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How to Make College Learning More Relevant

How to Make College Learning More Relevant

As I help more students prepare for college, I am learning that my students need more opportunities for project-based learning experiences that help a child better understand the relevance of academic subjects to real life problem-solving. I am also learning that most students in other countries take a break from school to participate in a summer abroad program or even an internship during high school summers or before starting college to increase the background knowledge required for academic success.

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How You Can Support Your Children’s Project Homework

How You Can Support Your Children’s Project Homework

Teachers must evaluate what types of homework assignments will best support students’ learning outside of the classroom. Typically, many teachers assign homework that includes the following reading comprehension and reflection activities:

  • Math review worksheets and flash cards
  • Social studies, history, and civics research topics
  • Science experiments that can be performed at home
  • Field trips to local sites of historical and/or current significance with comprehension questions

Types of Projects

Although the homework plan may assume scheduled activity throughout the week, most children cram homework activity into an already hectic weekly school schedule. A new approach to homework is engaging students and their families in longer term project-based learning activities. The purpose of these homework projects is to help families integrate educational family activities into their daily lives. Activities can encompass Common Core State Standards and STEAM concepts in a relaxed and flexible home environment. When play becomes learning, your children can complete homework assignments with more enthusiasm. They will learn critical thinking skills while integrating grade-level Common Core State Standards and STEAM activities into their daily lives. A sample reflective homework worksheet is included below. [Read more…]

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What Is Your Child Learning in Kindergarten?

What Is Your Child Learning in Kindergarten?

Each spring, parents and families are encouraged to visit their children’s schools to learn more about what their children are learning. Some parents are excited that their children are learning to read and compute basic math problems. Others are excited that their child has a new friend and is learning to express himself in an illustrated picture with a sentence describing the picture. I am excited that my grandson is learning to understand the individual differences of his classmates while naturally exploring how to read sight words and counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s. His teacher also incorporates a variety of personal growth and study skill development activities during the school day. [Read more…]

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Writing Grants for Community Service Projects for Students and Parents

Writing Grants for Community Service Projects for Students and Parents

Students can apply for grants to fund their community service projects by preparing grant proposals that are managed by a community nonprofit agency or their school. After receiving approval by the administrator of a community agency or their school, students and their parents can complete the following grant template to organize their ideas for a funding organization. Funders can be found through online fundraising websites or at a local library that manages an online fundraising database (e.g. Sunnyvale Main Library in Sunnyvale, California) in your community. Once the community agency or school approves your program plan, you can complete their grant application documentation and have the community agency or school submit their supporting administrative and financial documentation to the funder for grant review and approval. [Read more…]

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Cómo Podemos Apoyar el éxito Escolar de Nuestros Hijos

Cómo Podemos Apoyar el éxito Escolar de Nuestros Hijos

En esta época del año, nos sentimos abrumados por los ocupados horarios escolares de nuestros hijos y las crecientes demandas de proyectos de tareas. Por ejemplo, nuestros hijos deben completar trabajos de investigación, problemas complejos de matemáticas y proyectos de la feria de ciencias. A continuación se resumen diez estrategias efectivas para ayudarle a equilibrar la vida diaria de sus hijos: [Read more…]

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