Newsletter August 2008
August 08, 2008

Welcome to the August, 2008 edition of "How to Succeed in School," the A+ Home Tutors Newsletter.

Below are links to this month's headlines:
Helping Through Grade Transitions

6 Tips to Ease the Homework Struggle

Study Shows No Gender Gap in Math Scores

Physical Education for the 21st Century

As the summer months wind down and the first day of school approaches, students will begin to contemplate what their new year will bring. For some students making major transitions between schools or grades, this may be an even more stressful time. Understanding the challenges students will face can help parents support and prepare their child for the changes to come.

Lower Elementary School Age
Children just beginning their school careers often need to prepare for a change in lifestyle. With school may come a move to a new building, or a switch to a longer school day, filled with more structure and concrete responsibility. Children of this age are often still growing accustomed to life outside their immediate home environment and are learning about building relationships and teamwork. Academically, this is when children build their fundamentals—reading and basic math ability—for the rest of their school years. It is important that children gain a good grasp on these subjects and skills in order to set them up for success as they progress through the years.

Mid-to-Upper Elementary School
Children at this age often face greater physical and emotional challenges as they become more independent and individual in their abilities and interests. As they continue to grow, they begin to build their own social groups and friendships. Along with new friendships and socialization can come bullying and exclusive cliques, which can present emotional stresses. From an academic standpoint, students are asked to put the basic skills they have been crafting in their earlier years to use. This requires them to hone their abilities in expressing themselves in writing, problem solving and reading comprehension and retention.

Middle Schoolers
The switch to middle school means a switch in scenery in many school systems. In these in-between years there are many changes children may face. Some students are separated from grade school friends or experience pressure from interactions with older students. Puberty, increased social activity and peer acceptance become even more important for these students. Socially, the climate can be more impersonal as they often have different teachers for each subject, each with his or her own teaching style and set of expectations for students. Intellectually, children must practice their organizational and time-management skills, balancing homework from a wider range of subjects that is often unrelated. This diversity of material allows them to make connections across subject matters.

High School
With the change to high school comes further emotional and physical challenges. Often the move means a move to a new building, sometimes with a larger number of students, teachers and expectations. During these years, students often begin to assert their independence from their family, yet while still trying to maintain these ties in a new, more grown-up way. Parents often have less influence in their child's decisions and chosen activities. Students of this age often enter the work force, and learn valuable lessons about money, time management and increased responsibility. Peer pressure surrounding sexual activity, drug or alcohol use can also add stress to children of this age. Academically, students are expected to be more self-motivated in regards to their education, selecting the appropriate courses for their college and career path.

Get by With a Little Help From My Parents
There is only so much control parents can assert over a child's teachers and school environment, so often the best ways you can help is at home. Awareness is the first and perhaps most important factor in helping to guide children through the educational transitions. You can help them prepare by discussing some of the pressures they will face. Knowing your child's specific needs will help you address concerns better. For younger children, create school-type activities at home—like snack time and study time—to help them get accustomed to new a schedule. Develop relationships with your children's teachers and school administrators. This helps you make sure your child gets the support he or she needs.

Tutoring for Extra Support
Finally, tutoring can help students address problem areas or difficulties they are facing with subjects, study skills, time-management and other learning issues. Whether it's elementary school students struggling to grasp the foundations of math, reading and writing skills; middle school students who need practice with study skills and time management; or high school students taking on more advanced courses, tutoring sessions can help students work through whatever transitions they may be experiencing. One of the more valuable assets of working with a tutor is it gives students the one-on-one time and personalized attention they are often missing as they progress through the grades. Often that extra structure and extra review time gives students just the encouragement and confidence they need to face the important and exciting changes ahead of them. At A+ Home Tutors we understand that every child is different, and we pride ourselves on creating tailored tutoring programs that focus on your child's individual needs, personality, and learning style.

Source: Robin F. Goodman, et. al. "Transition Points: Helping Students Start, Change, and Move Through the Grades," www.aboutourkids.org.

With the return of school also comes the return of student’s least favorite part—homework. For a parent, getting children to do their homework each night can be a bit of a struggle. Here are some study tips to help get homework done efficiently so everyone has more time to relax.

Time is on My Side
Setting a scheduled time for homework can be helpful. It provides structure and a goal for getting homework done by a certain hour so the child can play, hang out with friends or pursue other interests. Tutoring sessions are wonderful for creating structure and providing support for school work.

Clear the Clutter
It’s hard to concentrate when surrounded by distractions. Keeping the homework desk or table clean and organized leaves no excuses to procrastinate. Some students may prefer a different setting like a school library or park for better focus. This includes studying away from the internet, cell phones and other digital distractions.

Give Me a Break
It’s okay to take breaks to stretch, get a glass of water or regroup. Study for 30 to 45 minutes and then allow for a 10-15 minute rest. Knowing there is break after a particular length of time can make the work seem less threatening.

Reward Hard Work
Use positive reinforcement once study goals are met.

Connect the Dots
Make connections between class notes and the homework and textbooks. This helps students complete the circle of understanding.

Prepare for Tomorrow
Write down any questions or confusing concepts after completing the work. This will help refresh student’s memory the next day in class so they can address areas where they don’t understand.

Source: Grzywacz, Gene. “Effective Study Habits,” www.edarticle.com.

After years of stereotyping and uneducated assumptions about the female gender’s abilities in math and science, the National Science Foundation’s study found no disparity between boys’ and girls’ performances on standardized math tests.

The Times Are Changing
While there was evidence twenty years ago that women scored more poorly than men in math abilities, according to the new study, that is no longer the case. And, the study presumes, the reason is that girls are now taking just as many advanced math courses as boys.
Based on tests in accordance with the No Child Left Behind Act, math scores from seven million students in ten states were reviewed for the study. Researchers took average scores of all students, as well as the performances of gifted children, and the ability to solve complex problems. In each of the three categories, girls did just as well as boys.

Further Evidence
Researchers also turned to the two largest standardized tests—the SATs and ACT test. They found that the difference in ability on the SATs were more likely a factor of circumstance rather than an actual lack in ability for girls. Because a much larger number of girls take the SATs than boys, their scores simply show a wider range of ability—including those in the lowest skill level—rather than an inherent lack of understanding. In the ACT test, the study found that the math gender gap disappeared in Illinois and Colorado once states required all students to take the test.

Breaking Down Stereotypes
Despite these findings, many teachers and academics claim the stereotype of females performing poorly in math and science still affects girls and women. Often parent, guidance counselors, bosses and others discourage or prevent females from pursuing classes and careers that require high math or science skills. As evidence of this, there is still a lower number of girls enrolled in high school physics, chemistry and engineering—all disciplines that demand advanced math skills. Clearly, we need to pay less attention to antiquated stereotypes and instead focus on individual students and their strengths and weaknesses, and encourage them to pursue their interests, regardless of gender.

Source Article: Lewin, Tamar. “Math Scores Show No Gap for Girls, Study Finds,” www.nytimes.com.

San Rafael High School is taking a bold, new approach to old school notions of physical education. Students may start PE class with your traditional jumping jacks and lunges, but soon after they move on to the “Adventure Room,” a facility with an impressive rock climbing wall, and a host of rappelling and climbing accessories, safety harnesses and helmets. After initial training and basic skill learning, each student has their own objective tailored to their skill level and interest, playing by creator (and the school’s former PE head) Bill Monte’s catchphrase, “Challenge by Choice.”

Important Team-building Skills
Students switch off between roles: as one student climbs his way to the top, another sits below, pulling the safety rope tight to avoid any falls, and then vice versa. Since 2006, the program has been a requirement for freshmen, and teachers have seen real results in building self-esteem, cooperation and problem solving.

Addressing a Need
San Rafael and other schools across the country are addressing a real and immediate need for daily activity in children’s lives. Between 1991 and 2003, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered alarming facts about physical education, including fewer high school students enrolled in PE class—particularly by the time they reached senior year—and that only 40 percent of states had a minimum requirement for PE time per week.

Not Your Parents’ PE
The PE of the 21st century requires a different approach than the dodgeball many of us grew up with. Aggressive or competitive games where weaker students get ‘eliminated’ are discouraging, often to the children who need the physical exercise the most. New research shows that physical activity is an important link between the facets of learning—the mental, spiritual and physical. Teaching physical education in a way that is fun and challenging for each student means they are much more likely to stay active throughout their lifetime.

Source: Rapaport, Richard. “All the Right Moves: Fresh Methods to Keep Kids Active,” www.edutopia.org.