All Articles tagged high-school.

10 Back-To-School Teacher Tips for a Successful School Year

February 14, 2016 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

As an experienced educator who has been through more than two dozen back-to-school seasons, I have my own ideas about how to get a new school year off to a good start and keep it moving forward. Here are some quick tips for teachers at any grade level and in any location.

Get your personal life in order. Reduce your stress level by preparing for pre-service week by getting caught up with bills, mail, household projects and lingering issues. I have found it best to begin a new school year with an empty personal to-do list. That way, you can focus on the setup of your classroom or space.
Pre-order or shop early for materials. Avoid the crowds by purchasing any materials that you need for the start of school beforehand. During the summer time there are more bargains to be found at the teachers’ store and in educational catalogs, therefore it is wise to shop and save in July and August. I hate crowded stores and long lines so you won’t find me buying school and teaching supplies the first week back!
Be inspired by someone.Find a mentor, an instructional coach or author who moves you to expand and enrich your own practice. Talk, read. and or view DVDs or video clips to learn more about their ideas. Bring those ideas to life in your own classroom. Don’t be afraid to put your own twist on their thoughts.
Communicate early.Whenever possible make contact with students and families early on, even before school begins. Send a card, letter or e-mail if possible. A warm welcome goes a long way in building strong relationships where families feel valued, included and respected. Continue to provide multiple ways for you and your families to access each other so that sharing is ongoing.
Tidy up and get organized.No one likes to come back to a mess or piles of stuff. Organize your files and materials. Don’t be afraid to pitch old papers, books and resources that are dated and are no longer useful. It is a luxury to have empty space at the beginning of a school year…no doubt it will get filled up shortly. Also, develop systems for keeping track of data and documenting student progress.
Establish a positive classroom climate and learning environment. I like to say that I have a “no secrets policy” in my classroom. I continually and clearly communicate expectations to my students about their learning and behavior. Using rubrics and checklists ahead of time allows students to understand what you expect from them. If students know what you expect, they are better able to meet or exceed your expectations. By providing and maintaining a positive classroom climate, students are better able to take risks, feel safe and improve academically.
Try something new. Each year I like to expand my skill set or repertoire by adding at least one new program, routine, strategy or material to my current practice. This helps me to stay excited about teaching and learning. For example, last year I was focused on using more technology and used programs such as Wordle and Kidspiration to engage my students. This year I am planning to incorporate more suggestions from Words Their Way into my word study program as well as use an electronic grade book to document my students’ progress.
Get connected.Make a positive first impression with students and parents. Right from the beginning make sure your students and parents know that you are committed to their learning and that you care about them as individuals. Let them know that the work that occurs in your classroom is important and that you believe that everyone can succeed. Share with them that if a student needs help you will be there for them.
Build relationships.Get to know the people in your building, especially your teammates and colleagues. Work to develop professional learning communities where teachers and administrators can work together to break down obstacles that interfere with learning. Also be kind and appreciative to the secretaries and custodians in your building. They are invaluable resources, and you will likely need their assistance in the future.
Be reflective.Continually think about the work that you do with your students. The best instruction is deliberate and purposeful. Evaluate what is working and what needs change or enhancement. Make adjustments as needed and keep moving full steam ahead. Your students will benefit from your thoughtfulness and continuous expertise.

By Amy Shapiro, Reading Specialist and National Board Certified Teacher

Counseled Out From Private Schools

January 14, 2016 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

We’re here to help any families whose children are being counseled out from their private schools.

For the most part, January and February are filled with excited anticipation for so many families who completed the fall application process for private schools. This process officially began in September, but most of our families began these planning conversations 6-18 months ago. Over that time period, families were engaged in school research and visits, interview preparation, test preparation, strategic planning, and networking as well as regular analysis and conversation about their experiences. While the process is naturally stressful, and many families feel unusually vulnerable, there’s comfort in the structure and process of this typical admissions season and families can thoughtfully implement a plan that serves to create options.

But just when those school application deadlines are closing for September spots, the second cycle of admissions is about to begin. This second cycle is subject to rolling admissions and moves at a much different pace from fall admissions. Families may be engaged in a later admissions process for any number of reasons, including relocation to NYC, a late decision to make a school change, or as a result of being “counseled out.” It’s this last reason that causes the most stress for families.

Private schools and being “counseled out”

Private schools of all shapes and sizes have counseled out families. The reasons vary from behavioral to academic to social. Sometimes parents anticipate this news because there’s been a long history of communication around the challenges, but more often than we’d like, parents find this news a shock having missed the warning signs. As a result, parents are often understandably upset, frustrated, and angry coming into the admissions planning process both because they resent being forced to make a change and because they fear there won’t be good options available at this late stage. But that’s not the case.

Although being counseled out is not their choice, families now have the opportunity to reframe the situation and to reassess their child’s educational needs and priorities:

What sort of learner do they have?
Is specialized instruction needed?
Do we need more data to inform decision making?
Would their child like to explore a boarding school option?
Would their child benefit from homeschooling or a 1:1 setting?

Then families should proceed with a full-scale search casting a reasonably wide net with a very open mind. Despite any complicated feelings, it’s critical that families partner with their current school to facilitate a smooth transition; it’s in the best interest of their child.

Though these transitions can be difficult, we’ve only experienced positive resolutions with our families, and we would be happy to help if the need arises.

Please contact Brad Hoffman and Faya Hoffman — a husband-and-wife team and both Board Certified Educational Planners and Learning Specialists — for admissions consultation.

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

Summer Program and Camp Consultation

September 1, 2015

My Learning Springboard provides camp consultation for parents seeking summer camps and summer educational programs that focus on the value of the camp experience along with meaningful learning and support. Summer camp, be it day or residential camp, is one of the most meaningful and memorable experiences a child can have. Camp is more than just fun. Children learn new skills, gain independence, learn to make new friends, and develop problem solving skills. We believe that camp teaches valuable life lessons and teamwork. The beauty of it is that these life lessons don’t feel like “lessons.” For children, camp is just fun.

Summer Programs and Camp Consultation

At camp, children have the freedom to explore who they are and what they want to be. They can try out new personalities as well as new activities. Children learn to be independent and make decisions. They sing, dance, swim, and play. They have the opportunity to learn how to live in a group environment and to become responsible members of a community. The camp environment is designed to be welcoming and inclusive. In a space where children are made to feel good about who they are, they thrive.

Every camp or summer program is not for every child, but there is a camp or summer program to meet each child’s needs. By providing camp consultation, My Learning Springboard can help you find the right camp for your children and introduce them to an experience that will bring them a lifetime of magical memories.

Through our camp consultation, we also help camps in the New York City metro area to offer on-site or virtual tutoring for their families. Our leadership team ensures a seamless transition from school to camp and back home so that campers can not only avoid the summer slide but also get ahead. While all campers would benefit from summer reading and academic work, it’s absolutely critical for many students. My Learning Springboard offers unique solutions to help campers, families, and camps achieve a manageable academic balance.

Please contact our office for more information about camp consultation and summer educational programs.

Hebrew School Can Be Fun!

August 15, 2015 Brad Hoffman

Religious school education is not just about learning how to read the Alef-Bet, or memorizing prayers, or even learning about holidays. Religious school education is about a hands-on opportunity for children to learn more about their identity. Hebrew school tutoring offers students an intimate opportunity to ask thoughtful and insightful questions, to learn practical skills as well as the history, language, and practices of the Jewish people.

Here at My Learning Springboard we work with a variety of students, ranging in ages and background, Hebrew school education, and family practices. Our younger students get intensive and hands on experience in a wide curriculum, ranging in Torah study, holiday practices, Jewish/cultural foods, Israeli history and current events, conversational Hebrew, Biblical Hebrew, prayers, and more. Our older students receive this same training, but additionally receive training for their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, which includes studying their Torah and Haftarah portion and understanding how it relates to their life. A typical hour long tutoring session for any student includes a half hour of Hebrew language study, both Biblical and conversational so they may use their skills when they go to Israel, and a half hour of Judaic study, which varies based on the interests of the student.

Each lesson is filled with new and exciting learning opportunities. Sometimes we use technology to enhance our lessons, music, you tube videos, etc. Other times we look at Jewish texts. And still other times the student has the opportunity to prepare something to teach me about a particular topic. Hebrew language study always includes some dialogue using new and old words, in addition to word games.

Hebrew school tutoring offers children an incredible opportunity to supplement the training they receive in school and at home. It helps to build language and thought processing skills while also engaging the student and helping the student to connect with his or her Jewish identity.

By Faryn Kates, Private Tutor

Writing Coaching

August 1, 2015

My Learning Springboard and its faculty offers a full spectrum of writing support, including application essay coaching, “Just-in-Time” editing and writing coaching, and creative writing enrichment teaching.

Our writing coaches hail from top-tier publishers and educational institutions worldwide, and from nearly every writing discipline imaginable. They include Ivy League professors, bestselling novelists, critically-acclaimed playwrights and award-winning authors of children’s, young adult and literary fiction and non-fiction. Our seasoned nonfiction writers have contributed to publications such as The New Yorker, Vogue, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, The Atlantic Monthly, Real Simple Magazine, and have additionally worked in film, television, radio and online.

This multi-talented and dedicated writing team coaches developing writers of all ages, levels and backgrounds, from primary school students to college undergraduates, dissertation writers to aspiring authors, job-seekers to C-suite executives. We also support all facets of the writing process—be it short-term editing, ongoing writing coaching, idea generation or project outlining and research—and our editorial expertise includes cover letters, resumes, corporate reports, research papers, dissertations, journal publications, advertising copy, blog posts, novels, plays and even poetry. In addition, we have guided hundreds of high school seniors through the potentially overwhelming gauntlet of common application and supplemental essays required by today’s unprecedentedly competitive college application process. We offer just the right balance of brainstorming, encouragement and editorial feedback to ensure that every essay not only answers its relevant prompt but showcases the applicant’s strengths, talents and individuality. The end result: an exceptionally high percentage of our clients are accepted into their first-choice institutions.

Finally, we offer flexibility: our writing coaches are available to work with you in person or remotely, on site or online, for regular sessions, extended “up-against-the-deadline” work sessions, quick professional polishes or complete editorial overhauls.

All Articles tagged high-school.

Private schools and being “counseled out”

Summer Programs and Camp Consultation

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