Writing Archives

National Mentoring Month: Why Tutoring?

January 1, 2014 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives. ~Clay P. Bedford

Can you remember your favorite teacher? Tour guide? Facilitator? What made that experience so memorable? January is National Mentoring Month, and we believe that those memorable experiences always come down to relationships and connections.

Passionate, engaging teachers tend to have passionate, engaged students. A master teacher really makes a difference. A master teacher is invaluable at all stages of life. With the help of a great teacher, mentor or coach, we can push ourselves that much farther and realize our full potential.

It isn’t about competition with others; it’s about self-empowerment, self-motivation, curiosity, and a desire to achieve for one’s own gratification. Tutoring comes in all shapes and sizes. Beyond school consultation, we generally work with families for one of three reasons:

A student is struggling in a particular subject area and needs help to fill a learning gap or reinforce material.
A student is seeking additional challenge or wants to pursue a specific curiosity with an enrichment teacher or academic coach.
With busy schedules and stressful workloads, the homework and study front is sometimes best facilitated by a neutral 3rd party rather than a parent.

Ultimately, the goal is to help students develop effective studying strategies and confidence that will lead to self-empowerment and independence. Whether the focus is support or enrichment, tutoring may be short-term to jump-start the process or long-term to provide more ongoing instruction. In the case of short-term tutoring, students often need a teacher, mentor or coach to help them springboard into success.

A common question is “How long does it take to create a habit?” There are varying opinions ranging from 21-66 days. But the bottom line is that consistency and practice are needed for any habit or behavior change to stick. This idea applies to tutoring as well. If a student needs support to develop organizational systems, study habits, or new behaviors, then tutoring may be a short-term engagement to help get on the right path and take off.

Tutoring may also be short-term if the learning goal is narrow. For example, you may want to spend several sessions with a language tutor getting ready for an upcoming vacation, business trip or study abroad experience. Or you may want to meet with a museum educator to help bring a historical unit to life. Other students have sought out short-term support to prepare for a specific exam or to expedite progress in a particular area. Longer term tutoring may begin as specific academic support but then evolve into broader academic coaching.

Once the relationship is developed, my students often request that the tutor stay on as a resource for continued support, enrichment, motivation and structured practice. I’m so impressed with how much ownership our students assume. We have students as young as fifth and sixth graders that directly manage scheduling, send text messages when they have questions and prepare the agenda and work priorities for the upcoming session. As a teacher, you can choose to be the “Guide on the Side” or the “Sage on Stage.” Both have their time and place, but more often than not we look to be the “Guide on the Side” because that means our students are equal partners in the process.

As a classroom teacher, my colleagues and I used to say that an “A” has 3 points: 1) the student’s accountability, 2) the teacher’s accountability, and 3) the parent’s accountability. Another way of saying this is “my job, your job, our job.” When all 3 points are working together, a student’s achievement is unstoppable! Contact us to discuss tutoring as a springboard to achievement for your child.

Happy National Mentoring Month!

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

College Planning and Test Preparation

December 16, 2013 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

So, you are ready to take on the seemingly monumental task of beginning your college planning and test preparation for the SAT or ACT exam. Because of the rote nature of preparing for such tests, it’s rare for students to find the process itself intrinsically interesting. That being said, now that you’re about to start, it’s time to get excited about test prep!

First, you need to ask yourself why you’re starting this college planning and test preparation process, and the answer, “My parents are making me!” won’t cut it. Test preparation is just one aspect, albeit an important one, of putting together a competitive application to the colleges you’re interested in. Whether you have already begun work with an admissions coach or only have a vague idea of which colleges fit you, it’s important to start thinking seriously about potential college choices now.

You should then check online to find the SAT or ACT ranges for a few of the colleges that you’re interested in. This will allow you to see approximately how many points you need to add to your baseline scores to be a competitive applicant for your schools.

While your score isn’t everything, improving your baseline scores to within the ranges of the colleges you might be interested in will certainly help ensure that admissions offices will consider your application. It’s important to keep this big-picture motivation in mind throughout your tutoring sessions, homework assignments, and practice tests.

So how do you get from your baseline score to your target score? Let’s say you want to raise your SAT Math score from 540 to 600 (out of 800) or an ACT English score from a 28 to a 32 (out of 36). It’s helpful to know not just the number of points you want to improve, but how many more correct answers that equates to:

SAT students:

For the SAT, a good rule of thumb is that for each score improvement of 10 points, you’ll need to answer approximately one more question correctly that you previously answered incorrectly. So for the hypothetical increase from a 540 to a 600, you’d need to start getting approximately 6 more questions correct on the Math portion of the SAT exam than you did on your baseline assessment.

ACT students:

For the ACT, the rule of thumb is slightly more complex, but still very useful. For each 1 point you hope to improve your score on an individual ACT section, you’ll need to answer between 1 and 3 more questions correctly on that section. The number varies based on which subject you’re setting your goal for, and how high or low your initial score is. You can come up with a more exact ACT improvement goal using the test’s scoring guide.

Having a college or two in mind that you’re excited about, as well as setting a quantitative test preparation goal will help make the nebulous and seemingly overwhelming task of improving your score more manageable and attainable. Click to learn more about the differences between the ACT and SAT.

Good luck as you start your college planning and test preparation journey!

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

The Importance of Social Skills

December 11, 2013 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Research indicates that one of the most fundamental skills for success is social skills (i.e. communication, play skills, perspective-taking, empathy, self-control, confidence, and independence). Most children learn social skills through everyday interactions with peers and adults; however, some children require more specific instruction than others. If you begin to notice that your child’s social skills are not as strong as some of their peers, do not worry. Social skills can be acquired through direct instruction and additional support.

Here are a few helpful tips to improve your child’s social skills:

Make connections with school friends at home. Having play dates is a great way to encourage extra communication and interaction with peers.
Join extra-curricular school activities that are of interest to your child. For example, many sports help children practice and understand turn-taking, the perspectives of others, dealing with winning vs. losing, team work, good sportsmanship, and finding common interests with peers. Additionally, sports can improve self-confidence and foster a sense of belonging.
Create social stories! This is a great way to prepare your child for a situation that may be particularly challenging. Social stories work to improve the child’s understanding of a behavior or event by explaining it ahead of time and providing suggestions for appropriate responses to the situation. You can find many pre-made social stories online that can be modified or adjusted to suit the individual needs of your child.
Role-play scenarios that have occurred or will occur in your child’s life. Role-playing is a fun and effective way to make your child feel more comfortable with past or potential social situations in their life. For example, if your child is nervous about giving a speech in front of the class, s/he can practice multiple scenarios with you as the audience. Make sure to set up both positive and negative reactions from the audience to ensure that they are prepared. You may set up a scenario where the audience is disruptive and provide your child with helpful strategies to navigate the situation. You can even role-play scenarios that have occurred in the past and discuss ways that your child could have or should have handled the situation differently so that they are prepared in case a similar situation arises in the future. Many social groups offer this type of therapy!
Real Time Therapy– We created this term to reflect the idea of simply stopping a situation in its tracks and using it as a teachable moment. For example, if you witness a social situation in which your child did not act appropriately, you can bring it to their attention immediately after the incident occurs, and then provide the child with suggestions on how to better handle the situation. This tends to be most impactful for many children, but be sure not to embarrass them in front of others, as this could have a negative impact.

By Alexandra Spira and Tara Swed of Social City

8 Tips for Successful Museum Visits for Kids

November 29, 2013 Brad Hoffman Leave a Comment

Museums are fantastic places for learning and exploring the world around us. Where else can you find a dinosaur soaring 100 feet and a starry night indoors? Often times, bringing young kids to museums can be daunting. Here are some tips to ensure successful museum visits for kids and their parents!

1. Seek Out Museums with Family Friendly Galleries

Many museums offer spaces especially designed for young children. The Discovery Room at the American Museum of Natural History and Family Labs at MOMA provide fun-filled, safe spaces for little one to explore the wonders of the museum. Some museums like the Cooper-Hewitt, Guggenheim, Noguchi Museum, and The Jewish Museum also offer drop-in art programming in the galleries on set days of the week so make sure to check the calendar in advance.

2. Attend a Family Program

Family programs are designed with kids in mind. These programs are offered during the week and on weekends. At the Museum at Eldridge Street, kids become preservation detectives and sleuth their way through history each Sunday. During Arty Facts at the Brooklyn Museum families make all sorts of exciting discoveries.

3. Don’t Try to See the Whole Museum

Avoid the temptation to see it all! Instead, pick one exhibit to explore. Check out what’s on view on museums’ websites to make a selection in advance. Leaving happily after an hour-long museum visit will make everyone want to come for another visit.

4. Plan the Practical

Make sure to research the museum’s stroller policy before your visit. Also find out about the location of entrances with ramps, restrooms equipped with changing tables, and places where snacks can be shared. Print maps in advance so that you know where to go upon arrival.

5. Pack an Activity Bag

Bring a sketchpad and colored pencils. Drawing and writing is a great way to engage with art. Encourage kids to draw that they see, write a story about the artwork or the people pictured. Some museums like the Met and MOMA also have exhibition activity guides online that you can print and bring along for extra fun.

6. Play

Games like “I Spy” are great to help young kids focus in on a work of art or exhibit. Take turns choosing an object, shape, or color in a gallery and describing it to other family members.

7. Get Curious

Look closely at a chosen work of art. Ask your kids questions such as, “What do you notice?” Deepen the conversation with follow-up questions like, “What do you see in the work that makes you say that?” Encourage kids to use their imagination and describe what it would be like to enter the work. What would you see, smell and hear?

8. Find the Free

Thanks to Target, many museums have a free day. On Sundays, visit the Studio Museum of Harlem, check this calendar to explore Wave Hill, on Thursdays head to The Museum of Chinese in America. Every Friday afternoon at 4pm MOMA is free and on the first Friday of the month you can play at the Children’s Museum of Manhattan. First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum and Super Sabado at El Museo del Barrio on the third Saturday are filled with family fun. Although there will be more crowds, you won’t have the pressure to spend the day. Stay as long as your little ones can handle and leave with a clear conscience and some good memories.

For guided museum visits and art instruction and enrichment, reach out to the Museum Specialists here at My Learning Springboard!

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

What is the Montessori Method?

November 25, 2013 Brad Hoffman 1 Comment

Dr. Maria Montessori was an educational philosopher and innovator who helped pave an inspiring path for educators to follow. There is a common misconception that Montessori Schools allow children to roam free with no boundaries – this is far from the truth! There is freedom within structure of engaging, thoughtful and inspiring materials that allow children to learn at their own pace to become independent learners, whilst being observed and guided by the teacher. Through close observation, teachers are able to identify when a child is ready to acquire a new skill and the teacher can direct them to material, which will enable the child to build on new skills learnt.

Concepts of Montessori

One of Dr. Montessori’s key theories was about child development and the use of the senses to learn, grow and navigate the world, especially for the keen minds from birth to age six. This age time frame is extremely important, as it is the sensitive period where new information is absorbed at a rapid pace.

The key learning areas in the Montessori classroom are practical life, sensorial, math and language, as well as culture, geography, science and art (which may vary in different schools). The materials used in the learning areas stress the importance of gaining new skills through the senses: seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching, and movement.

A prepared environment is imperative to facilitate learning. These classrooms are welcoming spaces reflecting the child’s eye and responding to their interests and needs. A prepared environment is tidy, orderly, beautiful and calm, promoting an atmosphere where learning is engaging and – this fosters social and intellectual growth.

The age range in a Pre-K classroom is from age 3 to 6 years old, and children are organized into multiage groups. This is a wonderful benefit to children, as there are a range of materials targeted at different stages of acquiring new knowledge and information. This means your child will always have materials that are appropriate to their level as well as more challenging materials if they are ready to progress onto harder work. The younger children learn from the older students through observation. The peer-to-peer learning is enriching as it gives children the ability to further concrete skills learnt and builds confidence in their learning. The younger or newer students have a goal that they see and want to work towards and achieve.

The Montessori teacher is responsive to all children’s strengths, abilities and interests. This enables educators to respectfully enter while a child is working to inspire, demonstrate and facilitate learning. Intentional teaching is deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful. Observation and documentation allows the teacher to assess the child’s learning. This is an ongoing process and refers to gathering and analyzing information as evidence about what children know, can do and understand.

Presentations of materials are when the teacher sees that the child is ready to learn a new skill and is presented a new work. Presentation of materials or works can be done in large or small groups or individually. Once the child(ren) have been presented with the new work, they may choose the work as many times as they please.

Respect. Grace and courtesy. Peacefulness! What wonderful and important themes and ideas to be taught and modeled to children. Respect is shown through examples of how children should respect themselves, others and the environment. Manners, respectful vocabulary, and conflict resolution are just a few of the concepts covered to help children understand social structures and to grow into happy, peaceful and respectful humans of this world.

By Cara Zelas, Private Tutor