One goal, in the education process, is always creating collaboration between school and home.  How can teachers, parents and students work together for the best results?  Assigning homework that is relevant to the current topic and applicable to the student’s life is one way to form that connection.

Here are a couple of suggestions on creating meaningful homework:

• Assign a task that applies the knowledge, not just requires them to memorize.
• Have students create an assignment based on their understanding of the curriculum.
• Encourage students to think beyond the information provided to them.
• Add interest to the assignments so that students want to do the homework, not just get it done.
• As part of the assignments, ask students to demonstrate how the topic applies to their life.

By encouraging family involvement and independent thinking, your students will develop lifelong skills for learning.  They become responsible for communicating the information and the desired outcome to their families and taking responsibility and initiative for what is being asked of them.

Now is a good time to get your child involved in some activities that will document those memories and make plans for a fresh New Year.  Here are some suggestions that are fun and educational:

• Make a scrapbook.  The holidays are filled with photo opportunities.  A simple notebook, some glue and art materials can transform your child’s holiday memories into a documented keepsake.  They can add stories, photo descriptions, drawings, etc.
• Write a holiday story.  Encourage your child to pick something about the holiday and write about it.  Their interpretation might be far different from yours.  It will be an interesting story to read and share with them during future holiday seasons.
• Send thank you notes.  Children love getting gifts.  Sending a thank you note is a great way for your child to reach out to the one that was thoughtful enough to think of them and select a gift they thought was special.  This is a life-long practice that you can teach your child.
• Plan for the New Year.  Have your child create some goals for themselves for the New Year.  Suggest that they think about goals for their mind and body.  Maybe trying a new sport, participating in art or music, doing a better job keeping their things organized.

Very often, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season takes away from the true meaning and the memories that are made.  While you are packing away the decorations, finding a place for all the new stuff and getting everyone ready to start the New Year, take some time to create some new traditions with your child.

In a general educational setting, educators are focused on the day’s curriculum and presentation of material to a room full of students.  As an example, your child might not understand the lesson that is being taught and may struggle with voicing the lack of understanding for fear of embarrassment.  You may find this out during after-school homework where your child confesses “not getting it” or not knowing how to complete the homework about something learned in class that day.  This is your opportunity to talk with your child and work with him/her to find the root of the problem.

Becoming an advocate for your child at school is essential to their learning success.  There are several ways you can participate:

• Listen and be understanding to your child
• Analyze the issue to determine the right course of action
• Acquaint yourself with the staff at your child’s school so that you know the right person to contact in the event of a need
• Be aware of other community professions and student resources that will help with identifying or supporting a problem and resolution (doctors, counselors, tutors, etc.)
• Be prepared to work with the school and other community professionals until you and your child feel satisfied with the outcome
• Take action
• Support your child and encourage their independence in problem-solving

Your relationship with your child, as they mature, often includes acute awareness, helping them identify weaknesses or struggles and being their voice in working toward a resolution.  Maintaining a presence at school will provide you with the added benefit of being familiar with that environment, making for an already established open line of communication.

I recently came across a teaching style that not only forces students to be active, but gives them the freedom to learn by teaching and by working with peers.  This method is called Carousel Brainstorming.

What is Carousel Brainstorming?

During Carousel Brainstorming, students are divided into small groups that rotate through stations and offer input on the posted topic or question.  The teacher defines the overall topic of study and formulates questions for students to discuss and answer.  The student groups are of 5 or less and the groups will rotate around the room, going from question to question.  They are given a set amount of time to brainstorm and record their thoughts.  Once each group has rotated through all stations, they are asked to select the top 3 thoughts and then to share those thoughts with the entire class.

This learning practice triggers the student’s prior knowledge of the topic and encourages them to think beyond their understanding through discussion with their peers.  Through movement and conversation, the students will become active and engaged in the learning process.

When students are distracted or not actively engaged in your lesson, they will likely not absorb the material.  Educators are always searching for unique methods for teaching to keep their students focused.  Staying in touch with and understanding what works best for your classroom is put you on a path for successful teaching.

Studies have found that introducing a peer tutor can help students overcome their learning challenges and gain understanding of the subject matter.  Peer tutoring is defined as academic support to students through other students, their peers.  More experienced students are trained to work with students that are not meeting the requirements or are having trouble comprehending an area of study.  The advantages of peer tutoring are realized for both the tutor and the tutee. 

For the tutee, they feel more comfortable and less intimidated hearing the subject matter from one of their peers.  The material may be presented to them in a different tone and at a slower pace, leaving room for questions and comments along the way.  Some students feel uneasy asking a question in a large group.  A one-on-one setting, with one of their peers, can take away the fear and allow them to fully understand what is being taught to them.  Tutees actually receive more instruction in this type of individual setting.  They will gain confidence in their knowledge and ultimately feel more at ease in the group setting having had companionship on the material with a peer. 

The tutor is not without benefit.  They realize that the best way to really develop one’s understanding of an area is to teach it to someone else.  The tutor may have an interest in teaching and will gain practical experience through tutoring.  They will better their communication skills with students, as well as, with staff members.  They have an opportunity to learn valuable leadership skills. 

A peer tutoring setting can be defined as a small group setting within the classroom or a one-on-one session.  Preparing students for their future is the goal of any educational setting and students do not all learn in the same way.  Teachers can take advantage of various teaching methods to ensure the success of their classroom.

Just as toddlers and preschoolers are encouraged to learn through play, education that is applied to a student’s life can increase comprehension.  When your student realizes that the current math lesson will be useful to him when he is measuring his walls to hang a picture or measure out ingredients for her recipe in culinary school, they will have increased interest in that lesson and want to learn about it rather than have to learn about it.  Students have communicated that classroom instruction limits their enthusiasm and they lose focus. 

Here are some ideas on how to connect learning to the real world:

• Make the lesson into a fun project.  Survey your students about their interests and encourage them to incorporate the lesson into that interest.  You can work with your student to show them how it applies and how important it is to understand. 

• Schedule guest speakers.  Incorporating expert individuals to participate on relative topics will illustrate to your students how the information will be necessary throughout their future.  

• Plan fieldtrips.  A visit to a company related to your current curriculum will give students the opportunity to learn from experts and to see first-hand how the knowledge is applied.

• Create games.  Games will not only be a learning tool for your current topic, but will help increase students instruction on problem-solving, reasoning, team work and communication skills. 

Encourage students to make a connection.  Real-world examples provide students with a broader understanding.  It will provide them with a usefulness of the subject matter.  Internships are a great way for them to apply what they have learned to a field of interest.  Find out what your students want to be when they grow up and encourage them to apply their learning to their future.

• Reading & Writing – The holidays are a perfect time to focus on creating greeting cards, writing thank you notes and writing family holiday stories.  Students can practice spelling, grammar, letter writing, story development, etc.  It will also reinforce the importance of etiquette. 
• Math – Make math interesting by using graphs and excel documents to track holiday spending and sorting for gift giving lists; baking can focus on measurements; building gingerbread houses will help with geometry.
• Social studies – Create lessons plans around the appreciation of cultures and religions and old world traditions; research family history.
• Science – Research and discuss holiday plant traditions – students can learn about the origins of the plant and their growing cycle; include a discussion on recycling wrapping paper. 
• Arts – The holidays are filled with music, dance, theatrical performances and visual displays.  Exposure to and participation in the traditions will further cement their knowledge and appreciation. 

Whether you are homeschooling or planning your curriculum in a public or private school, embrace what there is to learn from every culture.  Get your students involved in the planning.  They may enjoy making a presentation about what is important to their family’s holiday traditions.

The IEP should contain a few key criteria that are regularly maintained and updated:

• Describe how the student learns
• How the student best demonstrates that learning
• What teachers and service providers will do to help the student learn more effectively

Keys to developing an IEP should include:

• Assessing the student in areas related to their disability
• Recognizing ability
• Considering how their ability will affect their learning
• Developing goals and objectives that correspond to the needs of the student
• Choosing placement in the least restrictive environment

The program may take place in a mix of environments, depending on the student’s abilities, such as mainstream classrooms, specialized classes or with special education teachers in either setting.  The goal is to ensure that students that are identified with a disability are not unnecessarily placed in only special education classrooms or special schools, but given the opportunity to participate in a “normal” school environment. 

Things to consider when implementing an IEP:

• Strength of the child
• Concerns of the parent
• Results of the evaluation
• Academic, developmental and functional needs

Once the IEP is put into action, it is important to ensure that the student is reaching measurable goals and objectives.  In order for the program to be successful, it must be modified on a regular basis. 

There is a significant amount of information available for Individual Educational Programs.  With some research and guidance, a program will thrive for your student and in your school system.

The days of sitting in the library, sifting through stacks of encyclopedias may be over, but the research for writing their paper on North American Turtles is unavoidable.  How students find the information has changed, and, in fact, become more complex.   Online information is abundant.  Students need to develop tools to be able to focus on their topic and formulate a plan even before they start the research process.

It is much easier for students to sift through unlimited information online if they are skilled in grammar, spelling and vocabulary.  These skills will give them the ability to find information quicker and read through it to find the information that supports their topic focus.  By mastering those skills students will thrive in the digital world. They will have the ability to become:

• Faster readers – Online information can be overwhelming and much of the content may not be relevant to the student’s topic.  If the student has the ability to scan a page and determine what information is relevant, it will make their research go much quicker and give them the ability to formulate a clear thought and direction .
• Aware – A student that is knowledgeable will have the ability to formulate a plan, create a list of keywords to use while searching a topic.  Having a greater knowledge base will help them to be more clever with their research and may lead them in a more successful research direction.
• Independent thinker – So much information and opinion is available and those students that are comfortable absorbing all of this information will be able to understand and formulate their own opinions.

Each student’s learning plan is unique. Being successful with basic reading and writing skills is the key to successful learning.  To help facilitate that learning and sharpen skills students need to practice.  A solid learning plan, specific to the student’s style and ability can produce extraordinary results!

One important skill students will need to use throughout their educational journey is the ability to do research. They must know how to structure their research, find information, and synthesize concepts to present a finished product.

It is highly unlikely that students will be using the Dewey Decimal system to find information. Computer technology is ubiquitous, and online research skills will be required of them once they reach high school.

Here is a step-by-step process to help them use online technology to learn research:

Planning/Developing Questions

A large part of planning is brainstorming a topic or sub-topic to do research on. This step can utilize technology by teaching students keywords to search for topics.

For example, if the assignment is to present research about a famous person, the student can use the internet to help narrow down and choose what topic they would like to pursue. If they like football players, you can help them brainstorm different keywords, such as “famous football players” or “best football players” or “MVP football players” or even “Best Quarterbacks.”

Finding Information

By planning out their topic, they will have found some resources to outline their research project. Encourage students to find as many primary resources as possible, and fact check information found on the internet.

It may seem easy to type in a search term and get pages upon pages of information, but not all of that information is valid. There are some primary resources that can most easily be accessed on the internet, for example, video, pictures and audio recordings.

Putting The Pieces Together

After they have found the necessary information to write a report, there are several ways you can help them organize their information. There are several online outlining tools that you can display in class and have the students practice with their own topic.

Idea webs and clustering are other methods that can help students write their report. These methods can help them see if there are any gaps in their research, so they may retrieve more information.

Getting your students to use online resources will help them become more acclimated to finding information. Some may think a library full of books can be overwhelming until they consider the vast information database of the web.

We at Bison know how important it is to prepare students for their future. This is why we offer online practice standardized tests and other tools, establishing familiarity with the online medium. Call us today to find out what tools would work best for your classroom!