Letter from Betty for September 2015

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-day waking hours and bedtime.

In our feature article for September, "Talking To Your Child About School" we cover the techniques for having meaningful and open-ended discussions with your children about their school experience.

For our September Puzzler: “Who Came First?” we have a Women In History challenge for you. See if you can put a historical birth order to a jumbled list of 6 high-achieving women.

Finally, please remember that whatever your educational needs are, 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

Focus on One: SAT or ACT - September 2015 Dates

Free Diagnostic test offered at FFL

Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.

Upcoming test dates are:
October 10, 2015
November 14, 2015

*Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which will be administered beginning in March 2016. Please call Donna for more details.

Please call (973) 425-1774 or email betty@foundationforlearning.com as space is limited

September 2015 Test Schedule

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates.

NOTE about ISEE - Independent School Entrance Exam: For test locations and to learn more go to erblearn.org.

Talking To Your Child About School

There’s so much anticipation in many families this time of year that it's normal to have some amount of anxiety as well. You’ve done your school supply shopping, stocked up on new clothes, and fitted your children with shiny new shoes. You’ve searched for exciting new lunch box recipes, met the new teachers, and said good-bye to summer with a final vacation-time play-day. Your sons and daughters are off to school, and when they return home you find yourself dying to hear all the news. How did their day go? Are their besties in the same class? Do they like their teachers? There are have so many questions!

But as parents, you will often find that the conversations your yearning for don’t happen. Instead of in-depth conversations you get single syllable answers to questions. Your children may well want to avoid reviewing their school day altogether and jump right into snack-time and playtime. It can be frustrating! Realize, though, that there are ways for you to direct those conversations so you can share in the school day, get confirmation that you child survived the day well, and even discover some things that may need attention.



First, give your children a breather. Give them the space they need to transition from school to home. Set up a daily routine of putting the backpacks away, grabbing a quick, healthy snack, and talking about anything other than school. Maybe take this time to enjoy a snack with them, reconnect,  and tell them what you’ve done with your own day. Down-time is just as important for children as it is for adults.

After this important buffer time has passed, you can begin to talk about the day. To have a true conversation rather than just a question and answer session, you must direct the exchange, and you do that by being conscious of the way you ask your questions.  Open-ended questions will nearly always result in an extended chat instead of just yes or no answers.  For example, instead of asking “Did you have a good day?”  try “Tell me about the best thing that happened in school today!”



Don’t just throw a series of questions at your children either. When you have something specific your want to hear about, ease into it by stating something you know. For example, “I know that today the 4th graders started orchestra. Tell me what that was like!”

Keep the exchange positive! Unless you have outward signals that one of your children is upset, there’s no need to use negative, emotion-packed words. Additionally, by staying up-beat, you’ll likely have a longer conversation. If you do notice that your child is upset, however, help her talk it out, but even then it’s important to focus on open-ended questions so you can really talk in-depth and your child can voice concerns or worries.

Don’t just talk about class subjects and homework. Talk about the fun stuff too! Take time to turn the focus to gym, recess, lunch, etc.  Not only are you able to keep an eye out for possible social problems during these situations, but you’ll reinforce for your child that school is not all desk-work, but that there are fun activities during the day too. Help your child see the big picture!



It’s important to stay in touch with your children when it comes to their school experience, and the best way to do that it to direct the conversation by asking open-ended questions, using positive words rather than negative emotion words which will halt your chat, and to talk about all aspects of their day including classmates, lunch-time and their favorite or fun subjects. Really focusing on this will invite free dialogue, allow your child to express any concerns that they may have, and help you to be a part of their day. It’s important that your children know that you have a strong interest in their time away from you and their school experience, so the extra effort you make is well worth it!

The Puzzler for September 2015: Who Came First?

Question: What is the correct birth order of the 6 high-achieving women in the images below?

Instructions: You may click or tap on the image to see a larger version and get a closer look. Use the jumbled chart with all the answers you need, and sort it all out. The correct birth years are in order but the rest is mixed up, so this is really a triple challenge:

1. Start with the easy part: Pick a name for each face in the photos.
2. Bonus Points: Straighten our which accomplishment goes with which woman.
3. Finally, who came first? Identify each woman with her birth year.
 

Answers in the next issue. 

Answer to August 2015 Puzzler: Who's That American?

Question: Who are the famous Americans in the images below, and what did they famously do?

Instructions: You may click or tap on the image to see a larger version and get a closer look. Use the jumbled list of people from the left column and famous accomplishments from the right column and match them with the photos to identify all 6 people. 

 

Answer:

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Letter from Betty for August 2015

A new school year is coming soon! Although we will all miss the long summer days, now is a perfect time to prepare children for the rhythms and routines of the school year. We have some great tips for back-to-school preparations in our feature article this month, “Getting Back On Track for the School Year.”

For our puzzler this month, "Who's That American?" we selected 6 fascinatingly famous Americans and challenge you to match their faces to their names and accomplishments. Sure, they look familiar, but what did they do? Test your skill!

Finally, please remember that whatever your educational needs are, 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

Focus on One: (New) SAT or ACT, August 2015 Dates

Free Diagnostic test offered at FFL


Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.

Summer test dates are:
August 8, August 22

*Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which will be administered beginning in March 2016. Please call Donna for more details.

Please call (973) 425-1774 or email betty@foundationforlearning.com.

August 2015 Test Schedule

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates.

NOTE about ISEE - Independent School Entrance Exam: For test locations and to learn more go to erblearn.org.

Getting Back on Track for the School Year

Where has the summer gone? Back to School signs are popping up at the local shops and on TV, probably triggering your family into action to squeeze every last drop out of what’s left of summer vacation. Right? This is a good time to start thinking about and planning for the new school year and beginning now will help to alleviate the stress that comes from waiting until the last minute. What can you do now to prepare? Here are a few ideas for you:



Get those skills going again by setting up a school-like routine at home. Head to the library, pick up a few good books and set aside a time for reading each day. Hopefully your child has already pored through some great tales this summer. If not, now is the time to ramp up the reading, building it into each day. If your child is too young to read, use that time to sit and read to your child. Your child will benefit from the attention you’re setting aside just for them; he’ll hear some great stories and you’ll get to enjoy the extra time with your him. If you want to take a step further, head to your local bookstore and pick up some workbooks. Add a fresh box of crayons, markers and stickers, and let your child practice skills that may have been forgotten over the break.

An important part of this new routine is to add regular bedtimes back into the schedule so that the adjustment will be easier once school starts. An equally important part of the plan is implementing the morning routine, as it is often difficult to get kids up and ready for the school day. Slowly start moving towards school year bed and wake up times now. When the year begins, your child is acclimated to the new routine. I know this will be tough, but you’ll be glad that you made the effort.



Did you move to a new school district? Is your child just starting school for the first time? Set up some play dates! Beginning the new year with friends will help to ease the transition and you too can benefit from becoming acquainted with their parents. Is your child returning to the same school? Help your child to refresh friendships and build momentum by setting up a pool party or other gathering with the classmates they probably haven’t seen since school’s end.  It’s a fun way to get everyone excited about being together again once that school bell rings.

Though you still have a bit of time, it’s not too early to start school shopping. Check to see if your school has already posted a classroom supplies list, then buy a few items each week. If the list isn’t available yet, then go for the basics: pencils, paper, markers, lunchbox, backpack, etc. Spreading out the new-year shopping allows you to take advantage of sales and coupons, and is easier on your budget too. The same goes for school clothes. Instead of dealing with an exhausting day trudging through the stores for new outfits, buy a few here and there during these final weeks of summer vacation. Be smart and stick with clothes that fit the temperature and by purchase pieces that interchange with each other. You don’t need to buy for the whole school year; you just need a few new pieces to start.



If the opportunity arises, take your child to his school for a walk-through and to meet his new teachers, especially if the school is new to him. This will certainly help to ease any jitters on that first day of school.

If your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), now is a good time to reread it, make sure that you understand it, and think about any questions that you may have for the teacher or school officials before the year begins. Understand that right now, teachers are very busy, but it’s okay to make an initial contact and request a meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss the IEP.  Remember too, that this is also the teacher’s summer vacation, so be flexible and courteous with her time. Are there old issues or concerns that were not resolved during the most recent IEP meeting? Now is a good time to request and schedule another meeting, even if that meeting won’t occur until school is underway. Now is also a good time to have a new assessment done. Having a baseline to work with will be a powerful tool to measure what skills need extra attention and to measure progress throughout the year.

Get yourself a fresh bound notebook or organizer. Use this to record contacts, messages, plans, questions, and to-do lists. You can also store any hand-outs that come home from the school during the coming year. Make sure that you attend the school’s Open House and take your organizer with you. Attending this event shows the teacher that you’re an active parent, makes a good impression, gives you the opportunity to spend a bit of additional time with the teacher, and allows you the chance to hear about and understand classroom rules. Having these recorded in your organizer will help you to better explain the rules to your child and answer any questions that he may have.


 
It may be hard to switch gears and move out of summer vacation mode, but taking steps now, setting daily routines, and doing a bit of prep work will definitely pay off and make the transition easier. You and your child will be glad that you did!

New Puzzler for August 2015: Who's That American?

Question: Who are the famous Americans in the images below, and what did they famously do?

Instructions: You may click or tap on the image to see a larger version and get a closer look. Use the jumbled list of people from the left column and famous accomplishments from the right column and match them with the photos to identify all 6 people.  

Answers in the next issue. 

Answer to July 2015 Puzzler: What Sport Is That?

Question: What are the nine sports in the images below?

Instructions: You may click or tap on the image to see a larger version and get a closer look. Use the jumbled list of choices below the photos to assemble the name of all 9 sports. Each totally real competitive sport has two words in it's name. Choose one word from the left column and one from the right column to go with each sport. 

 

 

Answer:

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Letter from Betty for July, 2015

Hello,

Summer vacation has begun, the days have grown longer, and summer fun is in the air! This certainly is a wonderful season for outdoor activities. As parents watch their children engage in informal summer games, perhaps it is a good time to think about the challenges of organized sports that will arrive with the coming school year. Our feature article this month, "Dealing with Sports Challenges" addresses the needs of children with physical, learning or attentional problems when participating in organized sports and athletic endeavors.

For our puzzler this month, "What Sport is That?" we present 9 very unusual competitive sports, each with a two-word name. See if you can take jumbled columns of partial names and sort them back together to match the images. You can do this!

Finally, please remember that whatever your educational needs are, 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

Focus on One: (New) SAT or ACT [UPDATED for July 2015]

Free Diagnostic test offered at FFL

Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.

Summer test dates are:
July 23, July 25, August 8, August 22

*Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which will be adminstered beginning in January 2016. Please call Donna for more details.

Please call (973) 425-1774 or email betty@foundationforlearning.com as space is limited.

Dealing with Sports Challenges

Children love sports and now that summer is here there's more time to be active and more opportunities for participation. For children with challenges, it can be difficult to find the right fit. .All children need to move, stretch, test their limits, and let off steam. It’s just a matter of matching them up with the correct sport.

Let’s look at different activities that are appropriate for a  variety  of students:

If your child  struggles with coordination and balance, swimming may be the right activity. Moving about in the water is not only fun,  it is good exercise and helps to develop and strengthen all muscles. An additional benefit is that your child can improve at her own pace because it’s an individual activity. Judo, tae kwon do, karate and other martial arts also help to develop muscles and coordination. They are taught in a slow, patient, structured way and allow children to achieve new skill levels at their own pace.  If your child is interested in a team sport, consider signing her up for soccer. On a beginning level, a defensive position does not focus quite so much on running and tactical strategies and it allows players more time to prepare for blocking a shot or kicking the ball away from the danger area.

If your child has listening or comprehension issues, consider cycling as it provides a good workout! Once a child has learned how to ride a bike and understands basic safety rules, riding through nice quiet neighborhoods or through local parks is a fabulous summertime activity. Once she's mastered the bicycle, parents might look into riding stables in the area. Horseback riding helps to improve balance, teaches responsibility, and allows the child to communicate nonverbally with the horse. Additionally, many stables now offer therapeutic riding programs for those with special needs. For more information on the benefits of therapeutic riding, click here.



If your child is not comfortable socially, consider involving her in track and field activities. While the focus is on the individual and she is only competing against herself to better her time or distance, she is still part of a team.  The opportunity for socialization is there, but the child won’t feel the pressure of participating in a group activity…unless she wants to. The same goes for tennis, an activity that can be found readily in most communities. Group lessons are available for socialization, though the focus is on the instructor rather than the player, making it a great activity for a child who struggles with social skills. During match play, the child can play singles or doubles, depending on her comfort level. Yoga and martial arts also offer positive body-mind activities for children who prefer to work out alone.. Neither activity involves competition, but yoga is very calming and it's great for improving balance and strength; martial arts builds self-esteem, self-control, and concentration.

Two other non-team activities that allow for self-paced practice and social opportunities are skating and swimming. Other than learning the basic skills and safety rules, these activities allow a child to have fun and have a good work-out on their own or with friends, without the pressure of being on a team.

Children who have trouble attending might not prefer team sports, especially those with rules and strategies that they have to remember on the spot. Wrestling allows children to master different moves, learn discipline, and helps them strengthen the ability to stay on task. Competitions are one-on-one rather than team-based, and the matches themselves are very quick so the ability to focus for long periods of time is not required. Again, swimming and track and field are other good options for those with attentional challenges. However, if your child wants to participate in a team sport, then have them give basketball a try. The rules are few and easy to understand and players are in constant motion.



With a little forethought regarding your child’s individual needs and abilities, research into local opportunities, and enough motivation, your child will be able to learn, grow, and shine as an athlete while enjoying the benefits of good physical activity.

The PUzzler for July 2015: What Sport Is That?

Question: What are the nine sports in the images below?

Instructions: You may click or tap on the image to see a larger version and get a closer look. Use the jumbled list of choices below the photos to assemble the name of all 9 sports. Each totally real competitive sport has two words in it's name. Choose one word from the left column and one from the right column to go with each sport.

 

Answers in the next issue. 

Answer to the June 2015 Puzzler: T. Rex Time Machine

Question: If a Tyrannosaurus Rex living 67 million years ago had a time machine that he could squeeze his super-sized dinosaur body into, and he could use his tiny little brain to pilot such a vessel, which trip through time would be the longest in years: to see a living Stegosaurus or a living Marc Bolan, front man for the 1970s rock band T. Rex?

Bonus question: How much longer in years is the longer of the two trips?

 

Answer:

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Answer:  
From the earliest era of Tyrannosaurus Rex back to the time of the last Stegosaurus is a longer trip than T. Rex the dinosaur would take into the future to see Marc Bolan and T. Rex the rock band performing "Bang a Gong."

Bonus answer:
The longer trip is longer by 14 million years.

Explanation of timeframes (you knew this!):
Tyrannosaurus Rex hunted its prey for 3 million years, beginning 68 million years ago. Stegosaurus munched on bushes for 5 million years, ending 150 million years ago.

Letter from Betty for June 2015

Hello, 

As the school year begins to wind down, families are planning vacations and trips with extended family members and friends. Being the parent of a child with a learning disability can make these memorable moments challenging. Some parents struggle to receive the understanding and the support system they need from their loved ones and friends. You'll find tips and advice on how to handle these situations in our feature article, "Getting Support from Friends and Family."

We take a third trip in our imaginary time machine with this month's Puzzler, and this time the pilot is a dinosaur. See if you can puzzle out the relative size of two enormous time spans in "T. Rex Time Machine."

Remember: Whatever your educational needs are, 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

Focus on One: (New) SAT or ACT

 

Free Diagnostic test offered at FFL

Currently many high school juniors take both the SAT and ACT to determine which test is better for them. We feel it is beneficial for the students to focus on only one test. In order to accomplish this, we administer a complimentary SAT/ACT diagnostic test to help students determine which test is better suited to their abilities.

Summer test dates are:
Please call for June availability
July 25, August 8, August 22

*Our diagnostic test incorporates the new SAT which will be adminstered beginning in January 2016. Please call Donna for more details.

Please call (973) 425-1774 or email betty@foundationforlearning.com as space is limited

June 2015 Test Schedule

Mark your calendars! Here are the latest test dates. Testing is winding down for this school year, but as soon as 2015-2016 dates are available we will share them.