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Newsletter for Private Tutoring Company

November 2021 Issue – Lead Article

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Do You Love to Learn?

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When you were a kid, did you ever get your head stuck between the spindles on a set of stairs? Has one of your kids done it? What made you do it? It was probably curiosity.

 

Curiosity leads to learning. You or your child probably learned that it’s easier to push your head in between the spindles than it is to pull it out. My ears hurt just thinking about it.

 

You should encourage curiosity in your children and remain curious yourself. Google can provide a lot of answers almost instantaneously, but don’t be afraid to experiment. 

 

Those of you who know me know I love to bake. When I see a new recipe I think I’ll like, I’m curious. I usually try to make it soon. Some recipes are better than others.

 

When possible, try new things with your kids. Let them experiment and get their hands dirty. It’s one way to encourage lifelong learners.

 

After I held my “Study Like a Valedictorian” Summit this summer, some parents told me they didn’t care if their child was a valedictorian. I’ve thought about that a lot.

 

I was valedictorian of my high school class, but maybe you don’t know why. When I was a fourth grader, I learned that my mom had been salutatorian of her senior class. I determined that I would do better. I would beat her. It was a challenge I issued to myself.

 

Done right, competition encourages learning. I know of a history teacher who divides his classes into teams and plays “Current Events” every Friday. The winning team gets extra credit.

 

Several students pay more attention to news briefs during the week. These kids aren’t getting buried in the news. They stay more aware than their peers and occasionally take a deeper dive into something that interests them so they can get extra points without a lot of extra work.

 

Finding out what interests your child means that you’ve got to give them opportunities to try new things. When possible, go to concerts, athletic events, theater, museums, and traveling exhibits. These opportunities spur further thought.

 

I know a woman fascinated by the Titanic story who has seen the traveling Titanic exhibition. She doesn’t understand why more of the passengers didn’t try to make floatation devices. She wonders if they couldn’t have made inflatable rafts with tablecloths waterproofing them with butter. Someday, she’ll test her theory. She’s the kind of person I would want with me in an emergency. She wouldn’t just give up.

 

Opportunities can also include play. I’m a huge fan of games. Bocce involves physics and geometry with every toss. You don’t have to drive those points home. Just know they are there and you can use them when your child needs an example. The board game “Ticket to Ride” is a great way to learn geography and strategy with a little history too.

 

There are thousands of games out there. Games like “Yahtzee” are great ways to practice basic math. Just exclude the calculator. There is no reason that learning shouldn’t be fun.

 

“Hangman” is one of my sister’s favorite games. She’s not alone because there are a lot of people watching “Wheel of Fortune.” Using categories lets you expand the game beyond simple spelling and word recognition. I work with a young man who loves a game of Hangman as a reward for a good study session.

 

Speaking of Hangman, there is a version online that has a boy holding onto a bunch of helium balloons. Each time a wrong letter is guessed, a balloon pops. A monster (not too scary) is there to eat the boy should you lose.

 

When a group of students played, not only did they guess letters but they also wondered how much weight a helium balloon could actually lift. Do you see curiosity and a possible experiment in action?

 

When you see something, do you ever ask, “I wonder if…” I hope you do. Your kids need to see you and hear you. They need to ask the same questions. It means they love to learn.

 

Ask your child something they learned today. Then say, “Show me.” Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of interest from someone they care about to stoke their desire to keep learning.

 

If your child isn’t learning, maybe he’s missing the study skills he needs. It’s tough to love something when every day is a struggle. Send a reply to this email and let me know what’s going on. I’d love to try and help. You can also ask questions in our Facebook group. Most likely, you aren’t alone.

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Newsletter for Private Tutoring Company

October 2020 Issue – Lead Article

 

2020 is Speeding Up!

 

Whew! School has started one way or another, and now the holidays are rushing our way.

 

Halloween is a holiday that brings a lot of smiles. Hopefully, you found a way to celebrate. ACT gave candy to many organizations because traditions matter. 

 

CEO, Jessyka, remembers the negotiations that happened with her sister once the trick-or-treating was over. How many Whoppers could she get for one bag of Skittles, her sister’s favorite? 

 

Negotiating is an incredible skill for students to develop. It will come into play when students receive group assignments online or in-person.

 

Thanksgiving is around the corner and also needs to be celebrated. A few months ago, toilet paper was tough to come by. Shelves aren’t as full as they were, but most days we can get what we need.

 

Get your kids involved with the holidays. Figuring out Thanksgiving dinner is a math problem in the making. How many people will be there? How many pieces of pie are in a pie? How big of a turkey do you need if each person eats 7 ounces?

 

Cooking includes math and chemistry, and hopefully laughter too.

 

History is also something that is fun to discuss during the holidays. Recently, a teacher asked her students if they knew the years their parents were born. Less than 50% were able to answer confidently. When asked when their grandparents were born, hardly any of the students knew the answer.

 

When students know that family members were affected by events in history, students care more. If you live in a multigenerational household, don’t miss out on these opportunities. If your kids see relatives during holidays, start those conversations at the dinner table.

 

For example, ask grandma if she had computers at school when she was a girl? She might say yes, but if she does, she’ll probably say it wasn’t a laptop. Can your kids imagine life without Google?

 

Remember if you cannot get together with family and friends for the holidays, still stay connected. If the mood strikes you, go old school and send a handwritten letter. The recipient will be shocked. Has your child ever written a letter? Emails and phone calls are great too.

 

While traditions may have to change, it’s important to continue to have them. Traditions comfort kids and adults. Remember to celebrate even the little things. It’s the time of year to give thanks.

 

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Newsletter for Private Tutoring Company

July 2021 Issue – Lead Article

 

It’s Already July! Summer is Moving Fast!

 

What happened to June? It’s already gone. I hope your summer is going great. We’re still not quite back to “normal”, but things are getting better. We hope you are healthy.

 

What are you doing with your kids? 

 

Some libraries are having summer programs. Check yours out for details. Encouraging your kids to read and learn even in the summer is a good thing to do. 

 

Play with your kids and include learning. Use a paint brush and water or sidewalk chalk and play Hangman. If you lose and play with water, the evidence evaporates into thin air!

 

Practice math facts by playing math Bingo. Instead of saying B1, say B  8-7=. Bingo numbers only go 1 through 75, so it’s not hard to create the math problems. You can do addition facts for the youngest students or include subtraction, multiplication, and division for more advanced kids.

 

If you can make the time to play with them, have your children create the math problems on index cards in advance. Shuffle the cards and a child can be the caller, and you can practice your math facts right with your kids.

 

Ace Cookie Tutoring has been super busy. We’ve been working with students on test preparation for the ACT and other exams. Other students have been working on enrichment to make sure they are where they should be when school starts in August.

 

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Our boss, Jessyka Coulter, besides tutoring, has been working furiously to put together a Masterclass for students and parents.

 

Mindfulness has been a hot topic for awhile. She sat down with an expert to see what it’s about and why it matters to you and your child.

 

Summers are frequently a really stressful time for parents and students preparing for college. 

 

Jessyka sat down with several experts to help with college questions. She spoke with an expert on financial aid. Another specialist discussed what to expect at college. And maybe the Biggie, how to avoid college loans and debt. 

 

These are just a smattering of the interviews she has recorded for you. For two weeks, you will have the opportunity to learn from experts, authors, and educators.

 

Think about it, why would Jessyka interview a matchmaker? What does it have to do with education? If you want the answer to that, you’ll need to sign up for the class. 

 

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn from an awesome list of educators. Each interview will be available to you for free for 24 hours. If you want longer to process it  or to show it to your child or spouse, click here to find out more.

 

Enjoy your summer!