In-Home Tutoring: Customized Plans for Every Student
Every student is unique, with their own set of strengths, weaknesses, and learning preferences. Understanding these individual differences is crucial for developing effective educational strategies. When we take the time to assess a student’s learning needs, we open the door to personalized learning plans tailored just for them. This approach ensures that each student receives the support they need to succeed academically.
Personalized learning plans are about more than just customizing lessons; they involve a deep understanding of a student’s learning style and adapting teaching methods accordingly. By doing this, we can make learning more engaging and accessible. It’s not just about making the material interesting, but about making it understandable and retainable.
Creating these learning plans involves continuous assessment and adaptation. As students grow and their needs change, it’s essential to regularly review and adjust their learning plans to keep them on the path to success. This dynamic approach allows us to address any challenges promptly and keeps learning a positive and empowering experience for each student.
Assessing Individual Learning Needs
Understanding each student’s unique learning needs is the first step in providing effective tutoring. Every child has different strengths and areas where they need more support. By assessing these needs, we can create a clear picture of what will help them succeed. This involves observing their learning style, whether they are visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. Additionally, we consider factors like their attention span, interests, and any specific challenges they face in their studies.
We also gather information from parents and teachers to get a comprehensive understanding of the student’s academic background. This helps us identify patterns in their learning and any particular subjects that may require extra focus. Conducting initial assessments through informal quizzes or engaging activities provides concrete data on their skill levels and areas for improvement. This thorough understanding enables us to create a tailored and effective learning plan for each student.
Developing Personalized Learning Plans
Once we understand the individual learning needs of the student, we move on to developing personalized learning plans. These plans are specifically designed to address the unique strengths and weaknesses of the student. We set clear and achievable goals to keep the student motivated and on track. These goals are broken down into smaller steps, making them easier to manage and accomplish.
Our personalized learning plans also incorporate various teaching methods that align with the student’s preferred learning style. For example, if a student learns best through visual aids, we include diagrams, charts, and videos in their study materials. For auditory learners, we might use storytelling, discussions, and audio recordings. We also ensure the learning plan is flexible enough to adapt to changes in the student’s progress and needs. This tailored approach helps create a more engaging and effective learning experience for the student, enabling them to reach their full academic potential.
Adapting Teaching Methods to Fit the Student
Tailoring teaching methods to fit the student is essential for effective learning. Each student absorbs information differently, so adapting our approach ensures they get the most out of each session. For example, if a student is a visual learner, we use tools like diagrams, flashcards, and visual aids to help them understand complex concepts. If they are an auditory learner, we incorporate discussions, readings aloud, and verbal repetition into our sessions.
Another key aspect is flexibility in teaching methods. We regularly change our techniques based on the student’s progress and feedback. For kinesthetic learners, we include hands-on activities, experiments, or building models, which makes learning more interactive and enjoyable. By continuously adapting our methods, we not only keep the student engaged but also ensure that the lessons resonate with them and lead to better comprehension and retention.
Regular Review and Plan Adjustments
Regular review and adjustments are critical in keeping the learning plan effective and relevant. We continuously monitor the student’s progress through quizzes, assignments, and regular feedback sessions. This helps us identify any areas where the student may be struggling and allows us to refine our strategies accordingly. Frequent reviews also provide an opportunity to celebrate the student’s achievements and milestones, which boosts their confidence and motivation.
Based on these reviews, we adjust the learning plan to meet the evolving needs of the student. Whether it’s shifting focus to different subjects, incorporating new teaching methods, or setting new goals, these adjustments ensure that the plan remains aligned with the student’s current needs and abilities. This dynamic approach allows us to address any challenges promptly and keep the student on a steady path towards academic improvement.
Conclusion
In-home tutoring offers a personalized and focused approach to education, helping students build strong study habits and achieve their academic goals. Through careful assessment and tailored learning plans, we address the unique needs of each student, making learning more effective and enjoyable. By continuously adapting teaching methods and regularly reviewing progress, we ensure that the tutoring sessions are always aligned with the student’s evolving needs.
If you’re seeking reliable and personalized academic tutoring services that can make a real difference in your child’s education, Prep Academy Tutors is here to help. Our dedicated tutors provide individualized support to foster academic success and build lifelong learning skills. Contact Prep Academy Tutors today to take the first step towards enhancing your child’s educational journey.
Boosting Confidence and Skills Through Home Tutoring
Confidence plays a significant role in a student’s academic journey. When students feel confident, they are more likely to engage in class, participate in discussions, and tackle challenging subjects with a can-do attitude. However, building this confidence doesn’t happen overnight, and it often requires a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages growth and learning at a comfortable pace. This is where in-home tutoring can make a substantial difference.
Our focus is on creating a tailored learning experience that meets the specific needs of each student. By offering one-on-one attention, in-home tutors can identify individual strengths and weaknesses, adjusting their techniques to suit the learner’s style. This personalized approach helps students grasp difficult concepts more easily, mastering skills that might be overlooked in a traditional classroom setting.
In addition to academic support, the comfort and familiarity of home bring an added layer of security. Students feel more relaxed and open to learning when they are in a familiar environment, free from the distractions and pressures of a busy classroom. This positive learning atmosphere enables students to ask questions freely, make mistakes without fear, and ultimately develop a stronger sense of self-assurance in their abilities.
Understanding the Role of Confidence in Academic Success
Confidence plays a vital role in a student’s academic journey. When children believe in their abilities, they are more likely to take on challenges and persist through difficulties. Confidence helps reduce anxiety, making it easier for students to participate in class, tackle new subjects, and excel in exams. It builds a foundation for lifelong learning and curiosity, which are essential for academic and personal growth.
Lack of confidence, on the other hand, can hinder a student’s progress. It can lead to avoidance of difficult tasks, decreased participation, and even declining grades. As tutors, we see the impact of confidence first-hand. By nurturing a positive self-image and providing consistent encouragement, we can help students build the resilience they need to handle academic pressures. Through personalized tutoring sessions, we aim to boost confidence by celebrating small achievements and setting attainable goals, making each step toward success feel rewarding.
Personalized Tutoring Techniques to Build Skills
Each student learns differently, and personalized tutoring is designed to address these varying learning styles. By tailoring our teaching methods to fit the specific needs of each child, we can effectively build their skills and knowledge. One-on-one tutoring sessions allow us to focus on areas where the student struggles and create a customized plan to improve their abilities.
For example, if a student has difficulty with math, we use different techniques such as visual aids, practical applications, or interactive activities to make learning more engaging and understandable. Regular practice combined with immediate feedback helps in identifying mistakes and learning from them promptly. This targeted approach ensures that the student improves academically and gains confidence in their ability to master challenging subjects.
We use a variety of teaching tools and methods to cater to each student’s unique needs. This helps keep the learning process dynamic and interesting, encouraging students to stay motivated and engaged. Over time, these personalized tutoring techniques lead to significant improvements in academic skills and self-assurance.
How Home Tutoring Fosters a Positive Learning Environment
Home tutoring creates a supportive and positive atmosphere that is essential for effective learning. Unlike the traditional classroom, personalized tutoring sessions are conducted in a comfortable, familiar environment, which helps students feel more at ease. This relaxed setting is particularly beneficial for those who experience anxiety or pressure in group settings, as it allows them to focus better and engage more openly with the material.
Additionally, one-on-one tutoring provides an opportunity for immediate feedback and tailored instruction, which are crucial for clear understanding and retention. By receiving individual attention, students can ask questions freely and receive explanations that are specific to their needs. This personalized approach helps to build a trusting relationship between the tutor and student, which further enhances the learning experience. Positive reinforcement and encouragement from a dedicated tutor can significantly boost a student’s confidence and motivation to learn.
Celebrating Achievements and Encouraging Continuous Growth
Celebrating small and big accomplishments is vital for maintaining a student’s motivation and self-esteem. Recognizing their efforts and progress, whether it’s completing a challenging assignment or improving test scores, reinforces positive behaviour and encourages continued effort. It’s important to set realistic and attainable goals for each session and acknowledge when these goals are met. This way, students can see their progress and feel a sense of accomplishment, which inspires them to keep striving for excellence.
Encouragement should go beyond simply passing tests or finishing homework. It’s about fostering a growth mindset where students learn to appreciate the process of learning itself. Celebrate perseverance, creativity, and problem-solving skills alongside academic achievements. This holistic approach helps students understand that learning is a continuous journey with opportunities for personal growth and development. Encouraging parents to participate in these celebrations can also strengthen the support system around the students, making them feel valued and motivated to achieve more.
Conclusion
A structured and supportive home tutoring environment plays a crucial role in enhancing a student’s study habits and overall academic success. By creating a personalized study schedule, balancing schoolwork with extracurricular activities, and fostering a positive learning atmosphere, we help students build the skills they need to thrive. Celebrating both their academic and personal growth further boosts their confidence and fosters a lifelong love for learning.
If you want to give your child the advantage of a personalized and encouraging learning experience, consider the benefits of home tutoring with Prep Academy Tutors. Our experienced tutors are dedicated to helping students reach their full potential by tailoring sessions to meet their unique needs and goals. Let’s make the journey of learning a rewarding and enjoyable experience for your child. Contact us today to learn more and get started.
A Comprehensive Guide to Effective At-Home Learning in North America
The education landscape is constantly evolving, and for some families in North America, homeschooling has emerged as a popular alternative to the traditional school system. With an increasing number of parents opting to educate their children at home, it’s essential to understand the ins and outs of this approach and how it can benefit your child’s learning experience.
In this comprehensive guide to homeschooling, Prep Academy Tutors will dive into the benefits, challenges, and useful strategies to create an effective at-home learning environment.
Creating an Effective At-Home Learning Environment
One of the keys to successful homeschooling is creating an environment that fosters learning and encourages productivity. Setting up a dedicated space for your child’s education can help them stay focused and organized throughout their studies. Consider the following tips when designing a conducive at-home learning environment:
1. Designate a specific area for learning: Choose a quiet place in your home, free from distractions, to create a separate learning zone for your child. This space should be equipped with comfortable seating, a desk, storage for books and supplies, and proper lighting to encourage focus and productivity.
2. Keep the space organized: An organized workspace can promote efficiency and reduce stress. Invest in storage solutions, such as shelves, drawers, and bins, to keep books, papers, and supplies neat and accessible.
3. Include age-appropriate resources: Be sure to provide your child with a variety of educational materials, including textbooks, workbooks, and engaging learning resources such as educational games, puzzles, and art supplies.
4. Create a daily schedule: Establish a consistent routine for your homeschooling days, including start and end times, breaks, and time for independent work. This structure helps children transition smoothly between tasks and stay on track with their learning goals.
The Importance of Socialization in Homeschooling
One common concern among prospective homeschooling parents is the potential lack of socialization opportunities for their children. While it’s true that homeschooling can limit exposure to peer groups, there are plenty of ways to ensure that your child develops rich and meaningful social connections.
1. Participate in local groups or co-ops: Many communities offer homeschooling support groups or co-operatives, allowing children to learn and socialize with their peers in a group setting. Engaging in these types of activities can foster a sense of community and provide social interaction for your child.
2. Arrange playdates and field trips: Networking with other homeschooling families in your area can create opportunities for playdates and group outings. These gatherings allow children to develop their social skills while also enriching their educational experience.
3. Enroll in extracurricular activities: To further broaden their social circle and cultivate additional interests, consider enrolling your child in local community-based activities such as sports teams, dance classes, or art workshops.
4. Volunteer in your community: Encouraging your child to participate in local volunteering initiatives can help them develop valuable life skills while also instilling a sense of civic responsibility and fostering empathy for others.
Showcasing Homeschooling Success Stories
Despite misconceptions, homeschooled children can achieve great success both academically and personally. Numerous studies have shown that homeschooled students often outperform their traditionally schooled counterparts in standardized tests and college entrance exams.
Additionally, homeschooling provides the opportunity for children to excel in their areas of interest by allowing them to dedicate more time and resources to their passions. Consequently, many homeschooled students have gone on to achieve great success in a variety of fields, including sports, arts, and entrepreneurship.
Finally, homeschooled children often exhibit strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, in part due to the personalized attention they receive during their education. These enhanced capabilities can contribute to their later success in higher education and the workplace.
Helpful Resources for Homeschooling Parents
Embarking on a homeschooling journey can feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to developing a curriculum and lesson plans. Fortunately, there are numerous resources available to support homeschooling parents.
1. Curriculum providers: Opting for a pre-designed curriculum can reduce stress and ensure that your child’s education adheres to provincial or state standards. There are various curriculum providers available, offering complete subject packages or individual courses.
2. Online resources: The internet offers a wealth of homeschooling materials, such as lesson plans, worksheets, and educational video content, to enrich your child’s learning experience.
3. Library resources: Local libraries can provide valuable educational materials, as well as programs specifically tailored to homeschooling families.
4. Networking with other homeschooling families: Joining homeschooling communities, both online and offline, can provide invaluable support and guidance as you navigate your homeschooling journey.
Conclusion
While homeschooling presents unique challenges, the benefits of personalized education and the opportunity for family involvement can make it a rewarding experience for both parents and children. By creating an effective at-home learning environment, offering rich socialization opportunities, and drawing inspiration from homeschooling success stories, families can make the most of their homeschooling experience. If you’re considering homeschooling as part of your child’s educational journey, remember that Prep Academy Tutors is here to assist you with personalized, in-home tutoring services, guiding your child toward reaching their full potential.
Sneak In Summer Learning
Our last blog post was about Summer Learning Loss and how parents can combat it. One way to avoid this setback is to sneak in summer learning. Hiring a tutor is an excellent way to provide structure and support throughout the summer so your child retains what they have learned during the past school year however, there are many easy ways to sneak summer learning into your child’s day-to-day activities throughout July and August.
Sneak In Summer Learning: MATH
As discussed previously, on average, students can lose approximately 2.6 months of math learning over the summer, which can take up to six weeks of re-learning old material to make up for the loss. But math is also one of the most accessible subjects to sneak in summer learning, with opportunities to practice basic skills daily.
Host a Yard Sale:
Your kids will need to analyze what they are selling to set a price, be able to calculate change, and offer percentage or dollar discounts.
Get Cooking:
Having your kids help in the kitchen teaches them life skills and is an easy way to sneak in math, specifically when it comes to measurements. As your kids go through each recipe step, have them convert a measurement. For instance, if the recipe calls for three tablespoons, ask them how many teaspoons that would be.
Math Games for The Family:
Nothing sneaks in summer learning like family game night! Some of the best games that focus on math are:
Yahtzee
Mastermind
Battleship
Uno
Monopoly
Sneak In Summer Learning: SCIENCE
The wonderful thing about science is that even simple hands-on experiments requiring only a few materials can spark an interest in the subject for the upcoming school year.
You can create your own experiments or get inspiration here. This Prep Academy article also has three boredom-busting science experiments that will keep your kids engaged using basic household items you likely already have lying around.
Sneak In Summer Learning: READING/WRITING
Summer Scrapbook:
Have your child delve into their creative side by making a scrapbook where they journal their summer adventures. Use everything you have on hand – magazine clippings, stickers, markers, and construction paper – the sky is the limit! Have your kids incorporate creative storytelling for a fun way to practice writing that also makes a memory book they can look back on in the fall.
Garage Sales:
Build up your kids’ home library by hitting local garage sales and having them choose and buy books they would like to read.
Rethink Screen Time:
While you don’t want your kids to be in front of a screen for an entire summer, you can turn television time into reading time by simply turning on the closed captioning when they are watching their favourite shows.
Sneak In Summer Learning: GEOGRAPHY
Latitude/Longitude Part 1:
Whenever your child reads a book, magazine or newspaper article, have them find the latitude and longitude of the location where the focus of the article takes place and find it on a map.
Latitude/Longitude Part 2:
Have your child find their birthday latitude and longitude on a map. Use the month for latitude and day for longitude. If the birthday is October 18, the coordinates could be 10°N, 18°E or 10°S, 18°W. To expand on this, have them find out facts about the area they found.
Take a Virtual Tour of the World
Google Virtual Tours allows you to visit thirty historic landmarks worldwide, including the Taj Mahal, Great Sphinx of Giza and Stonehenge.
On a final note, summer learning loss is not inevitable. A combination of at-home learning and working with our certified tutors will help your child retain what they’ve already learned and confidently start the school year.
How To Combat Summer Learning Loss
Summer is upon us, which means many children go from a structured school routine to a more
relaxed daily schedule. While downtime in the summer is great, the two-month gap in learning
can cause summer learning loss, also referred to as the summer slide, brain drain, and the
summer setback. This can be frustrating for parents. After watching their child struggle to
master vital skills like writing and math over the course of the school year, summer comes along
and seems to wipe the memory clean. In this post we will cover some tips on how to combat summer learning loss.
It’s the old adage of ‘use it or lose it’ come to life. Without regular practice, new skills and
knowledge fade. What’s even more worrisome is that these dips in learning can be even more
dramatic as kids enter middle school.
One area that is hit particularly hard is math. On average, students can lose approximately 2.6
months of math learning over the summer. These setbacks can take up to six weeks of
re-learning old material to make up for summer learning loss.
How Do You Combat Summer Learning Loss?
July and August are a chance for children to combat learning loss and stay academically
motivated so that, when they return to school in the fall, they’ll be more than prepared.
Bring Play Into Learning
Since math is an area with the most significant summer learning loss, one of the most important
roles you can play in how to combat summer learning loss, is modelling interest in the value of math. Instead of thinking about math as a
chore, connect it to your child’s real-life experiences.
Find something your child is already passionate about, then draw out the mathematical
features. It’s a great way to help your kids see that math touches everything. If they like to draw,
you can find books or videos to teach them the importance of ratios, scaling, and angles. If
they’re interested in sports, use the hockey rink, football field, or soccer pitch to show the
importance of fractions.
Games like Yahtzee, Monopoly, and Sequence utilize basic math skills such as counting, adding,
and categorizing.
Hire a Tutor
A tutor can provide structure and support so your child will not only retain what they have
learned throughout the school year but can also improve their knowledge in advance of the
year to come. It’s also an opportunity to help your child overcome personal learning challenges
in a safe environment.
Make Reading An Everyday Activity
The results of a 2004 study suggest that the effect of reading four to five booksis potentially
large enough to prevent a decline in reading achievement scores from the spring to the fall.
Furthermore, children who reported easy access to books also read more books.
A few things you can do to make books more accessible are:
- Take a trip to your local library and allow your child to choose books of interest to them.
- Bring books on car rides or when you go to the park or beach
- Implement a quiet reading hour once a day
- Create a summer reading challenge
Literacy Activities
Journaling
Journaling is an excellent activity for kids to develop as readers, writers, and communicators.
Have them write whatever comes to mind, whatever is bothering them, whatever they’re
curious about, or whatever they want to remember.
The Neverending Story:
This is a fun activity for middle-school children. In a notebook, write the line “Once Upon A
Time….”
Each family member then adds a short paragraph to the story every day, with the next person
adding on to what was previously written. Not only does this help with writing, but it also helps
to inspire your child’s creativity and nourishes their imagination.
Word Jar:
Write down vocabulary words on slips of paper appropriate for your child’s age/grade and have
them choose one word each day. The challenge is for both of you to use that word in
conversation (using the proper context) as many times as you can that day.
Summer learning loss is not inevitable. By incorporating math skills into daily life, reading
regularly, and encouraging your children to write and journal, you are setting them up for a
successful school year ahead.
If you want to explore the possibility of tutoring this summer, contact us to learn more.
How To React To Your Child’s Report Card
How To React To Your Child’s Report Card
The end of the school year is near, which means final report cards will be coming home. This can be stressful for kids, especially if they feel like they haven’t lived up to expectations. How parents react to bad grades on a report card is important as it can affect your child’s future approach to studying and attitude towards learning.
According to parenting expert Alyson Schafer, “When report cards come home, your child knows full well that they are being measured. They will be thinking, “Am I good enough?” Your answers and facial expressions need to convey that they are already everything they need to be, and a report card doesn’t say a wit about them.”
No parent wants to see poor grades on their child’s report card, but if you do, don’t react instantly while your emotions are running high. Poor grades aren’t a measure of your child’s worth or your parenting skills. Once you have had time to calm yourself, use this as an opportunity to communicate with your son/daughter and determine a path for future academic enrichment.
If your child does bring home a report card with unsatisfactory grades, here’s what you can do:
Focus on the Positive
Imagine going to work, and your boss only points out everything you do wrong. It would be defeating and unmotivating, not to mention a very stressful environment. It’s the same for your child. Yes, you want the grades to improve, but your child also needs to know what they are doing right. Starting on a positive note helps them understand that you care about all their accomplishments, not just the areas that need improvement. Involve them in the discussion and ask questions like which grade they are proudest of and why.
Listen To Your Child
Your child can give you good insight as to why they are struggling. Ask open-ended questions about what they think happened. Was the work too difficult? Is the subject being taught too fast for them to keep up? Are they asking questions when problems arise?
Talk To The Teacher
Since this is the last report card of the year, you may ask yourself why bother speaking with the teacher. However, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about your child’s behaviour, habits, and performance in the classroom, which will ultimately help you develop a plan to improve your child’s academic performance.
Come Up With a Plan
Help your child set realistic and attainable goals for the coming year. Hiring a tutor for the summer months marks a chance for your child to combat learning loss and stay academically motivated so that, when they return to school in the fall, they’ll be more than prepared.
Last but not least, emphasize the importance of always trying their best and focusing on a love of life-long learning, not simply getting straight A’s.
Teaching Kids Problem Solving Skills At Home
As parents and educators, one of the greatest things we can do is provide our children with the skills to
solve problems by themselves. Kids of all ages face issues daily, and teaching them the process to solve
these problems will help them become confident, independent individuals.
If your child is struggling with a problem at home, you can do specific things to help.
Teach Your Child The Sequence To Solve a Problem
- Define the Problem: Defining the problem establishes a goal for what you want to achieve.
- Brainstorm Solutions: Create a list of possible solutions.
- Evaluate and Choose a Solution: The ideal solution will meet the goal, is efficient, and has the fewest
side effects. - Implement the Solution: This step is about testing and feedback rather than trying to get it ‘perfect’ the
first time. - Review the Results: Review what worked and what didn’t work.
Other ways you can teach your children problem-solving skills:
Model Problem Solving Behaviour
Problem-solving is often done in steps that can be slow and sometimes tedious. Model patience and
perseverance as well as how to follow a structured method.
Ask For Advice
When you face a problem, ask your kids for advice. This helps them develop problem-solving skills and
learn that everyone encounters challenges.
Learn From The Past
Oftentimes children will have encountered a similar situation previously. Have them think about a
comparable problem they have experienced in the past and how they were able to solve the issue. Teach
them that it’s okay to re-use strategies.
Ask Open-Ended Questions
While the easiest solution would be to give your child the answer, it doesn’t help him develop the skills
he needs to problem solve when you aren’t around. Instead, ask open-ended questions to help him
elaborate on his thoughts and provide a more descriptive response. Open-ended questions typically
begin with words like ‘why’ or ‘how’. A few examples of open-ended questions are:
What do you think would work best in this situation?
Why do you think this solution is the one that will work?
What will you do differently next time?
Emphasize the Process, Not The End Result
When you emphasize the process, it helps your child improve their problem-solving skills through effort
and practice and encourages a growth mindset. It also teaches them that the first solution may not
always be the best, and that’s okay.
What To Do When Your Child is Feeling Unmotivated To Learn
The second half of the school year is when many students often feel unmotivated to learn,
especially this past year with the back-and-forth of online and in-person learning. If your child is
feeling unmotivated, the first thing to do is let them know it’s normal to feel this way sometimes,
and that feeling unmotivated is something they will deal with throughout life. The good news is,
you can change it!
Have Your Kids Visualize Their Goals:
A study done in 2011 at the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech showed the easier a
goal is to see, the closer it seems. For instance, if your child has a goal of reading a certain
number of books before the end of the school year, you can create a poster with the title of each
book that they can cross off when it’s done. If they are striving to get a certain grade in a
subject, create a chart where they can document the results of their exams and projects in that
class.
Change Up Your Environment:
There are some things you can change and some things you can’t – like homework. If you can’t
change your to-do list, change where you get things done. Something as simple as finding a
new place you can study even if it’s just for one session can help your child feel more
motivated. Some ideas include:
- Moving to a new area in your home
- Take your homework outside to a local park or even just to your backyard or balcony
The local library.
Organize Workspace Both At Home and In School
Clutter affects not just your workspace but your mind as well. Our brains actually like order, and
if you are surrounded by clutter it drains your cognitive resources, reducing the ability to focus.
Go through both your at-home workspace and in-school workspace (including lockers) to get rid
of anything you don’t need and organize what is left. This is also a good time to create a
calendar on a device or utilize a planner to keep track of deadlines in each of your child’s
classes.
Teach Them To Take Care of Basic Needs
Kids are humans and it’s important that they are taking care of their needs like getting enough
sleep, eating well, staying hydrated, getting physical activity, and socializing. It’s hard to be
motivated to learn if you’re falling asleep in class, or can’t concentrate because you didn’t drink
enough water.
Consider Getting a Tutor
If your child is unmotivated to learn and homework has become a battle, consider hiring a tutor.
A tutor can turn homework and study into a positive experience by applying lessons in a way
that works with your child’s strengths while also teaching him/her time management and
learning skills.
The Power of Play in Your Child’s Learning
We often think of academics and play as two separate entities but study
after study shows us that play is an integral component in a child’s learning. Play is, in fact, so powerful, it can
be used as an intervention to close achievement gaps between children ages 3 to 6. Learning is
not simply cognitive and academic but is broad, interconnected, and dynamic.
Did you know that play is so important to optimal child development that it has been recognized
by the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights as a right of every child? Play allows
children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical,
cognitive, and emotional development. And as children master their world, play helps them to
develop new competencies which lead to enhanced confidence and resiliency. Our tutors often
see this boost in confidence when students grasp concepts that they were struggling with
previously.
What Play Can Do:
0 – 3 Years: Play at this age is about responsive social interactions that help children build
healthy brain connections.
3 – 12 Years: At this age, skills and concepts learned at school are deepened through play.
12+: Play helps kids to collaborate and problem-solve.
In addition to play being an integral component in a child’s learning, parents are an integral part of the tutoring process as well. How you reinforce the lessons your children
are learning through real-world practice is just as important as the learning itself. This doesn’t
necessarily mean printing out math sheets or having your kids write essays. A lesson on
fractions can be reinforced by baking cookies together. Playing a game of UNO with your kids
teaches them to strategize and match colours and numbers. What they learn with us, is
strengthened at home with you.
So this Family Day long weekend, don’t feel guilty about taking the time off to play. You’re helping to improve
their education.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Your Home Learning Plan
In Canada and around the world, parents have faced unprecedented difficulties over the past eight months as they have adjusted to a world of home education and distance learning. And with cases spiking across the country, there seems to be no end in sight.
Fortunately, ordinary people are rising to the challenge and finding creative solutions to education at home. From learning pods to hybrid online-offline education, parents are working hard to ensure that their children have a home set-up that is conducive to learning.
But in order to be truly effective, home learning arrangements need to be tweaked from time to time. It is important to be responsive to the evolving needs of children — particularly young children who may not be able to articulate frustrations with their learning environment in a straightforward way.
To this end, this article will provide a few points to help you figure out whether your home learning set-up is working or not, with some recommendations for giving your children the support that will help them focus at home throughout the coming academic year.
Home Learning Problems: How to Spot the Warning Signs
Even in the early days of the pandemic, it was clear that some students were coping better than others. Every child is different, and in a single family there can be wildly divergent responses to learning from home.
But if a child is struggling to keep up, or isn’t being sufficiently stimulated, or is simply bored of the material, there are generally a few consistent signs that learning isn’t happening. Here are some of the most common:
- Non-Attendance: as the pandemic rolls on, a growing number of students are failing to show up for their classes or submit homework. While truancy is often talked about as a disciplinary issue (and can simply reflect a desire to avoid schoolwork), it can also be a sign that kids are in over their heads and feel unable to keep up.
- Acting Out: Kids act out in all kinds of ways for all kinds of reasons, but researchers who study learning have found that children having a hard time in school often express it in roundabout ways, through aggression or attention-seeking behaviours.
- Listlessness: It’s easy to get into a rut when many of the leisure activities children rely on under normal circumstances are no longer available, but this is often exacerbated when kids are also facing an intellectual block of some kind.
- Spending too Much Time on Homework: It might seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes an overly assiduous attitude toward homework can actually be a sign of trouble, especially if this represents a departure from previous patterns of behaviour. If your child is spending hours a day on school-related tasks, this may be because they are completely overwhelmed.
Even under normal circumstances, it can be hard to tell the difference between ordinary frustrations with school and actual learning issues. But if your child is exhibiting any of these four behaviours, you may want to get in touch with their teacher for a second opinion.
How Tutoring can Help
One of the challenges of dealing with learning difficulties under the present conditions is that resources are already spread very thin.
On top of planning and teaching classes, teachers are in many cases responsible for ensuring a safe classroom environment and may have underlying conditions that keep them from being able to fully participate in school life during the pandemic. Teaching and support staff, already stretched thin before the pandemic, are not always in a position to offer extra help.
Unfortunately, in order to engage in effective learning, children really do need at least some one-on-one support from educators who can explain difficult concepts and provide the kind of nuanced feedback they need to make real progress.
For this reason, this might be the time to find your local tutor for subjects like Math, Science, French, and English so your children are able to get supplementary, personalized lessons that will complement what they are learning in the regular curriculum.
Instead of hoping it will all blow over so things can go back to normal soon, it only makes sense to start adapting to this reality now. With no end to the pandemic yet in sight, some education experts are advising that a mix of distanced learning and tutoring may be the future of homeschooling for all children.
Prep Academy Tutors is working hard to connect skilled tutors with children who need one-on-one or small group learning support during the pandemic, so look into the options available in your city for professional online and in-home tutors to see what kind of support may be available for your family.
Even at the best of times, kids struggle to keep up with their lessons and fall behind at times. To some extent this is simply normal for children of all ages, and shouldn’t be stigmatized. But for some children, the pandemic has created a perfect storm of isolation and anxiety that is only compounded by the difficulty of adapting to new learning styles, and in such situations an intervention may be necessary.
Evaluating the effectiveness of your learning plan, and adjusting it based on changing circumstances, is essential if you want to help your children make the best of this difficult time.
In some cases, bringing in added support in the form of tutoring may be one way to provide them with extra educational support. If you are interested in knowing more about how to find out about what tutoring services are available in your area, get in touch with Prep Academy Tutors today.