How to Get Your Kids to do their Chores

Are chores a constant battle in your home? Do you have to ask a hundred times before things get done while “I’ll do it later” is what greets most of these requests? Chores are important because they help your children to understand responsibility, prepare them for the routine, mundane tasks they need to fulfill on a daily basis in order to make their lives possible and give them the skills they need to one day run a home of their own. For some parents, getting the chores done is often more trouble than it’s worth. Here’s how to get your kids to do their chores every day.

Kids resist doing their chores because routine maintenance tasks are boring and take them away from activities they should be doing. While a general reminder to do chores is fine, if you find yourself nagging, it’s time to change the behavior.

Stop the cycle

If you find your kids only do their chores if you nag them and stop once your attention is elsewhere, stop whatever activities they are doing. Whether it’s TV, games or time with friends, stop the distraction and talk to them about the situation. Explaining abstract ideas of responsibility is rarely a hit, so concentrate on what they have to gain by doing their chores now. That means that they can resume their fun activities once their chores are done.

Up the ante

If focusing on the positive consequences of completing chores doesn’t work, set time limits. For example, if chores aren’t done by dinner time, or if the dishes aren’t done in 30 minutes, then limit internet time or set an earlier bed time. I have a friend who nagged her children every day until they were old enough to get internet access. Now she changes the WiFi password every night and they only get the new one when their chores are all done. Now she never has to nag her kids to do their chores.

Rewards

Rewarding your child for chores completed is always preferable to punishment. You can offer extra internet or TV time or a later bedtime for chores that are done on time without nagging.

Another way to incentivise the chore routine is by linking it to their allowance. Each chore that is completed earns an extra portion of their allowance. If they don’t want to do their chores, siblings can opt to do their chores for them and earn more allowance.

This is a good way to teach children the link between working and receiving a salary. Take care that this doesn’t lead to a situation where your children won’t do anything without getting paid. If you find this is the case, rethink your strategy.

Don’t turn chores into punishment

The idea here is to get your child to do their chores without hating every minute of it. You can start by giving them a choice of what chores they want to do. Making a choice gives children a sense of control and they are less likely to complain. Don’t make chores a punishment or you will only add to their reticence to complete their daily tasks.

If you are in a bad cycle of nagging and fighting about chores, it’s time to change the routine. Speak to your children about ways in which they can work at being better about chores, ask them which chores they would like to do and when they would like to do them to give them a sense of participation in the process.

Should Your Child Repeat a Grade?

If your child struggled through the last year and the school is recommending retention, there are some very important points to consider. Studies show that repeating a grade can be harmful for students and grade retention is one of the biggest predictors of high school dropouts. Before you decide to keep your kid back a year, discuss alternatives with your teachers and school administrators.

Limited gains

Students who are held back may initially show improvement, but the gains they get from retention only last a year or two before they begin to fall behind again. When students are struggling at school, the answer may not be more school. Instead, speak with teachers about what is holding them back to solve their academic issues over the long term.

A study by Roderick and Nagaoka (2005) found that 3rd graders who had been kept back a grade struggled during the next year, had higher rates of special education placement, and showed no advantage two years later than those who had moved to the next grade. The study also found that 6th graders who had been held back a year had lower achievement growth than students with similar academic issues who were not retained.

Age concerns

Older students may have different developmental interests than the younger students in their grade. Bullying and lack of confidence can lead to behavioural and social issues which only compound the academic problems.

Long-term gains

Most studies which compare students which similar academic performance to see if retention helps to improve grades show that it is not effective in fostering positive academic growth. Holmes (1989) carried out a meta-analysis of 63 different studies that examined the academic impact of retention. Fifty-four of the studies concluded that students who were retained and students who were promoted performed at very similar levels. This means that retention had no significant effect on academic performance. In fact, students who had not been held back slightly outperformed their retained peers the following year (Norton, 1990; Walters & Borgers, 1995).

Solutions to poor academic performance

Whether you decide to promote or retain your child next year, this action alone is not enough to overcome academic problems. Perhaps your child needs to learn study skills, or maybe some fundamental building blocks are missing from their knowledge base. In both cases, academic losses will be compounded and they will drop further behind each year.

Discuss the underlying problems with your child’s teacher. They will be able to direct you to the causes, both academic and behavioural, that your child is experiencing.

Consider a personal tutor who will be able to adapt material to suit your child’s learning style, teach them the requisite academic skills they need to succeed and fill in the missing building blocks to their knowledge base. Taking a hands-on approach will help your child to succeed which will improve their self-confidence too.

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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.

Great Summer Reading List for Colorado Elementary School Students

The summer is a great time for your students to relax, but all that downtime can result in a phenomenon called the summer slide. Studies show that students lose up to 20% of the academic gains they made in the previous year.

Encouraging reading is a great gift to give your students. They will sail through all those high school and college texts and with every book, they are learning new facts and improving their reading, writing, comprehension and communication skills while expanding their vocabulary. Help your student to get ahead this summer with these enthralling reads.

Poop by Nicola Davies, 2007. A wonderful fecal adventure through the many ways in which animals poop. This is a fun, engaging, scientific exploration of the animal kingdom through the same fart-joke humor your students no doubt already enjoy.

The invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick (2007). Hugo is an exceptional boy who can fix just about anything. Orphaned at a young age, Hugo finds an ‘automaton’ built by his father who shared his inventive spirit. Hugo is sure that if he is able to repair the robot, it will write a message from his father. This is a wonderful book about the incredible bravery and indomitable spirit of youth. Don’t be surprised if they can’t put this book down!

Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (1992). Ramona has an entire series of books that deal with the inevitable conflicts of young life. In this novel, Susan’s bouncy curls prove irresistible to Ramona who can’t help but pull on them.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez (2003). This is a gripping recount of how the son of migrant farmers leads a 300-mile march for worker’s rights. It’s a truly touching tale that explores the real bravery and incredible resolve of one of the greatest champions of non-violent protests. A great way to learn about a pivotal historic figure.

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hypnotism by Georgia Byng (2004). Molly’s rather dull existence is transformed by the discovery in her local library of a book that teaches her how to hypnotise. She leverages her new-found talents to get the life she’s always wanted until her efforts are thwarted by a criminal mastermind. If your children love Roald Dahl or J.K. Rowling, then they will love this book.

Dogku by Andrew Clements (2007) is a great way to introduce your students to the haiku. This is a sweet story about a stray dog who finds a loving home. Each page is written in a haiku format and beautifully illustrated.

Atomic Ace (He’s Just My Dad) by Albert Whitman (2004). A truly funny tale of how superhero Atomic Ace deals with family life. Great comic book-style illustrations give the book a hybrid feel and make this a great choice for the visual student who may be a reluctant reader.

Don’t let learning take a vacation this summer! Get all your favorite stories at your library and encourage your students to participate in the library activities.

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Summer Learning in Colorado

Over their long vacation in Colorado, most students experience a phenomenon known as the summer slide where they lose much of the academic gains they made over the last semester. Summer academic losses are also cumulative so students who experience the summer slide will drop further behind every year.

The problem

According to the authors of a report from the National Summer Learning Association: “A conservative estimate of lost instructional time is approximately two months or roughly 22 percent of the school year.” While academic losses happen across the board, most of the studies which focus on the summer slide deal with reading and math abilities which are so important for today’s students who want to compete in an increasingly tough job market.

Better learning means a better life

The antidote to the summer slide is to take just a couple of sessions every week for in-home tutoring. Here your kids get personalized education that suits their personalities, abilities and learning style. Watch their confidence grow as they not only avoid the summer slide but fill in the gaps in their learning, and acquire the study skills they need to succeed in the new year.

At Tutor Doctor, we don’t want students to be dependent on our tutoring, so we teach the skillset they need to work independently and remove the academic anxiety that many families deal with on a daily basis.

Our programs

• Convenient, comfortable, one-to-one

We come to you, wherever you are, at a time that is convenient to you. In the comfort of your home, we provide individualized training and give your child the caring and confidence that they need to succeed.

• Everyone can learn with the right approach

We have a comprehensive, collaborative approach to learning and work together with your family and teachers to identify the right learning strategies and find the perfect tutors.

• Better learning, better life

Your education consultant and tutor have your student’s best interests at heart. We listen, understand, and build an educational support team and personalized coaching plan to help your student become an academic champion for life.

• Your goals are our goals

Whether your student’s needs are immediate – like passing the next exam—or long term, we build a tailor-made plan that gets results. We start with an in-depth assessment, then match the right tutor to your student to help your family improve the present and make the future possible.

Our tutors

At Tutor Doctor, we provide your children with affordable, professional academic coaching in the comfort of your own home. Our tutors undergo a rigorous selection process so we know that they are qualified, well-matched and passionate about really supporting families and helping your students to succeed. With a dedicated coach and a supportive academic team, every student can succeed.

With our Summer Success Program, your children can really get a head start on the coming semester so that they can bring their A-game. Our one-on-one tutoring style delivers results. In fact, 95% of our customers would recommend us to their friends and family.

Contact us to learn more about our summer programs!.

Hey Colorado . . . Winner Winner Family Dinner

How important is family dinner to Colorado families?

If you wish to instill family cohesion, encourage siblings to get along or get your kids to talk to you more, one excellent way to do this is through family dinners. Of course it’s not always easy to coordinate busy schedules, work and after-school activities, but just two or three nights a week is all you need to change the dynamics of your family.

Why it’s a good idea

Studies support the theory that families who eat together enjoy a happier life and better relationships. Students who ate family meals had higher academic scores and fewer behavioral problems. 19% of teens whose families did not share meals reported feeling alienated from their families compared to the 7% of teens who did enjoy family meals.

Students who ate more meals at home suffered less from obesity and the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at the University of Columbia discovered that students who eat with their families are less likely to drink, smoke or use drugs.

Best practices for family meals

Meals at home with the family can be beneficial, but you must follow some best practices in order to achieve success. Start with a ban on electronics at the table. This means the dinner hour is a tech-free one (that goes for parents too!)

Schedule your dinners and give them as much status and importance as studies, afterschool activities and work engagements. Aim for three meals a week and these can include weekend breakfasts and lunches. Every family can set aside three hours a week to share together no matter how busy you are.

Make it fun! Be inclusive so that your kids look forward to these experiences by allowing them to choose what they want to eat for family dinners and allowing them to help with cooking, music selection and table settings.

Family meals should be a fun, positive experience, so don’t use this time to criticise, fight, argue or talk about issues. If you have an issue to discuss, wait until after your meal. Mealtimes should be positive family experiences or you will create a very negative atmosphere that makes meals unbearable.

Add to the positive experience by having themed dinners, including desserts, telling jokes and sharing all your funny stories from the day at work or school.

It can be really tough to find the time to enjoy a meal together when family members have such busy schedules. However, taking just a couple of hours out of your week can really help to foster positive relationships between family members and keep communication channels open. Make meals a fun and positive event that your family looks forward to sharing. Family meals can be really great places to make memories and share stories of your life.

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

How Social Media makes Social Learning more Effective in Douglas County

Social learning has around since the 1970’s when Albert Bandura suggested that learning is a social activity. Social learning theory postulates that learning occurs when students observe behaviors and mimic them. This includes the observation of rewards and punishments for behaviors. When harnessing this theory to effect change in the classroom, teachers can use social media to create a wider conversation and include other influential players. If used correctly, social media can be a real asset when teaching through social learning.

As parents you have already experienced social learning as your young students mimic your behavior and learn from your actions. Now with social media, you can augment the social learning opportunities at home and in the classroom by introducing your students to a wider audience of influencers.

What this means is that our educators and tutors are still mentors and models, but they are required to relinquish some of their authority to the community of learners as students learn from each other. With social media, this community is not restricted to the students in the classroom, but can also include students from around the world and all the resources that the Internet makes available. Now we have an entire network of teachers, tutors and learners all contributing to our body of knowledge and sharing their experiences.

While social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Pinterest can provide a wealth of learning opportunities, they can also serve as distractions that eat up an enormous amount of time without contributing anything to your student’s body of knowledge. This means that social media can be a blessing or a curse and needs to be managed effective to achieve the desired results. Teachers and tutors need to outline lesson plans, goals and guidelines to direct social media actions and continually enforce these guidelines to add a structure to social media interactions. Social media is a wonderful tool to use in social learning, but it must be structured in order to be effective.

Students learn more when there is a human connection to their content. This means that they are more likely to remember an exciting video on a lab experiment than if they read the experiment in a text book. Social media makes this possible as students can watch videos of scientific experiments on YouTube and discuss them with other students in forum portals.

Social media also caters for all learning styles thanks to its multi-media capabilities. Students can talk to other learners, tutors and teachers, read blogs, watch videos and study graphics. No matter what kind of style your student responds to, they are bound to find the information they are looking for in a format they like. Social media also caters to students with different learning speeds. The faster they learn, the more there is for them to discover. Students who work quickly have an endless wealth of resources to explore on the internet.

Social media gives active learners the opportunity to explore and discover. They can work as fast or as slowly as they like and interact with their community and with the information in a format that suits them best.

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.

Best Christmas Books for Elementary School Students

As Christmas approaches, elementary school tutor Lauren Wood has a wealth of Christmas-themed books which she leaves lying around the house. All the younger students who visit eagerly read them in anticipation of the big day. “It’s a great way to get them the read,” she says, “and there are so many great Christmas classics for them to choose from.” Here is a list of all the classic novels that every young student should have in their library.

A Night before Christmas
Clement C. Moore’s classic poem is perhaps one of the best-known classics. You can read it to your students or, better still, get them to read it to you on Christmas Eve. It’s a cute little poem that has some complex language which you can help them with. Keep a dictionary on hand so that they can look up any words that they don’t understand.

The Berenstain Bears and the Joy of Giving
While Christmas time is supposed to be about giving and sharing, it’s easy for students to get focused on receiving. This is a wonderful book by Jan Berenstain to remind students of the joys of giving. Written in 1962, this true classic is a must for every student. You can augment the tale by asking your students to pick one toy to donate to those who are less fortunate.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss
The Grinch has become a staple for every discerning Christmas reader. This delightful poem about a mean, green Grinch is fun and funny. You can read the book first and then watch the animated short or the full length movie by the same name.

The Nightmare before Christmas by Tim Burton
This beautifully illustrated novel is about a well-meaning Halloween skeleton who decides to play Santa with disastrous results. It’s the perfect holiday read for those who are fans of Halloween. You can read the book and then watch Tim Burton’s masterfully crafted movie filled with ghoulish characters.

The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
It’s the ultimate Christmas fantasy; as a young boy lies awake on Christmas eve, Santa swoops by with his reindeer and takes him on an adventure to the North Pole. It really is a magical journey filled with excitement and adventure. Read the book and then watch the movie too!

The Wild Christmas Reindeer by Jan Brett
The story of little Teeka’s attempts to train Santa’s reindeer is not only a great guide for students on how to work well with others, but it also introduces them to northern cultures and life on the tundra. It’s a magical tale of how Teeka manages to get all the reindeer together for Santa’s big night by working with them and treating them kindly. This is a great book for older siblings.

This festive season, give your students the gift of books to help expand their seasonal libraries. Reading books is a great way for them to spend their holidays and get into the Christmas spirit.

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.

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.

Coping with ADD/ADHD

We know that living with a student who has ADD or ADHD can be frustrating at times, but learning coping mechanism and ways in which to channel all that energy into something positive will mean that you have a happier home and a student who stays ahead of the game academically. Here are some techniques you can use to help your student to excel.

Understanding your role

Students with ADD or ADHD have trouble with executive functioning. They are every bit as capable and intelligent as other students, but they have trouble planning ahead, seeing consequences, organizing, controlling impulses and completing the task at hand. This means you have to work with your in-home tutor and your teacher to provide guidance and take over these executive functions until your student learns the skills to be independent.

While they want to sit quietly in class, follow instructions and complete tasks, they need to acquire the tools to do so. They are rarely purposefully disruptive, but it’s important to recognize that they can be and manage the impact they have on parents, siblings and class members.

Stay positive and supportive

Remember that not being able to follow instructions or complete tasks can be just as frustrating for your student as it is for you. When you stay positive and calm, you will help them to build confidence and won’t make them think that they are always doing something wrong. Always remember that they are not being purposefully difficult and try to be supportive and encouraging.

Focus on the positive

Believe in your student and believe that they are capable of learning the skills they need to succeed. This will mean that you focus on the positive and don’t sweat the small stuff. When your student does three out of five of their chores, focus on the ones they did and praise them for those while gently reminding them of the ones they left out.

Create structure

Routines and structure will help your students to establish the tasks they need to do and the time they have to complete them. Establish a schedule for getting ready in the morning, doing homework and evening routines. Use clocks or timers to remind students of the time limits and to refocus them when their attention is diverted elsewhere. Keep routines as simple as possible.

Free time

Not every minute of every day should be structured. Allow your student some free time and their own space.

Activity

Physical activity helps students with ADHD and ADD to find a positive outlet for all their energy. Sports are a great way to get your students active and to allow them to rid themselves of all that energy.

Diet

Avoiding refined sugars and other processed foods will help your student to focus and to sleep better. Without the rush of too much sugar and with a good night’s sleep, they will be able to cope better.

Socializing

Encourage your students to make friends with their peers. Healthy social lives will help them to feel a sense of belonging and friends can provide support and encouragement.

Get involved

Every single student will thrive when their parents are involved in their lives and supportive of their academic and sporting endeavors. Keep in touch with your teachers and tutors to ensure that your student is progressing well and take an interest in them. Spend time with them and really listen to them.

Take care of yourself

Ensure that you have your own support network of friends and family members. You can also contact other parents who have students with ADD or ADHD and form a support group. Take time out and make sure that you get to focus on yourself from time to time. Happy parents make for far happier children.

How Creating the perfect homework station can improve academic performance for Highlands Ranch Students

One way to avoid the daily struggle to get homework done and to help your student to improve their academic performance is to create a dedicated homework area. Here your student will be able to work in an atmosphere conducive to study and do their homework in a quiet, comfortable setting.

Elements of a good homework station

There are several factors that go into creating an environment conducive to study. The homework station should be quiet and out of the way of the general hustle and bustle of your home.

The homework area should have excellent lighting and an abundance of fresh air. If there is poor or stale air, fatigue and lack of concentration occur. Ensure that you clean out your HVAC filters every month to keep the air in your home fresh.

Reduce distractions by ensuring that there are no toys, pets, snacks and games nearby. The study station should only contain items pertaining to homework.

The homework area should be neat and organized with an abundance of stationary and everything your student needs for creativity.

Homework stations also have to be comfortable so ensure that your student has enough space and that the chair and table are at a comfortable height.

Tutor friendly homework spaces

If you have an in-home tutor, then the homework area should be big enough to accommodate your student and their one-on-one tutor. This reinforces the homework area as an academic space where positive, constructive work occurs.

The study station should be a quiet zone

The study station should be a dedicated area in your home where homework happens. When one of your students is in the study station, they are off limits to the rest of the family. Here they are not to be interrupted or distracted and should be left in peace.

Set homework times

Homework is best done when your students are refreshed and alert. The best time for this is usually after a short break when they have returned from school, but you and your students should work out a time that best suits your family schedule. Having a set homework time helps to establish a routine and reduces the incidence of incomplete homework.

Floral study friends

Studies show that indoor plants reduce stress, absorb sound and create fresh air. Placing a few pot plants around your student’s study area will help to create a positive atmosphere and provide a source of fresh air.

When planning and creating a study area, be sure to consult your student. Together you can create a space that best suits their study needs. Creating a space that is free from distractions and interruptions from siblings, phone calls and pets is a great way to encourage your students to complete homework tasks and study for exams.

How to Come Up with a Great Science Fair Idea

A successful science fair project can do wonders for your grade point averages and can even catapult you to stardom in the way that it has for some of our young entrepreneurs. The biggest hurdle for science fair projects is coming up with an original idea. Once you have your idea, you will follow the scientific method for determining the outcome.

What is the scientific method?

A good place to start is to examine the scientific method itself so you can understand where you’re headed.

• Step 1: Based on something you have observed, formulate your question.
• Step 2: Predict the answer you think most likely and formulate this as a hypothesis.
• Step 3: Create an experiment that will show whether your answer (hypothesis) is true or false.
• Step 4: Analyse the results of your experiment and decide if your hypothesis is valid or invalid.

Let’s look at an example: If I observe that the plants in my room grow better than plants in the rest of the house, I can ask the question: “Why do the plants in my room grow better than the plants in other rooms of my house?”

I then formulate an answer or hypothesis: “The plants in my room grow better because I play music in my room.”

Now you design an experiment to test your hypothesis. This will involve two plants who have exactly the same growing conditions where one is exposed to music while the other one is not. You will record their growth rates over the stipulated period.

Analysis of the data should lead you to confirm or reject your hypothesis.

If you have time, you can do further experimentation. For example, you can test whether different kinds of music have different effects on plants.

Formulating a hypothesis

Once you understand the scientific method, you can see how easy it is to ask questions about anything in the world around you. Start by thinking about your favorite hobbies and interests; is there a question you can ask about these? You will be spending a lot of time with your science fair project, so it may as well be about something you like.

Look online: Sure, we know that you want an original idea, but looking at other science fair projects can really inspire you. Perhaps you will look at the experiment above and decide to test whether tap water or boiled water will help plants to grow better, or maybe you will want to test whether yelling at plants or complimenting them has an effect on their growth. You can take an existing experiment and put your own spin on it.

Start thinking about your science fair project now so that you have tons of time to come up with a great idea. Remember that science fair projects are only as great as the original question. Here are some resources that offer ideas for science fair projects. Use these to get inspiration for your original science fair project idea.

Science Buddies

Education.com

Science Bob

Science Kids

Buzzfeed

Scholastic

All Science Fair Projects

Teaching Responsibility: How to Help your Student to Take Charge

Teaching your students to take responsibility for their learning and their actions is a great way to empower them and to motivate them. Being responsible isn’t something that comes naturally to most students and part of the reason for this is that those areas of the brain which deal with responsibility (frontal cortex) continue to grow and develop well into their early twenties. You can help them to take ownership of their actions and to think things through before acting with these simple techniques.

Instilling confidence

The first step in taking responsibility is for your students to believe that they are capable of making the right choices and of taking the lead. Start with baby steps; ask them how they are going to deal with a situation like an upcoming test or looking after a younger sibling.

Listen to their plan and discuss things that could go wrong and how to deal with possible problems. It’s best here to allow your student to come up with their own solutions; don’t be too prescriptive as to what they should do. Allowing them to formulate their own plans inspires confidence and giving them more responsibility shows that you have confidence in their abilities.

Dealing with failure

As students take on more responsibility with their studies and in other aspects of their lives, it’s inevitable that some glitches will occur. When this happens, try to remain calm and reflect on their actions, and the consequences of those actions.

When discussing failures, ask open ended-questions to allow students to arrive at their own conclusions. Taking responsibility means taking ownership of actions and consequences both good and bad. If you give your students responsibility, but keep taking the issue back or interfering, it will take them longer to assume responsibility.

Developing responsibility at home

Pets, chores and independence should be gradually introduced when your students are ready for them. As they learn to be responsible for all aspects of their lives, they will naturally assume responsibility for their academics too.

If you find yourself nagging them to do the things they know that they are responsible for, allowing them to fail occasionally and to deal with the consequences may inspire greater responsibility in the future.

Assuming academic responsibility

When students are struggling with academics, it may be time to set some goals that are realistic. Decide together on goals that for short term improvement and long-term achievement. Then set out a plan to accomplish those goals.

Get a tutor for students who have fallen behind, set a study schedule and suggest ways in which you can monitor their progress. Be involved, but don’t dictate; remember that they must be responsible for their own academic progress if they are really going to succeed.

Social Networks and Teens: A Parent's Guide

Social networks like Facebook have become so much a part of our culture that our teens may find it hard to believe that there was a time before the internet. As in all spheres of social life, there’s are dangers inherent in participating in social networking. Here is a guide to ensuring that your students stay safe on social networks.

Privacy and Trust

Don’t be offended if your teen rejects your friend request. Reading their social network sites is just like listening in on their phone conversations, reading their texts or peeking in their diaries. While students are entitled to a modicum of privacy and trust, you still have a responsibility to protect them. The internet provides a certain anonymity that means that people posing as their friends will have access to all their personal information.

Social networking sites are inevitable and crucial for the modern teen to effectively communicate with their friends. Sharing photos and videos inspires creativity and written communications improve their writing skills. Since your teen is going to be participating, it’s best to outline rules and guidelines to help them to safely navigate social networking sites.

Rules and Guidelines

Talk about which sites your students can belong to and set up your own account so you can familiarize yourself with the way in which the site works. Help your  student to set up the site (make sure that they are old enough to comply with the site’s age restrictions) and show them how the privacy settings work. Explain carefully to them why the privacy settings are important and regularly check that they have not been changed.

Make it a rule that your student doesn’t friend anyone that they haven’t already met in person and don’t know. You can even get younger students to check with you before they accept a friend request. Ensure that photos posted to ensure that they are appropriate and don’t reveal any information that could tell someone which school they attend or where they live.

Regularly Google your students to see what pictures and information are out there. Sometimes their friends may post personal information or pictures that you may not want online. Be vigilant and ask your student to show you what they have been up to online.

It is your responsibility to monitor the sites your students use and the information that they post. Set up guidelines and rules for internet use and be sure to discuss the consequences of posting inappropriate information or pictures. Discuss cyber bullying and how they should react if they receive any messages or posts that are offensive or hurtful. Ask the school for their policy on social bullying and discuss this with your student too.