Asian Parenting....Too Strict?

Some have taken the Amy Chua article to the point of examining Asian Parenting. The link below contains an excerpt of a close evaluation of what is being said:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2011/01/20/exp.am.intv.murphy.paul.tiger.mom.cnn

Making a Difference - By Showing That You Can Relate....

Somehow in the midst of all the time that I spend with students, a little part of me is left "unfulfilled" as I complete my learning sessions and wrap up my notes. Today was certainly an exception.

The school system that I work for participated in an assessment. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with a student who was a little bit anxious about the test. When I saw her in the hallway, I immediately felt as if she was a kindred spirit, one whom I remember seeing "in the mirror" when I was subjected to countless tests and interviews and assessments. For one brief second I made eye contact with the young adolescent and saw that she had tears in her eyes and they were swollen from all the crying and sobbing about the "test".

As I walked over towards her, I offered her my hand to introduce myself. I smiled like I always do and told her how excited I was that she would be testing with me. When we were in the room for testing, I immediately struck up a casual conversation with her and asked her about her school year and other "trivial" questions just to pass the time by. Afterwards I shared with her my own experience with anxiety and how (from time to time believe it or not) I still suffer from occassional panic attacks - depending on what the situation is.

This information seemed to provide comfort to my "testing student" as the shared experiences seemed to disarm her. After the testing session, she walked over to her mom and gave her a hug. When she walked away her mother said that "I knew that when I heard my daughter laugh, she would be okay with you.". My response to her was, "I want her to feel comfortable. When students are comfortable - they are confident. When they are confident, then they will excel. I am glad to know that I could be of assistance."

Today was a great day - one of many, when a teacher was able to make a difference, even if it was just for one moment.

Have fun in the car with your child!

When you are in the car with your child, don't have them listen to their DVD for the millionth time. Spend some time "talking" to them - playing games or studying some items that may be on a test that they may have for next week.

It seems that there is so much time where parents and their children are in transit. Instead of having them "entertained" - take the time to really get to know your kids by simply communicating. This activity will be something that they will remember for a lifetime!

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at cjoyjavier@gmail.com or visit my website at http://www.christinejavier.com/.

Four Ways to Deal With a Bully Situation at School...

As a public school teacher, the very thought of bullies existing in my classroom was something that never set well in my stomach. I remember seeing one bully in particular, who did not stop at bullying the students, but spent time bullying the teachers as well.

This was not the best of times when I would have to deal with this particular student. I would watch him bully students in my classroom and stating that even though I had seen him do it, he would quote that the broken bones on a student's hand was nothing short of a mere "accident".

Unfortunately, this student went so far as threatening eye-witnesses who were at the scene of each event with thoughts of violence that made some of our students very depressed (including myself). I hope that anyone who has encountered a bully at school or anywhere will not live in fear and will seek help, no matter what the circumstance.

Here are four different ways that teachers can help intervene if there is a case of the "bullies" at school:

Assess the Extent of the Bullying Problem:

- It is wise, almost advisable for any educational professional to determine the extent and the severity of a bully at school. If you proceed to do this please, do so in discretion. Do not make it appear that you are pulliing a student out of a class to talk to them about the accomplice. Make sure that if you do start to investigate, have a group of students write a statement immediately after the event. This will be a more valid way of determining what actually happened.


Ensure That the Class Understands the Definition of 'Bullying'

-This is also an important point. The difference between bullying and "harassment" are so blurred that some parents may call you into question when you begin to document this behavior. If your students do not understand what "bullying" is, hold a class meeting and have them discuss it and create an open forum for this topic. It will set the framework for behaviors that will and will not be tolerated in the classroom.

Confront Students Engaged in Bullying in a Firm But Fair Manner

- This is very important, the way that you confront the bully will actually dictate how the bully will interact with you (and perhaps other adults) when they begin to bully again. Be firm and direct, not accusatory and condemning. Most bullies will not apologize for their actions and equally as sad, may never admit to them either.

Provide Appropriate and Consistent Consequences for Bullying

- Depending on your school, it may be more of an act on the administration than your end if you encounter bullying in a classroom. In my situation, I wrote the "bully" and administrative referral and he was no longer enrolled in my class. He did however, continue to bully three other teachers at the school prior to him leaving...

For more information on bullying, here are some excellent references that you can read:

Batsche, G.M., & Knoff, H.M. (1994). Bullies and their victims: Understanding a pervasive problem in the schools. School Psychology Review, 22, 165-174.


Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying in school: What we know and what we can do. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers.

Snell, J.L., MacKenzie, E.P., & Frey, K.S. (2002). Bullying prevention in elementary schools: The importance of adult leadership, peer group support, and student social-emotional skills. In M.A. Shinn, H.M. Walker, & G.Stoner (Eds.) Interventions for academic and behavior problems: Preventive and remedial approaches. (2nd ed., pp.351-372). Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.

US Department of Education (1998). Preventing bullying: A manual for schools and communities. Retrieved 3 April 2003 from: a href="http://www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/ssp/bullymanual.htm" target="_blank">http://www.cde.ca.gov/spbranch/ssp/bullymanual.htm

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

What is Response to Intervention or RTI?

According to the National Center on Response to Intervention, RTI is a document that provides resources and supplemental support to all students in a public school setting to ensure success. Typically, the document has four components:




1. A school-wide, multi-level instructional and behavioral system for preventing school failure;

2. Screening;

3. Progress Monitoring;

4. Data based decision making for instruction, movement within the multi-level system, and disability identification (in accordance with state law). (National, 2011)



Typically, when students are experiencing some type of difficulty with the general education curriculum, the educators meet on a weekly basis to discuss strategies and support systems that will help the student overcome these challenges. Some ideas that may be implemented may be teaching strategies, instructional tools, or a differentiated curriculum geared towards the particular student.

Most if not all of the students fall within the Tier 1 range meaning that all of the students receive some type of support for the general education curriculum. When a student begins to experience an increasing amount of difficulty with the present level of accommodations that have been given to them, they move up the different tiers as their needs dictate The more challenges the student has, the higher the tier level is. During this time frame, information is being gathered on the students to help explain what strategies are effective and which are not. At the end of the process, a student continues to be on the tiered system or is referred to the School Psychologist where they are given a Psychoeducational Evaluation.

For more information on RTI or the Response to Intervention Process, feel free to visit http://www.rti4success.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1.

REFERENCE:


Safer, Nancy, 2010 (2010) Definition of RTI. National Center of Response to Intervention Retrieved from www.rti4success.org on January 15, 2011

National Center on Response to Intervention

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Dunwoody/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County, Gwinnett) and have any questions about the JATP, CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Singapore Math, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, Brain Gym or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

An Easy Way To Help Students Outline A Persuasive Writing Piece....

If you are helping a student with writing, you may experience a little bit of difficulty when they have writer's block. Is there a way that you can channel their inner child to help them write a persuasive piece?

Since the beginning of (nagging) time, children have mastered the art of persuasion. Whether or not you know it, want to know it, or are afraid to acknowledge it, your children persuade you to do things that you (never thought in your life) would ever do.

Let's talk about those plastic silly bracelet things that was the craze last year. For some strange reason or another, there were many parents that were "convinced" (which is longhand for "conned") into buying their youngster a silly, well - you know what I mean. These plastic bands of nothingness infiltrated our homes, our mini-vans, and our schools until of course - the principal would confiscate them.

In the future, if your youngster would like for you to buy something that adults would say is "irrational", have them practice the art of persuasive writing.

Here is what you can do:

1. Take out 5 sticky notes or paper.

2. Sticky note number one should say, "I want mom/dad/grandparent to buy me a __________."

3. On sticky note number two, have them give you the first reason why you should (consider) buying that toy.

4. On sticky note number three, have them give you the second reason why you should (consider) buying that
toy.

5. On sticky note number four, have them give you the fourth reason why you should (consider) buying that toy.

6. On sticky note number five, have them conclude why that toy would really be a good item for them to have.

At any age you can begin to have your little one "think out" the steps of persuasive writing.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

"I Really Do Not Know What To Do!"

As an educator, part of my job (if not most of my job) is spent communicating with the parents of the students that I teach. For the last few years, I have served as a teacher, counselor, confidante, and advocate in education. This year, my role has changed much more because every day I have to come up with more and more strategies to help my parents.

Jane D. is one parent that I have frequent communication with about her son. He is a middle-school aged student that has processing issues. Her primary complaint for today was that he has a difficult time with putting thoughts into words. She said that he does not have a hard time with this when he is articulating his ideas verbally, but he feels very discouraged when he cannot put those same words on a piece of paper.

I worked with him on a one-on-one setting for two sessions. What would normally take him a few hours to complete only took us about 75 minutes (broken up into two sessions of course). I was happy to see that he was able to come up with ideas. I quickly jotted them down and assisted him with the writing process step by step by laborious step. After all is said and done, I showed him all of his hard work and he felt accomplished.

My only wish is that there would be more that we can do to help our students who may need assistance in education. If there are solutions that can be offered to students to help them succeed, why do we not offer it to them? I hope that in the future this will not be an isolated incident of achieving success for a student, but the standard of normalcy in education.

All students deserve a proper education and it is our responsibilty to give it to them.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

Is it important for my student to develop executive functioning skills?

"Executive functioning", in a nutshell, is the ability for a certain individual to manage one's self and resources to obtain a certain goal. This has been a topic that many psychologists and educational professionals have been focusing on and it seems to be a very complicated.....but it is quite the opposite.

Take for example, the simple act of your four year old reaching into the toy box to "choose" something to play. First, he examines the toy, then he looks around to see who it is that he may or may not want to play with. Next, he determines if that toy is what will fit his recreational needs for that time frame. What we see is a child looking at a toy, what is actually happening is a multitude of decisions that the young four year old needs to sift through in order to achieve the end result: play a game.

One way to help your son or daughter at home with executive functioning is to create a schedule for them to use. Giving your student a schedule will allow them to understand the concept of time and what needs to be accomplished during these times. They will definitely be more "goal-centric" rather than "self-centric" when a schedule is presented to them.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at cjoyjavier@gmail.com or visit my website at http://www.christinejavier.com/.

Multicultural Book of the Week

During World War II, one group of Americans were sent to prison for an act that many would find incomprehensible today: the act of existing. It was through the actions of individuals living over 2000 miles away that caused many Japanese-Americans to be placed into internment camps during World War II.

The Journey is a story of a mural that the main character painted that showed the deeply rooted racism that her relatives and other fellow Japanese Americans experienced while in U.S. concentration camps.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at cjoyjavier@gmail.com or visit my website at http://www.christinejavier.com/.

Why is one group of parents more successful?

Being raised in a bi-cultural background, I can definitely relate to many of the major points that this columnist shared in the article, "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior".

Please read this article and tell me what your thoughts are. I find it to be true in some respects, but also a little damaging on others.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704111504576059713528698754.html


If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

Smart kids learning about money as early as first-grade!

Don't wait for that conversation to happen when your teen is studying for their driver's permit and they want a brand new car. Talk to your child about money - now! What is nice about the topic of money is that it can be a topic that you can start with at almost any age and students will understand the idea really quick!


If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

Handwriting....is it still important?

As I watch this new generation of students communicate with their technological devices, I ask myself - how well do they write? It seems that the more advanced a student is with their gaming devices, the less legible their handwriting becomes.

In the field of education here in the United States, we have focused less on handwriting and more on keyboarding. Although I believe that keyboarding is an important skill, I also believe that the ability to properly grasp on to a writing utensil to jot down a name, number, or even an address to be quite an important task. I am not saying that you need to write elegantly, but sufficiently enough so that your peers can understand what you are saying.

For more information about the Handwriting Without Tears, a wonderful researched based program - feel free to contact me at (404) 964-8533.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me atmailto:christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.



Have a great day and I look forward to hearing from you soon!!

What are some common modifications?

Sometimes it is necessary for a student to have certain academic tasks modified. Regardless of what type of difficulty a student has, it is important to recognize that modifications may be recommended or needed for a certain student.

Here is list of some "popular" accommodations:

1. Use a highlighter to identify ke words, phrases, or sentences for students to read and review.

2. Tape record reading material for the student.

3. Make a bright construction paper border for the student to place around reading matrial in order to maintain his/her attention to the task.

4. Use graph paper for math problems and - handwriting.

5. Have peers deliver directions or explanations.

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.



Have a great day and I look forward to hearing from you soon!!

CRCT-M do you know what this is???

The CRCT-M, according to the Georgia Department of Education, is an Alternative Assessment based on modified achievment standards. Students that fulfill certain guidelines may qualify for this modified version of the CRCT. Information that the individual schools may be looking at range from previous CRCT scores and other achievment data that the student has amassed in the last few years.

For more information on the CRCT-M, please visit the GADOE website and view the links on the CRCT-M. If you would like to see a brochure, click on the following link: http://tinyurl.com/2ftrt27

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.




Have a great day!

Sensory Friendly Films for January 2011!

The Autism Society of America is pleased to offer "Yogi Bear" as the Sensory Friendly movie for the month of January.

In Georgia, the movie will be featured in the following theaters on January 8th at 10:00am EST.

AMC Phipps Plaza 14
3500 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30326

AMC Discover Mills 18
5900 Sugarloaf Pkwy., Ste. 415, Lawrenceville, Ga. 30043

AMC Southlake 24
7065 Mount Zion Cir., Morrow, Ga. 30260

For more information, click on the following link:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=sensoryfilms#theatres

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com//. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.

Multicultural Book of the Week: Mexican-American Culture

If you are looking for a book to read with your son/daughter to help them understand different cultures, here is a recommendation for you!

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto is about a Mexican-American who tries on her mother's wedding ring on while she is making tamales for Christmas dinner. Unfortunately - the ring ends up missing in the process of her making tamales. Maria is sure it is in one of the tamales, and she and her cousins try to eat their way out of trouble.

Read this delightful book and discuss it with your child for hours of enjoyment!

If you are in the Atlanta/Marietta/Kennesaw/Vinings/Sandy Springs/Buckhead area (Cobb County, Fulton County, Dekalb County, Cherokee County) and have any questions about the CRCT, SSAT, SAT, GED, Summer Tutoring, Orton-Gillingham, Handwriting Without Tears, Writing Strategies, or any methodologies or instructional methods that may help your child succeed, please contact me at christine@learningridge.com or visit my website at http://www.learningridge.com/. If you need immediate assistance, you can call me at 404-964-8533.