Letter from Betty for October 2014

Hello, 

What do driving, cooking, and learning have in common? More than you might suspect. Find out in this month's feature article about "Styles of Learning."

It's that time of year for the leaves to transform our world into a red, yellow, and orange landscape. I imagine you have probably jumped into your share of autumn leaf piles, right? Check out our Puzzler for October, "Leaf Pile," and see if you can name those leaves.

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 for October 2014

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.

Styles of Learning

You probably don’t realize it, but in most things that you do throughout the day you are using several different channels, senses, or styles of learning.



When you drive, you are listening to the sounds of your own car, hearing noises from other vehicles, and straining to detect the source of emergency sirens. You use your sense of sight to track and gauge the speeds, distances, and directions of other cars on the road, and to take a stream of cues from instructional, directional, and caution signs. Meanwhile, our sense of touch enables us to operate our vehicles—shifting gears, braking, and accelerating, all without having to look at the stick shift or pedals.



We learn to cook using all our senses. We can smell when something is burning, or experience a wonderful aroma that tells us the cookies are ready to come out of the oven. We use our fingers to tell us when the baked potatoes are done. We can look from all the way across the room to see a steaming pot that tells us the water is at full boil. We use our ears to listen as we thump on the newly baked loaf of bread to test that it is cooked through, and we hear the rapid-fire “pops” slow down when the popcorn is ready. And we enjoy taste-testing the Thanksgiving stuffing. Too much salt? No, just right. Yum!

We all have different learning styles, different ways of taking in information and experiences, and different ways of recalling information or processes that we’ve already learned.  We often use a mix of styles in order to learn new things, relying on one method over another depending on what we’re trying to learn or the circumstances that we’re in. By using a mix of learning styles or methods we greatly enhance our ability to learn new information or a new skill.  You might discover that you have a dominant style, but by learning or consciously developing another method you can positively enhance your learning experience—increasing your speed, your comprehension, your ability to recall, and the overall quality of your learning.

So what are the different learning styles? Do you know which is your dominant style?



Visual vs. Aural vs. Kinesthetic Learning
If you prefer using images and spatial comprehension then you are a Visual learner. Do you use sounds, music or auditory repetition when you’re trying to memorize? If so, then you are an Aural learner. Do you use touch, your body, or your hands to learn a new skill? Then you are using physical or Kinesthetic skills.

Interpersonal vs. Intrapersonal Learners
People who prefer to learn, practice, or study with other people or in groups are social or Interpersonal learners, while those who would rather close themselves off in their room or in a study carrel are identified as solitary or Intrapersonal learners.

Logical vs. Linguistic Strategies
Do you find that you prefer logic, puzzles, reasoning, or systematic processes? Those are characteristics of someone who uses mathematical or Logical styles of learning. If you rely heavily on words, either in speech or in writing, then verbal or Linguistic strategies are your dominant form of learning.

By discovering your dominant learning style and trying to develop and utilize other methods as well, you can become a better learner!

The Puzzler for October 2014: Leaf Pile

Remember when you were a kid and jumped into great big leaf piles? Well, here is a big pile of 8 words to jump into: Elm, Birch, Oak, Cherry, Chestnut, Ash, Beech, Maple. Can you pick up the correct words from that pile and pair them with the 4 leaves in the photos below?




Answers next month.



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LAST ISSUE'S PUZZLER: Summer Flashback 

This beach umbrella displays 3 of the following 6 colors: indigo, magenta, puce, malachite, cyan, chartreuse. 



Can you name the correct three colors, left to right, on the umbrella?

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ANSWER:


 

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.



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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?

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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. 

Letter from Betty for August 2014

Hello,

A new school year is coming soon! Although I will miss the long summer days, I enjoy the structure that the school year offers. School shopping has begun and college students are preparing to say their goodbyes. There is a sense of excitement and energy as well as the uncertainty and nervousness in the air as the new school year approaches.

This time of year is a perfect opportunity to help students set goals. Everyone sets academic goals, but many students also set goals to improve their athletic skills, their position in the school band or chorus, or as part of a theater production. The most effective strategy to help your children succeed in all their school goals is very simple, though perhaps it's easier said than done: a good night's sleep before every school day! Remember to start the school year morning and nighttime routines at least one week prior to the start of the school year. This way when the year starts, your children will be ready to go!

We have some more tips for back-to-school preparations in our feature article this month, plus some creative ideas for what to pack in lunch boxes, so enjoy that. And please remember to call us at Foundation for Learning for ACT and SAT Prep!

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

SAT / ACT / SSAT Test Schedules for August 2014

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest SAT, ACT, and SSAT test dates.

Back-To-School Preparations

Summer is starting to wind down, and during these final weeks it’s time to begin back-to-school preparations. It’s time to head to the local office supply store to stock up on fresh notebooks, pencils, glue sticks, and organizers. It’s time to head to your local music store to rent your child’s instrument for another season of band, orchestra, and lessons. It’s time to get on the schedule for another fun year of individual after-school tutoring and test prep. It’s time to do a little shopping for new school clothes and shiny new shoes, and it’s time to think about fun new ways to put nutritious food into your kid’s lunch boxes.

We all know that fueling our children with healthy food is important, and a good midday lunch is vital so they can steam their way through the second half of their school day at full attention. A little forethought goes a long way, particularly since we want to create something that is not only nutritious but that the kids will really love. We don’t want the lunches to end up in the bin or get traded away for a Twinkie across that table, right? Here are a few recipes, hints, and ideas to get you started!


PB&J Sushi Rolls

2 T creamy peanut butter
2 T jam
2 slices whole-grain bread

Cut the crusts off of each slice of bread and use a rolling pin to flatten. Spread each slice with ½ of the peanut butter and the jam. Roll tightly and slice into 4 rolls. Hint: Spread the peanut butter on the bread first to prevent the jam from getting the bread soggy.


Fruity Yogurt Bars

1 ½ c whole wheat flour
1 t baking soda
½ baking powder
1 t cinnamon
½ t ground ginger
1 (6 oz) package mixed dried fruit, chopped
1/3 c chopped walnuts, if desired
1 c vanilla yogurt
1 large egg
¼ apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 T canola oil
Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Add dried fruits and walnuts.  In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, egg, apple juice concentrate, and oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients until blended. Coat a 9 X 13 inch pan with vegetable spray, spread batter in pan. Bake 45-50 minutes or until done. Cool 10 minutes before slicing. Slice into 8 servings. Hint: freeze individual portions and add a frozen bar into the lunchbox in the morning. It will keep the other contents cool and be thawed by lunchtime.


Zucchini/Corn Muffins

1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
1 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1 egg
½  c milk
¼  c vegetable oil
1 ½ c creamed corn
2 small zucchini, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12 segment muffin tray or line with muffin papers. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.  Mix wet ingredients including vegetables in another bowl. Combine the two mixes, lightly stir together. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden.



Cheesy Dippers

This snack is super easy! Just slice up a block of yellow cheese (cheddar) and a block of white cheese (muenster or jack) into bite-sized cubes. Insert a pretzel stick into each cube. Store these in a baggie or plastic storage box and include a small container of honey mustard for dipping. Simple!

The 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?




Answer next month.



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LAST ISSUE'S PUZZLER: True Colors 

Perhaps you think you know about the 3 primary colors—those basic hues that when mixed together in the right proportions can create any other color? Well, here is a true colors puzzle.

Which of the following trio of colors is the most useful for mixing paint together in art class to make all the colors of the rainbow?

The correct answer might surprise you.

Do you think you know?








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ANSWER
2. Yellow, Cyan and Magenta.

Letter from Betty for July 2014

Hello,

The school year has come to an end, the days are longer, and camps are gearing up for days and days of summer fun!  This certainly is a wonderful season for trips, vacations, and family time. In fact, our main article this month will give you some great ideas for family travel games.

With such a change in schedule, it is important to keep in mind that learning must continue. Research reveals that on average, students lose approximately 2.6 months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Reading skills fare a little better in that students who are readers can actually increase their scores, but non-readers lose a month or more.

At Foundation for Learning, we strongly believe that summer months provide an excellent opportunity to fine-tune skills learned the previous year and to learn skills that will be taught within the first few months of the upcoming school year.  It's also a good opportunity to complete summer reading novels while learning how to manage time and analyze text. You can read more about the benefits of summer tutoring in the article below.

Have a safe and wonderful summer, but give us a call or shoot us an email to keep on learning!  

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

Benefits of Summer Tutoring

1. Fill in the gaps. Our tutors can review past material with your student, find out what type of learning style or teaching methods work best for them, and customize a plan that will target your student’s weaknesses and turn them into strengths. 

2. Get ahead of the game. Summer is the optimal time! Our tutors can work with you to figure out a plan that would best fit your child’s needs and introduce activities and concepts that your student would normally learn in the upcoming school year. 

3. Enrich and spark an interest. If your student worked with a tutor over the school year, then it is extremely important to keep sessions consistent over the summer. This will provide a sense of continuity for your student and help them maintain the newly learned skills they have acquired over the school year. 

SAT / ACT / SSAT Test Schedules for July 2014

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest SAT, ACT, and SSAT test dates.

Games for the Road

Many families are making plans for summertime road trips this season, and this is a perfect time for some parent/child bonding and sneaking in some brain-stretching exercises as well! Road games are a great way to not only pass the time while you’re on the road, they’re a fun distraction, an escape from the “road wearies”, a great way to connect, and a fantastic time to sneak in some summertime learning.  Here are some proven winners for you and your kids to play while on your journeys—no bits and pieces to lose in the seat cushions and all free!


The Picnic Game
The first player names a food or item you’d normally pack for a picnic that begins with the letter A. The person in the next seat repeats the “A” item and adds an item that starts with the letter “B”. The person in the next seat repeats the A and B words and adds to the list an item that begins with the letter “C.” Continue around the car with each person repeating and adding to the list until you’ve reached the end of the alphabet. There are sure to be big laughs during this game! If your family is a bit competitive then you can add the rule that if a person misses one of the items on the list then they are out and the player with the best memory wins.


Geography Alphabet
This game might be better for slightly older kids. In this game, the first player picks the name of a state (or mountain, river, capital, country…whatever category is chosen for this trip). The player in the next seat has to come up with a state that begins with the last letter of his seatmate’s pick. For example, if the first player chooses Iowa, then the next person can correctly choose Alaska….and so on and so on, around the car. This game can be a real brain stretcher!


Counting Game
Even the youngest in your clan can join in on this one. Pick a subject. It can be cows, VW Beetles, red trucks, etc. While traveling the byways everyone counts the number of (whatever subject you picked) and shouts out when it’s been spotted. You can further include the little ones by giving them a pad of paper and letting them keep tally and reporting the totals when you’re ready to choose your next subject. Easy peasy!


The Humming Game
One person, usually the driver in our family, begins to hum a song. Everyone in the car tries to come up with the name of the song. The winner is the one that correctly identifies the song title and is then the one to be the “hummer” for the next round. Whether it’s a popular song, an old classic, or a TV theme song, it’s best to choose a song that you think everyone knows or has a good chance of guessing correctly. 


The Alphabet Game
This is a great game when you’re traveling through an area with plenty of road signs, store fronts, billboards, and license plates. The idea is to look outside the windows and look for each letter of the alphabet, from A-Z. For example, the A on the “Apple Orchard” sign, the B on the “George Washington Bridge” sign, the C on the “Welcome to Cape Cod” sign, etc.


20 Questions
One person is chosen to silently pick something for the others to guess. The person in the next seat will ask “animal, vegetable, or mineral.” You then go around the car with each person asking a question to which the answer can only be “yes” or “no.” Each person has the opportunity to guess at the answer during their turn.  You reach the end of the round when 20 questions have been asked, or earlier if a correct answer was guessed. Each person in the car gets a chance to pick the subject for a new round. 


Let’s Build a Story
The first person will start your fantabulous family story with a simple line.  Something like: “One day I was walking through the woods when an elf jumped out from behind a tree.” The next person in line continues the story by adding another line and around the car, each person taking a turn. It’s really fun  to see the twists and turns that such creative, team storytelling can take.


Yes, But…
Here’s a great and often silly game that will not only get the creative juices going but also encourage kids to think positively. One person makes a gloomy statement like “We drove all the way to Grandma’s house for our 4th of July cook-out but when we got there we found out her refrigerator broke and the special holiday food was all going bad.” The next player can then flip the situation around into something fun and positive like “Yes, but...happily, we got to eat up ALL the ice cream Grandma had stored in her freezer!” Gloomy statement: “Mom screamed when a monkey leapt into our car window at the stop light.”  Next player flips it to “Yes, but...luckily, we just bought a bunch of bananas at the grocery store so the monkey buckled up next to me and we ate all of the bananas on our way to the zoo.” The sillier the statements, the better the game will be. Giggles all around with this one!

The Puzzler: True Colors

Perhaps you think you know about the 3 primary colors—those basic hues that when mixed together in the right proportions can create any other color? Well, here is a true colors puzzle.

Which of the following trio of colors is the most useful for mixing paint together in art class to make all the colors of the rainbow?

The correct answer might surprise you.

 



Answer next month.



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LAST ISSUE'S PUZZLER: New Jersey Butterflies Field Trip 

The state of New Jersey has an abundance of butterfly species. Let's go for a field trip!

QUESTION: Can you can choose the correct names from the following list for the 6 butterflies in the photos below? Here are your choices:

• Buckeye
• Red Admiral
• Common Wood Nymph
• Monarch
• Viceroy
• Question Mark


 

Did you have a successful field trip?



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ANSWERS
Top row, left to right: Viceroy, Common Wood Nymph, Question Mark
Bottom row, left to right: Red Admiral, Monarch, Buckeye

Letter from Betty for May 2014

Hello, 

The beautiful weather is upon us. We wake early in the morning listening to the chirping birds and watching the sun beam stream through the house. The flowers are in bloom and we realize that nature surrounds us. Science is the key to all these wonderful spectacles, and this month's newsletter follows that theme. It includes various kid-friendly science experiments that can be done with materials you have at home. Get started now!

FFL will be offering high school students the opportunity to take a free full SAT and ACT practice test on Saturday, August 16. The following week, parents will have the opportunity to meet with FFL tutors to discuss results and recommendations going forward.

To take advantage of this offer, please contact the office as soon as possible. We are scheduling on a first-come, first-serve basis.

We are also scheduling summer tutoring sessions. Please call your tutor to set up times to meet through the summer months. 

Betty

Betty Bodenweiser
Director
Foundation for Learning

SAT/ACT Test Schedules

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest SAT, ACT, and SSAT test dates.

 

Science Fun at Home

We’ve all heard it before: “Why do I have to learn this? I’ll never use it in real life!” There are times when kids struggle in school and just don’t see any possible way that the tough assignment they’re working on will have any practical application.



Well, as parents we can show our kids how science works every day in our lives. Your home, your backyard, your local playground or park—those are all laboratories just waiting for your naturally curious child. Take advantage of your outings to introduce some science into your child’s day.

See a cocoon while you’re in your yard? Show it to your child and watch how it progresses to beautiful butterfly form. It’s science!

Did you just make guacamole or use carrots in your cooking? Take the avocado seed or carrot top, a couple of toothpicks, and a bit of water and watch a new plant grow. It’s science!

Here’s a fun one: teach your kids a delicious lesson on how crystals form by letting them grow their own rock candy pop!  Easy instructions with photos included can be found here.

How about teaching your kids about vibration while making a little music, too! Get 5 to 7 glass or plastic same-sized bottles (glass works best). Fill each bottle with different amounts of water, arrange on a table from most liquid to least. Have your child blow across the top of the bottle and see the tone she can create. Each bottle will produce a different tone, depending on the amount of liquid inside. The reason? The bottle with the smallest amount of liquid will produce a lower sound because there is more room inside for the air to vibrate. Inversely, the bottle with the most liquid will produce the highest tone because it has the least amount of room inside. It’s musical magic…and it’s science!

Scientific American has a wonderful feature online. Each Thursday they post super fun and easy science activities that parents can do with their kids, aged 6-12. In well thought out, user-friendly terms, you can use these activities to explore light manipulation, cooking experiments, how bridges work, sound manipulation, why puppies sleep in cute puppy piles, and so much more.  Bookmark this fantastic page and set aside time each week to do these fun and easy activities with your kids!