7 Great Summer Books for High School Students

From relevant to hilarious, this reading list contains a wealth of interesting books for high school students.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

This book, written in 1932, looks at Huxley’s vision of the future. Thanks to psychological engineering, people have been genetically bred to be passive and therefore useful to the ruling class. This book presents not only a wonderful world of imaginative genius, it also sheds a poignant light on the present. This is considered to be Huxley’s masterpiece and a great read for the curious mind.

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

Dr. Wilbur Larch is the director at St. Cloud’s orphanage in Maine. When his protégé, Homer Wells, takes the reins from the physician, the harsh realities of life in the 1920s and 30s takes its toll on the young doctor. This is a very touching novel and a story about love and loss that examines the grander themes of life.

Swords for Hire, Two of the Most Unlikely Heroes you’ll ever Meet by Will Allen

16 year old Sam Hatcher and his friend, en eccentric royal guard, aren’t exactly what you would call conventional heroes. But when the king is captured by his evil brother and imprisoned in a dungeon, they are the only ones who can rescue him.

A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly

When she is just sixteen, Mattie Gokey has to take a job at the Glenmore Hotel where a guest, Grace Brown, asks her to burn a stack of secret letters. But when Grace’s body is pulled from the lake, Mattie discovers that the letters hold the clues that could reveal who committed the murder.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card

Government agencies are genetically engineering a race of child geniuses in order to develop ways to protect the earth from invasion by a hostile alien race. Andrew ‘Ender’ Wiggin is one of these children who is taken from his parents and drafted into military training at a very young age. Beset with sibling rivalry, isolation and pressure from adult teachers, Ender must overcome his fears to help save the world.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Arthur Dent is having a very bad day. When he wakes up to discover that his house is about to be demolished to make way for a new highway he thinks his world is coming to an end. He couldn’t be more right as his friend, Ford Prefect explains that Earth is about to be blown to smithereens by a battle cruiser. Ford manages to hitch a ride moments before earth is destroyed and he and Arthur begin an epic hitchhiking adventure to the end of the universe.

The Exploding Toilet by David Holt and Bill Mooney

This interesting book explores the best modern day urban legends. These juicy tales aren’t only scintillating, they also teach an important lesson on how to think critically about the stories people tell. A great book for the reluctant reader.

Tips for Colorado Students Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA

If you are getting ready for the college application process, filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form may seem a little daunting. With these tips and a dollop of patience, you can be well on your way to affordable education. Here are some of the best tips on how to successfully complete your FAFSA application.

If you are still considering your college choices, you can use the FAFSA calculator to see how much aid you would be eligible for. This can help you to see which schools you can afford. Get the FAFSA calculator here: https://fafsa.ed.gov/FAFSA/app/f4cForm?execution=e1s1.

It’s easy online

You can apply online between January 1 and June 30. You can fill out your FAFSA online here: http://fafsa.ed.gov/.

You can start by getting a PIN number which you will need to complete the application. This PIN is your personal identification and will also be used if you want to sign a loan contract, if you want to access your FAFSA information online and access several other US Department of Education websites.

When you are ready to apply for your PIN, visit the Federal Student Aid PIN website here: https://pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp.

Once your have applied for your PIN, you can complete your FAFSA application. After three days, the information you provided will be verified by the SSA and then you can use it on other websites. You do not have to wait for verification to complete the FAFSA. Do not share your PIN number with anyone else to avoid identity theft.

Gather all the necessary documentation

You will need a number of documents in order to complete your FAFSA application. Ensure that you have all these documents and your PIN number before you start the application process.

• Your Social Security number
• Your parents’ Social Security numbers
• Your driver’s license
• Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. citizen
• Federal tax information or tax returns including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married), and for your parents if you are a dependent student:

1. IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ
2. Foreign tax return and/or
3. Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau

• Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans noneducation benefits, for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student
• Information on cash; savings and checking account balances; investments, including stocks and bonds and real estate but not including the home in which you live; and business and farm assets for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student

If you are struggling with the tax information section of your FAFSA, get help here: http://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/filling-out#providing-financial-information

If you are unable to enter all your parent’s information, then you can indicate special circumstances which will allow you to complete the application without this data.

If your parents don’t have a social security number, you can use all zeroes on the application where it asks for that information.

Which Schools?

Of course you have not had your college applications approved and so you can list as many as 10 potential schools. Start with a state school as some states require this in order for you to qualify for state aid. After the first state school you list, you may list your other school choices in whichever order you prefer.

The schools you list will automatically receive your FAFSA information.

Once your application is complete, a confirmation page will show that your application will be processed.

FAFSA Overview - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

What parents need to know about E-Cigarettes

Electronic or e-cigarettes sales are soaring, but not everyone is supporting this new fad. In his last days as New York major, Bloomberg banned sales of e-cigarettes while law-makers in the UK call for new legislation that will ban the sale of e-cigarettes to minors. With manufacturers touting e-cigarettes as a ‘healthy’ alternative to smoking, many parents are weighing in with their concerns about these potentially harmful products.

Electronic cigarettes enable users to inhale a mixture of nicotine and chemical flavor additives in vapor form. The battery-powered devices are crafted to look like real cigarettes and contain cartridges filled with liquids that contain nicotine and flavors like chocolate, bubblegum and mint.

Since no combustion is taking place and no smoke is produced, users can use the e-cigarettes indoors. Manufacturers are claiming that the lack of combustion minimizes the negative health aspects usually associated with traditional tobacco-based cigarettes.

A 2011 and 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey found that one in ten American high school students had tried e-cigarettes, a trend Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, describes as “deeply troubling.” His fear is that they will develop a dependency on nicotine which will lead to the smoking of traditional cigarettes.

Other researches are equally cautious: “They’re not safe. They’re just less dangerous,” says Dr. Stanford Glantz, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California San Francisco.

The fear that e-cigarettes will lead to smoking isn’t the only health risk. Aside from nicotine levels that are as high as or higher than regular cigarettes, e-cigarettes also contain a cocktail of chemicals that may have a poor effect on health.

Since the manufacture of e-cigarettes is not regulated, FDA officials claim that they have no idea what chemicals go into flavoring the e-cigarettes and they have no idea what effects e-cigarettes have on health. They are calling for caution until studies can be conducted to ascertain the long-term effects of smoking e-cigarettes.

While the FDA is conducting initial studies and promises to enforce regulations as soon as it has enough information to do so, it’s best if you discourage your students from trying these potentially dangerous products. Talk to your students about the use of e-cigarettes today. Until the manufacture of e-cigarettes is regulated and the long-term effects of inhaling nicotine vapor explored, students should avoid e-cigarette use.

Parents can help by not smoking e-cigarettes in front of their students and discussing the inherent dangers of smoking in general. Until studies show that e-cigarettes are harmful or safe, parents should encourage their students think twice before smoking an e-cigarette.

5 New Year's Resolutions Every Parent Should Make

Your 2014 resolutions don’t just have to focus on dieting and exercise; you can set valuable intentions for your parenting too. Your resolutions for the coming year shouldn’t be vague promises to ‘spend more time with the kids’, but attainable, realistic goals for improving the emotional and academic support you are able to provide. The key is in the daily routines; small changes here can really lead to big improvements in your family life.

Listen

Take time each day to really listen to your students. When they have problems academically or socially, ask them for explanations and listen attentively. If your student is shy or going through a phase where communication is tough, don’t give up or become frustrated. Continue to ask open-ended questions even if all you get is a shrug or an “I don’t know.” It’s important to keep channels of communication open at all times and to listen without judging.

Stay the course

When it comes to getting a couple of more minutes of computer time, or moving back curfews, children have better negotiating skills than politicians. It can be tough to stay the course when you are being nagged and hounded, but it’s important to set firm boundaries.

If you’re not sure about the ‘No’, then put off the answer with “I will have to think about it”. If you have said no, then stick to your guns.

Take better care of you

I call this the ‘oxygen mask’ principle. In an airplane, adults must put their own oxygen masks on before attending to their children and you need to take care of your own needs in other situations too. You can’t be a great parent if you are stressed out or unhealthy. Take the time out you need to keep functioning optimally. Whether that means an occasional night out, exercising more, taking a day off or enabling your children to be more independent, do what you need to in order to maintain your composure.

Be constructive

Empty threats and blanket criticism can be the result of understandable frustration on the behalf of parents but a constructive, non-judgmental response will often help to solve the situation. For example, if your student is having trouble academically and has a poor attitude towards studying, parents become frustrated. Their frustration is borne from a genuine concern for their child’s future, but continuous arguments and criticism won’t solve the problem.

Instead, speaking with tutors, teachers and the student in a constructive, supportive atmosphere can help to create a game plan to improvement that suits both parents and students and results in positive academic gains.

Have fun

Laugher really is the best medicine and a family that has fun together will form tighter bonds. Take time out to enjoy yourselves and have fun with your kids. Do enjoyable activities individually with your children and together as a family. Ask your students what they want to do as participating in planning is more likely to result in participation in the activity.

This year, set yourself really attainable goals that work on your everyday habits. For example, if your resolution is to spend more time with your children and to be a better listener, then start a tradition of spending Sunday afternoons doing something together. You could take each child to a movie, shopping, or out for a meal. One-on-one time will really help to give you the space to listen and communicate.

Setting attainable, realistic changes that are tangible will mean that you are more likely to succeed. Small steps in the right direction result in small victories that are a real encouragement to keeping your resolutions past Valentine’s day.

Best Holiday Reads for Middle School Students

The holiday season is the perfect time for middle school students to get some rest in before the new semester. The weather is cool and they have time to catch up on some fun reading. Here are some books you can buy to encourage holiday reading or add to their festive gift list:

The Mysterious Benedict Society

Students reply to a newspaper advert and have to pass a series of tests in order to qualify for the team which embarks on a mysterious investigation. The students go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened where they discover all manner of secrets.

The Harry Potter Box Set

If your student hasn’t experienced the joys of the Hogwart’s School of Wizardry, then this will make a gift of epic proportions. It doesn’t matter if they have already watched the movies; the books are far more action-packed and intricate and will still be a thrilling read.

The Giver

This coming-of-age novel investigates the world where Jonas lives free of choices, pain or war, until (at the age of 12) he is exposed to these elements by the Giver. This is a great novel and your student will not be able to put it down!

The Hobbit

Try to get your student to read this before going to see the movie. The Hobbit is a classic for good reason as readers are taken on scintillatinly exciting adventures with Bilbo Baggins as he sets off from the Shire with Gandalf the wizard to battle dragons for stolen treasure.

Holes

When Stanley Yelnats goes to Camp Green Lakes for the summer, he is transported to a desert devoid of any greenery at all. As Stanley’s summer takes a turn for the worse, he is accused of stealing a pair of shoes and made to dig holes in the desert sand. He soon figures out that the dastardly camp leader is searching for a hidden treasure…

Twilight Saga

This is a favorite that will have your student sitting on the edge of their seats as they enter the intriguing world of vampires and werewolves and follow the tales of Isabella Swan and her romance with 100 year-old vampire Edward Cullen.

Esperanza Rising

Esperanza lived on her affluent family ranch in Mexico until the Great Depression forces her and her mother to flee to California. Esperanza must learn to face life as a farm worker, as well as overcome the hardships of their new financial difficulties to carve out a life in her new home.

Artemis Fowl

Artemis Fowl is a twelve year old with a difference; millionaire, genius and criminal mastermind. Artemis bites off more than he can chew when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit.

Multitasking Teens: Are they being more efficient or just wasting time?

Ever checked to see if your student is doing their homework only to find them listening to music, chatting on their phone, checking their social media sites and doing their homework at the same time?

Multitasking is the new reality that most teens have grown up with, but does it mean that they are doing a number of tasks badly or are they actually being more efficient? The answer to this question depends largely on the individual learner and the kind of tasks they are performing.

The average student spends about seven hours a day using electronic devices and 58% say they multitask while doing homework. Studies are ongoing as to what the influence of multitasking and electronic devices will have on cognitive and social development, but there are very practical ways to measure whether multitasking has a positive or negative effect on your student’s ability to study or do their homework.

A Stanford University study found that when students switch from one task to another, it negatively affects their ability to think critically or evaluate. Multitasking students were hampered when trying to discern which information was vital and they had to reorient themselves whenever they went back to a task which actually wasted more time than multitasking saved.

A Kaiser Family Foundation study found that 47% of students who spent more than 16 hours a day multitasking received lower grades (lower C’s) than students who spent less time on electronic devices. While these examples are extreme, there is evidence that the brain really isn’t very good at juggling more than one or two tasks at a time. Professor Earl Millar, an MIT neuroscientist, scanned volunteer’s brains as they multitasked and found that only one or two of the visual stimulants could activate the brain at any one given time.

This is especially true when we try to perform two tasks that use the same areas of the brain. For example if you are trying to send a tweet while writing an essay, your brain becomes overloaded and simply slows down.

Not all multitasking is bad. Some studies have shown that playing instrumental or classic music quietly in the background can actually improve concentration and higher cognitive functioning while having a number of sources of information open can help reduce the amount of time students spend on research.

If multitasking is limited to two separate tasks that require different parts of the brain, then it can be successfully accomplished. Limit the number of distractions your students have and try to encourage them to concentrate on one task at a time when they are studying or doing their homework.

Test this out for yourself! Conduct practical tests to see how your student fares when multitasking. Set out a number of similar tasks like multiple choice science questions or math problems. Get your student to do half of them while multitasking and the other half while focusing on the task at hand. Compare accuracy and time taken to establish what works best for them.

2013's Most Brilliant Teen Inventors

www.Tutoringk12.com/blog

Very often, it’s the younger generation that inspires change and scientific discovery and this year has seen a bumper crop of incredible kids changing the world. Here is a look back at some of the inspirational teens and their inventions that are sure to get your kids fired up. You can encourage innovation in your teens by creating a safe workshop or lab space. Many maker’s fairs and tool libraries offer workshops for budding inventors or buy holiday gifts that require assembly to pique interest.

Jack Andraka

After having lost an uncle to cancer, Jack Andraka was inspired to do something about this pervasive disease. He sent proposals to over 200 universities asking for help with his lab studies, but his proposal was rejected by everyone except Dr. Anirban Maitra of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who refers to Jack as “the Edison for our times.”

What Jack managed to do was develop a quick, easy test that detects the presence of a protein in the early stages of pancreatic, ovarian and lung cancer. He is working on creating an over-the-counter test that can be administered at home and hopes that early detection will help to save lives. He is the recipient of the 2012 Gordon E. Moore Award, the grand prize of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

Easton LaChappelle

“I’m hoping to give someone a functional prosthetic arm for under $1,000,” says Easton LaChappelle about the prosthetic device he created in his bedroom using a 3D printer. Easton built his very first robotic hand out of Lego, string and servo motors. Inspired by the success of this project, he taught himself modelling software and got access to a 3D printer. He created all the parts for his prosthetic arm in his bedroom.

Easton is working to improve his prosthetic arm and create a working model that is affordable and accessible to more amputees. He is also studying human anatomy to get a better idea of how the human body works. He has met President Obama who enjoyed shaking the prostatic arm at the White House Science Fair.

Boyan Slat

Hate the idea of giant garbage piles of plastic in the ocean? So does Boyan Slat! Boyan has invented a way to clean up the world’s oceans and make money at the same time. Boyan created a large vessel with boom arms which is powered by the ocean under solar and wave power. The garbage processing station will collect and recycle plastic onsite. Boyan hopes that his Ocean Cleanup will be able to process 7, 250,000 in just five years. The Ocean Cleanup is about half way through a feasibility study which shows promising initial findings.

Telltale signs that your student is being Bullied

Being the recipient of bullying or showing aggressive behavior towards others is becoming an increasingly predominant experience among students. The cyber space has opened up a whole new avenue for bullying to take place and parents and educators need to be aware of the potential for online bullying. As parents and educators, you are instrumental in preventing bullying and helping students who are both the recipients and aggressors. There are many signs to alert you to students who are being bullied or who may be displaying aggressive behavior towards others.

Emotional and behavioral signs that your student is being bullied

You know your student better than anyone else and changes in behavior are more noticeable to you. Even if you have always enjoyed a close relationship with your student, they may not feel comfortable telling you when they are being bullied. This may be due to fear of reprisals or that you will take action which will embarrass them further. Signs that your student is being bullied include:

• Fear of going to school or engaging in after school activities
• Low self-esteem and negative comments about themselves
• Displaying anxiety or fear
• Isolating themselves from their group of friends or peers
• Sudden unexplained illnesses that are recurring like headaches or stomach aches
• Losing money, lunch and other items
• Irritability and unhappiness or depression
• Disturbed sleep patterns

If your child is the aggressor, there are some signs that they may be bullying other students which include:

• Student may have trouble resisting peer pressure
• They are bossy and manipulative
• They lack empathy
• They are quick to anger and resort to aggression to solve problems rather than reason and discussion
• They have money or things that you didn’t buy them
• They are secretive and uncommunicative

Of course the behaviors above can be attributed to other phases or challenges that all teenagers have to go through, but it’s best to act if you suspect that there is a problem. Speak to your student about their behavior in a loving and caring way. You can also consult with your student’s teacher and friends to get a better idea of what’s going on during school hours.

Most schools have strict bullying regulations and can help you to deal with bullying in a way that is constructive for both the aggressor and the victim. Be sure to include your student in any discussions about what action is to be taken when dealing with situations that directly affect them.

Even if your child isn’t a victim of bullying, speaking with them about it will help them to recognize the signs and not support the practice of bullying and assist students who are in difficult situations to come forward and get help.

Should my Student Skip a Grade?

The previous generation would allow students who were excelling to skip a grade. The thinking behind it was that students who are way ahead of the curve, get bored in class and become listless. They get so accustomed to being ahead of the others that they stop paying attention and that may actually lead to poor academic performances down the line. Skipping a grade comes with social consequences however, and these may actually lead to bigger problems. If your student has an opportunity to skip a grade, you have to consider very carefully what the right course of action is.

What to consider

Schools take a number of factors into consideration when weighing the suitability of candidates including intellect, achievement, physical size, peers, motor skills, and social and emotional development. Of course intellect and achievement is probably what alerted them to the possibility in the first place. Physical size is important because if your child is so much smaller than their new peers, they may feel out and may not be able to fit in socially.

The same goes for social and emotional levels. If your child prefers to mix with adults or older students, skipping a grade may actually help them feel like they can relate better to their new peers. If they have firm friends in their current grade and enjoy a healthy, happy social life, skipping a grade could have a negative impact on their social and emotional wellbeing.

Get a professional assessment

Once you have the recommendations of the teachers and other professionals at your student’s school, ask your paediatrician for a reference to a professional education therapist. They will spend time with your student to determine their abilities in all the pertinent areas from emotional maturity to academic ability. Getting a professional opinion will help you to make an informed decision.

Gifted students can be quirky and you must be sure that they can handle the social and emotional changes. If they can’t, moving a grade may keep them academically engaged, but the social and emotional toll may be too high. However, if you don’t move them, they may suffer academically and fail to reach their full potential. The dropout rate for gifted students is much higher than the average because of problems adapting socially and academically.

There are alternatives to skipping a grade that bridge the gap for students who are academically gifted. Some schools allow gifted students to skip subjects rather than grades. This means that if your child is in second grade, but is reading at a fourth grade level, they can join a fourth grade class for reading, but stay in their own class for the rest of the day. Students who are gifted can also join advanced classes where their particular academic needs are fulfilled. Students can  take extra lessons with tutors who help to challenge them academically while keeping them in the same grade.

Discuss your options with your student, your teachers, principal, education therapist and tutor to find the very best solution for your student. Constantly monitor and reassess the situation so that you are able to provide the most suitable solutions as their needs change.