better grades.

No matter what route you go, make sure you do your own homework, and that not only are your child's learning needs being met, but their personality is too. Your student's tutor can make all the difference in the world.

TD Takeaway of the Day:

“Tell me and I'll forget; show me and I may remember; involve me and I'll understand.”
Sometimes, we all forget to do this with our kids. Find out how your child learns and what makes him excited. Help them be a part of all of that their world has to offer. I promise, it'll make your world, seem just a little bit better.

Communities need to work together to avoid students' academic "slide" during summer break

When school children close their books in June, they too often forget about reading, writing and arithmetic until September rolls around.

For teachers that means a fall filled with remedial work. Educators typically spend four to six weeks getting students back to where they were at the end of the previous academic year. A study done in the Grand Rapids Public Schools from 2003 and 2004 showed the summer learning loss reached almost 40 percent for some students.

The phenomenon is so universally recognized it has a name: summer slide.

A group of local organizers is looking for a way to halt the slide. The campaign, if done right, can lead to educational efficiency, relieving teachers of the chore of covering the same ground. In addition, the developing program would address inequities. Children in lower-income homes are more likely to suffer summer learning loss than children in middle-class and upper-income homes.

Beyond summer programs that turn attention to books instead of video games, educators should explore the way the school year is structured. Does a long summer break make sense anymore? Does the 180-day school year — altered to 1,098 hours of instruction in Michigan — best serve students, especially when countries that are our economic rivals keep kids in classrooms longer? Should local districts experiment more with year-round school as a solution to learning loss?

Studies in the United States show that all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, fall behind in math skills over the summer, losing on average 2.6 months. Educators believe this is because math isn’t typically practiced outside the classroom.

In reading, however, income disparity sharpens. Children in low-income households lose on average two months in reading ability. Middle- and upper-income children hold their own or make slight gains. Experts believe that lower-income youngsters have fewer opportunities for brain-stimulating cultural enrichment during summer months, whether trips to zoos, museums or national parks.

The academic gap extends far beyond a single school year. A study done by researchers at Johns Hopkins University tracked Baltimore school children from 1st grade through age 22. The study found that summer learning accounted for 65 percent of the learning gap between upper-income students who attended college and low-income high school dropouts.

In other words, the decline is cumulative. Effectively addressing summer loss, and doing so early on, can make a huge difference for youngsters who might otherwise fall off the track academically and fall through the cracks of society.

A number of local organizations from government, non-profits and churches came together recently to address summer slide. The groups include the Grand Rapids Public Schools, Heart of West Michigan United Way and the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation. Those involved believe they can make use of existing summer programs and try to use them more effectively. That goal merits support.

One example of a simple program that works is in the Kalamazoo Public Schools. There every student entering sixth grade next fall will be mailed eight books over the course of the summer. The students will be asked to read the books and send postcards, which will be answered. A pilot study done with some incoming sixth graders showed participants advanced four months in reading test scores. Those who didn’t take part lost one-and-a-half months.

The Kalamazoo program this year will involve 900 youngsters and cost the district $74,000. That’s a modest sum for substantial gains.

Parents, of course, are the ultimate tutors. They should insist that when their kids aren’t outside riding bikes or running around, they’re spending at least some of their summer days reading books. Whether “Treasure Island,” “Harry Potter” or “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” a world of possibility awaits, now and in the future.

Source - Grand Rapids Press Editorial Board 03.10.10

Make it count

I found this quote today and I instantly connected with it.
"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."

What will your journey be? Can you take your family with you? What kind of journey are you showing you kids everyday? I realized that too often I forget that everyday is an opportunity for greatness. That's what I want to instill in my kids.

My own son has had his struggles finding his place - last year was one of his, and our, toughest so far. Watching him struggle in school, with friends, with transitions and with his own anxieties and fears broke my heart hourly. But, we found our voice. He found his voice. And we created and turned it into one of the best adventures to date. It was all part of finding out how strong we all were - and finding what our path was together. It led me to the journey I'm on now. I get to be the voice for so many other families that don't have one, can't find theirs, or simply have no idea how to have theirs heard.

Find your journey. Start today.

Today's Learners

Take a look at this video...and see how your student fits in.
A Vision of K-12 Students Today

Make sure your student is getting the most from the world he or she lives in. Ask the questions, look closely, be involved and pay attention...but most of all listen to what your student is saying. Each student is unique and should be seen as such. Teaching to their own characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, likes, dislikes and personalities is something that can be done...Maybe not always IN the classroom, but we can do it WITH the classroom.

Summer's Here...Now What?

Summer is finally here... Long sunny days. Playdates. Beach and Pool trips. Popsicles at the Park. Ahhh the life of a child out of school. But, what happens to everything they learned in school? How do we as parents keep it fresh and keep them motivated? There has to be more to the days of summer than just watching our kids get up, turn the latest TV or video game on, and begin to tune out the rest of the world. Right?? :) How do we keep everything fresh and fun - and keep them engaged at the same time?

Thanks to our friends at Psychologytoday.com for these great bits of information!

1. What ultimately is the goal a parent should have in mind when they select/offer ideas to their children of what to do this summer?

Parents should always be thinking about what they want their children to get out of their summer. Take a look at anything that fosters kids' physical, intellectual, social, spiritual, environmental, cultural, and artistic development. In other words, what are the experiences you can provide that will further your children's greater understanding of themselves and the world in which they live.

Also, parents should focus on summer activities that encourage certain values that parents want to instill in their children, for example, hard work, compassion, or learning about other cultures. If children are into sports, the arts, or another specialized area, activity-specific camps or other experiences devoted to these are a great way to allow them to enjoy themselves and help them improve and strive toward their goals. If you can't find one that matches your schedule or your budget, try putting one on yourself for your children and their friends. It may sound like a lot of work, but actually it's a lot of fun and the experience you'll get out of it with your children and their friends is priceless. There are many ways to do this - a week, three days, etc.. And pick a theme. You can ask friends to bring supplies, as well. Keep it to a half day or few hours and only a few children. At the end of the week, have a final project to send home with the kids! You wont believe how much fun this time can be!!

Of course, having some summer activities that are just plain fun is important too.

2. What role does our popular culture play in these decisions?

Parents feel a lot of pressure these days to "keep up with the Joneses," meaning they feel like if they're not doing what the Joneses are doing, then they will be viewed as bad parents. My advice is to "make the Joneses jealous." While the Joneses are doing what everyone else is doing (sometimes quite unhappily), you can be doing what your family wants to do. The ability to make this decision to buck the system comes from thinking deliberately about your family's values and interests and making conscious choices based on those priorities.

3. What specific ideas can you offer parents to do with their 13-18 year olds this summer?

Summer jobs are one of the most powerful experiences teenagers can have. I think manual labor or mundane labor is especially good learning experience for teens, particularly in the privileged and insulated world in which many kids are raised these days. I worked as a waitress and retail cashier all through high school and college. It showed me the value of hard work, the direct relationship between earning a wage and serving others (literally), and how and what most people expect from others who are working for them. It also taught me the VALUE of being a great communicator.

Summers are also a great time to get kids involved in household responsibilities. They should be assigned chores that contribute to the upkeep and functioning of the house. Painting a room, cleaning out the garage, or being in charge of recycling are all great ways to teach kids responsibility and get the house into shape.

Family activities should also be included summer plans. Family outings are a great way for you to connect with and strengthen your relationship with their kids and do fun things together. The best summer family activities are those in which parents and children share a new and unique experience, visit a place totally unfamiliar to everyone, or do something that requires a family to interact in different ways. For example, one family I know spent two weeks helping to build a house for Habitat for Humanity. Another family spent a week camping the mountains.

4. What role does boredom play in summer activities? Does boredom have any value?

Boredom happens when kids have too much free time on their hands. And summers, when kids aren't in school and may not have as much structure in their days, are a potential breeding ground for boredom.

I still remember to this day, my mom saying to me "Only boring people get bored." While this may not have been the greatest message, it defintely GOT to me and I understood it and remembered it throughout my life. I never wanted to be seen as a boring person, so I always made sure that I found and had something to do.

Boredom can also be a great tool for development if it's handled properly. Too often these days, when kids get bored, parents give them something to entertain them, such as put them in front of a TV or computer or send them to the mall. But boredom can encourage creativity and self-initiative. When kids tell their parents they are bored, the parents should say, "So, what are you going to do about it?" Parents can offer activities that are healthy, such as organizing informal soccer games, going to parks and museums, or doing chores around the house (that will get kids motivated to find something to do for themselves!).

At the same time, I do think a part of summer should be devoted to down time, meaning just hanging out at home and taking it easy (but that doesn't mean sitting in front of a screen for easy entertainment). Kids need time to rest and recharge. So much of kids' lives these days are programmed and go, go, go. But this time should not comprise the bulk of the summer, but rather be a short period, perhaps a week, before school begins.

5. How does a parent address the fact if a child does NOT want to do, attend or volunteer at a certain activity?

There is a saying, "Doing nothing is not an option." Kids have to do something with their summers. You can give your kids some options from which they must choose, including some form of work. But I believe that kids should be forced to do something.

One family I know has a rule: one thing the parents want the kids to do and one thing the kids want to do. This rule amounts to a win-win for parents and kids.

Make the most out of your family's summer! Have fun, work smart, and learn always.