3 January 2012 11:43 AM
Parents Make the Difference
I’ve just read two reports that confirm what parents and teachers have long known – and what the Dr. Rick Blog has long advocated. The more parents are involved in their kids’ learning, the better the kids do. Not at all surprising, but good to have recognized. Again.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tests 15-year-olds in reading, math, and science, the subjects most necessary for college success. American teens have not b... [More]
19 December 2011 11:21 AM
Learning to Follow Directions
I spent a couple of fun and exhausting days with first-graders recently. They made me joyful with their eagerness and happy excitement at whatever their creative teacher put in front of them.
“Now we’re going to do phonics.”
“Yay!”
“Now we’re going to do math.”
“Yay!”
“Now we’re going to read a story.”
“Yay!”
She could have said, &l...; [More]
15 December 2011 10:11 AM
Multitasking's Out. Monotask Instead
One of the most popular Dr. Rick Blogs was the one about the myth of multitasking. I still get comments about it, often from folks who agree that students – especially students – cannot study or work on an important project while they’re simultaneously doing who-knows-what-else. Others tell me they’re actually pretty good at multitasking, thank you – it’s those other less-disciplined types who give them a bad name. Then their phones buzz,... [More]
8 December 2011 09:54 AM
Learn About Financial Literacy
In the previous Dr. Rick Blog we discussed the importance of opening up the No Child Left Behind law to include other subjects besides reading and math. I wrote about my support of environmental education, specifically, and other subject areas.
Like financial literacy.
There’s much to learn about. Salaries. Savings. The stock market. Credit cards. The power of advertising. Compound interest. Charitable giving.
&nb...; [More]
5 December 2011 11:51 AM
Learn About the Environment
The U.S. Congress is re-writing the No Child Left Behind law (including a name change). Recommendations are flying. One, requiring U.S. public schools to teach environmental literacy, is especially worthy.
The next generation will face difficult and complex environmental issues – energy needs, pollution, and population growth to name just three. Our children need to be informed today about the complicated issues facing them in the future. The last thing the... [More]
1 December 2011 01:01 PM
What To Do After Your Child Has a Tutor
In the last Dr. Rick Blog we talked about the effectiveness of tutoring, its power in helping kids reach their potential, and what parents can do while their children are being helped by a tutor. Click here to review the tips.
I’ve long advocated for tutoring to be an open option – never really “ended” – useful whenever a student needs help, which occurs from time to time. It’s confidence-building for a kid to know there’s someo... [More]
28 November 2011 01:08 PM
What To Do When your Child Has a Tutor
Every student needs a little help now and then. A straight-A student maybe just got her first B. Or maybe another student is freaked out about algebra. Maybe yet another kid needs a guiding hand in budgeting his time.
That’s where tutoring comes in. Tutors provide one-on-one attention, fill in the academic gaps, review basics or challenge with new and demanding assignments, give support, and allow for new discoveries.
We’ve often talked about ... [More]
