Headphones are Not Evil I marvel that some teachers despise headphones. They see no problem with asking a student to concentrate on difficult mental work like reading or writing, in a group of 20+ other people tightly packed. Many people who work in computer science, remote customer service, accounting, or many other fields routinely use […]
Grading is not necessary for learning Although grades almost define schooling over the last 75 years or so, grades do not enhance learning. Grading does not produce more educated students. In fact, the reverse is true. This is not new knowledge! Alfie Kohn’s book, Punished by Rewards, laid out the research showing that grades degrade […]
Why Temperament Awareness is Important for Tutors Often children who come for tutoring exhibit temperament traits that make classroom learning difficult. Tutors, because they work one-on-one, can adjust teaching style to temperament style. Thus, both learning and enjoyment increase. Activity Level Affects Classroom Learning High energy children need to move as they learn. This need […]
What does Sensory Comfort Mean? Sensory comfort refers to providing for student needs related to sounds, light, smells, textures, and tastes. Why Sensory Comfort is Important in a Tutoring Session Setting the stage for the best possible tutoring session involves helping the student become aware of his or her sensory environment. Sights or sounds that […]
What Does Dyspraxia Look Like? Dyspraxia comes from “praxis,” a Greek word describing the learned ability to plan and to carry out coordinated movements. Add “dys,” the Greek prefix meaning “bad,” and you get dyspraxia. It literally means bad sequential coordination. Dyspraxia looks like clumsiness, klutziness, and failure to think ahead. Recognizing Dyspraxia in Children […]
Is ADHD a Child Problem or a School Problem? Children who don’t sit still and work quietly at school often earn labels such as ADD or ADHD. A few children really do peg the unnaturally active meter, but in most cases, I believe the sedentary, indoors school setting carries most of the blame. Many children […]
Dyslexia and ADHD Can Produce School Trauma When a student hates school, wise parents take notice. As an academic tutor, I find that most children who hate school exhibit dyslexia or ADHD. Both of these learning differences affect reading, writing, and math. This does NOT mean the children are defective! It does mean the classroom […]
How to Choose a School How can you choose a good school? Clear research exists on which indicators are most important. Here’s the quick list, with details below. School size Teacher/student ratio Parent Participation Appropriate accommodations for students with special needs School Size is Most Important First find out how many students attend the school. […]