Getting an A+ in Teacher Communication

We all want A's...I don't care how old you are. In everything we do in life, we want to succeed, get pats on the back, high fives, "atta boys"... basically, life's "A+'s". So, when it comes to meeting with your child's teacher for parent/teacher conferences, aim for the the best possible outcome! Ace that meeting this year.

We tell our kids daily to do their homework. Now it's our turn... We have 10 minutes (give or take) with the person our children spends the majority of their time with during the week, learning and molding their minds for the future. Let me tell you.. you DON'T want to blow those 10 minutes on how organized the classroom is or what a great haircut the teacher has. Get in there and get down to business. This isn't coffee or happy hour, it's your CHILD'S FUTURE.

Here's a checklist to help you prepare (and yes - you can take notes with you to rattle off and questions to go over with the teacher - this helps keep you on track!):

• Talk to your child PRIOR to the conference to see if he/she has concerns you can address


• Discuss any at home issues that may be affecting the work at school


• Ask for specifics about your child's work. Don't be intimated by jargon you may not understand or really care about when in comes to "the majority" or "the class." This is YOUR CHILD'S time.


• Stay focused on your child - not on your past (as a child), your work, or your view on the curriculum. Stay in the present.


• Discuss common goals and your role in those.


• ASK for follow up emails or conversations if you feel they are necessary.

This is a partnership. Don't become antagonistic...the time with your child's teacher should be open and honest and a fair playing field or nothing will or can be accomplished.

If your child is having conflicts with the teacher that you are aware of, these should definitely be addressed. Make sure before having this discussion, that your child has given you solid, concrete examples of what has happened (as well as he/she can from a child's viewpoint). Ask your teacher for her insights, you may find that there are reasons why her decisions have been made, or you may find you need additional help in being heard. Either way, the dialogue needs to be open. Allow the teacher to first have the chance to work things out with your child before going to next level. Many times she may not known the extent of what was going on or being felt, and now is able to address the feelings and situation with your child.

Bottom line is that we all want what's best for the kids... to grow, to learn and become responsible, smart adults ready to help change the world!

If you find out your child needs addtional help or needs to be challenged more...contact us. We know where you can get some great in home tutoring.

Help for Parents of A Struggling Reader

You think your child is having trouble with reading...whether it's instinct or it's been pointed out to you. It's never an easy realization, but it's one that can be worked on! Sometimes children just need more time, but in other cases, they may need extra help. Trust your instincts! You know your child better than anyone. If you think there's a problem, there probably is. This is where you have to be their voice.

Don't give up or necessarily believe or agree that your child "will grow out of it." You may be told this. The fact is, whenever a child has difficulty with reading or with school, it can be an overwhelming and emotional time for parents and for the child. The more you all learn, the less overwhelming it will seem and the more you'll be able to act effectively and quickly. You are the best advocate for your child – keep asking, learning, and acting to ensure that he or she has the best opportunity to succeed at reading. No one else is going to do this for you or your child. Remember that.

Take a look at the following 8 Steps to ensure that he or she receives the help needed to succeed - no matter what age or grade level.

1. Find out if your child needs extra help: Talk to your child's teachers and doctors. This could be more than just a school issue...it could be a vision or hearing issue, as well.

2. Consult with the school and other parents: Make an appointment with your child's teacher and possibly the guidance counselor/social worker to review a plan you all can work together on. Having everyone on the same page will benefit your child the most. Talking with other parents will many times unveil a wealth of information, as other children have gone through similar situations and you can tap into other resources families may have already found and tried.

3. Know your options:

• Find out about IDEA -Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – that ensures that children diagnosed with a learning disability will receive special school services (for free).
• Check other sources:
  LD OnLine,
  National Center for Learning Disabilities,
  National Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities,
  Schwab Learning,
  Wrightslaw
• Put EVERYTHING in writing! Keep all your research, conversations and concerns in a log so that when or if things don't get moving or get worked on, you have a copy of the issue and conversation. It's important to document everything as you begin to advocate for your child. Keep your decisions, your choices and your notes with you always. This is your child you are fighting for.

4. Ask the school to evaluate your child: Send the principal a written evaluation request requesting that a specialist (reading) review your child's progress. Also, make certain that your child is being evaluated in his/her strongest language, if English is not the primary language in your home.

5. Consider an outside evaluation from an independent expert like a child psychologist or outside specialist. You can find names by contacting local Parent Resource Centers in your area.

6. Consider finding an advocate. An advocate is a professional, education consultant or sometimes attorney, who specializes in helping parents resolve problems with a school. These professionals can be expensive. Your local Parent Training and Information Center or a Parent Resource Center may have information on advocates in your area.

7. Consider hiring a tutor. There are many tutoring options including private tutors, tutoring centers, educational therapists, and formalized programs. Ask for recommendations and do your homework to find a tutor who has specific knowledge and experience in working with children who have reading or learning disabilities. Some tutors also can work as an advocate for your child in the schools and will work directly with the school to help get your child the help he or she needs while in their care, and while at home. Tutor programs and curriculum should be designed completely around YOUR child and the uniqueness of how he/she learns. Make sure that question and topic is covered when you are doing your own "tutor homework."

8. Support your child at home by providing as much academic support and emotional support as you can. There are many extra activities you can work on at home without adding additional stress to your child, that shows you are there to help. Always letting him/her know that you are there no matter what is part of the success equation, as well. Focus and confidence go hand in hand with these issues, so continuing to provide encouragement during this time will be key to overcoming the struggles.

Tutor Doctor Quiz:

The two biggest questions we get at Tutor Doctor:
Take our 2 question quiz... Then, watch the video and see how well you did :).
1. Where do we tutor? At our location or in your home?
2. Do we work with our own pre-designed curriculum, or do we build a tailored curriculum around your student's learning needs and styles?

We're here for you, your students and their success. Contact us for more info on how we can help you.

Finding the Shot

This one is personal. I get asked many times why I got into this business - and honestly, I could probably answer it on many different levels: "I've always been an entrepreneur and loved owning my own business." "Being my own boss is great!" "Working with kids and their families is wonderful." There are so many answers... I could go on and on and on. But, honestly, there is one reason that hits very close to home which answers it all. And it centers around a puck, a sitck, and a sheet of ice...oh and and my son.

I lost my son in 2nd grade. Not really lost him, like I couldn't physically find him, but emotionally lost him. I LOST who he was, his smile, his energy, his spirit...HIM. It was during a move, a transition for him at the beginning of the school year. My son - who is by all counts a pretty spectacular kid (ok, so I'm biased) - is pretty shy, but over time truly becomes the "Mayor'' or "Norm" (from Cheers) pretty quickly in most situations. He ended up in a class, in a school, that wasn't him, with a teacher that never truly saw him. Because of this, he lost himself and everything about him. We went from a kid who loved to read, to a kid who hated to read. A kid that loved math, to a kid that threw his homework across the table because he was "stupid" (and we don't use that word in our house.) A kid who loved being with other kids, to a kid who wanted to just be at home. Like I said, I lost my son.

However, we found hockey. He found hockey. He found a uniform, a hockey mask, a jersey, a stick, a place that he could be anyone he wanted to be. A place that he was invincible. And it was from hockey that we started seeing our son come back to life. When he stepped on the ice, he was awake again, smiling again. Coaches saw him, people believed in him... and more than that, he believed in himself. Two times a week I saw my son again... If you're a mom, you can understand how this felt.

We ended up moving and into another school district where our son was welcomed with open arms and open minds. Within days I saw glimpses of the old kid I had always known. He was playing again, making friends again and loving school again. He had a teacher that took an interest in him and saw him for the child he truly IS. It was amazing.

He once told me that when he got sad in the old school, he imagined he was playing hockey and it made him smile. I have no doubt that the worst months that we went through would have been even worse without those skates and ice...in fact, I know it. I sit here today still watching him with tears in my eyes everytime knowing that he found who HE is through a tough journey, but he found it nonetheless. I have Tutor Doctor because of my son's journey... I help other families and kids find their voices when no one else maybe listening, and while I'm doing it, I can make sure they have the help in school that they need to succeed.

You never know where your goals will come from. For us, we scored on the ice... Find where your child becomes invincible, if only for an hour a week and run with it. Cultivate it. Embrace it. This is a journey you'll take together and you'll never be sorry for it.

TD Takeaway of the Day: Read, Read, Read!

I found this on Twitter and just loved all of the great tips from various moms that wrote in! The beloved reader series, I CAN READ, asked moms to submit their favorite reading strategies for getting kids to read more in the summer months. I think you'll enjoy just as much as I did!

For us, we have a family that loves to read. Our kids keep books in the cars, stacks by the bed, in the family room, kitchen...wherever. They are part of our life. And one thing that works wonders in the summer to get extra time is the more time logged in the day, the longer you get to stay up at night! Our 8 yr old loves it!

Enjoy these other tips! TwitterMoms!

Diary of an... Engaged Kid!

So, on the heels of the ever popular and always entertaining "Diary of Wimpy Kid" movie and book series, my own son - a rising 3rd grader - is now setting off in creating his own "Diary/Journal" of his own life and times. This got me to thinking...What other books are out there that could create a new world of adventure or stir up a side of his imagination that maybe hadn't been tapped into yet?

Always on the lookout for some new way to engage him - and the rest of our family - in some new activity (other than another PS3 or Wii game), I have set out on a quest. And trust me, it's amazing what you can find. We've gone through the entire Harry Potter set and cast spells around our house on each other to get things done. We've turned our house into the Millenium Falcon and made life size cut outs from our favorite characters of the Star Wars BOOKS (not movies... the books are far more in depth and awesome for a kid to get lost in them - especially on the Boba/Jengo Fett front). We're introducing Big Nate into our family and seeing if he and Greg Heffley (of "Diary" fame) could actually be friends. We've discovered the amazing talents of Matt Christopher and his sports books, and found a way to tie a love of reading into an 8 yr olds love of hockey.

Next on the list...Reading what I consider to be some of my childhood classics - Rohald Dahl books. Imagine what we can do with "James and the Giant Peach", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "The Fantasic Mr.Fox" and "Boy."

The coolest part of all of this? Every adventure is being recorded in my son's "Diary"...all started by a book. He's even titled his version "Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The new wimp." I have to say, I was pretty proud. He's tied in his love of reading, with his love of writing (which we had to really work with him on in 2nd grade), and his love of drawing (not sure where he gets that from!)

Create your adventure with your kids. And make it a family affair...re-read classics with them, or new series for the first time. Make it a family book club. You'll be amazed and thrilled at the fun times and outcomes that you get from each discussion and activity you can create. Plus, you get to read some pretty cool books that as an adult you normally wouldn't get to read!

If you're looking for suggestions on starting some activities or a family book club reading list, let me know! We certainly have lots of them.

Here are some GREAT ideas for Day Trips focused completely around children's books that get you and your kids thinking - and take reading and discussing to an entire new level! Have fun!
Reading Day Trips!