All posts by Sandy

Home Learning, Homework Help

A Home Learning Corner

Leave a comment
Make your home learning corner shine!

This day and age, it’s critical that your child has a home learning corner to call their own! This can be a place to read, a place to do homework, or even a place to manage virtual learning.

After all, you probably have your home office space, or at least an area where you take care of household business. Your child’s learning is no less important. And it doesn’t even have to take up much room. It can be a literal corner or perhaps a desk. Be sure to utilize the wall space nearby for both decorating and practical things like a whiteboard or bulletin board to hold reminders, accomplishments, and even inspiration.

Be sure to let your youngster have some say in how to organize and decorate. The space can be truly their own, and that will help motivate him or her to use it as intended. Who knows? It may also even spur some additional effort on academics!

You can read all about home learning corners at https://www.redfin.com/blog/how-to-create-a-learning-corner-at-home-for-kids/ Check it out! Sandyflemingonline.com was featured in this article so head on over to read all of their great tips today!

Uncategorized

Does My Child Need a Tutor?

Leave a comment
  • Does your child take hours to do homework that should take minutes?
  • Is homework a nightly battle at your house?
  • Does your child bring home decent grades on homework and then bomb the tests?
  • Is your child scoring poorly on standardized tests?
  • Does your child seem to “forget” how to do tasks for school?
  • Are your child’s grades pulled down by missing work or low test scores?

These are all signs that something is not right at school! It’s not just your imagination, and your student is not likely to outgrow it, in spite of what the teachers or school might tell you.

One way to address these problems is to step up the support. This means monitoring homework, studying, and test scores more closely and finding ways to change your child’s approach to the work. Tools like online grade books and planners with assignments written in them can help.

Another step is to ask the school for more help. Ask the teacher for suggestions. Request that the student be evaluated to make sure they have grade level skills and knowledge that will allow them to be successful. You have the right as a parent to ask for (and receive) additional help for your child in some form.

Finally, consider tutoring for your student. A good tutor understands the grade level expectations and knows what foundational skills are needed for success. He or she should be able to conduct an in-depth evaluation and hone in on strengths and weaknesses with laser focus. The tutor can plan and implement remedial activities to fix the underlying problem.

Some tutors also can provide support for homework and study habits that will help boost grades while your child is playing catch-up. But remember, if the tutor is spending all the time helping with late homework assignments, little is getting done to address the underlying weaknesses. Consider continuing tutoring during vacations and the summer months so the student can begin to close the gap between what they know and what they need to know!

Need more information about my evaluation, tutoring, and consultation services? Visit the Tutoring Page for more information!

Homework Help

6 Creative Ways to Teach Your Child to Proofread

Leave a comment

I have yet to meet a student who proofreads willingly. However, you can teach  your child to proofread with less hassle using some simple strategies. Best of all, you can add some fun to the process!

Teach Your Child to Proofread Using Games

One of the best ways to teach your child to proofread is by setting up a treasure hunt for mistakes. Go through the paper yourself and make notes about categories of errors that you wish the student to find. Make note of things like capitalization problems, missing punctuation, spelling, and so forth. Be sure to figure out how many of each type of problem you see. Now send your child on a treasure hunt. Challenge him or her to find the mistakes that you already know are there.

Make the game more challenging by providing only the numbers of types of errors instead of telling the student the categories. For example, challenge him or her to figure out which type of mistake was made three times in the paper, and which one happened six times.

You can also indulge in a role-playing game. Give your child a classic red pen and have him or her correct the paper as the teacher would. Make the focus of the activity finding and correcting mistakes instead of having a “perfect” paper, and then “grade” the student’s work based on how well they played teacher.

Teach Your Child to Proofread with Independent Strategies

As your student matures, he or she will need to take on the responsibility of editing his or her own work without prompting. Instill some of these habits to help teach your child to proofread:

  • Always use the grammar checker and spell checker built into most word processing software.  There is absolutely no harm in using the tools that have been provided. Just be sure your student realizes that these are far from infallible, and there is no substitute for going over the writing by hand as well.
  • Show your student how reading through the paper backwards can disrupt tricks of the eye where we see what we expect to see. By reading from the end to the beginning, your learner will need to concentrate on each word individually, and will catch spelling mistakes and even some punctuation and capitalization errors.
  • Create a proofreading and editing checklist with your student. List categories of errors, with a focus on the common types that trouble him or her. Use the checklist to guide proofreading and editing.  Go through the paper once for each category, just looking for that type of error.
Do You Have Other Homework Hassles?

You’ll want to watch the free webinar: How to Eliminate Homework Hassles in 30 Minutes a Day.  Nearly every parent has troublesome homework issues, but there ARE solutions. You can create peace in your household and eliminate the nightly battle over homework.  Watch the webinar and grab your free guidebook that will walk you through a proven process to make homework time go more smoothly at your house.

Teach your child to proofread

Homework Help

3 Things You Need to Know About Learning Styles

Leave a comment

What, exactly, are learning styles? I’m glad you asked! The term learning style refers to an individual’s preferred avenue for taking in information.  When we know a person’s learning style, we can tailor teaching and study methods to allow for most efficient teaching and improve retention and success.

In a nutshell, there are three main types of learning styles.  These can be combined and they can change over time and in different circumstances.

Visual Learners do best with material they can see, like pictures, charts, graphs, and diagrams.  They may prefer reading to listening to a lecture.

Auditory Learners understand and retain information more easily when it is presented orally. They like to discuss, listen, and even sing.

Kinesthetic Learners learn best through movement. These are the hands-on learners who like demonstrations, experiments, and watching videos.

Here’s my favorite video explanation of learning styles:

You can discover a person’s primary learning style or styles through checklists or questionnaires, or even by observation.  Here’s one example: Learning Styles Questionnaire .  Now, what can you do with this information now that you know it?

Learning Styles Give Clues about What Will Frustrate Kids

Once you know a child’s learning style, you can predict what types of assignments and study strategies will be frustrating to your student. This will allow you to provide support and react in a more productive manner.

For example, your student may be a kinesthetic learner who prefers hands-on learning. This student may well find gathering information from a textbook to be boring or frustrating, since that’s a visual task. You can help by guiding your student to hands-on ways to accomplish the same task, such as copying information or acting out the information.

Learning Styles control how easily information is absorbed.

Your student will learn best if information is presented in the channel that he or she is most comfortable with. You can familiarize yourself with various presentation strategies that match your student’s learning style.  Use your knowledge to reteach or re-present information when you know that the school or class presentation was not a good fit for your student.

Learning Styles show you how to guide study strategies

Teach  your student how to accommodate his or her strongest learning style. School presentations are primarily auditory (lecture-style). Study materials are primarily visual (textbooks and handouts). Show your student how to find the material in the format that is most compatible with his or her primary learning style.  Consider one or more of the study strategies on the following list:

Visual Learners
  • Write down important points
  • Highlight key information
  • Color-code information
  • Use diagrams, charts, pictures to organize information
  • Write down things to memorize and hang them where they will be seen frequently
  • Visualize important information
  • Read the text before going to class
  • Copy directions before beginning projects
  • Use flow charts to recall processes
Auditory Learners
  • Use a recorder to record lectures and discussions when possible
  • Listen to recorded information while driving/riding, while doing household chores, etc.
  • Read in a whisper or aloud when possible
  • Discuss with others, quiz orally
  • Sing or set ideas to music
  • Read text after class (unless assigned ahead of time)
  • Interview experts on the topic
  • Read directions out loud before beginning a project
Kinesthetic Learners
  • When possible, make models, do experiments, act out ideas
  • Study for short periods (10-15 minutes) with frequent breaks
  • Use a computer to type ideas
  • Work on memorization by doing an action with each item, such as an exercise
  • Play games such as Memory to match questions and answers
  • Try reading or watching while standing up or while using a fidget
  • Trace and copy words to learn spellings, vocabulary, and other facts
  • Play games modeled after television quiz shows to study, such as Jeopardy

Make sure you are getting in on all of the action and receiving all the tips!  Sign up for the Homework Help group to grab up some goodies and get advice on helping your student tame homework monsters. CLICK HERE to join this free group!

Nurturing Young Readers

How to Read to Preschoolers in 6 Easy Steps

Leave a comment

Believe it or not, there are extra things to think about when you read to preschoolers.  The activity goes far beyond simply picking up a book and reading out loud. You can help kids get the most out of your read aloud time with just a few simple tricks. These will help you maximize the learning value of the activity and move your children forward with their readiness for academic work. Ready to learn how to read to preschoolers?

Choose the Best Books to Read to Preschoolers

Before you even call the kids over to sit with you, make sure you are choosing outstanding books to share. Head to the library or bookstore, and find books that

  • have an engaging story. This means there are characters kids can relate to and the characters have a problem that kids will care about.
  • have entertaining illustrations. Preschoolers are very visual people, so nearly all of them will want to choose books based on the illustrations. Make sure the pictures are clear, colorful, and detailed. Look for diversity in characters and lots of setting and scene information. Many stories are told primarily through pictures.
  • are the right length. Books for preschoolers should take between five and twenty minutes to read. The story told should be complete within that time frame.
  • include rich language or text that encourages reading independence. These are not usually attributes of the same book, so look for one or the other.

Preview the Story before You Read to Preschoolers

When you look the story over carefully before you get started with the reading, you can plan enrichments and games that will grab and hold their attention. Note any words that are likely to be unfamiliar and introduce them ahead of time. Consider points in the story where you could pause to ask kids to summarize or predict what will come next.

Prepare the Setting

It’s best to read when there are no other distractions. Turn off the television and put away the electronics. Get comfortable. Preschoolers love physical contact, so make room for kids to sit beside you, on your lap, or nearby on the floor. Make sure everyone can see well. You may want to consider an unusual setting to add interest: try reading in a blanket fort, in the bathtub, or under a table. Reading in the dark with a flashlight can be quite engaging as well.

Be Flexible

Remember that not all children want or need to be sitting down with you to enjoy a story. Even if your child wants to be across the room or wants to fidget with a toy in hand, rest assured that they are still listening and try different strategies to keep them engaged.

Don’t Plan to Read the Book Straight Through

Kids will be more engaged if you intersperse some discussion and other activities while you read.  Ask questions about how a character might respond, talk about what your child might have done differently, predict the outcome of a character’s actions, and so forth. Play memory games, sequencing games, and games to promote understanding of words and how they work. Think of rhymes, synonyms and antonyms. Choose a “secret word” and have kids clap when they hear it.

Follow Up

After you’ve shared the story, don’t just drop it. Think of fun related activities, such as retelling the story, turning it into a skit, or drawing a picture of the characters. Remember that kids will be thinking about the story and processing the information long after you close the book.

Want to know more?

Watch the webinar, “Maximize Your Read-Aloud Time”! Sign up today, and you’ll get some great ideas, a bonus e-book, and a fabulous workbook that you can use again and again to make the most of the time you spend reading to your preschoolers (and other kids).  Click HERE to sign up today!

Nurturing Young Readers

5 Mistakes You Make When Reading to Your Kids

Leave a comment

You’ve been spending all of that time reading to your kids each and every day; don’t accidentally undermine your hard work! There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to share books with children.

You want to make the most of reading time. Give your children every possible advantage. Use these tips to maximize benefits and you will rest assured that you are making the most of read-aloud time.

Mistake #1: Taking Literary Short Cuts

This mistake most likely happens when you are in a hurry. Maybe it’s bedtime or nap time and you want to move on with the routine. You skip a few words or even pages to shorten story time. After all, the kids are too young to notice, right?

Wrong! Often they DO notice, and they can get the impression that you are rushing.

More importantly, their developing brains notice, even if there’s no conscious protest.

Reading aloud to kids is building a host of foundational skills. An important one is the match-up between text and words.

When you go “off-script,” you risk disrupting this natural pairing. Kids don’t make the connection between printed and spoken words as they should.  This subconscious disconnect can undermine the process of learning to read.

Mistake #2: Refusing to Reread Books Regularly

Raise your hand if your child has latched onto a book for no apparent reason and wants to hear the story over and over and over again. Ever get bored reading it? I think we all do.

However, there are some really good reasons to bite the bullet and reread that book a hundred times or more, even if it’s not exactly what you’d like to be doing.

The best reason is that children learn about the permanence of written language when they hear stories over and over again. The concept that once it’s set down in writing, language does not change is something we take for granted. Young children, however, have no such assurance. It takes a lot of repetition to convince them that the story is always going to turn out the same way.

Rereading stories also nurtures memory skills. Kids discover that they can recall the outcome of the story or even specific phrases and sentences. They learn about how memory works, and this is a very important concept. So reread those books! Reread them as often as your child asks. Know that the boredom pays off in increased mental agility and skill down the road.

Mistake #3: Being Boring

Kids like action, there’s no doubt about it. When reading to your kids, make sure you liven things up regularly.  Make the funny voices, change your tone, vary your pacing and so forth. Keep them guessing about what is coming next.

When you bring all of your dramatic skills to bear, you will make reading time engaging and fun. The kids will want to come back for more! You also will be nurturing creativity and imagination skills in the youngsters.

Mistake #4: Keeping a Rigid Schedule

It’s easy to want to compartmentalize reading to your kids so you know just when to fit it into your schedule. Maybe it’s a habit to read before bedtime, or perhaps you always share books right after nap time. Be careful about losing flexibility, though! It’s important to drop what you are doing and read to them when they are asking.

When you read to kids spontaneously, you are showing how important you believe reading to be. You are also showing your children that you put a premium on time spent with them. As often as you can, drop what you are doing and go read on request.  You’ll be glad that you did!

Mistake #5: Making Reading a Separate Activity

Reading to your kids is a natural part of the world around us. Don’t make the mistake of keeping it isolated from everyday life. Take trips to the library with your children, and find books they can relate to. Choose books that describe everyday activities or upcoming family events. Find stories that explain something they’ve been wondering about. Use your reading time as learning time.

We want kids to get the idea that reading can unlock mysteries and solve problems.  Help them see the connections between reading and recreation, but also help them connect reading to learning and think of reading as a tool for gaining information.

Learn to Maximize the Time

Make the most of every single time that you read with your kids!  Join us for the upcoming webinar: How to Maximize Your Read-Aloud Time.  This free webinar will give you all sorts of ideas about how to make the most of the time you spend reading to your kids.  The webinar is scheduled for Thursday, August 25 at 1 PM Eastern Time, but don’t worry-if you sign up, there will be a recording so you can listen in any time you wish.  Register today! Just click HERE for more details.

Building Thinking Skills

3 Considerations When Talking Politics With Kids

Leave a comment

In case you haven’t noticed, there is an election coming up soon in our country.  The primaries are over with and both major political parties have selected their candidates.  Social media is awash in memes and sound bites from both sides. There are lines being drawn in sand, and many adults are even getting a bit hot under the collar when their preferred candidate is disparaged. It’s a great time for talking politics with kids.

I know many friends who say they won’t be on social media or watch television because of the venom spewing back and forth.  However, do take the time to talk with your kids about politics and the upcoming election.

You may think they don’t notice, but they do. You may even HOPE they won’t notice, but they will. Imagine how this all looks to a child without an adult interpretation and filter. And there is no way to shield them from it, unless you go live under a rock somewhere. The election has been dominating the news and will soon dominate television commercials.  Even roadside signs will vie for our attention.

Now is the time to be talking to your kids about politics. Unless your family really does live under a rock (or you can literally put them there), the kids can and will know what’s going on with the election. Wouldn’t it be better if they hear your interpretation of events? Here are some ideas to consider.

Keeping It Positive

Now I realize that the campaigns are not likely to follow this rule.  Elections are full of mudslinging, attacks on character, and worse. However, you can control what comes out of your mouth.

It’s great to share your opinions, especially if you cite evidence.  You can tell how you feel about a candidate’s actions or his or her stances on important issues.  Be sure to share what you base your opinion on.

The things to avoid are sweeping character generalizations. It is one thing to say that a candidate is dishonest, and then go on to share why you think so. You can say that a candidate is of good moral character and give the evidence as you see it. It’s another matter altogether to tell your children that a candidate is a great (or a rotten) human being.  Be careful with strong emotion words like “hate” and “love,” as well.

Talking Politics with Kids in an Open Way

If they are old enough to talk, they are likely hearing you talk politics with other adults. Have some honest discussions with the kids, too. Answer their questions honestly. Share your reasoning and thought process as you come to your decision about who to vote for.  Make sure you are properly informed about the election process in this country. This way you will be prepared to help them unravel the mysteries of the Electoral College and other details of our national selection process.

Talk about the issues of the day. You can explain that people have different feelings about these topics, and share how you came to understand them in the way that you do.  Ask them to share their choice of candidates and tell why they like that person. Connect the politicians to their stances on issues, and share how that will influence voters.

Getting Everyone Involved

Finally, set a great example for your children by showing them how you are involved in the political process. Take them with you, if possible, to the voting booth when the time comes. If they are old enough and showing interest, check out some of the local political meetings. Point out the election officials in your area and describe their jobs. Sometimes there are even ways for children to show their support for candidates they prefer by handing out literature, using yard signs, or even simply reminding others to vote.

Working to resolve public issues is another great way to get kids interested in politics. Many issues have solutions that can be implemented at home. For example, if your child gets interested in helping the environment, try recycling a bit more or purchasing products with less packaging or finding ways to use less energy around the house. Use the media outlets to find out where each candidate stands on issues important to your child or to your family and share this information with the kids.

The Benefits of Talking Politics with Kids

In addition to creating more informed and engaged citizens, there are a number of great benefits to talking politics with kids.

  • It builds reasoning skills. If you consistently demonstrate why you support your chosen candidates, your children will soon follow your example. Help them learn the various means of logical support and they will quickly discover they delight in poking holes in logic!
  • It nurtures communication skills. Language learning is a process, and it takes years to fully develop. Help them on their way by teaching them how to articulate their views clearly and give evidence that supports those views.
  • It increases conversational skills. Political views are nearly always a hot topic of conversation, especially during an election year. When your children learn to respect the give and take of conversation, they will be ready to interact with people of varying viewpoints at school, work and social situations.
  • It creates empowerment. Children may not be able to vote, but someday they will. If they pay attention to the political process as youngsters, they may be more inclined to feel they have a say in government when they do end up at the polls.
  • It develops independent thinking skills. It’s vital that kids learn to think for themselves. Otherwise, they are subject to way too much peer pressure and many other dangers. If you nurture political awareness, you will provide a safe way to practice critical independent thinking skills.

So what are you waiting for? Start talking politics with kids today!

Homework Help, Uncategorized

How to Eliminate Homework Hassles in 30 Minutes a Day

Leave a comment
Welcome to the Homework Hassles Recording!

Download the handout for the Homework Hassles Recording HERE.

Watch the Homework Hassles Recording HERE:

 

Did you miss the webinar deal? Got one still going on! Keep reading below, then enroll in the Learning Corner for only $7 per month! Use coupon code DISCOUNT80.  Hurry! Offer is only for a limited time!
Looking for More Help?

Here are the details about help mentioned in the Homework Hassles recording:

Visit The Learning Corner-my best collection of lesson modules and free resources yet!

For a low monthly subscription fee, you can have access to completed learning modules about building math fact speed, putting commas in the right places, learning about regrouping, and much, much more.

I’m also sharing my private (and constantly updated) collection

  • the best learning and practice resources around the internet
  • my favorite sources for free printable worksheets
  • a few free courses (like a great one for pre-algebra!)
  • free and fun learning arcade games
  • my favorite teaching sites
  • and more!

What if you don’t see what you are looking for?  Just ask!  I design new teaching modules to meet enrolled student needs, then open them for all to use.

What if you need more help? Just ask! The Learning Corner includes some limited consultation.  Ask questions, get help with an assignment, or set up some short-term tutoring assistance.

How Can the Learning Corner Help You?

Some families want an easy way to try out my services before making a larger commitment.  Other families find they only need occasional help.  Some families enjoy the freedom and flexibility of academic help on their own schedule and at their own pace.

The Learning Corner offers the benefits of having a private tutor for your child without the high cost and heavy demands on your schedule.  It’s here when you need it, and unobtrusive when you don’t.

As long as you keep your subscription active, you’ll have full access to the great resources, whenever you need and want them.

An Offer Just for You

Interested? There are two payment plans.  If you’d like, there is a one-time fee of $350 for lifetime access to the Learning Corner.  It’s a great bargain if you plan to use the service for longer than a year, especially if you have multiple students at your house.  And it’s still much cheaper than hiring a tutor!  Even at only one hour of tutoring per week, you would pay over $1200 annually for my in-person tutoring.

Prefer a monthly option? The Learning Corner is available for $35 per month.  Again, much more economical than the $100 or more per month to see me in person (or over the internet).

Now for the good news: You can join The Learning Corner for a discount because you are here on this page and I really, really want to help your student learn and grow.

A 50% discount would be great, wouldn’t it?  That would get the monthly fee down to $17.50.  But I can do even better than that!

For a limited time, I’m offering an EIGHTY PERCENT discount to the next few students who register.  This means that your monthly subscription will only cost $7 per month!!

Just visit The Learning Corner’s main page at The Learning Corner  and sign right up.  You will be prompted for a coupon code near the end of the payment process.  Enter DISCOUNT80 and your monthly subscription fee will be a low, low $7 per month.  And it’s all automatic until you decide to unsubscribe!  Set it up once, and you will have unlimited access as long as you stay current with payments!

See you at the Learning Corner!

Uncategorized

Handout for “Eliminate Homework Hassles”

Leave a comment

Excited about the webinar?  Grab and print your copy of the handout before watching!

It includes 20 pages.  The first section is designed to help you take notes on the presentation. The remaining material provides a great resource for keeping ahead of the Homework Monster at your house.

The handout is in pdf format, so everyone should be able to access it.  You will find it most helpful to actually print it out.   There are a number of pages and sections designed to fill out or use with your family. You’ll want to keep it handy during the webinar and for weeks afterward.

Grab your copy HERE.