Welcome back to the A Quantum Leap Tutoring blog! Twice a week we bring you a topic of interest and great links here at the blog. Meanwhile, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is here for all your tutoring needs - all subjects, all levels - throughout the state of Florida.
Over the last few weeks we discussed the bullying epidemic - what's going on and why, and how parents can help both victims and perpetrators of bullying (sometimes just by recognizing that one person can be both!).
In our most recent entry, we mentioned that the adolescent brain is specially wired to find peer approval extremely rewarding. This ties into a related topic - risk-taking in general during the teen years.
It's a commonly-mentioned fact that teens' brains just aren't done developing - the prefrontal cortex, which helps with decision-making, just isn't where it will be in adults, impairing decision-making for adolescents through their early 20s. Slate.com did a great series of articles earlier this year - Part 1 on February 4, 2010 and Part 2 on February 5, 2010 - describing exactly what this means.
Part 1 breaks down the current research, explaining that it's not that teens are unable to assess risk - or that sitting your teenager down and explaining the risk rationally, in a way that would possibly deter an adult from doing the same thing after thinking through the options, will actually help much. In fact, it appears that even when teens completely intellectually understand the risks involved in a course of action, the impulse to seek peer approval and new experiences makes risk taking seem completely reasonable, negating any number of hours of lectures and well-meaning advice from parents, teachers, etc.
Part 2 ponders the question of where to go from that nerve-wracking finding, as a parent. The general conclusion - though the full article is absolutely worth reading, as it is full of great thought-provoking commentary and brings a small amount much-needed humor to an otherwise worrying subject matter - is that it's all about just getting teens through the worst of it intact.
The good news is that while the teens in general are high-risk years, there are higher-risk times than others. The "worst" of it is around 15-16. Friends can be bad influences - you know that as a parent, and the research backs that up. Keeping your kids safe by knowing what they're up to and who they're spending their time with is absolutely the best strategy. Chances are there will still be some decisions you wish they hadn't made over the years, but keeping an eye on them, staying engaged, communicating, and encouraging your child to take up a hobby all do great things for reducing their risk.
Along these notes, on Thursday we'll talk about mistakes... and how to deal when your child makes them. See you then!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Bullying resources - for bulliers
Welcome back to the A Quantum Leap Tutoring blog! We at A Quantum Leap Tutoring strive to provide great information and tips here, and we are always available for all your tutoring needs throughout the state of Florida.
Earlier this week we talked about resources for kids being bullied in school or elsewhere. Today, I want to talk about resources for kids who are guilty of bullying others.
The thing about peer pressure - and about the way kids' and especially teens' brains function - is that behavior that inspires admiration and attention from peers is greatly rewarded in younger brains. This makes it easy for an otherwise kind, compassionate kid to get carried away into behavior that is out of character - bullying, or borderline behaviors that can still make other kids' lives miserable.
What this means is that lots and lots of kids find themselves falling into the social trap of bullying - the "typical" kids with apparent anger issues, run-of-the-mill "normal" kids just trying to fit in, and even victims of bullying from other sources. This is another case where just listening can be extremely helpful. Listen - to their interactions with other kids, to their stories about other kids, and to their teachers' reports on their behavior. It's quite possible for a nice kid to be involved in some negative situations without being a "bad kid," so be prepared to deal with and talk about the bullying without letting it completely color your perception of your child.
Stop Bullying Now has a great article written for kids called "Do You Bully?" It covers some ways to recognize bully behavior, and gives the great advice to talk to an adult for some perspective.
The adult side of the Stop Bullying Now website also helps with determining if a child is likely to be a chronic bullier. Along those same lines, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry recommends seeking help for a repeat offender bully to avoid serious consequences down the line. Always keep open lines of communication, and try to talk through the behavior with kids. If the behavior doesn't change, seek assistance from school and community resources. It can save a life, or even just some pain for your child and other children, and that makes it worth the discomfort it might take to remind your child about treating others well.
Earlier this week we talked about resources for kids being bullied in school or elsewhere. Today, I want to talk about resources for kids who are guilty of bullying others.
The thing about peer pressure - and about the way kids' and especially teens' brains function - is that behavior that inspires admiration and attention from peers is greatly rewarded in younger brains. This makes it easy for an otherwise kind, compassionate kid to get carried away into behavior that is out of character - bullying, or borderline behaviors that can still make other kids' lives miserable.
What this means is that lots and lots of kids find themselves falling into the social trap of bullying - the "typical" kids with apparent anger issues, run-of-the-mill "normal" kids just trying to fit in, and even victims of bullying from other sources. This is another case where just listening can be extremely helpful. Listen - to their interactions with other kids, to their stories about other kids, and to their teachers' reports on their behavior. It's quite possible for a nice kid to be involved in some negative situations without being a "bad kid," so be prepared to deal with and talk about the bullying without letting it completely color your perception of your child.
Stop Bullying Now has a great article written for kids called "Do You Bully?" It covers some ways to recognize bully behavior, and gives the great advice to talk to an adult for some perspective.
The adult side of the Stop Bullying Now website also helps with determining if a child is likely to be a chronic bullier. Along those same lines, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry recommends seeking help for a repeat offender bully to avoid serious consequences down the line. Always keep open lines of communication, and try to talk through the behavior with kids. If the behavior doesn't change, seek assistance from school and community resources. It can save a life, or even just some pain for your child and other children, and that makes it worth the discomfort it might take to remind your child about treating others well.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Bullying resources - for kids being bullied
Welcome back! A Quantum Leap Tutoring is happy to serve you with this blog, and with tutoring in any subject area, any time, anywhere in Florida.
Two weeks ago we discussed bullying in schools - why it can be such a problem and a little bit how parents may be able to help.
In general, both schools and the law take bullying seriously, as well they should. But it's not always easy to find, or to deal with, since in general the worst of the bullying takes place when adults aren't around, and kids may not be thrilled about speaking up.
The US Department of Health and Human Services runs an initiative called "Stop Bullying Now," an initiative to try to reduce bullying through education of kids and adults alike. On the part of the website for adults, you can find a list of signs that a child is being bullied, even if he or she is reluctant to mention it. The site also has great educational activities, videos, and games to educate kids on the seriousness of the matter.
The Nemours Foundation runs a fantastic website, www.kidshealth.org, with a particularly useful article with tips for kids being bullied. Most of the tips are on page 3 and 4 of the article, but don't worry, it's short. The tips are down-to-earth and realistic, and each comes with its own explanation: work on ways to feel good about yourself. Avoid the bully where possible. Get a buddy. Don't bully back!
Once again, also, education.com provides lots of useful information for parents and students alike, including some great resources on the topic of cyberbullying, a form of bullying that can be completely invisible to adults, leave no physical evidence, but be extremely harmful psychologically. In these cases, even home isn't a safe refuge from the victimization. The site provides a factsheet on what cyberbullying might look like to an outside observer.
The best thing you can do for a child being bullied is listen, non-judgmentally. Everyone deals with conflict differently; remember that what you think may be the easiest solution may not be easy or reasonable for the child's situation. But try to listen and help with figuring out a solution - even just a stop-gap measure to ease the pressure a bit if the situation can't be completely resolved immediately.
On Thursday, we'll have some comments on how to help a bullier. Yes, bullies need support too!
Two weeks ago we discussed bullying in schools - why it can be such a problem and a little bit how parents may be able to help.
In general, both schools and the law take bullying seriously, as well they should. But it's not always easy to find, or to deal with, since in general the worst of the bullying takes place when adults aren't around, and kids may not be thrilled about speaking up.
The US Department of Health and Human Services runs an initiative called "Stop Bullying Now," an initiative to try to reduce bullying through education of kids and adults alike. On the part of the website for adults, you can find a list of signs that a child is being bullied, even if he or she is reluctant to mention it. The site also has great educational activities, videos, and games to educate kids on the seriousness of the matter.
The Nemours Foundation runs a fantastic website, www.kidshealth.org, with a particularly useful article with tips for kids being bullied. Most of the tips are on page 3 and 4 of the article, but don't worry, it's short. The tips are down-to-earth and realistic, and each comes with its own explanation: work on ways to feel good about yourself. Avoid the bully where possible. Get a buddy. Don't bully back!
Once again, also, education.com provides lots of useful information for parents and students alike, including some great resources on the topic of cyberbullying, a form of bullying that can be completely invisible to adults, leave no physical evidence, but be extremely harmful psychologically. In these cases, even home isn't a safe refuge from the victimization. The site provides a factsheet on what cyberbullying might look like to an outside observer.
The best thing you can do for a child being bullied is listen, non-judgmentally. Everyone deals with conflict differently; remember that what you think may be the easiest solution may not be easy or reasonable for the child's situation. But try to listen and help with figuring out a solution - even just a stop-gap measure to ease the pressure a bit if the situation can't be completely resolved immediately.
On Thursday, we'll have some comments on how to help a bullier. Yes, bullies need support too!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
Apologies for the recent silence of the blog - our blogger has been ill. We'll be back after Thanksgiving with more!
Have a great holiday. Remember, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here for all your tutoring needs in Florida!
Have a great holiday. Remember, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here for all your tutoring needs in Florida!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
The Bullying Epidemic
Bullying has gotten a lot of attention in the news lately, as several recent teen suicides have been attributed to the awful, hostile environments the victims had to endure at the hands of bullies. As an observer, I have found myself wondering: how does it ever get to be so bad? How can bullying get so out of hand as to completely destroy lives? How could it be controlled better?
One of the major problems seems to be that "minor" bullying is considered just a fact of life - part of the world we all have to deal with. It's certainly true that bullying is very common (and, let's face it, not just among children, though children and teens are the focus of most of the current media attention, and of this post). The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry notes that up to 50% of children have been bullied, and up to 10% experience bullying on a regular basis. So why doesn't anything happen to stop it?
Part of it may be the attitude I already mentioned - that bullying is just something to live with. How often do we hear children being told to just ignore it and be tough? Of course we all want our children (and ourselves!) to be able to ignore negativity and just let insults roll off their backs, but there is a line at which it can be too much, obviously.
It sometimes isn't obvious when bullying has crossed the line. As the AACAP points out, most of the worst bullying takes place when adults aren't around to step in and help. Kids inevitably spend some amount of time minimally-supervised, providing opportunities for some pretty awful interactions with other kids.
And kids may not be forthcoming in disclosing the things that happen during this time. Just one question - "Is there anything wrong at school?" or something along those lines - may not be enough, especially if you take their immediate answer as the permanently true answer and stop being available to hear what's really going on. Try to be open-minded and non-judgmental, and available to listen. Try not to minimize and just listen, and you might get the real story of what's going on.
We'll be back Thursday and next Tuesday with some thoughts on how to help victims of bullying, and also how to help those who do bully - often villified, but also in need of some intervention of their own, and some compassion.
For now, remember that A Quantum Leap Tutoring is available for all your tutoring needs, anywhere in the state of Florida.
One of the major problems seems to be that "minor" bullying is considered just a fact of life - part of the world we all have to deal with. It's certainly true that bullying is very common (and, let's face it, not just among children, though children and teens are the focus of most of the current media attention, and of this post). The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry notes that up to 50% of children have been bullied, and up to 10% experience bullying on a regular basis. So why doesn't anything happen to stop it?
Part of it may be the attitude I already mentioned - that bullying is just something to live with. How often do we hear children being told to just ignore it and be tough? Of course we all want our children (and ourselves!) to be able to ignore negativity and just let insults roll off their backs, but there is a line at which it can be too much, obviously.
It sometimes isn't obvious when bullying has crossed the line. As the AACAP points out, most of the worst bullying takes place when adults aren't around to step in and help. Kids inevitably spend some amount of time minimally-supervised, providing opportunities for some pretty awful interactions with other kids.
And kids may not be forthcoming in disclosing the things that happen during this time. Just one question - "Is there anything wrong at school?" or something along those lines - may not be enough, especially if you take their immediate answer as the permanently true answer and stop being available to hear what's really going on. Try to be open-minded and non-judgmental, and available to listen. Try not to minimize and just listen, and you might get the real story of what's going on.
We'll be back Thursday and next Tuesday with some thoughts on how to help victims of bullying, and also how to help those who do bully - often villified, but also in need of some intervention of their own, and some compassion.
For now, remember that A Quantum Leap Tutoring is available for all your tutoring needs, anywhere in the state of Florida.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
More financial lessons for teens
Earlier this week, we posted some useful links about the cost and value of a college education. One of the links was from thirteen.org, a New York-based public media company with a great variety of resources available on its website. Today I'd like to share two of my other favorite lesson plans from the site, both lessons about finances and money aimed at grades 9-12.
Finance and Responsible Lending is a timely lesson after the housing market crash and the risky lending practices that led to it. The lesson includes a documentary on money in general, then zeroes in on the role of banks and how credit works - and why it's necessary to the economy.
Then, Filling Empty Pockets: Borrowing, Loans and Credit takes a look at the whole process from the other side - the side of the borrower. This lesson focuses mainly on credit cards, and generally discusses the costs of buying on credit. To do this lesson right, you should keep a few unsolicited credit card offers for the part of the lesson on comparing offers. It's great if you can get together offers for a combination of types of credit cards - cards associated with individual retailers, rewards cards, cards offered unsolicited through the mail or in magazines, credit card offers from the internet, and a card from your local bank or credit union, for members.
Having a good sense of how credit and debt work, and what's a good deal, is very important when navigating early adulthood, when income can be low or non-existent but there are still pressing needs, like tuition and regular life costs. Establishing good credit is important during this time, as is the need to avoid accumulating too much unsecured debt. But debt is generally a necessary part of paying for education - so it's best to understand what kinds of loans are a good choice to further one's education, and what kind of loans, like credit card debt, are more likely to go out of control quickly and cost more than they're worth.
These activities are a great combination of social science and math - both topics A Quantum Leap Tutoring is happy to tutor in for any age level, plus any other subject you or your child is struggling in, or just wants an extra boost in. We're all over the state of Florida, so please give us a call so we can put you in touch with your local coordinator to find the right tutor for you!
Finance and Responsible Lending is a timely lesson after the housing market crash and the risky lending practices that led to it. The lesson includes a documentary on money in general, then zeroes in on the role of banks and how credit works - and why it's necessary to the economy.
Then, Filling Empty Pockets: Borrowing, Loans and Credit takes a look at the whole process from the other side - the side of the borrower. This lesson focuses mainly on credit cards, and generally discusses the costs of buying on credit. To do this lesson right, you should keep a few unsolicited credit card offers for the part of the lesson on comparing offers. It's great if you can get together offers for a combination of types of credit cards - cards associated with individual retailers, rewards cards, cards offered unsolicited through the mail or in magazines, credit card offers from the internet, and a card from your local bank or credit union, for members.
Having a good sense of how credit and debt work, and what's a good deal, is very important when navigating early adulthood, when income can be low or non-existent but there are still pressing needs, like tuition and regular life costs. Establishing good credit is important during this time, as is the need to avoid accumulating too much unsecured debt. But debt is generally a necessary part of paying for education - so it's best to understand what kinds of loans are a good choice to further one's education, and what kind of loans, like credit card debt, are more likely to go out of control quickly and cost more than they're worth.
These activities are a great combination of social science and math - both topics A Quantum Leap Tutoring is happy to tutor in for any age level, plus any other subject you or your child is struggling in, or just wants an extra boost in. We're all over the state of Florida, so please give us a call so we can put you in touch with your local coordinator to find the right tutor for you!
Monday, November 8, 2010
The economics of college education
Last week we talked about how to keep the house civil during the college searches of the teens in your household. This week, we talk about one of the big looming issues that can make that search so stressful - the cost of college.
Thirteen Ed Online has a great online lesson plan about calculating "the REAL cost of college," including an online video about the costs of moving out on one's own. This activity is designed for grades 7-12, but the results of all the calculations can be illuminating for parents, too!
When looking at the cost of college, it can seem like a little too expensive an investment. However, the long-term impact of a college degree in one's economic status is incredibly long-lasting and important. The College Board released a study this fall tracking the economic value of a college degree, summarized in this Chronicle of Higher Education article. The Chronicle's article shows how even some college is better than none for earning potential, but also includes input from some critics of the idea that everyone should go to college without thinking through the financial aspects. It's food for thought as you or your teen considers the college options available.
Of course, to get into college in the first place, one needs a strong educational background. For those struggling in school, before, during, or after college, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here to help in any topic you can name - all over Florida. From pre-K to high school science to college composition to law school, we can match you with a tutor in your area.
Thirteen Ed Online has a great online lesson plan about calculating "the REAL cost of college," including an online video about the costs of moving out on one's own. This activity is designed for grades 7-12, but the results of all the calculations can be illuminating for parents, too!
When looking at the cost of college, it can seem like a little too expensive an investment. However, the long-term impact of a college degree in one's economic status is incredibly long-lasting and important. The College Board released a study this fall tracking the economic value of a college degree, summarized in this Chronicle of Higher Education article. The Chronicle's article shows how even some college is better than none for earning potential, but also includes input from some critics of the idea that everyone should go to college without thinking through the financial aspects. It's food for thought as you or your teen considers the college options available.
Of course, to get into college in the first place, one needs a strong educational background. For those struggling in school, before, during, or after college, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here to help in any topic you can name - all over Florida. From pre-K to high school science to college composition to law school, we can match you with a tutor in your area.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
The College Search and Family Tension
A Quantum Leap Tutoring offers tutoring at all levels - pre-kindergarten, K-12, college level, and adult education. What that means is that plenty of the students we work with here in Florida are thinking about college... or will be eventually.
When it comes to choosing a college, there can be a lot of different confusing aspects. If Mom or Dad went to college, there may be a lot of pressure to pick (and get into!) their alma mater. If Mom or Dad didn't go to college, it can be really difficult to know what solid advice to give.
Even parents who applied to and went to college themselves a couple of decades ago aren't necessarily up-to-date on what the process looks like right now. For instance, even though my parents went to a public university near where I grew up - one I applied to, and one most of my high school friends ultimately attended - when they applied, the process was as simple as signing up on a list as long as your GPA was over a 2.0. By the time I applied, admission was competitive and quite involved, requiring multiple multi-page essays and a 7-page application to be completing partially online, partially via the mail. And it's even different now!
The simple fact is, applying to and attending college continues to get more and more complicated and competitive, not to mention more expensive and more necessary to compete in the job market. It can feel like an overwhelming losing game, whether you're an applicant or the parent of one. The high cost and high stakes can make this process fraught with potential conflict fodder.
With that in mind, I have a link from AlphaMom on how to keep a happy household during your teen's college search. It has a few simple tips that can be hard to keep in mind during such a stressful time. It's a good, quick read and great if you're feeling the tension rise every time you even contemplate bringing up the search and application process.
Next week, we'll bring you a quick economic activity for teens and tweens on calculating the real cost of college - a useful exercise in and of itself, with the added bonus of reinforcing math skills. Until then, have a great weekend, and enjoy the extra hour of sleep when you "fall back" this weekend to go back to Standard Time!
When it comes to choosing a college, there can be a lot of different confusing aspects. If Mom or Dad went to college, there may be a lot of pressure to pick (and get into!) their alma mater. If Mom or Dad didn't go to college, it can be really difficult to know what solid advice to give.
Even parents who applied to and went to college themselves a couple of decades ago aren't necessarily up-to-date on what the process looks like right now. For instance, even though my parents went to a public university near where I grew up - one I applied to, and one most of my high school friends ultimately attended - when they applied, the process was as simple as signing up on a list as long as your GPA was over a 2.0. By the time I applied, admission was competitive and quite involved, requiring multiple multi-page essays and a 7-page application to be completing partially online, partially via the mail. And it's even different now!
The simple fact is, applying to and attending college continues to get more and more complicated and competitive, not to mention more expensive and more necessary to compete in the job market. It can feel like an overwhelming losing game, whether you're an applicant or the parent of one. The high cost and high stakes can make this process fraught with potential conflict fodder.
With that in mind, I have a link from AlphaMom on how to keep a happy household during your teen's college search. It has a few simple tips that can be hard to keep in mind during such a stressful time. It's a good, quick read and great if you're feeling the tension rise every time you even contemplate bringing up the search and application process.
Next week, we'll bring you a quick economic activity for teens and tweens on calculating the real cost of college - a useful exercise in and of itself, with the added bonus of reinforcing math skills. Until then, have a great weekend, and enjoy the extra hour of sleep when you "fall back" this weekend to go back to Standard Time!
Monday, November 1, 2010
On managing Halloween candy
Everyone who has spent half a day around kids knows that sugar intake has a very real, strong effect on their behavior and focus. The sugar high and its hyperactivity, the crash and its negative emotional effects... these are probably becoming just a little too familiar and predictable in the fallout from Halloween.
I was prepared to write a post, today, about taking control of the Halloween loot and carefully doling it out in small doses to minimize sugar spikes and crashes... but while looking for some good information on that topic, I actually came across something intriguing. Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen at Raise Healthy Eaters actually makes a persuasive case for letting kids manage their own Halloween stash (within limits). The idea is that by letting kids overdo it when they first get all the candy, it takes that little forbidden edge off eating sweets. For older kids, she argues, letting them totally control their own candy intake can be an extremely useful for teaching them about snacking. After a couple of days, the sugar will lose its allure and it will become a snacktime treat again.
This post was related to a larger series on the Raising Healthy Eaters blog about managing sweets, and though it went against my first instinct I have to say it makes sense. If parents micromanage too much, kids don't get to make their own (relatively low-stakes) mistakes and thus never learn to make healthy, smart decisions in the first place. We can teach by example, of course, but what we learn through doing is always going to be the easiest to remember.
What do you think? Is it worth braving a few days' chaos to let kids take control of their own decisions about sweets for a little while?
This blog is brought to you by A Quantum Leap Tutoring, here for all your tutoring needs in Florida!
I was prepared to write a post, today, about taking control of the Halloween loot and carefully doling it out in small doses to minimize sugar spikes and crashes... but while looking for some good information on that topic, I actually came across something intriguing. Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen at Raise Healthy Eaters actually makes a persuasive case for letting kids manage their own Halloween stash (within limits). The idea is that by letting kids overdo it when they first get all the candy, it takes that little forbidden edge off eating sweets. For older kids, she argues, letting them totally control their own candy intake can be an extremely useful for teaching them about snacking. After a couple of days, the sugar will lose its allure and it will become a snacktime treat again.
This post was related to a larger series on the Raising Healthy Eaters blog about managing sweets, and though it went against my first instinct I have to say it makes sense. If parents micromanage too much, kids don't get to make their own (relatively low-stakes) mistakes and thus never learn to make healthy, smart decisions in the first place. We can teach by example, of course, but what we learn through doing is always going to be the easiest to remember.
What do you think? Is it worth braving a few days' chaos to let kids take control of their own decisions about sweets for a little while?
This blog is brought to you by A Quantum Leap Tutoring, here for all your tutoring needs in Florida!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Candy Bar Charts and Using Spreadsheets
Halloween is finally upon us! In honor of our last post before Halloween (tune in again on Monday for some timely tips on sugar and snack intake and study habits), here's a little activity that serves two purposes: it's a math and computer skills exercise for the kids, and a way for parents to see just how much candy came in from trick-or-treating. I actually do this every year.
Supplies needed:
1) Lots of candy! If you've eaten some of it already, you can just use the empty wrappers, too.
2) A surface to separate candy out to sort and count it (even the floor works for this)
3) A computer with a spreadsheet program loaded up. If you have the MS Office Suite, Excel will do the trick; you can download the OpenOffice.org Suite for free and use OpenOffice Calc; or you can just go online and create a new Google Docs spreadsheet (from the link, click "Create New" and pick "Spreadsheet"). Alternatively, this will work on graph paper with a pencil and crayons for coloring in charts!
Step 1: Picking categories and sorting. Sort all the candy into categories. You can pick your categories: sort of color of wrapper, by type of candy (candy bar, fruit drop, etc.), by specific candy brand, or by company making the candy (M&M/Mars, etc.). Count up how many are in each category.
Step 2: Typing up your results. Create a spreadsheet. In the first column (A), list your categories. In the second column (B), list how many you have of each.
Step 3: Making a chart. Make a bar chart or pie chart comparing how many you have of each. Use the "chart wizard" to do this in MS Excel, or by going to the Insert menu and selecting "Chart" in either OpenOffice Calc or Google Docs, and following the on-screen directions. The chart will show you what type of candy, of your categories, was most popular to hand out.
Step 4: Calculating your total stash. After you've finished your chart, you can also figure out the total number of pieces of candy using the spreadsheet's auto-sum feature. In any of the programs I've listed, you can pick a cell (box on the spreadsheet) off to the right somewhere and type in "=SUM(B1:B100)" (without the quotes). Hit enter, and you'll see the total number of pieces of candy. This command adds up all the numbers in column B, from rows 1 to 100 (so unless you've got more than 100 categories, this should more than cover it!). Type "Total Candy" in the box to the right of this number so you'll know what it is later.
Step 5: Figuring out an average. You can also figure out the average number of pieces of candy per category. In the cell under your total number, type in "=AVERAGE(B1:B100)" (without quotes). Hit enter to see the average. You can label this as the average by typing "Average" in the cell to the right of this formula.
Step 6: Figuring out the mode. The mode is the most likely number to find in a group of numbers - the one that occurs most often. If all your numbers of pieces of candy listed are different, you'll get an error message for this formula, but if one number is more common than others, the spreadsheet software can find it. Under your average, type "=MODE(B1:B100)" (without the quotes). Hit enter to see the mode. If you have 5 pieces of bubble gum AND 5 Babe Ruth bars, but all the other categories have different numbers, your mode will be 5. If there are two possible modes, the software will pick one. If no number is more common than the others, there's no mode and you'll get an error message. Label this as the "Mode" in the cell to the right.
Step 7: Making adjustments. Feel like eating a piece of candy? Subtract it from the correct category and see your total and average (and maybe your mode) change! This is the real beauty of spreadsheets - that the formulas can keep updating as you update the information in the spreadsheet.
If your child is struggling in math - or any other subject - we're here to help at A Quantum Leap Tutoring. We're here for all your tutoring needs, any subject, any time of year, all over the state of Florida. Please give us a call so we can figure out the best plan to help your child with his or her own needs - while keeping your child's strengths in mind, too.
Supplies needed:
1) Lots of candy! If you've eaten some of it already, you can just use the empty wrappers, too.
2) A surface to separate candy out to sort and count it (even the floor works for this)
3) A computer with a spreadsheet program loaded up. If you have the MS Office Suite, Excel will do the trick; you can download the OpenOffice.org Suite for free and use OpenOffice Calc; or you can just go online and create a new Google Docs spreadsheet (from the link, click "Create New" and pick "Spreadsheet"). Alternatively, this will work on graph paper with a pencil and crayons for coloring in charts!
Step 1: Picking categories and sorting. Sort all the candy into categories. You can pick your categories: sort of color of wrapper, by type of candy (candy bar, fruit drop, etc.), by specific candy brand, or by company making the candy (M&M/Mars, etc.). Count up how many are in each category.
Step 2: Typing up your results. Create a spreadsheet. In the first column (A), list your categories. In the second column (B), list how many you have of each.
Step 3: Making a chart. Make a bar chart or pie chart comparing how many you have of each. Use the "chart wizard" to do this in MS Excel, or by going to the Insert menu and selecting "Chart" in either OpenOffice Calc or Google Docs, and following the on-screen directions. The chart will show you what type of candy, of your categories, was most popular to hand out.
Step 4: Calculating your total stash. After you've finished your chart, you can also figure out the total number of pieces of candy using the spreadsheet's auto-sum feature. In any of the programs I've listed, you can pick a cell (box on the spreadsheet) off to the right somewhere and type in "=SUM(B1:B100)" (without the quotes). Hit enter, and you'll see the total number of pieces of candy. This command adds up all the numbers in column B, from rows 1 to 100 (so unless you've got more than 100 categories, this should more than cover it!). Type "Total Candy" in the box to the right of this number so you'll know what it is later.
Step 5: Figuring out an average. You can also figure out the average number of pieces of candy per category. In the cell under your total number, type in "=AVERAGE(B1:B100)" (without quotes). Hit enter to see the average. You can label this as the average by typing "Average" in the cell to the right of this formula.
Step 6: Figuring out the mode. The mode is the most likely number to find in a group of numbers - the one that occurs most often. If all your numbers of pieces of candy listed are different, you'll get an error message for this formula, but if one number is more common than others, the spreadsheet software can find it. Under your average, type "=MODE(B1:B100)" (without the quotes). Hit enter to see the mode. If you have 5 pieces of bubble gum AND 5 Babe Ruth bars, but all the other categories have different numbers, your mode will be 5. If there are two possible modes, the software will pick one. If no number is more common than the others, there's no mode and you'll get an error message. Label this as the "Mode" in the cell to the right.
Step 7: Making adjustments. Feel like eating a piece of candy? Subtract it from the correct category and see your total and average (and maybe your mode) change! This is the real beauty of spreadsheets - that the formulas can keep updating as you update the information in the spreadsheet.
If your child is struggling in math - or any other subject - we're here to help at A Quantum Leap Tutoring. We're here for all your tutoring needs, any subject, any time of year, all over the state of Florida. Please give us a call so we can figure out the best plan to help your child with his or her own needs - while keeping your child's strengths in mind, too.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Halloween crafts!
Welcome back! At A Quantum Leap Tutoring, just like everywhere else, we're continuing to gear up for Halloween. Maybe you've been decorating for weeks now, or maybe some of you, like me, are crossing your fingers that you'll find some spare time to dig out the cobwebs and blacklight this Saturday... or to run out to the store to buy some decorations when last year's turn out to have gone missing.
But not all Halloween decorations need be purchased, nor do you have to be Martha Stewart - or even an adult! - to make great-looking decorations. Today, we've rounded up some links to super-easy Halloween crafts for kids to do, with you or even on their own, to spruce up the house to an appropriate level of spookiness by Sunday.
I'm not a gifted crafter myself, so I loved all the free craft patterns and instructions on allfreecraft.com's Halloween craft page. Every project (scroll down) has its own step-by-step instructions - with photos, so everyone can look at the project before you go finding supplies and decide if it would be something worth making. My favorites are the Halloween in a Jar "snowglobe" and the CD Pumpkin. I'm always a fan of reusing things for crafts; of the three "R"s, recycle, reduce, and reuse, people most often forget about reusing, or it just doesn't occur to us! There's no need to go out and buy a bunch of supplies for any of these crafts; use what you've got. For instance, the Egg Carton Bat (another great craft for using something you've already got lying around) says you need black paint, but even a black marker would do.
Along the same lines, familyfun.go.com has a lot of great ideas for Halloween decorations. One I think is great and unique is the House-o'-Lantern, which gives instructions for making your whole house into a pumpkin of sorts! Even without the orange tissue paper this would be pretty neat-looking, I think. Best of all, this site has 40 last-minute costume ideas.
When the decorating and preparation are easy, that means no stress about getting everything done on top of studying. It's a great celebration, but it also comes at the time of year when lots of students are starting to really struggle in school. The review at the beginning of the year is over, and we're getting deep into the new material, and it's a time when we often need to reevaluate plans for students. Tutoring can be a great option to supplement when students are struggling with background concepts necessary for their schoolwork. Remember, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here for all your tutoring needs, so give yourself a little peace of mind and enjoy the spooky season!
But not all Halloween decorations need be purchased, nor do you have to be Martha Stewart - or even an adult! - to make great-looking decorations. Today, we've rounded up some links to super-easy Halloween crafts for kids to do, with you or even on their own, to spruce up the house to an appropriate level of spookiness by Sunday.
I'm not a gifted crafter myself, so I loved all the free craft patterns and instructions on allfreecraft.com's Halloween craft page. Every project (scroll down) has its own step-by-step instructions - with photos, so everyone can look at the project before you go finding supplies and decide if it would be something worth making. My favorites are the Halloween in a Jar "snowglobe" and the CD Pumpkin. I'm always a fan of reusing things for crafts; of the three "R"s, recycle, reduce, and reuse, people most often forget about reusing, or it just doesn't occur to us! There's no need to go out and buy a bunch of supplies for any of these crafts; use what you've got. For instance, the Egg Carton Bat (another great craft for using something you've already got lying around) says you need black paint, but even a black marker would do.
Along the same lines, familyfun.go.com has a lot of great ideas for Halloween decorations. One I think is great and unique is the House-o'-Lantern, which gives instructions for making your whole house into a pumpkin of sorts! Even without the orange tissue paper this would be pretty neat-looking, I think. Best of all, this site has 40 last-minute costume ideas.
When the decorating and preparation are easy, that means no stress about getting everything done on top of studying. It's a great celebration, but it also comes at the time of year when lots of students are starting to really struggle in school. The review at the beginning of the year is over, and we're getting deep into the new material, and it's a time when we often need to reevaluate plans for students. Tutoring can be a great option to supplement when students are struggling with background concepts necessary for their schoolwork. Remember, A Quantum Leap Tutoring is always here for all your tutoring needs, so give yourself a little peace of mind and enjoy the spooky season!
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A Safe (and Not So Scary) Halloween
Though we all know that Halloween is all about spookiness and fright, and big kids really relish it, for both the younger and older folks, it can be a little TOO scary. Little kids can find the emphasis on startles and scares overwhelming, and as parents, it can be scary letting kids out to roam around the neighborhood. With that in mind, we have a couple of tips on staying safe, and on fun, less scary activities for those kids not loving the spooky atmosphere.
First, to put parents' minds at ease, a couple of short reads on Halloween trick-or-treating safety, one from Education.com and one from AlphaMom. The Education.com link has some great tips for older kids who might be trick-or-treating on their own, and the link from AlphaMom article has some excellent tips on safety gear.
But now for the younger crowd who might be feeling a bit apprehensive about the holiday, here are a couple of useful links I found for a less scary Halloween celebration:
Playing Halloween Bingo. The version in that link is all about finding images in printed media in the week leading up to Halloween, but for younger kids it could be a fun opportunity for them to look for Halloween-related images just around in their day-to-day lives - grocery shopping, in the car, etc. - and cross off anything they see!
Not-So-Scary Halloween Books for younger readers. Nothing like a good book to get into the spirit of the season without getting the shivers!
Come back next Monday evening for more great links! Or, subscribe to our RSS feed to get automatic updates in your browser (look for the little orange symbol that looks like a signal being transmitted in your browser's toolbar).
First, to put parents' minds at ease, a couple of short reads on Halloween trick-or-treating safety, one from Education.com and one from AlphaMom. The Education.com link has some great tips for older kids who might be trick-or-treating on their own, and the link from AlphaMom article has some excellent tips on safety gear.
But now for the younger crowd who might be feeling a bit apprehensive about the holiday, here are a couple of useful links I found for a less scary Halloween celebration:
Playing Halloween Bingo. The version in that link is all about finding images in printed media in the week leading up to Halloween, but for younger kids it could be a fun opportunity for them to look for Halloween-related images just around in their day-to-day lives - grocery shopping, in the car, etc. - and cross off anything they see!
Not-So-Scary Halloween Books for younger readers. Nothing like a good book to get into the spirit of the season without getting the shivers!
Come back next Monday evening for more great links! Or, subscribe to our RSS feed to get automatic updates in your browser (look for the little orange symbol that looks like a signal being transmitted in your browser's toolbar).
Monday, October 18, 2010
Pumpkins and Costumes and Newsletters, oh my!
Halloween is just around the corner! Most people are familiar with their local traditions here in the U.S. for Halloween, but how much do you know about the history of Halloween, or about how other people around the world celebrate the holiday? Education.com has some great articles on these topics if you want to know more.
Here's a little of what I learned from those articles. For one thing, it turns out that turnips, not pumpkins, were traditionally carved to be used as candle holders. And although Halloween as it is celebrated in the U.S. is pretty uniquely American, a lot of countries have similar holidays for honoring the dead or partying in costumes - Great Britain even celebrates with fireworks!
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you'll have seen a link to a great set of activities about pumpkins over at EducationWorld.com. My favorite is called Predicting Pumpkins, a hands-on science activity for all ages. All you need is a couple of different-sized pumpkins and the instructions from that page (printing a couple of copies of the PDF worksheet can't hurt). At the end you get to carve your pumpkins just as you normally would, and your front porch will look even better for having diverse sizes of pumpkins carved on it!
The whole activity is written as a lesson plan for a classroom - but remember, the real world and home are both great classrooms! It might be reasonable to adapt activities written as lesson plans for home use, but there are so many lesson plans available online that can be a lot of fun to do at home, even if you don't fill out worksheets or get graded like in school.
If you missed that link because you don't subscribe to our newsletter yet, please sign up! It's free and comes out once a month, full of great tips, contests, and fun education resources. You can sign up on our website, http://www.tutoringbycity.com - just scroll down and put your information in. We won't be selling your email address - you'll just get a monthly email with all kinds of useful information (and the occasional tutoring discount) in it!
Come back Wednesday for some more useful tips about making Halloween a safe and less scary holiday! We're so used to Halloween being about screams and fright - but the holiday can be more friendly for the younger crowd, or for any of us not looking to be scared out of our wits.
Here's a little of what I learned from those articles. For one thing, it turns out that turnips, not pumpkins, were traditionally carved to be used as candle holders. And although Halloween as it is celebrated in the U.S. is pretty uniquely American, a lot of countries have similar holidays for honoring the dead or partying in costumes - Great Britain even celebrates with fireworks!
If you subscribe to our newsletter, you'll have seen a link to a great set of activities about pumpkins over at EducationWorld.com. My favorite is called Predicting Pumpkins, a hands-on science activity for all ages. All you need is a couple of different-sized pumpkins and the instructions from that page (printing a couple of copies of the PDF worksheet can't hurt). At the end you get to carve your pumpkins just as you normally would, and your front porch will look even better for having diverse sizes of pumpkins carved on it!
The whole activity is written as a lesson plan for a classroom - but remember, the real world and home are both great classrooms! It might be reasonable to adapt activities written as lesson plans for home use, but there are so many lesson plans available online that can be a lot of fun to do at home, even if you don't fill out worksheets or get graded like in school.
If you missed that link because you don't subscribe to our newsletter yet, please sign up! It's free and comes out once a month, full of great tips, contests, and fun education resources. You can sign up on our website, http://www.tutoringbycity.com - just scroll down and put your information in. We won't be selling your email address - you'll just get a monthly email with all kinds of useful information (and the occasional tutoring discount) in it!
Come back Wednesday for some more useful tips about making Halloween a safe and less scary holiday! We're so used to Halloween being about screams and fright - but the holiday can be more friendly for the younger crowd, or for any of us not looking to be scared out of our wits.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Welcome to A Quantum Leap's blog!
Hello, everyone! Whether you're familiar with A Quantum Leap Tutoring already or not, thanks for stopping by our blog!
For those of you not familiar with A Quantum Leap, we're an educational services company providing personal tutoring and educational consultation throughout the state of Florida. We are headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, but we also have regional offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. But we don't just do tutoring at our regional offices - we have tutors in all areas of the state, and can tutor at your local library, at a nearby community center, or even in your home! You can find the address of your local regional office here, visit our website at http://www.tutoringbycity.com to find out more about our services, or call us toll-free at (877) 295-LEAP to start figuring out the best option for you or your child. We can help you find a tutor in Florida just about anywhere!
Here on the blog, each week we'll be bringing you some useful thoughts and resources on a couple of topics relevant to education... not just in Florida, but everywhere!
The Internet is full of great information, but a quick search for information on tutoring services or any other topic can quickly get bogged down in information overload. Our goal is to bring you some of the best information we've found out there, plus wisdom from our own educational professionals right here at A Quantum Leap. Our company hires certified teachers, paraprofessionals, and other experienced educators for a reason - they know what they're talking about! So we'd like to help share their collective wisdom and that of educators, parents, and students all over.
One of the most helpful pages I've come across in my research has been a little vocabulary list useful to students, parents, and educators alike - Education.com's Educational Terms Study Guide.
You know the face of education has changed in the last few years - well, so has the way we talk about it. Schools, politicians, and the media use a lot of terminology to describe education and how we determine whether or not our educational systems are working that's either new, or newly applied to education. This list gives a great overview of some of the most commonly-used terms in education these days, with a clear explanation of each. You've probably seen lots of these words before in some context or another, but if you've ever found yourself wondering, "What does accountability mean for my child?" or "Exactly what ARE benchmarks?" this is a great, short read.
Thanks for stopping by! We'll be back next week with a new topic. What would YOU like to read about?
For those of you not familiar with A Quantum Leap, we're an educational services company providing personal tutoring and educational consultation throughout the state of Florida. We are headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, but we also have regional offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Sarasota, Tallahassee, Tampa, and West Palm Beach. But we don't just do tutoring at our regional offices - we have tutors in all areas of the state, and can tutor at your local library, at a nearby community center, or even in your home! You can find the address of your local regional office here, visit our website at http://www.tutoringbycity.com to find out more about our services, or call us toll-free at (877) 295-LEAP to start figuring out the best option for you or your child. We can help you find a tutor in Florida just about anywhere!
Here on the blog, each week we'll be bringing you some useful thoughts and resources on a couple of topics relevant to education... not just in Florida, but everywhere!
The Internet is full of great information, but a quick search for information on tutoring services or any other topic can quickly get bogged down in information overload. Our goal is to bring you some of the best information we've found out there, plus wisdom from our own educational professionals right here at A Quantum Leap. Our company hires certified teachers, paraprofessionals, and other experienced educators for a reason - they know what they're talking about! So we'd like to help share their collective wisdom and that of educators, parents, and students all over.
One of the most helpful pages I've come across in my research has been a little vocabulary list useful to students, parents, and educators alike - Education.com's Educational Terms Study Guide.
You know the face of education has changed in the last few years - well, so has the way we talk about it. Schools, politicians, and the media use a lot of terminology to describe education and how we determine whether or not our educational systems are working that's either new, or newly applied to education. This list gives a great overview of some of the most commonly-used terms in education these days, with a clear explanation of each. You've probably seen lots of these words before in some context or another, but if you've ever found yourself wondering, "What does accountability mean for my child?" or "Exactly what ARE benchmarks?" this is a great, short read.
Thanks for stopping by! We'll be back next week with a new topic. What would YOU like to read about?
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