Archive for the ‘Parents’ Category

The Different Learning Styles

Thursday, 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.
  • Summer Scrapbook

    Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

    Keep your summer memories alive by creating a summer scrapbook.  Personalize it with your own photos and our cool graphics.  Sponsored by Sears!

    Top Summer Jobs for Teens

    Thursday, June 19th, 2008

    Let’s face it — between school, home, friends, and extracurricular activities, life as a teenager can be chaotic. Many teens view summer as a time for relaxation and vacation, but for some, it’s all about the money. Summer jobs for teens should be fun, social, and flexible. Here are some popular part-time jobs that let teens earn extra cash while gaining valuable experience for the future.

    Camp Counselor

    CampCounselor

    If your teen is interested in gaining knowledge and experience in leadership, brainstorming, and team work, working as a camp counselor is a perfect choice. As a counselor, your teen will be a mentor to other young people, modeling good behavior and other positive qualities. She will probably also be exposed to a variety of people from different backgrounds. Camp counseling is a great opportunity for teens to gain self-esteem as well as leadership skills, which they will carry with them when summer ends.

    Life Guard

    Lifeguard

    If your teen is at least 15 years old and a proficient swimmer, she might consider training to be a certified lifeguard. Besides spending her working hours in the sun soaking in the rays, she will learn valuable lessons in responsibility and safety. To become a certified lifeguard, a 37-hour course is required, which includes training in CPR, AED, first aid, surveillance techniques, proper use of rescue equipment, and managing spinal injury victims. Your teen will also have to pass a written test and a swimming test. Life guarding is a rewarding job that develops confidence, decision-making skills, conflict resolution, and professionalism in your teenager.

    Starting a Business

    CarWash

    Starting his own business for the summer is a great way for your teen to earn some extra cash and learn the ropes of running a business at the same time. If the business begins to flourish, your teen’s services could continue long past the summer months. Some ideas include babysitting, cleaning, messenger/errand service, car washing/detailing, house painting, and pet care. Entrepreneurship is a great opportunity for your teen to enhance her professionalism, time-management and organization skills, reliability, and confidence — while providing a helpful service to the community.

    Landscaping and Lawn Care

    Landscaping and lawn care are booming businesses during the summer months. Many people don’t have the time or aren’t physically capable of caring for their lawn and garden. Landscaping is a challenging job that entails manual labor and long hours. If your teen doesn’t mind getting dirty and loves the outdoors, nature, and designing, this job is right for him. She’ll hone her creativity and benefit from the physical activity, while learning about responsibility, hard work, and time-management. Plus, her hard work will be on view in the community – a free advertisement for his services.

    Concert/Event Venue

    This is a job fit for a teen. Jobs at concert or event venues include ticket sales/stubs, reception, concession stand, parking, security, and cleaning services. Your teen could also get involved in the technical, marketing, and coordinating side of event planning. It takes a lot of people to make large events successful, and jobs at concert or event venues can teach teamwork and build people and leadership skills. Plus, your teen will see all his favorite bands or sports teams for free!

    Food Services

    Waitress

    If your teen is a social butterfly and loves interacting with people, restaurant employment might be right for her. She can choose from such positions as cashier, host/hostess, server, bus girl, food runner, dish washer, and prep cook. Many towns have popular and unique diners and drive-ins, which make for a fun and social working environment. Food industry positions can help your teen develop people skills, self-esteem, and responsibility, while enjoying a bit of socializing.

    Sports Instructor

    Many teens are involved in extracurricular activities and sports during the school year. Your teen could take his soccer, tennis, swimming, lacrosse, running, jump rope, or other athletic skill to the next level while earning some summer cash. If she is personable and likes to interact with adults or kids, working as a sports instructor will be a fun, outdoor experience. This is a great opportunity that will boost your teen’s confidence, provide healthy physical activity, and improve her people skills.

    Movie Theater

    Free movies, free popcorn, and socializing are just a few of the benefits you get when working at a movie theater. If your teen is a movie buff, this is the perfect environment for him to spend his summer working hours. Concessions, tickets sales, ticket stubs, and usher are a few of the positions your teen can choose from. He can choose to beat the heat during hot summer days, and maybe catch a free flick at night.

    Internship

    Some teenagers have it all figured out and know which field they want to pursue. If your teen wants to gain experience for her professional future, an internship is the best summer employment plan for her. Many internships are unpaid, but the job experience can lead to future employment. If the experience is more important than the money, an internship will propel your teen in the right direction as she gains confidence, professional knowledge, and real-world experience.

    Get Your Young Students to Do Their Homework!

    Thursday, April 10th, 2008

    The easy way to get kids to love doing their homework? Reading the directions to them in a funny voice! Studies at John Hopkins University found that students perform better on tests when the directions are humorous instead of straight-laced.

    Why Girls Need Gym Class

    Monday, March 24th, 2008

    Physical fitness has tangible effects on classroom performance, says a new study….

    What’s the Latest?  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) surveyed 5,000 students ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade and found that girls who got from 70 to 300 minutes of physical education per week scored consistently higher on standardized tests.  More exercise also translated into increased classroom participation and concentration skills.

    What about Boys?  The study found no correlation between gym class and test scores for boys, but that may be because elementary-school-age males tend to be more active outside school.  And according to the CDC, boys are often more physically fit than girls, meaning gym-class dodgeball might not be enough to give them the same beneficial physiological effects. 

    Why Does it Matter?  Many school districts are slashing PE to meet budgets; math and reading are what count on standardized tests–and in assessing schools’ performance under No Child Left Behind.  As a result, most kids have gym class only once or twice a week.  The lack of physical exercise could be adversely affecting girls’ academic development.