Archive for January, 2010

SAT test & Calculator

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

There has been a lot of debate over using calculator in the SAT test. And the good news is that you should definitely make use of the calculator. After all, you take the SAT to get good scores and get admitted in your favorite college, and to show off your mental calculation skills.

The SAT test, as well all know, tests our reasoning skills. The Math section contains questions of different difficulty levels. While you might feel the need to use a calculator for simple questions, problems that involve lengthy calculations might eat up your time if you do not use a calculator.

calculator_necessity

When to use the calculator? If you are good at math, and you can do basic arithmetic in your head, you are lucky. However, if math problems do trouble you, using a calculator would be a good decision.  Again, the same problem can attract use of calculator in different ways.

To give an example, let us see how a math problem can be solved in different ways using a calculator, and without it too.

If 16 × 25 × 36 = (4a) 2 Find a

Options: (A) 6     (B) 15     (C) 30     (D) 36     (E) 60

Approach 1: Too much use of calculator

Calculate 16 × 25 × 36 = 14400

See that (4a) 2 = 16a2

So, 16a2 = 14400

Use the calculator to divide 14400 with 16 to get a2 = 900

Again use the calculator to find the Square root of 900. Therefore, a = 30

Approach 2: Little use of calculator

16 × 25 × 36 = 16a2

The 16 on LHS can be cancelled with the 16 on the RHS

Multiply 25 x 36 using a calculator to get 900

So we get 900 = a2

Take the square root of 900 using the calculator. So the answer is a = 30

Smart Approach: No Calculator

Cancel the 16 on both side of the equation.

Also note that 25 x 36 = a2 can be written as 52 x 62 = a2

Hence a = 30

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Crack the SAT

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

I fail to understand the hype that surrounds the SAT test. Talk about this exam and you will see students and parents panicking. The College Board believes that the SAT test is not an out of the world standardized exam; it is a well researched set of questions that challenge reasoning skills.

SAT

Believers of the SAT Monster now reason that the Writing section has intensified the difficulty level of the SAT test. The College Board, however, explains that the essay scoring system follows a holistic approach, taking the whole essay into picture.

SAT scores hold importance for college admissions. Therefore, you should start preparing for the SAT test at least a year before the test date. Free SAT practice tests can help you understand the actual structure of the SAT, and thus prepare you to do well in the test.

Work hard on all the three sections- Math, Critical Reading and Writing. Research shows that coached students score better than those who do not take coaching for test preparation. Join an affordable SAT test preparation program and crack the SAT.

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Kids & Pets

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

Kids just love their pets. And now even studies have come up with rather remarkable evidence that says that kids who grow up with pets at homes are less prone to developing common allergies and diseases like asthma. Research even suggests that playing with dogs might help lower blood pressure.

The United States boasts of over 77.5 million pet dogs. Over 39% of U.S. households own at least one dog. Cats have left their foe far behind. There are more than 93.6 million pet cats in the country. The love for animals in the US, therefore, does need any proof!

kids&pets

Obesity is a major concern in the US. Can keeping a pet animal help? Definitely. Kids with pets at their homes tend to hit the outdoors ore as compared o those who do not have animals. When kids grow up with pets, they become more responsible adults. They display a sense of responsibility too.

Believe it or not, but kids confide in their pet animals.Caressing a pet is an excellent stress buster. Animals show unconditional love to their owners. Keeping a pet therefore brings love and happiness to your family. There are many animals that can be kept as pets- dogs, cats, and fish to name a few.

It is always to bring a puppy and then raise it rather than bringing in a grown animal.In this world where more and more species of animals are becoming extinct due to man’s ruthlessness, developing the habit of loving animals from early childhood can possible save animals from being labeled ‘endangered’.

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Multilingual Potpourri vs. English Tutoring

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

Some days back I was talking to a friend about the education system and requirements of the United States. We brought forth research statistics establishing the need for teaching math to US kids. We were shocked to find that according to a research conducted by the American Institutes for Research (AIR), the scores and rankings of 12 nations in the 2003 International Mathematics Assessments for Grades 4 and 8, US did not stand anywhere close to the top.

Arne Duncan, US Secretary of Education shocked everyone by saying that “We are lagging the rest of the world, and we are lagging it in pretty substantial ways, I think we have become complacent. We’ve sort of lost our way”.

multiculture

Why the US needs English learning programs? The answer lies in multicultural and ethnical diversity. Hadn’t it been so, wouldn’t US have a national language? Presence of many dialects and languages add to the MTI (Mother Tongue Influence). Teachers and educators across the United States find it difficult to apply a single teaching system to kids belonging to diverse cultural backgrounds.

Most American kids are not fluent in writing English. Moreover, spoken English among kids is also not grammatically correct most of the times. Use of slangs and so called ‘cool’ lingo makes the situation worse. Using the right combination of technology and teaching methodology, Online English tutors can simplify English learning to a great extent. Online English tutors should focus on three aspects of English- Grammar, writing, and speaking.

It’s time we shed some myths about the English speaking skills of kids in the US!

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Environmental Education: Do schools provide this?

Sunday, January 10th, 2010

We all are aware of the harmful effects of industrialization and modernization on the environment. Scientists warn that global warming is on the rise, glaciers are melting, and more and more species of animals are becoming extinct. Considering all this, shouldn’t we include ‘environment education’ in the curriculum of schools?
environment
Better if we start teaching kids about Mother Nature at a tender age. In fact, consensus is that kindergarten is the point to start talking about environmental issues to children. Of course, a kindergarten kid cannot understand pollutants, global warming and effects of growing population. But it’s better to teach him a little than to teach him nothing about the environment.

Indoor activities keep our kids away from lush green fields. In today’s world, most children prefer playing video games over a fame of soccer in a soccer field. TV viewing among children and teens is also a matter of concern for parents.

preserve_earth

The least we can do is to take a walk in a park with our kids, play with him outdoors and teach him how to preserve the environment. Children can be taught to plant trees, save animals and keep or earth clean. Teachers at school should ensure that they impart environmental education to kids irrespective of their age. Schools should organize activities like planting saplings. Parents should also talk to their kids about various ways through which we can arrest the degradation of nature.
The earlier we teach them, the longer we would last on this earth.

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Does your child have a Devil’s Workshop?

Friday, January 8th, 2010

The proverbial saying ‘An empty mind is a devil’s workshop’ is apt in the context of teenagers and children. Kids spend a lot of time watching TV, playing video games and surfing the Internet. It pains to admit that teens are increasingly falling prey to the commercials broadcast on TV and elsewhere. Drugs and alcohol have become sort of style statement. empty_mind

Though issues like drug abuse and teenage pregnancy are troubling the whole of United States, often we miss the root of such burning issues. Any guesses? Call it boredom or idleness, teens across the world waste their previous time after school. Earlier, circumstances were quite different. Kids, after school, would either do their homework or go for their jobs.

The World Wide Web has opened a whole new world of entertainment and information for teenagers. There are innumerable websites that host valuable information. Wikipedia, for instance, contains information about almost everything. But can the same be said about social networking websites like MySpace or face book? While online interaction with people across different continents and culture can expose kids to a whole new environment, abuse of the same can lead to wastage of time, and health problems (sitting for long hours in front of the laptop/desktop).

Boredom can be definitely dealt with. How? Parental Involvement is a simple solution for addressing idleness among kids and teenagers. After-school jobs can keep kids occupied, thus preventing them from wasting time in unnecessary activities.

devil
Online tutoring can keep kids occupied while helping them learn new concepts and deal with the difficulty they face solving math problems or understanding a chemical equation. An online math tutor can spend 45-60 minutes with your child and teach the desired subject matter.
The next time you find your child sitting idle, visualize the devil’s workshop!

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Is your Child getting OBESE?

Friday, January 1st, 2010

Obesity statistics published by the US Department of Health and Human Services bring to light the epidemic growth of obesity across the United States among children and teenagers. What causes teen obesity? Lack of physical activity and unhealthy eating habits are two of the most important causes of weight-relates issues among teenagers.

obesity

Obesity in teens have frightening consequences- heart diseases, social discrimination and lack of self esteem. Since the early 70’s, the percentage of overweight children and adolescents has doubled. Recent surveys paint no better picture. With the popularity of readymade food (read ‘burgers’, ‘pizza’, and aerated drinks), United States can boast of an incredibly large teenage population that is obese.

While there is no magical solution to get rid of this problem, parents can surely contribute and arrest the further growth of obesity and related diseases. One of the best solutions to changing the eating habits of children is to provide them with a nutritious breakfast every morning. It is no rocket science to understand that a full stomach would crave less for junk food as compared to an empty belly.

Physical activities like baseball, cycling, running, playing with the dog, soccer and swimming can burn hundreds of calories in little time. Good eating habits are often developed at home. Parents should encourage their children to eat healthy food. Television viewing should be restricted as commercials shown on the TV urge children to crave for fried snack, fattening burgers and sugar-coated candy. Parents should explain the benefits of eating healthy food to their children. Obesity might hamper the proper development of your child. It’s better we start working against it before it is too late!

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