February, 2011

Tutoring: When is the right time to get a tutor
February 28, 2011
There is so much information out there to read about finding extra help for your child when they are struggling in school. But the problem is, do you know what kind of help to seek? Does your child need someone to provide homework help or do they need someone to provide personal, independent tutoring that will help them learn on their own throughout their school lives?
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Finger painting
February 25, 2011
Young children love exploring textures. They love how things feel against their skin, whether it is the grittiness of sand, the smoothness of brushed cotton or the coolness of snow. They love to play with their things, exploring textures with every part of their body. They love to roll in dirt, splash in water and squish wet sand between their toes. It’s no wonder, then, that finger painting has become a favorite of parents and early childhood educators for teaching young children.
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Why cramming for a test doesn’t work
February 24, 2011
It’s the night before the big test; you’re sitting at your desk. You glance at the clock: it’s two in the morning. You panic because you don’t think you know everything you need to know for your test in first period. If you go to sleep, your studying won’t be complete, but if you stay up you’ll be a mess in the morning. Sound familiar?
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Getting the basics right: keys to teaching simple addition and subtraction
February 23, 2011
Is math your child’s “monster under the bed?” Does the idea of math scare your child and make them feel insignificant, stupid and uncertain? For many children, it is difficult to understand even the most basic math. The problem is that sometimes they are taught in such a manner that they cannot grasp the concept.  We’re going to share with you some ideas on how to help your child understand basic math so that they can succeed. In pre-school you can help your child by giving them tangible things to count. Some parents use building blocks. Some use apples or oranges or other things that their child can actually hold. Whatever type of objects you choose, be sure it’s something that your child can pick up and manipulate.
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How to Bring History to Life
February 21, 2011
Our children are learning about our history and world history in ways that many of us never experienced in our childhood. Gone are the days of simply memorizing dates and places and names of countless faceless people that did something so long ago. Now, teachers are using a variety of tools to help children literally touch the past and understand it on their own terms.
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What Sudoku can teach your child
February 18, 2011
Sudoku is a popular pastime for many adults. Go to any all night breakfast place, coffee shop, library or even doctor’s office and you can be sure to find at least one person trying to solve a Sudoku puzzle. It’s a great way to stimulate your mind, to work on your logic skills and to have fun. What many people may not consider, however, is how Sudoku is also a great way to help your child learn basic logic.
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Math: Fractions refresher
February 17, 2011
Don’t wait until your child goes to school before they learn how to do fractions and understand them. Give them a head start by teaching fractions early in life. Children as young as four years old can begin to develop an understanding of fractions. There are several steps in learning the concepts of fractions. Part of it relates to symmetry. The other part deals with being able to take whole things and divide them into equal parts.
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Studying is the key to confidence
February 16, 2011
If you’re feeling stressed about your upcoming test, you may feel like you’re holding a bad hand of cards. We have some great solutions to help you prepare for your test without tears. The first step in effective studying is using your planner to mark in your test days. Most teachers will give you at least a week’s warning before a test (unless they’re really cruel and like to do “pop” tests). When it comes to writing in your midterm or final exam dates, assume that you will be writing exams for all your subjects during exam week.  When you use your planner to mark those dates, your mind is better able to “see” the amount of time that you have to prepare for your tests and exams.
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Sign language as an aid to development
February 15, 2011
Baby sign language is growing in popularity as a new way to aid your child’s early development. Studies show that infants are able to learn basic sign in order to identify basic needs. Contrary to popular belief, the use of symbolic gesturing for infants does not prevent the development of verbal language. Indeed, according to recent studies, symbolic gesturing may even facilitate the development of infant language. As a result, the practice of teaching infants sign language is becoming a recognized way to aid your child to develop greater language and cognitive understanding at a much younger age.
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Teaching your children to love science early
February 14, 2011
Science for young children is a hands-on experience. It involves all their senses and their curiosity. For young children, what we take for granted can be extraordinary or even magical. When you use science as a way for children to understand their world, you help bring the magic into their lives in a concrete way. Here are a few different ways that you might introduce some of the different sciences to your child.
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