Letter from Betty for October 2016

Hello Friends,

You’ve probably noticed that young toddlers love books! They carry them around and ask adults and older siblings to read their favorites over and over again. They also sit quietly and enjoy the pictures on their own. They are natural book lovers. For some children though, they lose that passion as they get older. Reading is a skill and not a natural born talent. It is something that needs to be introduced early and tended to as time passes. If your children resist the world of books, or you want to rev up the excitement about reading, check out our feature article for October, "How to Change Their Minds When Your Children Say They Don't Like to Read."

Learn more about the month of October and its many holidays, traditions, and interesting history in our bonus article: "Did You Know? Fun Facts About October."

Also, for the project lover and DIY dining room decorator, enjoy our festive second bonus article: "Fun Stuff to Do: Mason Jar Centerpiece."

As always, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

October 2016 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar! Here are the latest test dates.

October Update: Sign Up for Chess Club and Math League

Chess Club

Saturdays, 2:30-3:30, October 22, 2016 - November 12, 2016
• Students entering 3rd - 8th grade are welcome to attend.
• Club size limited to 6!
• Cost: $90


Competitive Math League Lessons

Saturdays (times below), October 22, 2016-December 3, 2016
(6 sessions-no session Nov. 26)
Cost: $120 for 6 sessions 

Saturdays (times below), October 22, 2016-January 28, 2017
(12 sessions, no sessions on Nov. 26 or Dec.24 or 31)
Cost:$ 200 for 12 sessions

3rd/4th Graders 3:30-4:30
5th/6th Graders 4:30-5:30     
If interested in grades 7-12, see Betty.

• Class size limited to 6!

Students strengthen math skills by working through problems and by preparing for math competitions like Math Kangaroo and American Math Competitions (AMC)!                                      


For more information and to sign up for any or all of these sessions, contact Betty at (973) 425-1774 or Betty@foundationforlearning.com                                                                            

Foundation for Learning
914 Mt. Kemble Avenue, Morristown, NJ

How to Change Their Minds When Your Children Say They Don't Like to Read

Your Child Says He Doesn’t Like to Read. What’s a Parent to Do?

Despite our best efforts, there will be children who will try to convince us that they do not like books, and that they dislike reading. What’s a parent to do?

Here are a few ideas:

• Take a trip to the library or book store with your child and let him choose a few books by himself. 
• Keep books on hand at home and in the car. Make books available! 
• Consider graphic novels. This type of book is popular today and the illustrated volumes just might get those juices going!
• Snuggle up on the couch and read aloud together. 
• Talk about the book that you are reading together. Ask questions, explain new vocabulary words, develop alternate endings.
• Consider keeping an audio book in the car so you both can listen to stories while you’re traveling or even just running errands.
• Let your child see you enjoy reading! Be a role model and let your child see how excited you get when picking out books for yourself!
• Designate a cold, rainy day as lazy pj day! Keep the TV off, have everyone remain in their pj’s and spend a lazy day with a book or a pile of books and magazines. Even you, Mom and Dad!
• Create a book nook or comfortable space in your home, set aside just for reading.

How do you create a book nook?

Any space can be transformed into a cozy spot to curl up with a good book. An awkward corner, a window seat, or an outdoor area can become a comfortable spot for peaceful reading. Even the space under the stairs or an unused top bunk can turn into a reading area!



While designing your space, keep in mind::

To start, you’ll need to plan for comfortable seating and good lighting. Natural streaming (but filtered) sunlight is best, but a nice reading lamp works too. Seating can be a comfy stuffed chair, a cushioned bench or even a stack of fabulous pillows. Anything that your young reader can sink into.

Add shelving or baskets for book storage and maybe a side table to hold a drink, if space allows.


A fun idea is to create a reading cave!

Remember making a tent out of sheets and blankets when you were a kid? Fun, right? A reading cave will be super inviting for young children. Just drape a bed canopy or lacy white curtains from the ceiling, add a hanging lantern and presto – you’ve got a reading cave! Set it up in the corner of a little used room and leave it for the readers to enjoy.

The only rules here are that the space must be used for reading only, and all electronics (including phones) have to be left outside of the nook.

Do you need recommendations for good books? Find them here and here and here!


Have you tried the above suggestions and your child  continues to show a lack of interest?

There may be underlying issues that need to be addressed. Your child might have trouble understanding what he is reading because of basic decoding or word recognition issues. Troubles with reading fluency, or the ability to recognize words quickly rather than having to sound them out, may make reading slow and frustrating. Focus and attention issues may be another reason that reading is not the fun activity we hope your child will have. Distractions can effect memory and make it difficult to comprehend what is being read. Or it could be a problem of reading level. If your child is trying to read books too far above his current reading level, introduce books that are more appropriate.

We can help with evaluations to see if there are specific areas that need attention and we can develop different strategies to help your child become an effective and life-long reader. Just give us a call!

Did You Know? Fun Facts About October

You know that the most notable October holidays are Halloween and Oktoberfest, but did you know that other events, holidays and celebrations this month include: Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Computer Learning Month, Cookie Month, National Pizza Month, National Vegetarian Month, National Popcorn Month, Yom Kippur, National Dessert Month, Country Music Month and National Book Fair Month!

And brace yourself – it’s time for pumpkin flavored everything!

October also has notable history:

• On October 1, 1896, free rural delivery of mail started in the United States.
• October 4, 1957, the first artificial satellite was launched by the Soviet Union.
• October 5, 1947, the first presidential telecast address from the White House was made by Harry S. Truman.
• October 18, 1867, the U.S. flag was formally raised over Alaska.
• October 31, 1864, Nevada became the 36th state of the United States.

  Fun October Facts:

October ends on the same day of the week as February every year.

The last week of October is a great time for sports fans. It is the only time of the entire year when four major American sports (MLB, the NHL, the NFL and the NBA) play games.

Oktoberfest originated on October 12, 1810 when Prince Ludwig of Bavaria wanted to celebrate his marriage to princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen with his people. Ludwig held horse races and invited all of the people of Munich to join him on his special day.

Cincinnati, Ohio, claims to hold the “largest authentic Oktoberfest” in the U.S. and draws about 500,000 people.

October is one of the original Roman calendar months and the name  literally translates to “eighth month.” Because the original Roman calendar began with March, October was the eighth month. Today, our calendar begins in January so October is now the 10th month of the year.

The holiday of Halloween began as the ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain. The ancient Celtic people used to celebrate the day to mark the end of the harvest season and winter’s beginning.

Fun Stuff to Do: Mason Jar Centerpiece

This is a perfect October project that you can use to decorate your dining room table for a whole season!

You’ll need 3 Mason jars (other decorative jars will work too)
3 votive candles and 3 votive candle holders

Now don a warm sweater, grab a basket or bag, and take a walk! Collect acorns or other pretty nuts that have fallen to the ground this month. Maybe find some pretty pebbles or seeds.

Search your kitchen cabinet for unpopped popcorn, candy corn or coffee beans.

Now fill the bottom of each jar with a single type of item that you collected.

Place the votive candle into the candle holder and center that in the bottom of your Mason jar.

There you go…a festive autumn centerpiece!

Sign Up for Chess Club and Math League

Chess Club

Saturdays, 2:30-3:30, October 22, 2016 - November 12, 2016
• Students entering 3rd - 8th grade are welcome to attend.
• Club size limited to 6!
• Cost: $90


Competitive Math League Lessons

Saturdays (times below), October 22, 2016-December 3, 2016
(6 sessions-no session Nov. 26)
Cost: $120 for 6 sessions 

Saturdays (times below), October 22, 2016-January 28, 2017
(12 sessions, no sessions on Nov. 26 or Dec.24 or 31)
Cost:$ 200 for 12 sessions

3rd/4th Graders 3:30-4:30
5th/6th Graders 4:30-5:30     
If interested in grades 7-12, see Betty.

• Class size limited to 6!

Students strengthen math skills by working through problems and by preparing for math competitions like Math Kangaroo and American Math Competitions (AMC)!                                      


Parent Information Session to learn more about
Competitive Math Leagues 

Saturday, 2:30-3:30, September 24, 2016
   
Learn how your children can strengthen their math skills by working through problems and by preparing for math competitions like Math Kangaroo and American Math Competitions (AMC)!
                                        

For more information and to sign up for any or all of these sessions, contact Betty at (973) 425-1774 or Betty@foundationforlearning.com                                                                            

Foundation for Learning
914 Mt. Kemble Avenue, Morristown, NJ

Letter from Betty for September 2016

Hello Friends,

The first day of school for most local students is just days away! Now is the time for your family to enjoy familiar traditions for the first day of school, or start some new ones. Get some great ideas about this with our feature article for September, "Kick Off the School Year with New Traditions."

Find out in which year the first ever Labor Day Parade was held (hint: it was before the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge), and in what city, in this month's bonus article: "Did You Know? Fun Facts About Labor Day."

Consider a trip to an apple orchard, plus try a tasty recipe for Apple Ring Pancakes in our second bonus article: "Fun Stuff to Do: Apple Season."

As always, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

September 2016 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar! Here are the latest test dates.

 

Kick Off the School Year with New Traditions

You’ve seen the “first day of school” photos on Pinterest. They are even more clever than the photos of us that our mom’s took as we headed back after our summer break. “First day of school” photos are great but we thought that it would be really fun to start your own family traditions in addition to the time-honored photo. Below are some ideas we came up with:

Do breakfast up right
Do your children have a special breakfast that they love that normally is reserved for the holidays? Cook them a send-off feast on the first day! Not only will they be heading off to school feeling full and happy, but it just may help ease their jitters by starting their day on a fun, positive note.

Give them the gift of time
If you work outside the home, arrange to take the day off so that you can ease into the day with your children rather than feeling the rush to get everyone out the door, including yourself, and so you can greet them when they return at the end of the day. This will allow you to sit and have a special treat with them and give them the opportunity to talk at leisure about their new teacher, classes and friends. 

Present them with a special surprise gift
On the night before that first day, surprise them with that school supply they were yearning for but was more of a wish item rather than a need item. Whether it’s a fancy Trapper-keeper, fun lunchbox, colored pencil set, whatever, wrap it up like a present and let them open it just before bedtime.

Make a schulute cone
What’s a schulute cone? A tradition in Germany, Czech Republic and Austria is to make a large decorated cone constructed from cardboard or heavy stock paper and to fill it with small candies and other trinkets. What fun it will be for the kids to receive one of these special cones on their first day of school!

Plan a lunchtime surprise
Tuck an encouraging note, some stickers or other tiny surprise into your child’s lunchbox. He’ll love finding the small, unexpected treasure.

Plan a welcome home activity
If your child is nervous about heading to back to school, plan an activity that you can do together once he gets home. A trip to a museum, a nature hike, a movie, a trip to the bookstore to pick out a special book, there are many choices. That way, your child will have something to look forward to whenever anxiety kicks in during the day.

Go all out with a new school-year fest
Why not really celebrate with a true party? Perfect for the day or so before that first day back, invite special classmates over for a pizza party, rollerskating adventure, movie night, or cook-out. Decorate the party room or table, take silly photos (include props!), give out cute take-home gifts to pass out as the party winds down. Everyone is sure to enjoy getting back in touch with each other after being apart over the summer break.

No matter which activity you choose, your child is bound to appreciate the extra effort you took to make his return to school a special one and he will remember this special new family tradition!. 
 

Did You Know? Fun Facts About Labor Day

                     The first ever Labor Day Parade.

1. Labor Day was started by Peter McGuire, who is considered the father of the holiday. He was an Irish-American union leader who wanted citizens that “labored” all year long be honored and have a day off to relax.
2. Labor Day has been a nationally celebrated holiday in the U.S. since 1894 and is also honored in Canada.
3. The first Labor Day parade was held in New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, eight months before the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge.
4. Organizers picked the first week of September to celebrate Labor Day because it’s the downtime between the 4th of July and Thanksgiving. 
5. Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day an official holiday. This happened in 1887, five years after the very first parade.
6. President Grover Cleveland decided that the first Monday of every September would be set aside to celebrate Labor Day. 
7. During the Industrial Revolution, Americans worked (on average) 12-hour days, seven days a week. And it wasn’t just adults. Young children worked in factories and mills throughout the nation.
8. Labor Day is celebrated on a different day in most countries. Many have chosen May Day (May 1st) as their day to honor working people.
9. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it takes the average American nearly 30 minutes to get to their job. 
10. Remember the old adage about not being able to wear white after Labor Day? Fear not, wearing white all year long is now an acceptable practice. 

Fun Stuff to Do: Apple Season

  

Bundle up and take your family to a pick-your-own apple orchard! There’s nothing like the taste of fresh fruit picked from the tree and the bonus is that you’ll be showing your children where their food comes from.

When you get home, gather everyone together for a fun afternoon making Apple Ring Pancakes. Your children will love being able to eat the “fruits” of their labor!

Apple Ring Pancakes

• Wash and core an apple. Cut into ¼ inch rings. 
• Prepare pancake batter using your favorite recipe or using the tried-and true Bisquick mix. Stir in a bit of cinnamon.
• Melt butter in a skillet.
• Dip each ring into the pancake batter and immediately drop into the hot skillet.
• Flip each ring once browned.
• Serve in a stack with warm maple syrup drizzled over the top. Yum!

Letter from Betty for August 2016

Hello Friends,

Our thoughts are slowly turning towards your child’s return to school and even though we still want to remain in summer vacation mode, this is a good time to start taking steps to ensure a smooth transition. Get motivated with our feature article for August, "Guaranteed Strategies for a Successful Transition into the School Year."

Find out which 5 signers of the Declaration of Independence attended the nation's oldest public school in this month's bonus article: "Did You Know? Interesting and Fun Facts About Our Schools."

Cool off from the summer heat and make your own chilly treat with our "Fun Stuff to Do: Make Home-made Strawberry Ice Cream."

As always, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

Sign up for Chess and Math Scholastic Clubs

We have established dual-focus, Chess and Math Scholastic Clubs at Foundation for Learning!
                           
Chess Club: Sundays 11:00-12:00. Learn theory lessons, work over problems, and play chess!

Math Club: Sundays 12:00-1:00. Discuss and solve fun, interesting and challenging math problems!

Stay tuned for the Fall Class Schedule!

Students entering 3rd - 8th grade are welcome to attend. Please contact Betty at (973) 425-1774 or Betty@foundationforlearning.com to learn more about the clubs and to sign up!

August 2016 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar! Here are the latest test dates.



ISEE dates will be available for viewing in August here.

Guaranteed Strategies for a Successful Transition into the School Year

Listed below are seven essential strategies for you and your child as you ease out of summer and into the new school year:

1-Establish a good end-of-day routine with a fixed bedtime. 

We’ve all enjoyed the longer hours of daylight and later bedtimes, but soon your child is going to need to be up and running very early in the morning in order to get ready for school, catch the bus, and get to school on time. Experts tell us that school-aged children need roughly 9-11 hours of sleep, and teens need a good 8 hours. How much a child sleeps can have a significant impact on development, temperament, behavior, alertness, memory and attention. So what can a parent do to ensure their child sleeps well at night?



 *Stick to a routine. Set a fixed time and develop a routine that works for both you and your child. Taking a bath, getting into PJ’s, brushing teeth, reading a book, whatever it is you set up for your family, be sure to remain consistent.

*Limit the electronics. That means no computers, phones, gaming systems or TV during the hour leading up to bedtime. The stimulation from these devices, as well as the bright light they emit, can interfere with healthy sleep patterns.

*Set up your child’s bedroom for comfortable sleeping. Make sure it remains at a good temperature (not too hot, too cold, or too stuffy) and make sure it’s not too bright. A good, dim nightlight is fine for safety and emotional comfort, but nothing too bright.

*Spend some extra time with each of your children individually. Extra mom and dad-time is a comfort and everyone enjoys those special moments together.

*Cut out the caffeine and be aware of the sneaky stimulants lurking in chocolate and bottled drinks. When snacking before bedtime, choose fruit over sugary treats.

2 – Get your child’s mind active and ready for learning.

Hopefully you’ve had a summer full of fun exploration and learning. Keep it up! Look for super-fun, brain-stimulating activities to round out your summer, including visits to the museum, the library, parks and natural areas, restaurants that offer international cuisine, and music festivals.The options are plentiful during the summer months. Have fun!



3- Read every day.

Not only is it a great way to spend time together, but you are building a love of reading when you sit side-by-side and enjoy a good book together. Young children will love the abundance of good picture books available, and older children will enjoy longer “chapter” books. Read a chapter or two together each night and you’ll find that everyone looks forward to that special time each evening when they can continue the adventures on those pages.

4- Set up a comfortable, quiet place for homework.

Even the youngest of students is bringing assignments home from school. Give them a quiet place to call their own where they can routinely work. Whether it’s a corner of the kitchen or a space in the office, designate and decorate a peaceful place for them.



5- Shop for school supplies now.

Beat the crowds and avoid the stress of shopping for needed school supplies at the beginning of the school year. It’ll be a lot easier on you and your budget if you start early, and you’ll probably find early-bird bargains too.

6-Time to get back in touch with pals.

During the summer, your children have probably drifted apart from their classmates so this is a good time to make the effort to set up get-togethers to reconnect. If your child is just starting school, find other children who are the same age and heading towards the same school. The social transition will be so much easier if you do.

7-It’s time to get back into healthy morning routines.

Since your children will have to rise early in the day once school is back in session, now is the time to get them used to rising earlier, dressing and getting a good, healthy breakfast to start their day. When the new year begins, you’ll be able to get out the door and off to school before the bell rings.
 

Did You Know? Interesting and Fun Facts About Our Schools

The Boston Latin School is the oldest public school in the US, founded in 1635. Five signers of the Declaration of Independence attended the school, including Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Samuel Adams and William Hopper.



In 2012, there were 78 million students enrolled in school spanning from nursery school to college.

Around 480,000 yellow school buses carry 25 million children to and from school every day.

346,666,660 miles of travel by car are saved daily by students taking the bus to school.

Charter and magnet schools are public schools. School choice programs have continued to increase since 1993.

More teachers in public schools tend to hold a master’s degree compared to charter schools and private schools.

Fun Stuff to Do: Make Home-made Strawberry Ice Cream

Summer isn’t over yet, so celebrate the season with home-made strawberry ice cream!



You’ll need:

• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 (16 ounce) container fresh strawberries or 1 (16 ounce) package thawed frozen strawberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Whisk the first 4 ingredients in a 2-quart pitcher or large bowl until blended. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Process the strawberries, lemon juice and salt in a blender or food processor until smooth. Stir into milk mixture.

Pour milk mixture into a freezer container and freeze for 1-1 ½ hours until firm. Enjoy! 

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

Letter from Betty for July 2016: Happy 15 Years

Hello Friends,

This month marks our 15th year of offering educational testing, tutoring, and SAT/ACT test prep services at Foundation for Learning. It has been our privilege to have served you. Thank you so very much for helping us fulfill our mission to spread the light of learning. We have had the opportunity to work with so many wonderfully academically talented students, but also actors and actresses, athletes, musicians and martial arts experts. We have seen our students graduate from college, graduate school, get married and have children. It is truly a joy to come to work everyday to work with your children and students!

Break out the rhythms and rhymes and see our recommendations for must-have poetry books in our feature article: "Four Powerful Reasons to Add Poetry to Your Children's Story Time".

On a related note, enjoy our "Did You Know?" bonus feature: "Interesting and Fun Facts about Poetry." Plus, in our "Fun Stuff to Do" you can learn to make your own blank book to fill with your rhyming verses.

As always, please remember that whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, SAT/ACT test prep, and educational evaluations. Please don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

Sign up for Chess and Math Clubs

We have established dual-focus, Chess and Math Scholastic Clubs at Foundation for Learning!
                           
Chess Club: Sundays 11:00-12:00. Learn theory lessons, work over problems, and play chess!

Math Club: Sundays 12:00-1:00. Discuss and solve fun, interesting and challenging math problems!

2nd Session July 24, 2016 – August 14, 2016

Cost: $90/per club, or $160 if signed up for both clubs

Students entering 3rd - 8th grade are welcome to attend. Please contact Betty at (973) 425-1774 or Betty@foundationforlearning.com to learn more about the clubs and to sign up!