Reading Archives

Summer Writing Assignment

September 3, 2021 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

It’s that time again folks. Labor Day is here and your learner has yet to complete their summer writing assignment. You asked your child to begin their writing weeks ago and not leave it for the last minute. The question is – what is the most efficient way to help your child get these assignments done so it does not consume the entire holiday weekend?

To complete summer writing assignments efficiently and effectively, the answer could be using the Teaching Basic Writing Skills Multiple Paragraph Outline by Judy C. Hochman. Since you also don’t have time to take a course right now on writing a Multiple Paragraph Outline according to this program, I am going to outline it here!

You may be asking, how is a simple outline going to help my child to effectively complete their writing assignment? Well, the outline guides your child through the writing process providing a clear diagram of the entire work instead of beginning to write from scratch. I promise you that using an outline your child will produce a more successful composition that is consistent, organized and includes all the elements of the assignment.

There are three parts to the outline, corresponding to the three paragraphs. The title of this column on the left side of the outline is “Main Idea.” The subtitles under this column are 1. Introduction, 2. Plot Summary, and 3. Opinion. The column on the ride side of the outline is titled: “Details.” On this side of the column, your child is not writing sentences, but rather short fragments or phrases to represent the details.

Now, let’s talk about what details go into each section using a basic book report as an example. In the introduction section, your child should include the title of the text, the author, and the setting. If necessary, this would be the place to include a thesis statement. Remember, since this is an outline, your child should not write in complete sentences, but rather using phrases and fragments for the details.

In the plot summary section, your child should focus on the main idea, and the five question words: who, what, when, where, why, and how. Simply put, your child just has to be able to answer these questions in order to be include sufficient details for the second paragraph of the book report.

In the last section of the outline, entitled the opinion section, your child will elaborate on the audience answering who and why. In addition, since this the opinion section, your child should state his or her opinion on the books in terms of its strengths and weaknesses.

Once the outline is complete, you can send your child off to complete the paragraphs independently by taking the details in the form of phrases and fragments and put them into complete sentences. This outlining approach can be adapted for any type of writing assignment. Now you may resume your regular enjoyment of Labor Day Weekend.

By Brittany Cogan, Reading Specialist

Enhancing Your Digital Workstation

August 24, 2021 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

With public schools and private schools resuming for this new school year, all of our families are actively engaged in virtual, hybrid or in-person learning. Since the start of Covid, we’ve heard a lot of feedback from families and school colleagues about this huge adjustment to the multiple locations their students need to navigate and organizing a digital workstation that works well in each location. Technology hiccups and some lost instructional time occurred, too, which was anticipated. In the virtual learning space, parents have found themselves doing a lot of teaching, particularly in the morning, in order to help their kids get ready for planned classes or teacher check-ins during the day. Many parents have also felt overwhelmed trying to print resources, access sites, or troubleshoot sessions during their own work day.

Based on families’ feedback, there seems to be variability across schools and between schools. One concern we’ve continued to hear— from teachers and families — is that poor wifi strength creates instructional disruptions; and digital tools require patience and troubleshooting, which can be difficult for many students to manage independently. To that end, it’s important to think strategically about both your physical and digital workstations as we’ll continue to make use of these tools in the coming months and years. Faya and I have been working from home for over 12 years now, so we know it takes a lot of careful planning and investment. To the extent you’re able to optimize your own physical and digital workstation, and your child’s own physical digital workstation, it stands to make distance learning and working remotely a more joyous, productive, and positive experience.

To help, we’ve put together the following “Think Abouts” for organizing your physical and digital workspaces:

Your Physical and Digital Workstation

Do you and your child each have separate physical and digital workstations?
Does your child have an ample supply of writing tools, including pencils, pens, highlighters, markers, or crayons as appropriate? Are these well organized at your child’s workstation in order to minimize lost time and disruptions?
Would your child benefit from either a small white board and/or larger white board for managing goals, to-do items, sub-tasking larger assignments, or planning?
Do you have tools to support time management, including various types of timers or a big, non-ticking analog clock with a glass face on which students can write with dry erase markers to actively “mark up” their intended timing?
Is there a visual and/or auditory barrier to help mitigate disruptions?
Do you have sufficient lighting?
Would your student benefit from a standing desk or balance board?
Where is the printer? Who accesses it? How frequently? If your child likes to print things, are you stocked up on paper and toner?
If you or your child only works on a laptop or an iPad, might you benefit from upgrading to a larger monitor (or two)? When doing a lot of research across multiple sources or documents, or using a number of applications simultaneously, it can be easier to stay organized on a larger and/or multiple screens. A larger monitor also allows for enlarged text, which can make reading, editing, or revising easier.
Do you and/or your child have a writing tablet with a stylus?
Do you and/or your child have a small document camera (which can also serve as a webcam)?
Would your child or family benefit from a small, high-speed scanner?
Would your elementary or middle school child benefit from a small math center stocked with concrete manipulatives, such as base ten blocks, fraction towers, a yard stick, a geared clock, a geoboard, or geometry solids?
Do you have a small home library of picture books or chapter books in print?

Digital Platforms and Related Skills

Do you or your child know how to use digital white boarding?
Do you or your child know more than one way to manage screen sharing?
Do you or your child know more than one way to connect by video conference? Have you or your child practiced extensively with each of these platforms, including Zoom, Google Hangouts, Skype, or FaceTime.
Do you or your child have familiarity with Google Classroom?
Do you or your child know how to manage Google Drive in order to create shared folders and facilitate collaborative writing? Does this management include creating folders and managing documents so that they’re organized and searchable in effective ways?
Is your phone a hotspot? Do you know how to use it? This contingency planning is important in the event that Spectrum — or whomever your internet service provider (ISP) is — experiences an interruption.

Wifi Troubleshooting Tips

Wifi strength depends on a number of factors, including the incoming signal strength, the modem device, the router device, distance from the router and overall square footage, and the building materials.
When was the last time you restarted both your modem and your router as regular maintenance? As a simple first step, try unplugging each device, restarting the modem first, and then restarting the router in order to resolve any performance issues.
How old is your router? How many square feet is it covering? The new mesh routers are really good. We just installed a Netgear Orbi — there are several versions available, including the newest which supports wifi6 (although that speed and expense isn’t necessary) — and the setup was pretty quick and painless. The improved performance is notable and it resolved dead spots for us right away. Moreover, there are easy to use parent controls built into the mobile app, which allows parents to turn off specific devices from accessing wifi.
Could your child’s laptop or desktop be hard wired to the router rather than relying on wifi? If the laptop doesn’t allow for this connection, selecting a larger monitor to which it could connect might then allow for this option.

We know that optimizing a physical and digital workstation — or dealing with digital infrastructure — is a lot to manage. At the same time, it’s a concrete step that can help to improve the instructional experience and restore a certain level or order while directly building executive function and new digital skills.

If you have questions, concerns, or ideas, we’d be happy to listen, help, and troubleshoot with you as needed. Our digital coaching can be differentiated for students of all ages, including adults! Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

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

Back to School Organizing for Middle Schoolers

August 21, 2021 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Now is the time of year when “Back to School” commercials often appear. Suddenly, as middle schoolers with backpacks and shiny sneakers parade across the television screen, we are filled with disbelief at how quickly the summer has flown by, and excitement about what the new school year will bring.

Many middle schoolers start the year with a backpack full of fresh school supplies – clean binders, unsharpened pencils, folders that make a satisfying “crack” the first time they’re opened. Every year, we find that students try to put these supplies to good use at the beginning of the year and stay quite organized during the first days and weeks.

And every year, a few weeks into school, we notice that many middle schoolers begin struggling to find specific papers amidst a growing pile of handouts, homework assignments, and permission slips. Especially for students just starting middle school, September often marks the first time they will need to balance multiple subjects, different teachers’ expectations, and a larger number of papers and assignments.

Here are some helpful tips to help middle schoolers stay organized this September and beyond:

Use binders instead of folders if your teachers allow it. Folders often lead to an explosion of handouts that are crushed and out of order. In a binder, you can rifle through papers more easily.
Depending on the number of classes you have, you may want a 1-inch binder for each subject. Make sure each binder is a different color with the name of the subject on the front and side so you can locate it easily in your locker and backpack.
Place a flat 3-hole punch and a small ream of reinforcements in the front of your binder so you can keep papers hole-punched and in the proper place.
Keep handouts in chronological order. When a teacher asks you to take out a paper, it will be much simpler to find it if papers are in the order in which they were given out. It will also be easier to consult notes or study for a test when papers are in the same order as they were when you looked at them in class.
Remove extra pages from your binder after each unit. For example, once your class has finished discussing a book in English, ask the teacher if you can remove papers related to that book. Keep extra binders or folders at home or in your locker to file those papers and free up your binder for new materials. However, do not throw out papers until at least the end of the school year since you may need them again.
Use an assignment book or planner. Create a section for each subject, and list homework every day. That way, you will know which binders and books to take home. After you complete each assignment, check it off in your planner. It will feel great to know that you’re staying organized and on top of your work!

For middle schoolers needing additional help keeping things organized, contact us to meet with a private tutor and executive function coach that will help your child learn and practice those lifelong skills.

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

Being The Teacher Is a Powerful Learning Strategy

August 19, 2021 Brad Hoffman 1 Comment

OK…as a parent, teacher, coach, or private tutor….it is our job to teach, right? Well, yes, but not always. One of the most powerful teaching tools we have is giving our students the “job” of being the teacher and teaching us. There are several specific reasons for this:

First, often the role of “purveyor of knowledge” is very appealing to kids. I have watched students of all types rise to the occasion of being the teacher. It seems especially appealing if they are asked to teach one or two younger children, or if they are asked to teach an adult!

Second, I have found that I cannot teach anything I don’t truly understand. In the process of teaching, I often uncover any slightly murky parts of my own understanding. This leads me to more thinking and better understanding of the topic. For students who take on the role of being the teacher, the same often holds true. As they try to teach me, they discover what they truly DO know, as well as what is still unclear. Finding out what questions they still need to ask makes them better learners.

Third, we learn a great deal about our students’ depth of understanding by truly listening to what they “teach” us. (Note: truly listening can be a challenge for those of us who are bursting with excitement to teach or who are up against a time crunch or any number of other stressors, but listening is essential.) In the role of “learner” we can appropriately ask questions which will clarify what they really know. We can also determine whether their knowledge is rote (memorization of formulas, timelines, etc.) or actual conceptual understanding of ideas and processes. In some cases, we can guide deeper understanding through creative questioning. Other times we simply uncover misunderstandings and/or shallow understanding that guides our next steps in instruction. Sometimes the discovery is not in the precise area of instruction but in a crucial related area! These “teachable moments” can be especially beneficial to our students.

One of my favorite collateral “wins” from giving students the powerful role of being the teacher is that they really do teach me new learning. My own, very legitimate, excitement about learning something new is contagious. It is valuable for students to realize that respected adults continue to learn, and that we are excited about learning, all the time. By being open to thinking about ideas in new and different ways, I am validating their thinking process and the control they have over their own learning; and I learn something new myself! Now that is powerful!

By Jean Snyder, Private Tutor

How Can We Help Our Students With Anxiety and ADHD?

April 15, 2021 Brad Hoffman 1 Comment

How often have you heard these statements?

“I just want to get this right.”

“If I can’t find the right word to use here the sentence won’t be perfect.”

“It’s so hard to put all the pieces together on paper.”

“What if I don’t get an A?”

“How do I compare with my peers?”

“Sometimes I worry so much that I can’t think about anything else.”

“There are so many things to keep track of, I’ll never get finished.”

“I never had trouble with school before, now I am, what’s wrong with me?”

“If I don’t turn it in, I won’t make any mistakes.”

“I’ll do it, just leave me alone about it.”

Anxiety and ADHD

Anxiety and ADHD — these diagnoses often come together and one may look like the other, but they are quite different when looked at closely and situationally. The Anxiety Disorders Association of America estimates that 50% of people diagnosed with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder, and anxiety in children and teens often overlaps with depression. Each of these diagnoses, separately and together, has a negative impact on executive functions, too. These overlaps can make it challenging to tease out the primary or driving issue, but what’s most important is identifying the contributing factors and strategically and systematically planning for intervention at home and at school to disrupt the negative loop.

ADHD

As diagnoses are refined, we find that students with ADHD (whether it’s inattentive type, hyperactive type, or combined type) often find it difficult, if not challenging, to focus and concentrate most of the time in a multiplicity of situations and locations. It’s often a struggle for a student with ADHD to follow multiple steps of a process, manage multiple deadlines, and shift gears without becoming overwhelmed. Students with ADHD can become anxious and panicked due to their worry about missing deadlines, not turning in work or struggling to pay attention in school as this is a pattern which has often been repeated with negative consequences and feelings of distress. Their challenges are generally not situational in nature, though it’s notable that children with ADHD can often focus extremely well, even hyperfocus, on a self selected and high interest task or activity.

Anxiety

Anxiety can be generalized as well; however, it is more often than not triggered by specific situations or events, which can cause students to find it difficult to concentrate and/or focus at that specific time. Students with anxiety may worry about their peer relationships (maybe also family relationships or the home situation) and how their peers view them both academically and socially. These students often become distracted by their worries, which can lead to the development of physical symptoms, such as stomachaches, rapid breathing, and trouble sleeping to name a few. Additionally, many of our students with an anxiety disorder also have perfectionist tendencies, and/or compulsive tendencies, which can render them unable to begin an assignment or assessment due to the anxiety about not being able to complete it successfully or perfectly.

With our very bright, persistent, and perfectionist students, it’s not uncommon to see some rigidity and performance anxiety. Attention and anxiety are closely related, and if a student is focused on “being right” or “not making mistakes” or “needing it to be perfect”, it can make it difficult to begin, or complete, a new and challenging task. Moreover, with these students who are used to “getting it” on the first try, being in a situation where they might not “get it right away” can feel incredibly humbling and frustrating, thus leading to avoidance and/or resistance and overwhelming anxiety. We often see these challenges with our students who are openly labeled “gifted and talented” at very young ages and then encounter certain academic challenges as they age up.

How do we help students manage their anxiety and ADHD?

First, we have to consider the specific factors, variables and triggers in each child’s situation. An intervention plan should be carefully developed that considers both the home and school environment as well as any other activities or transitions in a student’s week. Small changes can often have a big impact, so we like to look for those opportunities first. If there’s a longer history or more escalated concern, the value of a comprehensive evaluation with a skillful and thorough psychologist cannot be underestimated. Then we help families to translate that information into an actionable plan at home and at school.

Second, all of our students, and especially our students with anxiety and ADHD, benefit from consistency, predictability, and order. Having and practicing routines leads to mastery and ease with transitions and provides great comfort to children. Parents can establish morning routines, after school routines, evening routines, bedtime routines, and weekend routines. At the same time, we need to also help our children develop comfort with flexibility and change. For our children with high levels of anxiety, this flexibility can be extremely difficult, so we need to plan for practice opportunities in a safe space. Students with anxiety and ADHD also benefit from having clean, organized, and thoughtful spaces at home and at school. Organized spaces provide comfort and structure while modeling successful executive function skills for our students.

Third, all of our students, and especially our students with anxiety and ADHD, need parents and teachers to impose technology boundaries. Technology use is a major “time robber” and contributor to off-task behavior and anxiety in children and adolescents. Teaching our students how to responsibly use technology as a tool is critical to their academic and personal success. Achieving responsible use is a much more complicated discussion, but undoubtedly it starts with planning, discussing, and establishing expectations that are enforced with consistency, predictability, and transparency. To the extent that expectations and messages can be consistent between home and school is especially valuable, but it’s okay to have specific expectations at home that differ from school or from friends. Creating a “phone jail” during homework time and dinner time could be very useful for all members of the family. Consider “silent” times when all mobile devices are set to silent or “do not disturb.” Consider “screen free” times within the course of your family’s week. Parents and teachers need to model their own responsible use as well.

Fourth, we encourage families to consider a second sandbox when thinking about school placement. Boarding schools (and Junior Boarding Schools) — which come in many shapes and sizes — are often a better environment for our students with stress sensitivities triggered by city stimuli. New York City is incredibly fast-paced and energized, which is great for the adults who choose to live here, but it’s not always so great for our students. We’re fortunate to have such easy geographic access to so many campuses offering incredible academics, learning support, advisory, arts, sports, and diverse communities, which become extended families and neighborhoods. For students needing therapeutic school environments, we have tremendous resources in that category as well.

Faya, Laurie, and I help families everyday with educational problem solving, which includes school planning and school placement, developing and implementing intervention plans, refining (or overhauling) their weekly schedules, and partnering with their schools more effectively. Whenever possible, we work in close collaboration with psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, occupational therapists, speech therapists, school leadership, school learning specialists, and classroom teachers to optimize resources and coordinate planning. A big challenge for families is knowing what to do at home to support learning and how best to partner with their child’s school. Without this close partnership between home and school, it’s very difficult to successfully mitigate challenges around anxiety and ADHD. If your child is struggling, we can help. Please contact us for more information.

These links may also be of interest:

Anxiety Disorders Association of America

Anxiety and Depression Association of America

NIH: Anxiety Disorders

CDC: ADHD

Child Mind Institute: Resources for Parents

Written by Brad Hoffman, M.S.Ed., Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist, Faya Hoffman, M.A., Board Certified Educational Planner and Learning Specialist, and Laurie Gross, M.A.T., Special Educator and Reading Specialist. Brad, Faya, and Laurie comprise the senior Leadership Team for My Learning Springboard.

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