Letter from Betty for September 2014

Hello, 

According to the calendar, summer comes to an end in a few weeks, and a new school year is upon us. I hope that you and your children have had a smooth transition into the schedule of a new year. Hopefully you have successfully shifted into a consistent routine for homework and a comfortable schedule for school-night bedtime and waking hours.

For this month's newsletter, note that our test schedule dates have expanded to include SAT, ACT, SSAT, and now also ISEE test dates.

Speaking of testing, we are hosting a complimentary PSAT test at Foundation for Learning on Sunday, September 21st. If you are interested please contact me by Wednesday the 17th at 973-425-1774.

In our feature article we focus on test prep and overcoming anxiety. Finally, we take one last backward glance at the recent sunny season in a "Summer Flashback" Puzzler.

Remember that at Foundation for Learning we are ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring. You are most welcome to give us a call at 973-425-1774 for a free consultation.

Best regards,

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE Test Schedules

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates.

Note: ISEE - Independent School Entrance Exam dates are for testing at the Morristown-Beard School, located at 70 Whippany Road, Morristown NJ., for any students entering grades 6-11 who are applying to independent schools. Learn more about ISEE at erblearn.org.
 

Test Prep and Overcoming Anxiety

Whether you are in the season of taking standardized tests or college entrance exams, you’re likely feeling some level of worry or stress as the date approaches. You’ve studied, you’ve taken the practice tests, and now is the time to take those final preparatory steps. Do you have any last minute questions or concerns? Now is the time to talk to your teacher or tutor. Beyond that, avoid cramming. Light reading and short spurts of study are in order now. Also, prepare yourself physically and psychologically for the big day.

You need to pay special attention to maintaining good personal and physical habits during the week leading up to your test. Make sure that you’re eating well, exercising, and scheduling some time to hang out with friends and family. Downtime is essential. All of these things add up to bolster your well-being. Make sure to get plenty of sleep for at least 3 nights before test day. You want to build up your store of energy and recharge now so you’ll be ready. Also, think up a special reward for yourself at the end of your test day. A meal at your favorite restaurant, a visit to your favorite park, a splurge on your favorite music—whatever it is that brings you happiness.

On the night before, gather all the materials you’re going to need, including any admission tickets, writing implements, etc. Have everything ready so you don’t have to rush around in the morning.

On test morning, eat a good breakfast but avoid caffeinated beverages. You may already be charged up from the added adrenaline that is naturally occurring in your system today.

If time allows, put on music and relax. No last minute cramming allowed. Just relax.

Make plans to arrive at your test location early so you have time to settle in.

If you find that your anxiety level is increasing while you wait to begin, try to distract yourself with a Sudoku puzzle or magazine, or sit quietly and gaze out a window while you breathe easily.

At test time, read directions carefully and think about the best way to organize the time allotted to you. Start with the easiest portions of the test to gain confidence and to allow yourself more time for the sections where you’ll need more concentration or brain-power.

For multiple choice questions, read the question carefully and all of the possible answers before making your selection. Rely on your gut feelings or first impulses when you’re not sure of the right option.

For essay questions, formulate a loose outline then flesh out our answer, making sure to be concise rather than giving a rambling response. Take your time, but keep an eye on the clock. Use your allotted time well but do not rush. If you find that you’re running out of time and won’t be able to finish all of the sections, focus on the areas of strength where you can do best. Avoid rechecking or rethinking your answers. You can trust your initial answers at this point.

During the test, pay attention to the tension in your shoulders, jaw, back, and hands, particularly if you’re starting to feel anxiety. Tense and relax those key muscles while at the same time taking a deep, cleansing breath. Let the tension escape and then keep on with your task. If you’re taking a long test, look up from your paper for 15 seconds every 20-30 minutes. Straighten your neck and gaze out at the horizon. This will help you to avoid eye-strain while at the same time giving you a very brief respite. Slowly, steadily, and thoughtfully keep moving through your test until you’re done. If you find that your mind is wandering then pay attention to that—rein it back in and get back down to business. Watch your self-talk during this time too. Keep it positive and encouraging. You can do it!

When you are done, be sure to follow through on the reward you promised yourself – and enjoy it! Try not to dwell on the mistakes you might have made. You’ve done your very best. Now is the time to relax!

The Puzzler: Summer Flashback

Summer is almost over, but we can still enjoy some happy memories. Let's grab our body boards and beach towels and head to the shore. But wait—before we go, let me just name 6 colors: indigo, magenta, puce, malachite, cyan, chartreuse. Got that? OK.

Now, back to our beach trip. Imagine the sounds of the surf and the calls of seagulls. What a beautiful day! And now envision a beautiful tri-colored beach umbrella.

Alright, now what if I told you that the beach umbrella in the photo below displays 3 of the 6 colors mentioned above—could you tell me their names, left to right, on the umbrella?



Answers next month.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



LAST ISSUE'S PUZZLER: Other Worlds of Color 

Most humans see the familiar rainbow of colors. But other animals see different worlds of color. What does the world look like to them? There is still more to learn, but scientists have discovered a lot about animal vision.

The following 4-part image shows (in no particular order) how the world looks like to a bird, a shark, a horse, and a dog. Can you guess which is which?




Can you tell which animal sees what?

Scroll down...

 

Scroll down...

 

Scroll down...

 

Scroll down...

ANSWERS
Top left: Dogs see mostly drab blue and yellow hues. Luckily, their sense of smell offers a whole world of useful information.
Top right: Birds are believed to see more colors than humans—thus the groovy psychedelic graphic, hinting at what we can only imagine!
Bottom left: Horses have a blind spot straight in front of their head, leading to sideways glances.
Bottom right: Sharks see very little in the way of color, but make with their other senses, including motion detecting.