Archive for the ‘Online Tutoting’ Category

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!

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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’.

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!

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.

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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.

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.

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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!

Character Education: Implement before it’s Too Late

Sunday, December 27th, 2009

Character Education is something that our education system needs badly. As basic moral values are slowly disappearing from our lives, we need to include character education to help our children understand values like honesty, love, compassion, and kindness. With angst and hatred taking center stage, the role of parents and teachers in enlightening their next-generation becomes indispensable.

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Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” This is a famous saying that rightly emphasizes on the importance of character.

Teaching character must not wait for the right time. Character education is not for a particular age group; it is for people of all ages. If moral values are taught to children at a young age, they grow into human beings who value life and believe in ‘love for all’ philosophy. The best thing about teaching character to children is that its results are visible in just a short period of time.

The world today desperately needs responsible, self-controlled, and compassionate individuals who can make positive choices. Juvenile Delinquency is at an all-time high. Blame it on the faulty education system or the prevailing political atmosphere, but it is the children who are suffering the most.

Character education is the answer to the nagging problems of our society. If every child starts ‘feeling’ for every other person, all hatred would disappear and a world would take shape where there would be no wars.

What’s wrong with One-Size Fits All Approach?

Saturday, December 26th, 2009

Many times parents complain that their child is not learning anything at school? Teachers lament that they have to look after a whole class of size 30 or more. Children complain of too much homework or ‘boring’ lessons. Is there a solution to all this?

There is a difference in the learning approach of every child. We all know that different children think differently. Then how can the same education pattern be implemented to one and all? While it is not possible to devise an entirely different syllabus for every single child, at least teachers should try to teach in a customized way.

one_size_fits_all

I read a quote some days back. This quote explains it all in just a single sentence- “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn.”

Teachers and parents must try to implement the advice given in this saying. Children coming from different families, different cultures and of course different backgrounds can never be alike. Just because a mathematician created a theorem and gave the explanation/proof in a particular fashion does not at all mean that teachers should stop using their own brains to make the child understand the theorem in a way that he interprets properly.

Education should be fun. It should not pose as a scary thing for children. Online tutoring can provide your child with one-on-one learning, customized to meet his learning needs. A smart tutor would never make your child uncomfortable or burdened with boring math problems, biology diagrams, or chemistry equations.  After all, education aims at making our lives simple!

Jingle Bells Jingle Bells Jingle All the Way!!!

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Christmas has arrived. Santa Claus is coming with all the goodies. It’s time to celebrate, thank God for all His blessings, wish our family members, and most importantly, help others.

Children love to receive gifts from their parents and elders. While you can surely gift your child a nice bicycle or a baseball bat, you must also try to give him the most precious gift- Knowledge.

Education is something that would be with your child all through his life.  John Dewey put it correctly “Education is a social process. Education is growth. Education is, not a preparation for life; education is life itself”.

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What could be better than to see your child get quality education and grow up to become a successful person in the field he chooses? A new year is about to come. It’s time you decide what’s best for your child. Compromising on education is not something that would do any good to your child.

Your child needs a helping hand to guide him through the difficulties he faces while solving a math problem or a chemistry equation. While it is best if you can be by your child’s side and guide him, busy work schedules hardly allow parents to teach their children.

Homework: Boon or Bane

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Apart from math and some other subjects, children share mutual hatred for homework. Completing homework assignments is a headache for both the child and parents. Research, however, points in the opposite direction. Experiments conducted by educators and scientists have shown that students who complete their homework get better grades in their tests in comparison to those who ignore homework.

Most children crib that they are given too much homework. While this is not 100% true, teachers should also ensure that quantity and difficulty level of homework assignments must match the child’s age and learning ability.

homework

Completing homework on time has a number of benefits. It allows children to develop a sense of responsibility. Children, by doing their homework, learn to complete tasks in the given time frame. Moreover, it helps children to work independently. Finally, the child feels a sense of accomplishment having completed his homework, provided teachers at school provide constructive feedback.

Parents should ensure that their child complete his homework on a regular basis, irrespective of his music/dance lessons. Fixing a time period for working on assignments can be a pretty good idea. It would be a smart move to create a study area for your child where there is adequate lighting, minimum distraction, and proper ventilation. Needless to say, televisions and music theatres should be kept away from the study area.

Online tutoring is one field that can provide homework help to your child. Assignment help provided by experienced tutors can help your child save a lot of time.

Availability of parents while a child is doing is homework can help the child complete his assignments easily. Parents should encourage their children to complete their homework. After all, homework is not that bad. Isn’t it?

Geometry the Fun Way: Congruence

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

How often do teachers try to teach mathematical concept using objects used in our day-to-day lives? Research has shown that children understand things better when they are taught using images and objects that they see and use. Though most educators and parents know this, not many really implement this to educate children.

Take for instance, congruence of triangles. I am use most teachers would use the following images to teach ‘congruence’ to children.

congruence

The problem with these images is that children might not take interest in understanding the concepts as they do not find ‘fun’ in these.  While these images are good for senior students, a beginner in geometry might fail to understand the meaning of ‘congruence’.

However, the same can be taught in an interesting fashion.

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Online tutoring is a great way of teaching children using images and pictures. Modern tools like the whiteboard allow online tutors to import images and even change their alignment to teach a concept to children.  Online math tutors, in particular, can use images used in our day-to-day lives to teach mathematical concept to K-12 students in an interesting way.

Geometry in Real Life

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

In general, whenever we are stuck solving a problem or understanding a concept, we think to ourselves “This is sheer waste of time. Am I going to use this in real life?” I agree that for most subjects, only the core elements are used in real life and not the details. However, there is one aspect of mathematics that will come across in varied forms in real life. You guessed it right, I am talking about Geometry.

Let us talk about some of the practical aspects of geometry that we, often unknowingly, use in real life over and over again. Christmas has almost arrived. Most of us would be busy decorating our homes with Christmas trees and bells. But before buying a Christmas tree, don’t we first try to determine its size that would fit in our drawing room through the main door? In other words, we determine the width and height of the tree. And that’s geometry, isn’t it?

geometry

The same goes with an architect who is about to develop a construction plan for a new building. Cooking is no different. When we bake a cake in a microwave-safe bowl, we determine the quantity that would fit in the bowl.  There are hundreds of examples that demonstrate geometry into action in our day to day lives.

Geometry can be made fun. Online Tutoring organizations can conduct workshops on teaching geometry to children using day-to-day objects. Geometry is an essential part of online math tutoring. An online geometry tutor would not only help children understand the concepts given in their school books, but also learn to apply those concepts in real life without getting bored.