Tutoring Tactics for the Holidays

Keeping children motivated during the holidays can be challenging as their thoughts turn to fun in the snow and time with their families at celebrations.

However, with the extra time off from school, it is more important than ever to find creative ways to keep children involved in their academic studies. Fortunately, there are several fun ways to keep children engaged by incorporating the magic of the holidays with the important skills that they need to learn. For this reason, the following guide is provided to offer some creative tactics to keep kids engaged this winter season.

Math Games
Addition and subtraction can be made exciting by using props that are associated with winter. For example, children can add and subtract polar bear counters in order to bolster their math skills. They can also enjoy forming patterns using snowflakes, teddy bears and other types of counters. If children live in an area with snow, they can also build snowmen and use their rulers to measure how tall they have been created.

Creative Writing
Writing assignments that focus on the holidays are sure to generate some excitement. Children love to write about their favorite holiday characters such as Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph. Additionally, encouraging children to write a wish list for holiday shopping is a fun way to build their vocabularies. Holding a holiday writing contest is also a way to let kids show off their best writing skills.

Winter Science
The winter season is the perfect time to experiment with water and ice to learn more about their properties. Try placing dark paper outside to capture a few snowflakes. Then, children can use a magnifying glass to draw their observations on paper. Children can also enjoy making their own ice pops using colored water, then painting with them to make a unique design.

When tutoring children during the holidays, it is important to take a cue from the festive atmosphere and keep projects fun. By including a few elements of the holidays, children will be more engaged and excited to learn.

Writing Tips for Elementary Stdents

Writing is challenging for many students. Written expression not only requires one’s full attention, but also a strong self dialogue. Sitting down to write, but not even knowing where to start can leave you staring at blank page. This is negative experience of writers block turns something that is supposed to be fun and creative into a dreaded task. However, it’s important that know that writing does not have to be hard. Here some tips that will help make writing easier and more enjoyable.  

1. The first step in writing is, of course, choosing what to write about. It is always best to write about what you know. Personal experiences are good choices because they are easy to expand upon. You can write about family traditions, moving, an injury, a favorite pet, your first day of school or a horrible haircut – just to name a few. Being personal in your work will not only make the writing process easier because it allows for a more natural, story-telling like flow, but it will also make the experience more enjoyable because you are writing about something that interest you.  
2. Getting yourself “writer’s notebook” is another step you can take towards becoming a better writer. This is where you can record potential writing topics. Keeping track of what amazes, angers, and inspires you, as well as things that you notice or wonder about can be useful for future projects. Your writer’s notebook is also a good place to keep sketches, inspiring quotes, pictures, articles and ticket stubs. Everything in your writer’s notebook can be used as a “trigger” or “seed idea” to generate ideas for your next paper. 
3. Once you’ve gotten an idea of what you would like to write about, you can start to organize the layout of your paper. By doing this it will help you flow from idea to idea easier so you won’t get stuck in the middle of your work. One way is by talking it out. Getting together with a friend and talking about your topic can be a helpful way of kicking around ideas. Another way is listing your ideas or making a web of what you would liketo cover in your work. Time-lines can also be helpful in this way as well. Free writing is also useful. By giving yourself a short amount of time to let your thoughts flow and jot down ideas, you can pull pieces out of your main topic that you would like to cover. 

Once you are finished writing, don’t forget to revise. As you read through your paper, take the time to make changes. Sometimes it’s easy to over look misspelled words or incorrect tenses when you are writing. Think of revision as the final touch and a way to admire your brilliant work. When you feel happy with your writing, share it with others. Written expression should be a fun way to release creative energy and express yourself. Use these tips and don’t let the process intimidate you. 

For more tips on tutoring, contact writing tutors in Charlotte, North Carolina for more information. 

Cotswold, Charlotte, North Carolina

About Cotswold NC
Cotswold is a highly sought-after residential community in an older section of the city of Charlotte, North Carolina. This subdivision is bordered by the neighborhoods of Randolph Park, Providence Park, Myers Park, and Sherwood Forest. This area features large lots, mature trees, and a mix of remodeled and updated homes originally built in the 1950s or 1960s as well as newer homes. The

Cotswold subdivision is located in close proximity to a variety of shopping and dining opportunities, being adjacent to the recently renovated indoor-outdoor mall called Cotswold Village Shops (which was previously called the Cotswold Mall). This shopping center includes such anchor stores as Harris Teeter, Old Navy, Ten Thousand Villages, and Blockbuster Video, in addition to medical offices. Some of the dining options at this location include Atlanta Bread Company, Dairy, Queen, Wolfman Pizza, and Salsarita’s.

The area adjacent to the Cotswold neighborhood also features a full-service gas station—now a rarity in Charlotte. This historic, pedestrian-friendly community is also located close to parks, churches, and schools, including Cotswold Elementary, Adventist Christian Academy, and top-rated Randolph Middle School. According to current statistics, the average commute from Cotswold is approximately 27 minutes.

The Cotswold neighborhood is a low-crime area. Nearly half of the residents are married couples, and many are families with children. The residents of this Old Charlotte community are also well educated, with the vast majority of adults holding a high school diploma or better.

This subdivision’s residents care about their homes and their neighbors, as evidenced by the existence of the Olde Cotswold Neighborhood Organization. This group offers Cotswold community residents a forum to discuss neighborhood issues, including preventing crime, traffic problems, and neighborhood beautification.

Swan Learning Center, home to Charlotte tutors, is also located in Cotswold, NC.

Types of Math Tutoring for Children

Math is a skill you use every single day, often without even realizing it. Math is so much more than solving problems on a piece of paper. Some examples of math in your daily life are:

-- Choosing the size of your cereal bowl according to how hungry you are
-- Measuring out the ingredients of your favorite recipe
-- Watching the clock to see what time to leave for school
-- Blocking out time to do your homework
-- Deciding if you can afford to get both chips and a soda

Arithmetic
Arithmetic is used to combine, separate and divide quantities of items. You use arithmetic when you are adding up your allowance and deciding how to spend it. You also use arithmetic at the store to decide which item is the better buy. Math is often taught to you through repetition to memorize basic addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts.

Algebra
Algebra is a type of arithmetic. You use algebra when you are trying to figure out some unknown quantity. For example, if you have a total of 20 chips and you offered five to your friend, how many would you have left? Algebra can also be much more complex than this, such as when it is used to calculate interest rates on loans and savings accounts.

Geometry
Geometry is a series of rules, called theorems, about shapes that allow you to calculate the size and area of different 2-D and 3-D items, such as squares, circles, cubes and spheres. This type of math is used when building homes, laying carpet, determining driving time and more. In most geometry classes, you will learn the theorems and find ways to prove them. You will also be asked to calculate different lengths, widths and areas.

Trigonometry and Calculus
These types of math are much more complex and are taught in the upper grades of high school and college. They are used for solving difficult problems with numerous variables that require graphs and arcs to solve.

Why Send Your Child to an Academic Summer Camp

Sending a child to an academic summer camp is a challenging decision for any parent. While it can have some disadvantages, parents need to consider the possible benefits that come when children attend a camp. An educated decision is the key to getting the most out of available academic camps.

Getting Ahead in School:
An academic summer camp is not only about enjoying outdoor activities, crafts and the theme of the camp. It is also about learning new academic skills and making the most of a child’s natural curiosity. In many cases, a summer camp geared around some element of academia can result in getting ahead in school after summer.

Making Friends:
Summer camp is an opportunity for children to make new friends and learn better social skills. Growing up together in school from kindergarten until the end of high school can limit a child’s social growth and result in shyness as an adult. Summer camp can help children learn to work around shyness and ensure that it is easier to make friends after high school.

Trying New Activities:
Camp gives children an opportunity to try activities they otherwise might ignore or feel uncomfortable trying while staying at home. Children can learn a wide range of new skills and enjoy new activities that encourage curiosity and exploration. The particular activities will vary based on the type of summer camp.

Learning About Different People:
Children at summer camp come from a wide range of backgrounds, races and sometimes even countries. As a result, children have the opportunity to learn about diversity. The more children learn to accept and understand different individuals as they are, the better they are prepared for the future. Summer camp is an opportunity for children to explore, learn and enjoy something new. While an academic summer camp will not necessarily provide the same level of physical activity that sports camps issue, it does tap into a child's curiosity and still has exploration as part of the final outcome. Camp has many positives that help children learn, grow and gain a sense of confidence that carries forward into adulthood.

Challenging students to New Year’s resolutions

Do you remember celebrating New Year’s Eve when you were still a child? Perhaps you have faint memories of staying up until midnight and sharing your excitement with friends, snacks and the T.V. But even that excitement never compared to the REAL New Years when you were younger…the last day of school. This is the time when the excitement really hits grade school students. Another year down – this means they are officially another grade older and let’s face it, grade school seniority is awfully important. The last day of school means months of sunny days without a class on the horizon. Without doubt, the school year is the calendar students live by and unfortunately that may mean that they consider the real New Year’s celebration as less important.

One way to get students excited about the New Year (the one in January that is) is challenging them to make a New Year’s resolution. This is a great way to hone in on a particular subject in school that a student is struggling with. For example, a New Year’s resolution could be to improve his/her math grade by an entire letter. Children love a good challenge and the excitement and determination of sticking to a New Year’s resolution could motivate them to seek out a tutoring service or even academic coaches to help them stick with their resolution.

Another option for a good New Year’s resolution is to challenge students on their reading capacity. Set a number of books that he or she must read before the end of the year or perhaps challenge them to read a certain number of books outside of their normal reading materials (newspapers, magazines, novels, etc.).

New Year resolutions are not for adults only. By celebrating the New Year with children, you can help them appreciate the holiday at a deeper level as well as challenge them to their own resolution. While it may not be as exciting as the last day of school, it is still fun and a great way to enhance their studying skills.