Brad Hoffman, Author at My Learning Springboard

ACT Essay Section: It’s Manageable!

June 1, 2020 Brad Hoffman

In 2015, the ACT essay section was revised to include more challenging writing prompts. And yet, as a tutor for the ACT, I find the revised format provides more ways to simplify the writing process. Every essay that a student writes for the ACT requires taking a position on a topic, providing examples, and coming to a clear conclusion.

The most important strategy to impart is teaching students a format to write the argumentative essay in 5 paragraphs:

Introductory paragraph with a clear thesis
Example in support of one’s thesis
Example in support of one’s thesis
Example anticipating the opposition to one’s thesis
Clear and decisive conclusion.

The challenging part is getting students to invent excellent examples.

As a tutor, I ask my students to brainstorm examples from their own personal lives, and connect the point they argue to History, Philosophy, Politics, and Current Events. Some of these examples are great, others don’t make the connections necessary to support the thesis. Ah, but there’s hope!

The NEW ACT essay prompt provides the thesis and examples for the students. What’s great about this new format is that the guesswork of how to structure the essay and what kind of examples to give are now EMBEDDED INTO THE PROMPT. In other words, there is one less step for students to take.

Instead of inventing perspectives, students are given them and asked to respond to differing viewpoints.

Albeit while this may make the task of writing an ACT essay less organic and creative, the new essay format provides a framework simplifying the task of writing the argumentative essay considerably.

Just ask yourself, which task you’d rather respond to:

To argue both sides of a point and produce 3+ excellent examples including ones with which you do not agree.

To be given three opinions (perspectives), rewrite and examine these opinions, and choose one you support the most using the ideas for examples given by the prompt?

Prepping for this essay will be less arduous. With a strong outline and applied practice there’s no reason not to earn a strong score.

While there is more writing on the page, which perhaps makes the ACT essay task appear overwhelming, it’s really quite manageable. All of this information helps by laying the groundwork for the essay and outlining what is to come.

Want to practice?

By Grant Bergland, MFA and Private Tutor

Encouraging Summer Reading at Every Age

May 27, 2020 Brad Hoffman

Summer reading is a perennial rite of passage for school-age children. Some kids rush their parents to a local books store or online to Amazon the moment their school’s list is released; others would prefer for that piece of paper to stay crushed in the bottom of a backpack. But whether they like it or not, students of every age find themselves assigned at least one required book—if not three or five or seven—to keep them company in the warmer months.

Summer reading, however, can be much more than a requisite slog through a classic novel. School summer reading programs are a valuable part of academic enrichment, and with a little exploration and planning, going beyond your child’s school’s summer reading requirements can be a fun and exciting process–one that will give your child an academic edge come fall. Below, you’ll find three strategies for helping students elevate their summer reading experiences at any age.

Elementary-Age Students

Children in elementary school are only just getting acquainted with the rules and conventions of academic reading and writing. Through their first book reports, essays, and other writing assignments, they’re coming to see that writing in school comes with some very specific requirements, and they’re beginning to learn how they themselves fit into the big world of reading and writing. Some students may find this foray into maturity intimidating; for others, it may simply be exciting. Either way, finding their own writing skills and voice is one of the biggest challenges facing this age group, and it’s a perfect theme to address through summer reading.

A number of children’s publications feature stories and articles written by children, and now’s the time to introduce your kids to such writing. Highlights Magazine, Time for Kids, and Sports Illustrated For Kids are just a few of the many publications that routinely feature content created by children (in addition, the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series welcomes stories by kids). Even if your children never choose to submit their own work to these publications—which they very well might!—seeing kids’ writing featured and celebrated will give them a sense of involvement in the writing world, and an understanding of how writing might fit into their own lives. Plus, it tends to be easy to get kids interested in the subjects that other kids choose to write about—and the more minutes they spend reading this summer, the better off they’ll be in the fall.

Middle School Readers

By the time students enter sixth or seventh grade, they’ve been through the mill of school-assigned novels and probably sucked down a fair few fictional reads of their own choosing. While younger children often enjoy reading about protagonists whose lives resemble their own, middle schoolers might crave a bit more adventure and a bit less familiarity. They’re growing more curious and informed about the adult world, and are eager to begin breaking free of their own small childhood worlds. That’s why middle school is a great time to introduce students to engaging nonfiction summer reading.

Because research-based academic work will become more important as kids move up through the grades in school, getting more acquainted with factual readings now can be great academic preparation. And with the abundant free time that summer offers, students are also able to explore subjects that intrigue them more deeply—by checking supplementary texts out of the library, visiting museums, or trying out activities for themselves (maybe, for example, they’ll read a book about a champion bicyclist and decide to spend more time biking themselves). Letting kids’ existing interests dictate their reading is often a good way to go, but exposing them to new subjects is just as important. The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) has an award for great nonfiction for young adults, and their lists of past and present winners are a great resource for finding books that might suit your child. It’s also valuable to remember that summer reading can be about texts that serve many different purposes—for some students, a cookbook or a guide to building tree houses will encourage reading much more than a traditional biography or book of essays ever could.

Teenagers

Teenagers are routinely introduced to classic adult fiction in their high school English classrooms, and it’s likely that their required summer reading will contain much of the same. For this age group, novels written for adults are often the stuff of work rather than play, but many teenagers are also reaching the point at which they are eager to appreciate books that aren’t specifically geared toward the Young Adult demographic. For these precocious readers, summer reading is a great opportunity to become acquainted with the broad world of contemporary literary fiction. With the abundance of exciting, well-written fiction being published these days, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce your teenager to novels that are both entertaining and thought-provoking—novels that will help draw them into a lifetime of happy, engaged reading.

Of course, passing along novels that you’ve enjoyed is always a good rule of thumb, but if you’re looking for suggestions, turn again to the trusty YALSA and their innovative Alex Awards. The Alex Awards are presented annually to new books written for adults that “have special appeal to young adults, ages 12 through 18.” Last year’s winners include critical darlings such as Maria Semple’s Where’d You Go, Bernadette and Louise Erdrich’s The Round House, and all of the winners are sure to engage teenagers in contemporary literary trends and conversations—and prepare them for the literary rigors of college along the way. In case your own teenager is on the less precocious side, YALSA also publishes outstanding lists of “Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers,” which are a great starting place for finding accessible, often plot-driven books for teenage readers who might rather not read.

For every age group, the resources are practically limitless—all it takes is a bit of initiative and know-how to help your children make their summer reading a truly transformative experience.

By Hannah Sheldon-Dean, Private Tutor

How to Avoid the Summer Slide

May 10, 2020 Brad Hoffman

Summer is fast approaching and many parents have already planned activities and camps for their children, or they’re in the process of planning or recalibrating. We know that summer is the ultimate freedom, the time for exploration and play, the time to finally unwind from the busy school year. So how do you maintain your child’s academic skills while enjoying the freedom and playfulness of summer vacation? A critical part of summer planning relates to academics and keeping students’ skills not only intact, but also progressing. Each year, we observe that some of our own students slide back several weeks or months when summer vacation does not include any academic practice. While many students can recover fairly quickly during the fall, this summer slide is an unnecessary setback that can negatively impact a student’s confidence and make going back to school more difficult.

When you stop and think about it, the contrast between the structure of the school year and the liberation of summer is profound. During the school year, students are asked to sustain attention for long periods of time, to read critically, to write reflectively, to problem solve, and to synthesize information. The summer is typically the yin to the school year yang.

But a balance can be achieved to keep those learning muscles strong while still allowing for some rest and recovery. We view learning as a marathon, not a sprint, and the current school year schedule makes that tricky. With proper planning and collaboration, parents can help their children to maintain a successful position without creating a household battle.

So how do you do it? Each situation, each learner’s response to instruction, and each teacher is unique. For summer success, especially this year, we encourage parents to develop a strategic plan in partnership with their school, child, and, possibly, private tutor. From camp to virtual field trips to kitchen-lab science, there are tremendous enrichment and experiential learning opportunities available.

During the summer, students also need to practice sustaining attention, synthesizing information, and problem-solving in more structured ways to avoid cognitive atrophy and allow for a fairly seamless transition back to school. Here are 5 tips for planning summer learning. The most important thing is to set yourself up for success. Choose from the suggestions below, commit to a schedule and hold strong. Follow your child’s lead, but insist on a minimum of 15 minutes for each activity to maintain stamina. But most importantly, have fun!

1) Talk to your child’s teacher by early June. Prepare a friendly email or request a brief conference asking for recommendations of skills or concepts to work on during the summer. You might refer back to report card comments to confirm if certain skills were mastered. Also, confirm if there is any required schoolwork for the summer. Many schools ask students to read a certain number of books, to write book reports, or to complete math practice work over the summer. Book lists or summer packets may be available.

2) Talk with your kids about their learning goals. Once you’ve gathered more information from the school, share it with your children and talk with them about their summer interests. Review your family calendar and share the options for summer activities. Make your kids part of the process.

3) Read daily. It takes discipline, but all students need to read daily for a minimum of 20 minutes. Students also need to be engaged in conversations about the text. It is incredibly complex to develop proficiency with summarizing, identifying the main idea, determining an author’s message, or explaining the theme. Students need tremendous practice and modeling. For independent reading, should have “just right” books at an appropriately challenging reading level. Many families have the most success when this reading time is scheduled first thing in the morning or as an afternoon “siesta” period.

4) Practice writing and typing (even drawing helps). There are lots of ways to practice writing over the summer that are meaningful and fun. Our students often like to keep journals for writing friendly letters to their parents, family members, or tutors about their reading, and they love getting a written response in return. Students also like to write stories and publish their own books. A great site to use is www.blurb.com, and summer journaling with a tutor can be managed locally or from a distance via online collaborative tools. Typing is also a real-life skill that every student should master at an early age. Software is available to help students develop proficient typing skills.

5) Practice math. Set aside at least 3-4 times a week for math practice. Math practice should include problem-solving, mastering basic facts, and building number sense. Workbooks, games, and websites are readily available in addition to customized private programs and math camps. IXL.com has practice activities for every grade level aligned with state standards.

We wish everyone a wonderful and well-deserved summer vacation and a smooth transition back to school in the fall.

By Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed.
Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist
My Learning Springboard

Dr. Dorothy Strickland on Improving Early Literacy Skills

April 30, 2020 Brad Hoffman

We can’t stress enough the importance of early literacy, thus we wanted to present this great video by Dr. Dorothy Strickland, who was the State of New Jersey Professor of Reading at Rutgers University; she passed away in April 2020. Prior to her appointment at Rutgers, Dr. Strickland was professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and she is also the coauthor of the text Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers.

In this video, Dr. Dorothy Strickland speaks at a hearing on improving literacy skills in children and young adults. In her presentation, she discusses the key role that early literacy plays in enabling the kind of early experiences linked to academic achievement:

“For example, young children need parents, caregivers, and teachers who: know that a child’s capacity for learning is not determined at birth; who involve children in trips to local points of interest and talk with them about what they see and do; who provide time for reading to children and talking with them about what is read.”

Improving the Literacy Skills of Children and Young Adults: Dorothy Strickland

Watch this video on YouTube

Check out some of our other resources on early literacy:

Written by: Editorial Team, My Learning Springboard, Inc.

Online Learning: Supporting Preschool Students

April 14, 2020 Brad Hoffman

Supporting Preschool Students

Are you and your preschooler having difficulty adjusting to distance learning? Believe me, you are not alone. This isn’t easy, in fact sometimes it’s completely overwhelming. For parents, assisting with online learning feels like a third job and our kids are confused by their new daily routine. The transition to virtual classrooms has been difficult for all ages. That being said, distance learning presents a unique set of challenges for supporting preschool students which leave most of us wondering — is this even worth it?

In preschool, our primary curriculum is based on social/emotional growth. Of course, we also teach pre-reading skills, handwriting, early math and science concepts but the primary goal is to teach children how to learn and function as part of a group. For this, continuing interaction with classmates and teachers is necessary. Given that Rule #1 in early childhood education is to limit screen time, it is no wonder we are all so confused now that screens are the only way to maintain this connection. Yes, Zoom sessions are far from ideal, but they are the best tool we have at the moment. Based on my decade and a half of working with children ages 3-7, I’d like to share a number of helpful hints to make this experience easier and more beneficial. But first, let me share one thought very specific to how we are teaching at the moment and supporting preschool students.

You know that camera in the middle of the laptop? The one we are all looking at all the time now — that shows every facial expression, every flaw — forget about it! Nobody is judging you as a parent (or your child) based on what we see on Zoom. Seriously. They roll on the ground, that’s fine. They run off to look at something else, it happens. In a physical classroom, there are up to four adults whose job is simply to educate your children, anticipate difficult situations and be their guide in every moment. At home, you may have three other students on three other devices, or you may be on a conference call, or you may simply be using the time to disengage for five minutes. Your teachers know this. Let your child be who they are, and you can be who you need to be. If you can engage in the lesson, wonderful. If not, don’t worry. We aren’t judging you just as we hope you aren’t judging us. We’re in this together supporting our preschool students – and we all have to give ourselves a break!

Remember, your preschooler needs two simple things to thrive: predictability and consistency. What stinks right now is that we have neither, so it is up to us to create a framework for our kids. Your teachers provide the foundation through live sessions, videos and assignments. So now you have the daunting task of filling in the other 10-12 waking hours of your child’s day. There is a lot of advice out there — I’m a teacher and even I find it overwhelming. So, here are my real-life suggestions for supporting preschool students:

Set up a schedule.

Simple right? I know it takes a little time, but it is worth it! Make it fun, involve your child if you can, and do yourself and your kid a favor — don’t put times on it. Rather make it a pictorial sequence with words. For example: free play, ZOOM, snack, then scooter time, puzzles…you get the idea. If you are looking for an activity, have your child draw the pictures (if not, figure out whatever is easiest for you). There is a reason that most early childhood classrooms have a pictorial schedule hanging on the wall. Your child has no actual concept of time, but the schedule gives a sense of order and autonomy. Without your help, your child knows what to expect and how the day will look. What’s more, and this is the added benefit, it allows you to keep the day on course for both of you.

Do what works for you, your kid and your family.

Some of the parents I speak to want more ZOOM, all day zoom. Others say, it’s too much, they can’t do all of this with their child. They have calls to make, work to do, other things they need to take care of. It is ok, take care of what you need to take care of. Nothing, I mean it, nothing is going to happen to your child if they miss a Zoom class with their teacher in Pre-K. You have the ability to take Zoom off the schedule for the day. Also, you have the ability to do the following: throw in the towel for an afternoon, serve breakfast for dinner and let them watch Trolls Two on repeat. It will be fine. As long as it isn’t all day every day.

Make the most of Zoom sessions, when you can.

It is a reasonable expectation that your child can sit in on the zoom sessions with an adult somewhere nearby. Ideally, within earshot in case they need you, but you don’t need to be on top of them. This has dual benefits — you get a bit of a break and your child has a bit of independence. This autonomy is actually the reason that social emotional learning can continue virtually. Teaching on Zoom is much different than having four teachers physically in the room making sure your child doesn’t call out or has time at a specific drawing, puzzle or word station. This very fact makes Zoom excellent for building frustration tolerance and problem solving skills as a way of supporting preschool students. Waiting for a turn to speak on Zoom can feel like an eternity, especially when your child has gotten used to A LOT of one-on-one adult attention. However, children learn quickly that if they wait patiently, they will get a chance to speak. If a child needs help with something on zoom, the teacher cannot physically help so our goal is for our kids to try to problem- solve on their own, before going to a parent. Again, this takes time, but each week should become a little easier as students adjust to the new rules.

Get some help.

You are not alone – even though it sometimes feels like we all are. You and your child’s teacher are partners in this. If something isn’t working for your child, reach out. Don’t be shy about (kindly) asking the teacher for suggestions to make the day easier. There are tons of resources online for independent work your child can do with minimal guidance. Get together with other parents to have virtual playdates through zoom or FaceTime. Give it a theme — share stuffed animals, have a dance party, chat over snack. My kids actually like building with Legos next to each other – they build in silence, occasionally having side conversations and they love it! This can be done successfully in pairs or in small groups (don’t try to get everyone together at once). Keep it simple and keep it short – if it’s a hit, you can always do it again. If it’s not, whoops — try something different next time!

Bring in someone to help.

Some teachers, myself included, are available for 1:1 private tutoring via Zoom or Google Meets. Some children just refuse to do work with their parents. If you are concerned that your child will not be ready for school in the fall or simply feel that you need someone else to step in to supplement your child’s daily learning, we are here.

Remember none of this is normal, we are all struggling and your kiddo might be as well (this also might be the best vacation ever). Make the best choices for your family, feel free to take a break when you need one. There will be no judgment. Supporting preschool students is something we are all figuring out together, and we will.

To schedule private sessions, please contact us to discuss your family’s needs.