It’s a New Year. Help your students set goals and reaffirm their learning habits.

As a teacher, we start out each year with certain expectations. Often, by the Christmas break, we are flustered with some of the plans we made which went awry. We notice that some goals we have for our students have not worked out, and often student progress is nowhere near where you had planned it to be. What if you used a system that produced superior goals to reaffirm and/or reset your plans for you and your students? What if you could quickly get back on track? Would that help you out? This article will provide you with an easy to understand set of rules, that when followed, will help you create foolproof goals that will lead to success every time.  Read on and make the second half of your year better than the first!

I always start my New Year by reaffirming or resetting my goals that I set at the beginning of the school year.  If I feel my plan was not working, I may even scrap the whole program and create a new plan and goals from scratch. Often, if your plan is not working it is because you did not use realistic or measurable goals in the first place.

During my college days, I discovered a method for creating goals which served me well for more than 30 years. This method is called using “SMART” goals. “SMART” is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-driven and Time-bound. The primary advantage of using this method for me was this: I could create goals and plans that resulted in success and I would reach my goals in the desired amount of time that was available.

I want to take a few moments and explain the importance of each part of a “SMART” goal. The letter S stands for Specific. If your goal is specific, it will have a higher chance of being obtained than if it were less specific. For example, if I say I want to earn $100 mowing lawns, I am more likely to achieve my goal than if I say I want to make more money doing some-odd jobs. The reason for this is quite simple: being specific gives you focus and focus empowers you.

As a matter of fact, all the letters that make up the word “SMART” are related to being specific in some way. The letter “M” stands for Measurable. If we have a specific number to measure against, your efforts will produce feedback when gauged against your stated goal.

The letter "A" stands for Attainable. Setting realistic goals is very important. If, for example, I set a goal to raise the average FCAT reading score for students in my class by 50% in six months, I’m probably going to fail. It’s an unrealistic goal. On the other hand, if I set my goal to raise the average student score by 8%, I probably have a pretty good chance of obtaining or exceeding this score. Judging what is realistic is somewhat an art. However, if you use prior experience and prior test scores, you can come up with an attainable goal and even a stretch goal for that project or student.  Most of us have heard the saying "shoot for the moon, and if you fail you will still reach the stratosphere". However, the reality is this: if you fail to reach your goal by a large margin, you will find that you become extremely unmotivated and thus will fail to complete the goal.

The letter “R” stands for Results-driven. After each and every test you receive results. These results are then measured against your original goal, which in turn keep you on track. In other words, you test, get results, measure against your goals and then make corrections to move you closer to your goal. This is done over and over again until you run out of time or achieve success.

The last letter is “T” for Time-bound. It’s extremely important that time constraints be placed on your goals. If the timeline for completing your goal is too far away, the chances of being motivated to complete the goal goes way down. Having a realistic (attainable) timeline can make or break your chances of succeeding.

In school, we need to create lesson plans, S.E.P.’s and I.E.P.’s that meet “SMART” criteria.  If we fail to make every effort to use “SMART” goals, we take a grave chance that we will fail at helping our student obtain the knowledge and skill they trust us to provide them with.

When I first became a teacher, I found that using “SMART” goals actually took the pressure off me, so I could concentrate on helping my students learn. By spending the time needed to create specific, measurable, attainable, results-driven and time-bound goals, I was able to significantly improve my lesson plans. More importantly, I could gauge whether I was making progress with my students or just spinning my wheels.

Do yourself and your students a favor by using “SMART” goals. Use them in your classroom and personal life. Better yet, teach your students how to create and use SMART goals themselves. You know the old saying, “give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day; teach him how to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime.” Give your students a skill that they can use for a lifetime. Teach your students SMART goals and their work will gradually get smarter.

There you have the process for using “SMART” goals to make sure you and your students stay on track. Armed with your new knowledge for making plans, you will be able to create “SMART” goals that have the greatest chance for success. Make sure you show this method to as many students and friends as you can. It will make their life easier and undoubtedly increase their ability to achieve success - something we all want more of in our lives. We welcome your thoughts on this subject. Please leave your comments in the designated area and let us know what you think. I use “SMART” goals every day. Using them has had an enormous impact on my life. I know it can make a huge impact on yours, as well.

Thanks for visiting and sharing your thoughts. Happy New Year to you and yours from us here at A Quantum Leap. We hope 2012 will be your best year yet!

Until next time, Hector Cisneros

What do you think is an appropriate holiday gift for a Teacher?

It’s the week before school lets out for the Christmas break. Your kids are coming home and talking about buying a gift for their favorite teacher/s. What do you do? Go out and buy your child a gift to bring in? Do you help your child create a personalized gift, or do you just buy a gift card at Target and pack it in a Christmas card to bring to school?

Every year my wife and I are confronted with this dilemma. Over the years, we have solved this problem in many different ways. In this article, I will discuss several of the answers we came up with. I will also discuss how much we spent, how we came up with the amount to spend, why we made those purchase decisions and how we engaged our son in a process to learn how to select gifts for others.

I have a special needs child (he is a high functioning autistic child). I only mention this because I believe that the teaching method I described in this article will work for typical kids, as well. They will learn just a little faster, will require less input from you, and learn at an earlier age than my son did.

Anyway, when my son was young, he did not fully understand the concept of gift giving to others. This is typical of most children. If they embrace the idea of giving, they usually chose gifts that they like instead of gifts the other person would like. My wife and I decided that we would help our son choose a gift by staying within a specific price range. We selected the 10 to 20 dollar range because it is often considered reasonable for most type’s gift giving events. This is also enough money to buy craft supplies to make your own gifts.

We would also go through the trouble of asking other parents and teachers at his school what his teacher liked. This also would help narrow our focus and lead our son to choose the right type gift. The final decision would always be our sons, but we wanted to make sure his teacher would always enjoy their present.

As he has gotten older, we have asked him to set the dollar limits himself. After learning to set the dollar limits, we then taught him to use his own money to buy gifts. Our goal was to help our son learn about the joy of giving to others instead of him just getting gifts for Christmas.

Most years, the 10 to 20 dollar limit was perfect. In most cases, he would choose items in that range. When he started using his own money he always seemed to spend a little more, (about $25).

Over the past 10 years, we have helped our child select many different gifts. Here, is a partial list of what was chosen, (to the best of my recollection). The selection was based on something that was unique to that teacher, that year. The explanation of why that gift was chosen follows the gift description.

 A coffee mug; His teacher that year loved coffee. A picture frame; his teacher that year loved taking pictures. A gift card to Target; he would often see his teacher shopping at Target that year. Created and painted, and fired ceramic turtle; his teacher loved figurines. A gift card to Home Depot; his teacher that year just moved into a new apartment. A gift card to Babies R Us; his teacher that year was pregnant and due in May. Movie Tickets for two; that year his teacher started dating one of the other teachers. A fleece blanket and a book; his teacher loved reading, and he felt that the blanket would help in winter. A gas card; his teacher that year was always complaining about the cost of gas. A fancy blue pen and pencil set, (which he had engraved); his teacher that year liked the color blue and had her initials on everything she owned. A coffee mug with a picture of his classmates on it; that year my son genuinely felt connected to the other students and felt his teacher would like remembering the class as a whole.

The point I’m trying to make here is that we emphasized the importance of selecting a gift that would bring his teacher joy. We did not emphasize the cost of the gift. We only used the price range to create focus and help learn about money.  We knew that by sticking to this method, that his teachers would also associate the selection process with the joy of our sons giving.

Now my son is 15, and he selects the gifts for his favorite teacher/s himself. We have expanded on this gift giving “lesson” by having our son buy a gift for Toys for Tots each year. He now buys the gifts with his own money. He even wraps the gifts. We have also been able to extend this lesson to all gift giving.  He now picks out and buys birthday gifts and cards for his friends and classmates, all with his own money.

My son now looks forward to gift giving opportunities, (when he has money). Yes, there are times when he has no money and mom and dad pitch in helping him out. However, it’s gratifying to know that he now has a better understanding of the value of money. When he needs it, he will ask for it, and we can now have him “earn” it by doing other chores.  More importantly he also understands the joy of giving, and that is the true reward from this lesson.

I have told you how my family met this challenge. We turned an ordinary gift selecting chore into a learning process for our son. First we set a limit on how much would be spent. Second we investigated what the teacher interests were that year. Third all three of us would select a few gifts that met our selection criteria and then we let our son make the final select selection. Who knew that choosing a gift for the teacher could be this educational?

We would love to hear from you. How does your family choose a Christmas gift for the teacher? Tell us how you solved your gift giving dilemma. Let us hear your ideas. Please post your thoughts and comments in the comment section of this blog. We want to thank you for being with us during the holidays. We wish you and your family a Happy Holiday and a Merry Christmas.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

This is Hector Cisneros for A Quantum Leap, until next time.

Create Great Memories with Thanksgiving Crafts

If you’re a teacher, you know your students are preparing for the Thanksgiving break.  Soon there will be Christmas/New Year’s break and… wow, the school year is almost half over! Some of my fondest memories are from all the fun crafts we created during the holiday seasons. 

I distinctly remember how my school days would be spent as a child the week before Thanksgiving. In class, we would create lots of Thanksgiving crafts, projects and art work. I particularly remember making turkey drawings by tracing our hands and then coloring them in to look like turkeys. Sometimes we even made turkey cut-outs or puppets this way.

Having said this, I decided to do some research and find craft website sites that have a lot of Thanksgiving crafts and project ideas.  My last blog provided my 12 favorite teacher resources websites, so finding a few exceptional craft sites was easy.  Here are three that I particularly like:

My favorite is from EnchantedLearning.com  -  http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/  - It has a large number of cut-out crafts and printable items.  Many of the printable items include lessons on Thanksgiving so your kids can color and learn at the same time. This site is best for K-3^rd grade.

My next favorite site is “Familyfun” by Disney - http://familyfun.go.com/thanksgiving/ - Their Thanksgiving section is filled with a wide variety of projects ranging from Thanksgiving recipes to crafts, printables, games and traditions. Everything on this site is first class and fun to explore.

My last choice is Educatation.com Thanksgiving Central. - http://www.education.com/seasonal/thanksgiving/ -This site has lots of kitchen crafts showing you how to make a table runner, table fruit art and more. There are printables, coloring pages, activities, and a Thanksgiving history section that is concise. The last item worth mentioning is a section called “How to Make the Most of Thanksgiving.”  It’s filled with ideas for creating Thanksgiving traditions.

There are numerous websites that include Thanksgiving materials for teachers. What I have included is just a small portion of what’s out there. However, these three sites have the most, and best that I have found to date. Best of all, every craft and printable idea they offer is free.

Do you know of a terrific Thanksgiving website that offers free crafts? Are you willing to share them with us? Please provide your comments, and tell us about the resources you use. I’m sure our readers would love to know.

Until next time, this is Hector Cisneros for A Quantum Leap, wishing you and your family many Thanksgiving blessing.

My Top 12 Picks for Educational Resources Websites

As a former teacher, I always found myself looking for great material to use when teaching my students.  I found that I had to perform a lot of research when preparing new curriculums for my classes.  I also wanted to keep up with current events and news in my profession.  This kind of research is much easier now because of the wide-spread use of the internet.

Today, I still tutor math, reading and science part time (as I love teaching).  I do a lot of writing both in education and in many other fields.  My current profession as a writer requires me to do a lot of research.  One of my duties is to post cool, useful and interesting educational websites I find to Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites.  The purpose of this article is to share with our readers my top picks for useful educational resource websites.

I actually use hundreds of sites on a monthly basis.  I easily investigate about 1000 sites each year.  With so many websites to choose from, I found myself with a selection dilemma.  Knowing of so many sites made my choices even harder.  Therefore, I came up with a selection criterion to narrow my choices.  My choices are based on these criteria: the information needs to be free, it needs to be useful, and it needs to stand out in some way.  I will provide the reader a short synopsis of each of the sites along with its URL so you can check them out personally.

My top 12 picks cover a variety of categories, including news, curriculum planning, class management, student material sites, craft sites, article sites, and blogs.  I hope you take a few moments to visit and explore these sites.  Please comment on the sites you liked.  Tell us about any site you know of that we should add to this list.  Your insight will be shared with our readers and could provide them the help they are looking for.

General Educational resources:

1) Teacher Link - http://teacherlink.ed.usu.edu/ - This website provides free lesson plans for teachers covering a wide range of subjects.  The material is specific and compressive to each subject listed.

2) Study Guide - http://www.studyguide.org/teacherlinks.htm - This site also provides free material for teaching and classroom management.  Particularly, I like their resources for writing strategies and idea creation.

3) Sites for Teachers - http://www.sitesforteachers.com/ - This site provides a large list of teacher resource links.  Here, you will find links to just about any imaginable subject, craft or lesson plan.

Crafts for the home and classroom:

4) The Crafty Classroom - http://www.thecraftyclassroom.com/ - This site has numerous craft projects covering all the seasons and a multitude of events - all free!  The crafts include paper crafts, modeling, and much more.  I think you will like it.

5) Disney Family Fun - http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/ - This site is owned by Disney and provides plenty of free craft ideas and projects.  You can look up ideas by age, type, material and more.  Did I say it was free?

6) Enchanted Learning - http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/ - This site provides a list of free crafts for children of all ages.  Subjects are listed alphabetically, making it easy to find what you're looking for quickly.  You will find many crafts from A to Z, including seasonal crafts for Thanksgiving, Christmas and more.

Online News and Magazines:

7) News4Jax.com, Education Section - http://goo.gl/9x2fn - (I used a link shortener to save space).  For local educational news in Jacksonville, I like News4Jax.com.  If you’re not in Jacksonville, every city has news sites and most offer local educational news.

8) U.S. News and World Report, Education Section - http://www.usnews.com/education - For educational news on the national level, my pick is U.S.N.W.R.  Their educational section is second to none.  Check it out.

9) Education Week - http://www.edweek.org/ew/index.html - Education Week provides a wide variety of articles, topics, blogs and more that I always find interesting, current and comprehensive. It’s definitely worth looking at.

Educational blogs and Article site:

10) Buzzle.com - http://www.buzzle.com/chapters/archives-226.asp - Buzzle’s website is an article portal. It offers a wide variety of articles.  Their education section is chock-full of interesting articles that are helpful and useful in today’s ever-changing classroom.

11) Education.com - http://www.education.com/magazine/articles/ - There are more than a dozen educational article databases on the internet.  I had a tough time choosing my favorite in this category.  I had to close my eyes and pick one, and my finger landed on Education.com.  The other two websites I liked were http://www.articlesbase.com/ and http://www.edarticle.com/.  Here, you will find articles covering every subject imaginable.  Check them all out and enjoy.

12) Clear View Education - http://goo.gl/DgmEo - (I used a link shortener here to save space too).  I really could not pick just one blog, so I decided to let you choose from 100 different ones.  Clear View Education blogs' main purpose is to share what they believe are the top 100 blogs on the web. Here, you will find educational blogs covering resources for teaching, technology, blogging teachers, special-education blogs and much more.  If you're looking for good educational blogs, you will find them here.

There you have my top 12 educational resource websites.  These sites will provide you with countless links to literally hundreds of useful educational websites.  Enjoy exploring these sites.  Please take the time to tell us what you liked, and which ones are useful to you.  Add your favorite site to our list by commenting on this blog entry.  I sincerely hope you find at least one new website to help you with your educational needs.  

Until next time, this is Hector Cisneros for A Quantum Leap signing off.

It’s October. Help your kids have fun, learn about Halloween and create some new traditions.

It’s October and the kids are focused on fall, Halloween, and dressing up for trick or treat, so they can get lots of free candy. Wouldn’t it be neat if this year they learned how Halloween got started? Wouldn’t it also be neat if your kids participated in the giving of candy (instead of just getting and eating it)? What if you could address both these issues at the same time and start a family or classroom tradition of your own. Here are some suggestions which will engage your kids in some fun learning, help them experience the joy of giving, and at the same time create some traditions your kids will remember for the rest of their lives.

Before you get started, you will need to do a little planning. Pick a day about a week or two before Halloween when you want to have your fun day. Next, you will need to do a little research on the history of Halloween and Halloween snacks. Make sure you get input from your kids. Start by asking them what treats should be made that day and what activities they want to participate in. Give them a list to choose from. For example, hang decorations, carve a pumpkin, play a Halloween game, or watch a fun Halloween video. The point here is to get them engaged in the event.

To help teach your kids about the history of Halloween, search the internet or go to the library and check out a book on how Halloween got started. A Google search on the phrase “The history of Halloween for kids” brought up 92 million hits. This is more than enough information to provide a brief history of Halloween. If you are a teacher, you will even find lesson plans already created for you.

You can also use the internet to look up healthy Halloween snack ideas. A Google search on the phrase, “healthy Halloween snacks for kids" returned over 2 million results - more than enough healthy snack ideas for even the most ambitious parent or teacher.  

Once your fun day is scheduled, make sure everyone is ready to make it an enjoyable family/class event. On the day of the event, start by baking or creating your fun snack. At my house, we carve a pumpkin and roast the seeds for a tasty snack. In your home or classroom, you may choose to bake some Halloween cookies, cup cakes, create a spooky fruit display, or make some other snack. This is also an excellent time to decorate your home or classroom with some personalized or creative Halloween decorations.  

As part of your history lesson, I would discuss how and why candy is given out to kids during today’s Halloween celebration. Ask your kids this question: Do they think it would be fun to hand out candy to people visiting their family?

Coupling a brief history lesson with your Halloween snack or pumpkin carving project will make for a memorable tradition. It will probably be remembered for years to come and be passed on to your children’s children.

When Halloween night comes, get the older kids to participate in giving out candy to the younger kids who come for trick or treat.  In some instances, younger siblings will want to join in too (because big brother/sister is doing it).  This is an excellent way to help them learn and appreciate the joy of giving instead of just getting as much candy as they can.

By planning a fun pre-Halloween event with your family or classroom and coupling that event with a brief history lesson of how and why Halloween exists, you will start a new tradition that will be remembered by your kids for years to come.

If you have some exciting ideas for coupling fun events and learning, we would like to hear from you. Your ideas could help create new traditions for families around the world.  Please share your comments with us and our readers. We look forward to reading your ideas.  

Until next time, this is Hector Cisneros for A Quantum Leap signing off.

We Have a New Face of A Quantum Leap Tutoring!

A Quantum Leap just had a contest to choose our next model for our website and some of our print materials. Meet Zander! Here are a few things about Zander and his photo!

"My Name is Zander I am 7 years old. My parents Mr. and Mrs. Eddie and Aquilla Redding. I have 3 Siblings, Lekelvis, Brandee, and Quenton. My favorite subject in school is Math. My favorite thing to do is play football. I have been playing pop warner football for 2 years. I also like to play soccer. Thanks to my BonBon (Carol Edwards) for telling us about the contest. I would like to thank all that voted for me and making me the next face of A Quantum Leap!"

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Lesson Learned??

We just celebrated my son's 5th birthday. Like most kids these days, he's already well-versed in technology. My husband and I are self-proclaimed techies. We each have an iPhone and an iPad so it wasn't unusual for my mother-in-law to offer her old iPhone as a birthday gift to my son.

Initially, I scoffed at the idea. What 5-year-old needs a digital device of that magnitude? However, after comparing prices on products aimed at his age range, we decided it was cheaper to just utilize the old iPhone and load it up with kid-friendly apps. We also included a couple of his favorite apps right now which are Angry Birds and Weather.com. What can I say? He's diverse.

Well, with electronics comes responsibility. Somewhere along the line, (not from his parents, of course) my son thought he needed to take the new phone into the bathroom with him. You can imagine the disaster that ensued. Yep, into the toilet went the phone. My son was traumatized. The morning was extremely difficult after this incident.

Of course, we put the phone in rice and we are "seeing what happens." Grandma and grandpa believe they should replace the phone because the event was his lesson learned. I lean toward the mindset that had he been following the rules where he must ask permission about using the phone, then the incident would not have happened. Grandma and grandpa believe we all make mistakes. What do you think?

www.TutoringByCity.com

First Day of College

The first day of college is a big change, and preparation, organization and time management will be very important. Following are some tips for preparing for this huge milestone in your life. 

1.  Orientation.  One of the best things you can do is attend orientation. At orientation, there will be college students telling you what's going to happen and giving you guidance.  There will also be advisers who will assist you with your schedules and provide tours of the campus and the dorms/apartments.  Orientation helps to relieve a lot of stress for both you and your parents.

2.  Acclimation.  When you visit the campus, be sure to explore available parking, eating places, entertainment, etc.  Decide (with your parents) whether you will live in a dorm or apartment and make the necessary arrangements.

3.  Money.  Have a discussion with your parents regarding budgets and money management.  Set a clear understanding of their expectations and agree on a monthly budget.  

4.  Textbooks.  When you go to class on the first day, your professors are going to give you a syllabus, and tell you what you’ll need in the way of supplies and textbooks. 

5.  Supplies.  As far as supplies go, you need a durable backpack that can accommodate your laptop.  Other than that, some notebooks, pens and highlighters are the basics. 

6.  Accountability.  Probably one of the most important things you need to be aware of is that in college, you're on your own. You've got to stay on top of deadlines when signing up for classes and paying the tuition. 

So stay organized, manage your time, and be sure to meet your deadlines.  If you do these few things, you’ll be prepared for that first day of college and it won’t be so intimidating!

This is from a guest blogger, Jodi Okun of College Financial Aid Advisors (CFAA)

They help families with professional preparation, support and navigation of the college financial aid process. You can check our here website here. 

As always, check out our website for all your tutoring needs! We offer test prep for getting into college as well as college-level tutoring.

www.TutoringByCity.com

Are You an Adult Going Back to School?

Study Skills for Adults

If it’s been a while since you were in school, a return to the academic life can be a big adjustment. College classes cram a great deal of information into a semester. When was the last time you had to remember so many details? Understanding some basic tenets of adult learning theory can help you develop the study habits you need to be successful:

Adult learners need motivation to learn. As children, we are naturally curious little sponges absorbing everything we can from our environment – unless someone comes along and kills our enthusiasm for learning. By the time we reach adulthood, we’re caught up in a world of work and responsibility that leaves little energy for learning. The first thing you need to do, then, is clarify for yourself your motives for going back to school. What short- and long-term goals do you hope to achieve as a result of going to school? How will you feel when you earn that degree or certificate? How can you benefit from what you learn in a particular course? Reminding yourself of your most driving motivation is critical when you need to pull yourself out of a slump.

Adult learners need the right study environment. This is Study Skills 101. Like children, we need a regular place and time to establish the habit. The space should be well-lit and organized. Whether you prefer quiet or listening to music, do what feels best for you. Television and talk radio are not recommended because conversation pulls too much of your focus away from the material.

Adult learners need to interact with the material. Listening to lectures and reading alone are too passive. You need to involve as many senses as possible, and take a more active role. Try developing a set of questions, or reading the ones at the end of the chapter, before you start to read. As you read, stop and reflect each time you find material that may answer one of your questions. You’ll get even more out of the study session if you actually write out the questions and answers. This brings a tactile element to your learning experience. Are you studying a complex theory or required to retain a great deal of facts and data? Try organizing the information visually; that is, draw a model, illustrate the idea with pictures, or create charts and graphs to show the relationships between the details. By thinking about your material in a structured way, you reinforce higher order thinking and create a visual aid in the process.

Adult learners need practice. In order to do anything well, we need practice. You should quiz yourself regularly, or enlist the support of a study buddy to quiz you. No cheating! If you do that you won’t discover the weak areas where you need to focus more. Keep track of your performance on each “quiz”. If you are truly applying the techniques described in this article, you’ll find your performance improves significantly with repetition. This will help build your confidence for testing day. 

If you need any help building skills before you return to school or even GED prep, give A Quantum Leap a call! 1-877-295-5327

http://www.tutoringbycity.com/tutoring/adult_tutoring_florida.htm

How to Choose an SES Tutoring Company

You have been told your child is eligible for free tutoring through the SES program, but what does that mean? Your child’s school will take care of telling you the details of how to apply but we are going to summarize what you need to know to choose a great tutor!

1.   

    How do I know the tutor is qualified? SES providers are not required to hire certified teachers, but you should inquire from the tutoring company what their standard is for hiring tutors. The company should be able to let you know their verification process and all tutors must have a background check.

2.   

    Where is the tutoring? Tutoring can be done in a number of locations. At the child’s school, a library, a learning lab run by the tutoring company, a church or even at an afterschool program.

Sometimes even having the tutoring at your home is a good alternative.

3.        

When is the tutoring? SES Tutoring can take place anytime outside of school hours. Some programs are before school but the majority take place after school. Each tutoring company has their preferences for how long the sessions last and the frequency.

4.        

Does the program have transportation? If the tutoring will not take place at the student’s school, you should ask if transportation is provided. Sometimes it’s difficult for families to pick up a child once the tutoring is complete. This is why tutoring can take place at an after school program or at the home.

5.        

What other accommodations may be necessary?  For some children English may not be their first language. In this instance, bi-lingual tutors may be necessary. For other children, a more specialized tutor may be necessary in the case of a learning disability. An SES provider should be able to incorporate an IEP into the learning plan in that case.

These are the key things to keep in mind while choosing an SES tutor. For more information about SES tutoring, please check out this informative website.

http://www.tutorsforkids.org/families/infoforfamilies.asp

5 Tips for An Upcoming College Freshman

By: Caitlin Woods, a college student working her way to success

With the excitement of high school graduation dying off, a newer, more nervous excitement is settling in among many soon- to- be college freshmen. It can be overwhelming to think that in a few months (or sooner for some) you will no longer have the comforts your teenage years brought you. It can be hard to be to look to your near future as a young adult student without a sense of fear, but hopefully this article will help!

As a college student and a young adult, I can understand the feelings, thoughts, and emotions that may be rattling around your head as you enter this new season in your life. I have put together the five most important tips that I feel a new college freshman should know as I have just experienced it.

1.       Enter college with an open mind.     

Although college is just another school, it certainly is different from high school. Make sure that you realize and have come to terms with the fact that everything will be different. You will be leading your new adult life. Teachers will treat you differently. The campus will be much larger. The work load will be more daunting and intense. You may even experience living on your own for the first time! Enter college knowing that you are an adult now. You will be treated as such. 

2.       Set yourself up for success!

“My behavior is my responsibility. No one can make me do or say anything that I don’t want to do.” This was a motto that I had to say after the Pledge of Allegiance every day in elementary school. I never knew what meaning it would have until I reached college. In college you are the only one who can control what you do. There will be no one there to remind you to do your homework or to go to bed on time. Make sure to surround yourself with others who want to succeed and won’t pressure you into not studying or staying out too late. Also having the mindset that you are there for a purpose and you expect to meet your goals helps. 

3.       Communication is key!

If you are having trouble, a problem, or find yourself in a tough situation NEVER BE AFRAID TO TALK TO YOUR PROFESSOR! Most professors are very understanding and will do whatever it takes to help you, find you help, or understand a situation. Many of your problems can be solved if you just let them know what is going on. If you feel like you’re doing terrible in class they can tell you if you are or not and let you know what could help. They are also the ones who can help you if you need to miss class because of a family emergency for example. Professors understand that they are there because you want to be there. They understand that they are providing a service that is being paid for so they do their best to help you.

4.       Find ways to make Studying and Homework enjoyable.   

You are always more likely to do something if you enjoy it. Put that mentality into your studies and it could be very beneficial to you. Try getting a group together from class that could meet to have a study session over lunch or something of the sort. This way you’ll make friends and adapt to your new environment and be productive at the same time!

5.       Show up and participate!

This may have been preached to you throughout your years in grade school but it is especially true in college. When your professor tells you that tomorrow’s class “is going to be an easy day,” it shouldn’t be taken as a ticket to get a few more hours of shut eye.  You should take advantage of any opportunity presented to you, whether it is optional or not. Take in every bit of information you can and you will benefit in the long run. Plus, it shows your dedication and your professors will be more inclined to work with you if something negative happens such as missing an exam. 

So, on your first day, when you walk onto that large campus; take a deep breathe to clear your mind and remember these tips. College is truly one of the best times of your life, even if you are studying hard. As long as you work hard and act responsibly, you will exceed your own expectations! Good luck and remember to contact A Quantum Leap Tutoring and Educational Consultation if you need that extra boost! We can help you with everything from College Algebra to organizational and test-taking skills.

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Social Media and Summer Activities for Students

In some ways, one may think using social media to develop good literary habits is counter-intuitive. However, it's summer and I think we should try to implement some fun activities into the boring summer reading list. Here are a few ideas I came up with to keep your readers engaged:

1.  Do you get tired of using worksheets to summarize a chapter of a classic novel? Have your student summarize the chapter in 140 characters or less. See how well they can do. "Brevity is the soul of wit" I believe.

2.  How about an interactive book report? Get your tween to use their status update on Facebook as a platform for their book report. See if you can get the kids to read the books at the same time and encourage them to go back and forth. You can even set up a private group for that specific book.

3.  Is your child learning to spell? How about texting the spelling words back and forth? Have your child look up a new word and text you the meaning while you're at the office.

4. Do you have a high school senior getting ready to enter the job force? Encourage them to create a LinkedIn profile and begin some resume' creating activities. Show them examples of good resumes and see if they have activities they would like to do to build their own resume. In today's media friendly world, a little creativity can go a long way!

There's a few ideas to get you started. I am going to start experimenting myself and let you know how it goes. Post your ideas or comments as the summer goes along! Anything to prevent the summer slide, right?

A Teacher Appreciation Story

I often think back to my fourth-grade year as my best year in school. I made straight As that year. There were a couple of motivating factors that led to my high grades, but I know I would not have continued the path to educational success without the teacher I had that year, Mrs. Rogers. I know, ironic right? One would assume this teacher was the most peppy teacher ever with a bounce in her step and a song for everything.

That wasn't exactly the case. Mrs. Rogers was probably about the same age as Mr. Rogers, but her demeanor was quite different. Most children thought of her as gruff. I don't think she was mean, just strict. She had expectations, which were clearly laid out at the beginning of the year, which we were supposed to live up to. This was when teachers were still allowed quite a bit of creativity in their lesson plans. The time of those green and white grade books and calculators being forbidden in any activity.

So, here are the reasons this year was especially awesome then I will reference how Mrs. Rogers brought it all together for a holistic love of learning. My family was.....well, we were poor. We lived in a small trailer in a trailer park and I think my dad worked like a million hours per week just so we could eat. I always made honor roll but this year he told me if I made straight As the entire year, he would buy me a TV! What?! I knew this was something I had to achieve. Though we didn't have cable, it didn't matter, it would be mine!
The next motivation was that a particular boy in our class had skipped 3rd grade and was put into our class. It was known that he made straight As and was anticipated to graduate college at like 15. So this became quite the competition in my own mind.

Fourth grade was a bit different than any other year. We had to learn to multiply, divide and write fully in cursive. Quite a bit different than today where it seems like my son has to be able to do long division by the end of kindergarten. Mrs. Rogers provided a library in the classroom for us. We had two books on our desk so we could (by could, I mean, we had to) read when our work was completed. She had a regimen for us. We did the same basic routine everyday and we knew what it took to gain her approval. I remember there being quite a bit of homework, not to mention science fair projects and book reports. Mrs. Rogers always had it together. Her hair was a certain way, her clothes were neat and pressed, and she never lashed out.

I suppose I was that child that loved disciplined environments but where I really got to know Mrs. Rogers was after school since I was chosen to wash the board everyday before the bus came. She and I would talk about my dreams and aspirations. She exposed me to the belief of there being much more outside a small town in Louisiana and that started with college. Mrs. Rogers became a grandmother figure for me. A pillar of stability and someone I knew I could turn to no matter the situation. I knew I would receive the same logical answer time after time. I remember on the last day of school, I bought her a scarf from K-mart. Mrs. Rogers didn't realize I left it on her desk so I  just left school that day. When she discovered the gift, she stopped my bus and came aboard to thank me. That was the  last time I saw Mrs. Rogers, but I did go to college and I have traveled the world.

I hope for the students I tutor, I represent that same pillar of experience, strength and stability. Through tutoring at-risk youth, I have realized how much you don't know what goes on in a child's home and sometimes you are the only positive adult in their life. So, thank you teachers for realizing your job is much more than that and today, we celebrate you!

To VPK or not to VPK ?

This may sound counter-intuitive but, in this economy, it seems getting your child enrolled in a 'free' VPK program is more difficult than ever before. The cost of gas is barely affordable for most and not affordable at all for others. That poses the first problem of how to get your child to this free program. The Florida program is approximately 3 hours per day. That requires transportation twice in a short period of time. This can be very difficult to coordinate with other children's school schedules or the lack of having a personal vehicle.

What about the wrap-around program you say? Many moms stay at home because their family cannot afford the additional financial stress of daycare even with a second income. This makes this 'free' program more costly. These facts are all very real to some families. So, what motivation do parents have to ensure their children take advantage of this program? The statistics are out and there are significant increases in Kindergarten readiness for a child who completes the entire VPK process. There are even notable differences in children with just some participation in the program. Here is the link to the facts gathered over the last few years of the success of the VPK program.

VPK Results

What are some things that can ease the stress of getting your child to VPK?

1. Get your child registered as early as possible with the Early Learning Coalition in your area. 
2. Do not leave registration without your yellow form and the list of VPK providers by zip code.
3. Choose a few VPK providers in your immediate area then call first to see if the hours they offer will fit into your schedule. 
4. Once you find a couple that meet your family's needs, visit the facility. Be sure to understand the absence policy as this can cause your child to be removed from the program. * You may switch VPK providers once within the year.
5. If the VPK provider is not within bus or walking distance, set up a carpool. Most children at this age can safely use a high-back booster therefore making it easier to add car seats to your car. 
6. Maybe even ask a member of the staff to help you coordinate carpooling. 
7. These are just a few ideas but be sure to communicate any problems you may have to the staff of the facility so that they may understand your situation and help you resolve issues. 

Even though not perfect, the VPK program implementation is a great resource to provide readiness for your child's school career. If you are still having a hard time, contact your local Parent Resource Center and they may be able to help you with even more options even though your child is not technically in public school yet. They have a lot of resources and information available to them. Check out their site here:

www.knowyourchoices.org

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Earth Day Activities Throughout Florida

Jacksonville Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Party for the Planet. It will held on April 24th and 25th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. There will live entertainment, prize drawings, earth day crafts, bounce houses and face painting. On Thursday April 22nd, at the Anastasia Island Branch Library, the Earth Day movie "HEIMA" will be showing. The movie will start at 6p.m. and free refreshments will be provided On April 28th at the Main Branch there will be fun and eco-friendly Earth Day Kid's Crafts. Everything starts at 3p.m.. Tampa The 2011 Earth Day Tampa Bay festival moves to the beautiful USF Botanical Gardens (one block north of the corner of Fowler Ave. & Bruce B. Downs Blvd.) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 23! Admission and parking are FREE, but we encourage the use of alternative transportation. Orlando Earth day Celebrations in Orlando include ‘Party for the planet at Disney’s Animal Kingdom’ April 22nd 9am to 3pm. At Universal Orlando special events with the theme of conserving the environment will be held around the park through the week starting 17th April 2011 to April 24th 2011. Celebrate Earth on April 24th at Orlando's largest FREE Earth Day Event. The event will be held at Lake Eola from 10am to 6pm. Pensacola

Earth Day Pensacola: Saturday, April 23rd, 10am - 5pm Bayview Park - East Hill Tallahassee

Idle Free and Alternative Transportation Day, April 22, Kleman Plaza, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event features live entertainment, free refreshments, information on environmentally friendly practices. Attendees are encouraged to walk, bike, take the bus or carpool to work/school and to the event at Kleman Plaza.

April 22, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Going Green Grand Finale. Help plant flowers in the Kids Pointe garden, 3507 Maclay Blvd. S., as part of their weeklong "I Choose to Reuse" Earth Day and Easter Egg-stravaganza.

  

Fort Myers

Friday, April 22nd from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. so plan to take a tour, participate in our lady bug releases, or learn about conservation practices. *Regular admission - $12.95 for adults/ $7.95 for children 4-14. Members are free. Cost: $12.95 for Adults/Free for Garden members. Ticket Phone: 239-643-7275. Friday, April 22, 2011. Naples Botanical Garden 4820 Bayshore Dr Naples, FL 34112-7336.

Over 30 vendors selling farm fresh local produce and food, Organics, fresh seafood, cheeses, cut flowers, etc. Venue: Lakes Park. Age Range: All Ages. Cost: Free. Friday, April 22, 2011, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Lakes Regional Park 7330 Gladiolus Dr Fort Myers, FL 33908-5118.

West Palm Beach area

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens, (561) 691-8550. Earth Day, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 22. Whole Foods will offer festivities that include riding the Carousel, painting a mural, making recycled arts and crafts, learning about good green practices, etc.

Ft. Lauderdale

Everglades National Park is offering free admission.

Miami

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden will offer free admission to all in celebration of Earth Day. April 22^nd.

Bayfront Park will serve as the perfect backdrop for this exciting eco-friendly event that’s fun for the entire family. There will be live performances and seminars, eWaste recycling, a clothing swap, science fun for kids, and much more. April 23^rd.

Sarasota – Seems like Earth Day activities have passed but these are some other fun events this weekend.

April 23, 2011: It's the Take Over Youth Culture Festival at the Sarasota Fairgrounds. From noon - 9:30 p.m. there will be live music, electronic music lounge DJs, live graffiti, skateboarding, BMX demos, theatre performances, a petting zoo and more. $18/under 12 free. Benefits Suncoast Charities for Children.

April 23, 2011: is the 11th Annual Easter Egg Hunt & Games on Siesta Key. For tots only ages 1 - 6. For $10 each, each child receives an Easter Bunny or Stuffed Toy, Goody Bag and Easter Egg stuffed with prizes. It takes place at Beach Access Point #5 at Beach Road and Ocean Blvd. Face painters, trolley, tour fire truck and ambulance, etc. Registration is limited to first 125 paid children.