July 13th, 2010
When kids leave the classroom in June, the last thought on their minds is…How can I prevent all this knowledge from totally slipping away over the summer?
Yes, summer should be fun and a time to explore, run and jump. But it is important that SOME learning continues as the studies do point out that kids on the average lose one to three months of learning over the summer.
Here are a few creative ways to slip in the learning without them catching on too badly.
1) Hang out at the library one time per week for a few hours. If your children don’t have their OWN library card, let them apply for one so that feel more grown-up and independent. Most libraries sponsor summer reading clubs the can help you children stay motivated. They also usually have ‘Reading Hours’ where the librarians will read books to the younger aged children. Summer reading should be fun and so if your student wants to read comic books all summer, just remember that they are reading!
2) Have a special time each day where everyone (that includes you mom as children learn from example!) in the household stops and reads for a half hour. Could be right after breakfast before the day gets too crazy or right after lunch or dinner. And remember that could include you reading to everyone if that is what they want and they are around the same ages.
3) Let them MAP it! If you are taking a trip this summer, give your child a map and let them follow along as you drive. Places have brochures and they can do a little research ahead of time to find places they may like to stop along the way. Have your kids keep a travel journal of your trip. Purchase postcards along the way and let the kids write to grandparents about their adventures.
4) Volunteer! If your children are old enough you could volunteer as a group at a Senior Center, food bank, etc. You can also collect needed items on your own (groceries for the food bank with fliers in your neighborhood) and take them over to the facility that is in need.
5) Use math every day! If you bake and cook with your children they can learn math skills just be measuring out the ingredients. Give them little calculators to keep track of the items you put in your shopping cart at the grocery store and/or to figure out what the best price is on a purchase.
There are ways to have fun and keep learning over the summer!
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July 1st, 2010
Linguistic Intelligence
Does your child:
Enjoy listening to other people talking?
Get annoyed with people who use improper English? (for example, He don’t know the answer.)
Like to learn new words?
Give good directions to others so that they understand the first time?
Like to tell stories?
Enjoy reading books?
Have a good memory for names, dates, and trivia?If this sounds familiar, then your child might someday write a bestseller or become fluent in four languages.
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence
Does your child:
Like to work with computers and calculators?
Enjoy math class?
Easily add numbers in her head?
Enjoy doing science experiments?
Ask a lot of questions about how things work?
Enjoy chess, checkers, or other strategy games?
Enjoy logic puzzles or brainteasers?If so, then your child could one day design sky-scrapers or program computers.
Spatial intelligence
Does your child:
Prefer to draw pictures rather than tell stories?
Find her way around a new place easily?
Like to take things apart and then try to figure out how to put them back together?
Read maps, charts, or diagrams more easily than text?
Daydream more than peers?
Build interesting three-dimensional constructions (like LEGO buildings)?
Doodle a lot on notebooks?If this is your child, then she could grow up to paint a masterpiece or fix car engines.
Bodily-kinesthetic Intelligence
Does your child:
Find activities like riding a bicycle, skating, or walking on a balance beam easy?
Use a lot of hand gestures and body movement when talking to friends?
Run, swim, and exercise without getting tired?
Learn to play new sports easily and quickly?
Like to touch something she has just seen?
Report different physical sensations while thinking or working?
Cleverly mimic other people’s gestures or mannerisms?
Move, tap, or fidget while seated for a long time in one spot?If yes, then your child could develop into an expert skier or someone who amuses her friends with hilarious impersonations.
Musical Intelligence
Does your child:
Enjoy playing a musical instrument?
Listen to music a lot?
Hum or sing a lot?
Cheer herself up with songs when she is sad?
Tell you when music sounds off-key?
Have a good singing voice?
Remember the melodies of songs?If this is your child, then she may one day conduct a symphony or play in a steel drum band.
Interpersonal Intelligence
Does your child:
Like to work and play with other kids?
Understand how friends are feeling by looking at their faces?
Have two or more close friends?
Give advice to friends who have problems?
Have a good sense of empathy or concern for others?
Seem to be street-smart?
Seem to be a natural leader on teams?If you answered yes to most of these, your child might become someone’s favorite teacher or the CEO of a big company.
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June 22nd, 2010
Summer can be a lot of fun for kids. Days at the beach or summer camps are the norm and are a wonderful source of memories.
Unfortunately, summer can also be a time when students’ academic skills can decline due to lack of use. Studies have shown that measurable declines on test scores happen between the end of school in June and the beginning of the new school year in September.
However, with Aim High Tutors, you can participate in all of your favorite summer activities AND at the same time, maintain and even get a leg up on academic skills and test prep!
All of our tutoring is one-to-one and in your home so that specific learning needs and schedules can be met. We offer tutoring all summer long in a wide range of subject areas and test prep. We can even help your students with their college admission essays.
Tags: in home, one-to-one, tutor, tutoring, tutors
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June 21st, 2010
There are a lot of reasons why some students should get tutored over the summer season. Here are just a few of the many!
- The student learns at a comfortable pace with materials that can be more interesting and motivational to the individual child;
- Not as much competition or distractions exist as during the school year;
- The schedule is a lot more flexible, allowing the child time for vacations, camps, and other breaks;
- Parents may have increased opportunities to participate in their child’s learning right alongside them;
- The student gets a jumpstart on school in the fall, or can master a difficult subject or skill from the previous year.
Both you and your child are sure to appreciate the many benefits of any summer tutoring experience!
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June 10th, 2010
Over the summer, there are a lot of high school juniors and seniors hit the road with their parents to visit colleges. Here are a few tips to help make the most of those visits.
- Make sure you do some research first. Have your teen do a ‘virtual’ tour of the colleges she is interested in possibly attending. Checking out the website can be a great starting point and will help your student decide if the college is worth seeing or not. Some of the websites even offer blogs by students that offer an insider view. Some of the criteria to consider is how competitive the school is, academic programs offered, location, distance from home, religious affiliation, all male or female school and the number of students.
- When the list of propsective schools has been narrowed down, you can then find out the policy of each one regarding information sessions and campus tours as well as what days and times they are offered. Some of the schools will require advance registration either by email or phone. Let your teenager make the appointments so that they take ownership of the process. If they do schedule interviews, your student can also schedule those remembering to bring the proper attire for that situation.
- Organize the itinerary. Limit yourselves to visiting no more than two colleges on the same day–otherwise, it can get overwhelming. Don’t forget to visit the surrounding areas around the school as that will also be part of your student’s experience should he/she decide to attend school there.
- Don’t take the other sibling with you on the trip unless they are interested also in someday attending that school. Making other arrangements for younger children would be a smart thing since they can become fidgety and tired and not be able to keep up with the tours offered.
- Parents should try to keep a low profile. While you are still at home, you can discuss with your teenager different questions that he/she might have about the school but you will want to keep a low profile once you arrive on campus. Let your child be the one to check in with the receptionist at the Admissions Office and be in control. Make sure they he/she knows that it is perfectly acceptable to ask any questions after the information session as well as the tour guide as you are walking around the campus.
- Don’t be afraid to wander around. Feel free to explore the campus more after the tour is over making sure to check out the student union and the cafeteria. Check out the ball fields or stadium and stop by the academic department that interests you. Ask students that you meet on campus about the social life, whether they live on or off campus and what they might suggest as far as housing, etc.
Have fun with your teenager. This road trip is a good time to bond and have fun with your teen as he/she faces important decisions about her future!
Tags: College, summertime, visits
Posted in Student Tips, Summer, Teenagers | No Comments »