Educational therapy and tutoring may appear very similar, however, there are important distinctions between the two. Knowing the differences will help you determine the best fit for the needs of your child.
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By Deshon C. Smith, M.S.
Clinician at Strategies for Learning
This article is intended for parents, guardians and mentors of teenagers. The current Covid-19 Pandemic has impacted how colleges handle the admissions process for prospective students. Here are a few suggestions to use as a guide to support students during this time. Please always consult teachers, advisors and academic support specialists for more detailed information.
There are several websites which can help monitor a teenager’s college planning. Collegeboard is a reputable site for the major test preparation (SAT or ACT). Fastweb is a database that offers scholarship information for various categories to help students fund their college tuition. By creating an account for these websites both parents and students can track progress for planning, test dates and articles relevant to the college search.
It is possible to predict how likely your child will get into their desired institutions by using websites such as College Simply. Comparing your child’s current grades and test scores to the school’s entrance data helps your student establish realistic goals. Some teenagers decide to take the ACT and SAT concurrently. Sophomore year is the recommended time for a high school student to begin to gauge their test abilities. Since the coronavirus pandemic has caused massive disturbance with college preparation, some institutions have decided to exempt students from submitting scores such as the University of California system. Refer to the main website of your child’s school for more information during the planning process.
Sending an email to a high school guidance counselor, academic coach, or college admissions advisor is a great place to start. Have your student come up with at least 3 questions they want to ask, so they can be actively involved in the process. Practicing the skills of prioritization and planning can also place a high schooler on the right track of choosing the ideal college fit. Some general actions students can do during high school years are joining a virtual community of like-minded students, adding or re-evaluating extracurricular activities (seeking safe options to stay active and involved in the community), and choosing healthy hobbies that promote learning and well-being. A coach or advisor may have ideas on ideal college prep extracurricular activities in the time of COVID-19. Networking and building professional or academic relationships of all kinds are also important and possible to do virtually.
Many colleges are increasing virtual webinars and tours as a way to safely learn about the school and virtually visit without being on-site. Many campuses will have limited to no access, though some may be open with various safety precautions. For out-of-state colleges, your family can plan your travel ahead of time by viewing CDC’s recommendations here. If a college does offer in-person open house opportunities, review their guidelines to ensure a safe stay. Some additional general guidelines are: travel with fewer people, limit lodging reservations if possible, have access to personal drinking water and sanitizer, keep college visits to just a couple of hours, wear masks, and keep 6 feet from people outside the family. Consider visiting just to observe a college’s environment without taking an official tour to better practice social distancing.
Most universities will include essay prompts or a personal statement as part of the application process. Having a strong essay complements a student’s qualifications and allows the admissions committee to learn more about the student on a personal level. Students can consider writing about a challenge they withstood or a personal experience that shaped their life. If relevant, reworking an essay from an English course is a great way to develop a personal statement, since it has likely already received feedback from a teacher and gone through edits and revisions.
These are traditionally included and are sometimes required. If requesting a letter of recommendation, students can draft a more formal Letter of Intent for an adult who can speak on their behalf. Ideally, a suitable candidate would include an Athletic Coach, Part-time boss, Volunteer Supervisor or School Official. Encourage the student to make a verbal request in addition to a written request. This practice serves multiple purposes such as building their professionalism and confidence. It’s also always a good idea to thank the letter writers for taking the time to recommend the student. Teachers feel appreciated when this happens!
During senior year, students can apply for financial aid through the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov). If attending a traditional four-year college is a potential barrier, deciding to enroll in online classes or a community college may be a better alternative.
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By Deshon C. Smith, M.S.
Clinician at Strategies for Learning
There are several advantages to using music in a learning environment whether it’s being delivered remotely or in a live environment. Cognitive exercises for the brain allow children to uncover patterns from sound or rhythm, bridging the gap between short-term memory and long term memory. A simple example is the English Alphabet. The first 7 letters are sung, followed by 9, 3-count twice, then 2-count twice. Children have various learning styles and music can encourage students to tap into those major sensory pathways which are hearing, sight and speaking.
Kahoot is an easy learning application where you can create trivia questions which display from a computer. Logging in just requires entering a code at https://kahoot.it/. For a free account you can create up to 5 questions and set time limits. Subscribed members can change the background music and themes. This is great for hosting a study group where kids can experience positive competition.
DuoLingo offers language immersion software. Users can put words in order of how they sound and vice versa. With multiple users the facilitator can lead dance breaks for every sentence pronounced. Part of learning language is identifying cultural themes. For example, a party theme would have words such as cake, music, gathering and balloons. When students are actively engaged with the vocabulary, a song in that language can be included. Advanced language students can watch foreign movies with subtitles followed by knowledge check questions.
The computer application compatible with Android and iPhone, Zenbeats works on virtually all PCs and digital tablets. This tool is great for students who have the creativity to prepare for exams with preprogrammed tones. Chapter notes relevant to a study guide or Chapter Summary can be drafted by the student. Questions from their notes can be asked in the form of a recording. Correct answers can result in a positive rhythm, while incorrect responses are dubbed as repeats.
The creation of music on the smartphone or laptop is advantageous by reducing eye strain and multi-tasking.
Have your child set a reminder on their smartphone using a ringtone that will easily grab their attention. This ringtone is a unique way for starting a task that might otherwise be forgotten. Your child’s favorite songs can be downloaded from iTunes for iPhone and Google Music if using an Android.
Studies have shown that students perform better on their homework and academics when they choose a controlled environment to study. Classical, jazz and soft rock are musical genres which tend to calm individuals who experience anxiety and stress levels. Every student is unique and so their music interests, common moods and sustained-attention abilities are factors to consider when implementing music into a child’s learning. Testing environments tend to be more competitive and undesirable, but students can master the content through independent study. Overcoming test anxiety by use of music can be further studied here. Everybody has a natural rhythm that starts from the heartbeat. Educators, parents and students themselves can apply music theory and technologies to improve how they learn.
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As in-person school closures have been announced in many parts of the country, teachers and parents are faced with navigating how to design an effective distance learning program.
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By Phyllis Koppelman, BCET, Founder & CEO of Strategies for Learning
You’ve had plenty of what if’s to contend with these past few months and lots of question marks ahead. Rather than focus on one more “should do,” here are some ideas if you’re stressed out, cranky and tired of having to tell your kids one more time to stop gaming or do their chores instead of ignoring you.
Being silly with your kids is contagious. The Mayo Clinic staff explains that smiling leads to laughing and starts a chain reaction that releases hormones in our brains. Smiling releases dopamine, which increases feelings of happiness. Serotonin release from laughing can reduce stress. Long-term, we not only feel better, we also improve our immune system. And the best part is that laughter is contagious.
Now, let’s get to it…
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SfL is collection school supplies for Oakland Unified School District
