I le Aapa Atu, matou te talitonu e taua tele le faʻamanatuina o manuia o tamaiti aoga. Matou te fiafia e faʻasalalau se isi Star Student - Ema!
O Ema e fai ma sui o mea uma e mafai e tamaiti aoga ona ausia i le galue malosi ma le tuuto i le tulaga lelei. E iloa e faiaoga o Ema o ia o se tamaitiiti aoga e matagofie uiga faaalia i le aoaoina, e matua talia lava faatonuga, and has an extremely supportive family who often communicates with her teachers. In class, Emma is a careful and attentive listener who is confident enough to share her ideas, but patient enough to give everyone their turn. She doesn’t mind taking risks, and is able to inject her personality into her work.
Emma is currently enrolled in our Creative Reading and Writing Level 4 Course, and she has shown a real gift in being able to create strong imagery in her writing. At the beginning of the semester, she completed a review of Blue Frog’s Shanghai Disneyland branch.
Emma showed her ability to critique specific aspects of a place, and develop her ideas using appropriate detail.
“The view and location are both very satisfying. At night we can sit outside and enjoy the sight of the Disney Castle and the fireworks.”
As the semester went on, Emma showed development in her writing skills, and began to incorporate more advanced literary techniques. In an assignment on describing landscapes, Emma was able to create a strong image using precise vocabulary and figurative language.
“Furry moss splashed onto the salty rocks as they spread far, like jam on bread. Bleary ripples formed as the fountain fell into the pond below.”
Emma continued to apply the lessons she learned throughout the course, and her ability as a writer became stronger. In a recent assignment on writing a Fantasy Narrative, Emma constructed the setting and character of her story deliberately and effectively.
“Glittering sunshine shone from the window and on to the soft, silky bed sheet. Warm colored sweet flowers bloomed beside the open window. Dim but diligent drawings hung on the refreshing seaweed-green wall.”
As you can see, Emma displays characteristics of a promising young writer. Her determination to improve, and careful application of the lessons taught have helped to elevate her writing to a more advanced level.
Thank you Emma, for being such a STAR! We look forward to seeing your growth for a long time to come. We know this is only the beginning of a brilliant journey.
I le avea ai ma faiaoga, e masani ona fesiligia i matou i le fesili, “E fa’afefea ona ou taofia la’u tama le faitau tusi malie?” Parents are worried that comics do not provide educational value, e le'o malosi fa'aa'oa'oga, pe sili ona leaga, ma'imau taimi o le la tama. I lenei, e masani ona faateia i latou i la tatou tali, and that answer is, “Let them read comics!”
It’s understandable that parents would be a bit concerned as the perception is that comics are purely for pleasure reading, peita'i, comics have many benefits beyond helping us pass the time.
Comics and graphic novels are not new forms of writing. Of course, they have been enjoyed by many for generations. Over the years, the genre has changed into one with considerable depth and meaning, which is why we encourage parents to not only allow their children to read comics, but also to support them in doing so.
Here are our top reasons comics should be read (especially in the summer!):
For students who are not native English speakers, comics provide a great way for them to begin enjoying English literature. For many children, the task of going from an English language textbook to a novel can be very daunting, but comics can provide a necessary bridge for them to build confidence as well as reading fluency. The visual cues in the pictures allow students to create a deeper understanding of the plot and characters as well as new vocabulary. I le male, it introduces them to effective literary devices, such as onomatopoeia (think POW! SMACK! ZOOM!) and idioms (an illustration showing the meaning of an idiom like, “Cat got your tongue?” makes much more sense than heating the idiom on its own!).
2.Enhancing Inference
Inference is a key reading skill that many students struggle with on standardized reading assessments. Inference happens when we draw conclusions based on what we read. Some examples of questions students will encounter during reading comprehension tasks or assessments are those such as, “How did the character feel when?”, “What can you conclude about…” and “What was the lesson in the story?” Comics require that students “read between the lines” to infer information that is usually told by the narrator in a novel, so they can gain a lot of valuable experience in strengthening this skill by reading comics.
3.Word Power!
Often in comics and graphic novels, writers include quite advanced vocabulary, both as part of the story line as well as in the names of the characters. In 2016 at the world famous Comic-Con in San Diego, California, a panelist of educators discussed the power of comics in building students’ vocabularies. James Bucky Carter, author of Building Literacy Connections with Graphic Novels said, “You have Colossus, and he’s this big, giant metal guy. You get a really good sense of what the word colossus means and that’s a good 10-cent word. Banshee’s power is screaming. You have these characters that embody the vocabulary words that they are. That’s something that’s a fun way to learn new words, in addition to the contextual clues.”
After reading this you may just want to let your child dive right into reading comics or graphic novels! That’s music to our ears. If you are not sure where to start, we have some student favorites your child might like to try!
Dog Man by Dave Pilkey
Miles Morales Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
Smiles, Sisters, Ghosts, Drama and Other Stories by Raina Telgemeier
Bone by Jeff Smith
Looking for more summer reading opportunities for your child? Contact one of our Education Consultants for more information about our summer reading courses. We look forward to reading with your child!
Ua o'o mai le vaitau o su'ega, ma e mafai ona avea ma se taimi faigata tele o le tausaga mo tamaiti aoga ma matua. I le Reach Out matou te mananaʻo e faia le mea sili matou te mafaia e fesoasoani ai e faʻamama le popole i le suʻega e ala i le ofoina atu o ni fautuaga faʻapitoa suʻesuʻe atonu e te leʻi faʻataʻitaʻiina..
Conventional wisdom of studying has often been followed by many parents and teachers who mean well, peita'i, if we look at some interesting research-based approaches we can see that there are a variety of effective ways to study! It’s always good to try new things, especially for children. They can experience new ways of doing things when they are young, and when they are a bit older, they can choose the way best suited to their own personal needs and style.
O lenei, let’s take a look at three unique ways to study.
Variety is the Spice of Life-Even When Studying
For many, many years we've been told that in order to study well, we should study in the same place every day; a place that is quiet, well lit, and has all our materials. While this might be true for some of the time we are studying, research shows us that our brains actually do better when we vary the location in which we are studying. Quite surprising, right?
In a study done all the way back in 1978, college students were given 40 vocabulary words to study. One group was told to study the list twice in the same location. The other group was told to study the list in two different locations. What they found was, the group that varied their studying locations actually performed better on remembering the words later. Now why is that? Well, our brain often makes connections to information based on our environment, so the more we vary our environment, the more we are giving our brains a chance to retain information as it will attach to more things. This may also be why one visualization technique, where one visualizes things they wish to remember to certain places in an environment they are familiar with, can be so effective as well. For students, simply switching up the environment might do the trick!
Have Fun!
Some parents might mistakenly think that if their child is laughing or getting excited while learning or studying, they might be wasting their time. However, this is not necessarily the case.
As a parent, in your work or office you might have special workshops from time to time. The workshops are usually used as a tool to help you learn about a new strategy, idea, or information that will help you learn more at work. These sessions are often run by people who specialize in creating motivating and inspiring workshops that invigorate and energize employees. The days can be long and intense, but if they are done right, employees can walk away confident in their new knowledge and skills.
The same rings true for young people. Introducing game play and fun as a way to study for exams not only makes your child smile, but research indicates that having fun while learning activates certain cognitive resources, associates rewards and pleasure with learning, strengthens and broadens memory networks, and toggles abstract thinking and focused attention.
The Pomodoro Technique
Staying focused, on-task and motivated to complete certain activities can be difficult for both adults and children alike. Have you ever felt like you have been staring at a computer screen for hours, but accomplished very little? Or maybe you have a deadline in a few days, but are only inching towards the finish line? It’s no wonder, as research shows that our mind tends to wander up to 20% of the time, perhaps even more for younger people.
One interesting technique was created by college student Francesco Cirillo as a way to help him stay focused, and that is the Pomodoro Technique, which got its name from the tomato shaped timer Cirillo used while testing this strategy on himself. How it works is you set a timer for 25 minutes, which is work time. Then set it again for 5 minutes, which is break time. This is a great time to get up, stretch, take a lap around the house, pet your cat, or get a drink of water or a snack. After break time is up, set the timer for another 25 minutes and repeat!
It turns out that this strategy is backed up by scientific evidence, as researchers concluded that short breaks help keep your attention span on track. This might be related to the fact that cognitive boredom can lead to an unengaged mind, which is the last thing you want when studying for an important exam.
We hope you have enjoyed exploring these unique study tips as much as we have! Wishing your child the best of luck on exams this month. Jiayou!
Ua tatou iloa e tele naua mea e mafai ona tatou faia e faafailele ma aoaoina ai a tatou fanau, o le mafuaaga lea i le avea ai ma matua e masani ona tatou faia ni mea e sili ona umi e faatumu ai o latou taimi i gaoioiga ma vasega faaoaina. Aisea tatou te faia ai lenei mea? Mo le tele o mafuaaga ioe, ae o le sini autu ia mautinoa lo latou manuia i le lumanai. E faamoemoe mātua o le a sili atu ona taulau manuia a latou fanau i le olaga nai lo i latou lava. Manuia, ae a, e fa'atatau, ma atonu e tofu i tatou uma ma a tatou lava faauigaga o le manuia. Ae masani lava, atonu tatou te ioe faapea o le manuia e aofia ai le lagonaina o le faamalieina i le olaga patino o se tasi, fa'apea fo'i le iai o se lagona o le fa'amalieina o galuega ma le saogalemu tau tupe.
Talu ai nei sa i ai se TED Talk fa'afiafia na fa'asoa i luga o fa'asalalauga lautele, lea sa avea muamua ma Dean of Freshman i le Iunivesite o Stanford, Julie Lythcott-Haims, o loʻo taʻua ai faʻamaoniga mai le Harvard Grant Study e faʻamaopoopoina le manuia faʻapolofesa i le olaga i tagata taʻitoʻatasi na faia feʻau ao laiti. E le o toleniga soka, e le o le aoaoina o le gagana, e le valiina, ae o feau.
Sa'o faateia?
O le toʻatele o a tatou fanau o loʻo ola aʻe i taulaga tetele atonu latou te le iloa pe faʻafefea le fufuluina o se ipu, fufulu se faamalama, pe solo le fola. Atonu tatou te lagona e iai mea e sili atu ona taua e fai e fausia ai lo latou malamalama ma o latou uiga. Lythcott-Haims o loʻo faʻamatalaina o tamaiti na e palapala o latou lima, peita'i, e mafai ona ausia se tulaga manuia i le olaga e sili atu nai lo a latou uo e leai ni galuega. E mafua ona o le aʻoaʻoina o tamaiti aoga i le auala e saofagā ai ma laʻasaga i luga pe a manaʻomia galuega, ma o le faia o le “galue muimui” atonu e tauemu ai isi, aua o le mea sili lea mo tagata uma, o le mea e matauina i fale faigaluega.
O fale faigaluega a tagata maualuluga na auai i le Harvard Grant Study sa iloga, pei o le White House, lea sa galue ai le sui auai o Peresitene Kennedy, ma le ofisa o le faatonu sa nofo ai Ben Bradlee o le faatonu o le Washington Post. E mafai ona tatou manatu o latou matua, pei o tatou, sa tatau ona una'i ma aioi atu ina ia fai feau, ma talia e tusa lava pe ua uma, atonu e lei lelei ona fai; ma ua lelei.
O le mea taua, e pei ona faailoa mai e Lythcott-Haims, o le faia lea o feau, e iloa e tamaiti latou, “… e tatau ona fai le galuega o le olaga ina ia avea ma vaega o le olaga.” Ua latou iloa o le olaga e lē na ona tupu iā i latou, ma mo i latou, ae ma latou.
Afai ua uma ona fai feau a lau fanau o se vaega o a latou masani o le taumafanafana i aso taitasi, totoa! Ua e i ai i le ala sa'o. Afai e leai, leai se tau popolevale. E le o tuai lava ona faailoa atu feau i olaga oa tatou fanau. O nisi nei o fautuaga e fesoasoani e te amata ai!
Ia Avea i Latou ma se Vaega
Pe a fa'ailoa atu le manatu o lau fanau e fa'amae'aina feau e fesoasoani ai, fai se “sauniga faaleaiga” lea e i ai tagata uma e talanoaina mea o le a faamoemoeina mai lau fanau ma pe aisea. E mafai ona e fai atu i lau tama e fesoasoani ia te oe e tusi se lisi o feau e mafai ona latou fesoasoani i ai ile fale. Atonu latou te faate'ia oe i lo latou naunautaiga aua o le faia o feau e matua fiafia lava mo nisi tamaiti aua latou te lagona le malosi ma le fesoasoani. (mea e lua e masani ona tatou fiafia e lagonaina o ni tagata matutua).
Ta'aloga-fa'amaonia
Ina ia faafiafia mea, aua o le fiafia e lelei ai mea uma, e mafai e oe po'o lau tama ona tusi fe'au i luga o la'au popsicle ma e mafai e lau tama ona filifili se fasilaau se tasi mai le fagu i aso uma.. O le a avea lena ma a latou galuega mo le aso! Afai e sili atu ma le to'atasi lau tama ile fale, e mafai lava ona e liliu le faamamaina i se tauvaga e ala i le setiina o se taimi ma vaai po o ai le tamaitiiti e mafai ona faamama le tele o meataalo i le taimi faatulagaina., faataitaiga.
Tauia
I le avea ai ma matua, tatou te tauia mo a tatou sao i le galuega ma se totogi. Pe le tatau foi ona tauia a tatou fanau i a latou galuega fita? O le tasi manatu pe afai e fa'auma uma e lau tama ana feau mo le vaiaso, e mafai ona ia filifilia se tamai meataalo mai se "pusa oa" e tumu i meataalo laiti. O le isi filifiliga e mafai ona fai pe afai e faʻamaeʻa e lau tama feau mo le masina, e mafai ona latou filifilia se tafaoga faaleaiga faapitoa.
O le aoaoina o a tatou fanau e fai feau e le faigofie i taimi uma, ae o faamanuiaga e mafai ona maua e aoga le taimi ma taumafaiga. Matou te faʻamoemoe na e mauaina a matou fautuaga aoga, ma e mafai ona latou fesoasoani e taitai atu ai i se aafiaga lelei mo oe ma lau tama. Manuia le faamamaina!
We are pleased to announce a new summer book club, just for parents! Summer is the perfect time to read that book you have always wanted to read, but have not had the time to. This summer, we invite you to join us in reading How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk.
We know it is not always easy to connect with our children because of the demands of school, work and daily life. Sometimes our anxieties about the future interfere with us living our lives right now. However, one thing we can guarantee is that we will never get another chance to experience childhood with our own children, and we don’t want to miss out on this precious time. O lea, how can we make the most of it and have meaningful conversations with our children that will strengthen our bond and help our children feel supported? These are big questions many of us have.
To help us answer these important questions, we invite you to join us in reading one of the most popular parenting books of all time, written by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, which teaches us how to accept our children’s feelings, as by not doing so we could be unwittingly causing bad behavior. It also teaches us positive ways to encourage cooperation, as well as independence, autonomy, and self-confidence. These are all the ingredients needed to help nurture a positive parent-child relationship that will indeed help to grow our children into confident and capable adults.
How Will It Work?
The first step is to contact one of our Education Consultants to register. Registration is FREE and open to everyone! We will create a group chat where the book study content and sharing will take place starting on July 1st. Lindsey Fine, our Education Manager, will be joining the group as a parent as well, as she is a mother of two boys, aged 4 ma le 6, who will be learning along with you. She will also be helping to lead the weekly discussions.
The book can be found in English and Chinese and easily accessible in print, e-book, or audiobook formats.
Then there are two options for how you would like to participate:
The reading schedule is as follows:
Week 1: Chapters 1 & 2
Week 2: Chapters 3 & 4
Week 3: Chapters 5 & 6
Week 4 Chapters 7 & Afterword
At the end of the month, we will host an online workshop led by School Counselor, Regina Wehner. At the workshop, Regina will share additional information and strategies you can use to strengthen your relationship with your child.
About Regina Wehner
Regina Wehner is a Licensed School Counselor that has worked with students in Middle School for over 16 years. Originally from the United States, she lives with her husband and 2 children, ages 10 ma le 12, in Beijing, China.
Regina works at the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), a diverse international school. A big part of being a school counselor is helping students learn about themselves and others as they are growing. Regina also hosts monthly Parent Coffee Mornings to bring parents together to learn more about their children's developmental changes and how to communicate during these times of transition.
Contact us today to join!
Helping Your Child Learn New Vocabulary
Research indicates that if we want students to succeed in the academic context, on important assessments and high-stakes exams, as well as their future careers, we must help them develop their vocabulary. The reason for that is this: our understanding of new information is directly linked to our understanding of the vocabulary used to communicate that new information.
For students, increasing their vocabulary is one key to success in mastering a language; the more words we know, the more words we understand, and the more words we can use in our writing to make it more impactful and effective. However, learning now vocabulary is sometimes viewed as a tedious or elusive process. Sometimes parents are not sure how to guide their children, especially as the way we approach vocabulary study study may vastly differ from the way parents studied it when they were in school.
Don’t worry, Reach Out is here to help! Let’s explore vocabulary acquisition (the process of memorizing and applying new vocabulary), and we’ll tell you how you can help your child build their vocabulary!
Talk About It!
It might seem overly simple, but when it comes to learning new words, one effective way young people do it is by talking with others. Children learn new words best when they are in context, such as in a conversation about a certain topic. They can infer a bit of new words’ meanings based on how they are used along with the other words they are already familiar with.
You have likely been interrupted by your child on many occasions when you use unfamiliar vocabulary and they curiously ask, “What does disaster mean?” You might have been referring to the state of their bedroom (as in it is a complete mess), and by taking a moment to explain the multiple meanings of disaster to them, you will not only have taught them a new word to describe a messy room, but also a failure or a naturally occurring phenomenon, such as a natural disaster.
O lea, talking with your child is a great way to teach them new words!
Explore It!
Students generally understand that they can use a dictionary or a translator if they encounter a word they do not know, but sometimes even the definition of a word might leave them with more questions than answers.
In our experience, many students do not utilize one very important tool for learning and applying new vocabulary, and that tool is a thesaurus! If you notice your child overusing a word when speaking or in their writing, faataitaiga, “pretty”, “cute”, “good”, or “bad”, then take some time to show them how to use a website such as thesaurus.com to look those words up. When they search for the word such as “pretty” they will see that there are so many interesting and unique words to use instead! I
In our experience, students really enjoy using new vocabulary, and feel empowered to know there is a tool to help them make their words mightier.
Play!
Having fun while learning isn’t just something teachers do to make students happy, it’s actually been proven by neuroscience to be an effective way to help students learn more and more deeply. Research shows that when students are both stimulated and challenged, their brains release dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that stimulates the memory centers and promotes the release of acetylcholinem, which increases focused attention.
In our courses here at Reach Out, vocabulary instruction is an important part of each lesson. We also have courses launching this summer, Vocabulary Builder Levels 1-3, in which we will focus exclusively on helping your child expand their vocabulary knowledge with challenging new words. While the words chosen offer the challenge, tools like Quizlet and games such as Guess Who and Sentence Racer provide students with the chance to interact in a meaningful and engaging way.
How do we know these methods are effective? Because our decades of experience, and study of educational psychology and methodology have taught us how students learn best!
We would love to help your child learn new vocabulary as one of the ways he or she can become an effect more effective and successful reader, writer, and speaker. To learn more about how we can help, contact one of our Education Consultants today!
If you are looking for a more individualized educational service, Reach Out offers 1-on-1 services with our expert educators!
What do We Offer?
Our teachers offer a wide range of 1-on-1 subjects including English, Social Sciences, and Maths.
Meet some of our highly qualified and experienced teachers!
Why Should I Choose 1-on-1 Services?
Perhaps your child is preparing to study abroad or applying to a new school and he or she would like a more intensive and targeted approach in order to polish his or her skills. Alternatively, your child might not feel challenged enough with his or her current curriculum, and needs an alternative approach that is more appropriate for his or her ability level.
There are a number of reasons a parent might be searching for services such as this, and we can assure you that we will always work to understand you child’s unique situation and provide the service that is best for them.
How Does it Work?
With our hands-on approach, and orientation process, we will assess your child’s knowledge and skills based on current assessment data, writing ability, ma isi. Based on our findings, we will select the teacher best suited for your child’s needs. All of Reach Out’s teachers have been carefully selected, and have years of experience in teaching challenging curriculums, such as IGCSE, IB, ma AP, in top schools from around the world.
Our process is goal-oriented. We find out exactly what your child needs to reach their educational goals, and then we create a unique and tailor-made learning path that will best suit your child’s particular needs.
What Else Does Reach Out Offer?
In addition to 1-on-1 services, Reach Out offers a wide variety of courses specifically designed to challenge and engage your 2nd to 8th grade child with above grade level content in order to help them prepare for the rigor of programs such as IGCSE, IB, ma AP.
How Can I Learn More?
To find out more about our 1-on-1 services, please contact one of our Education Consultants today to find out more! We look forward to helping your child reach his or her educational goals for a bright future!
O Ai i Tatou
E pei ona e matauina, ua matou tuputupu a'e ma ua i ai ni fa'aopoopoga matagofie i mea matou te ofoina atu iinei i le Reach Out. Ona ua fai si leva talu ona matou faailoa atu i matou, matou manatu o le a matou faʻasoa atu la matou tala ia te oe e fesoasoani ia te oe e te malamalama atili ai poʻo ai i matou ma mea matou te faia!
La Tatou Misiona
O le misiona a Reach Out o le faʻafesoʻotaʻi tamaiti aʻoga ma faiaoga faʻapitoa e fatuina ma tuʻuina atu muamua, musuia, mataupu aoaoina o le lalolagi. Ua matou amataina lenei faigamalaga ina ia mafai ona matou fesoasoani i tamaiti aoga ia malamalama i le auala e suʻe ai o latou lava leo tulaga ese ma faʻaalia manatu fatufatuaʻi ma taua o loʻo i totonu o latou taʻitoʻatasi.. Faatasi ai ma o latou leo, ua ia i latou le mana e suia ai le lalolagi, ma matou te mananao e faamalosia i latou e faia faapea.
La Tatou Vaaiga
O lo'o taumafai le Reach Out e avea ma fa'alapotopotoga fa'aa'oa'oga fa'ava-o-malo e mafai ai e tamaiti a'oga ona fa'aoga i a'oa'oga maualuluga fa'ava-o-malo ma faiaoga., e tusa lava po o fea o le lalolagi latou te i ai. O a tatou tamaiti aoga o le a malamalama, fia iloa, ma tagata fa'atauva'a e faia filifiliga fa'apitoa e avea ma fa'afitauli sili ona lelei ma feso'ota'iga. O le a ausia e tamaiti a'oga A'oa'o a latou a'oa'oga ma sini patino ma miti mai le A'oga Tulagalua i le Iunivesite, tu'u o latou lumana'i matagofie i le aapa atu.
O Tatou Tulaga Taua
O mataupu faavae ia e fa'atusaina le Aapa Atu:
La Tatou Tala
O le Reach Out na faia e se vaega toalaiti o tina tuuto, masalo e pei o oe lava. Na fa'atasia i latou i se va'aiga tutusa mo mana'oga fa'aa'oa'oga a le la fanau. O nisi sa su'e se polokalame fa'aa'oa'oga e mafai ona ofo atu ai a latou fanau i manatu, aoaoina filosofia, ma metotia e fetaui ma mea na latou oo i ai a o nonofo i fafo. O isi sa su'e se a'oa'oga fa'ava-o-malo e mafai ona maua e a latou fanau e fa'atamaoaigaina ai lo latou poto fa'aaoaoga i Saina. O le mea na latou faʻasoa tutusa o se manaʻoga mo se polokalama malosi lea na tatalaina ai foi faitotoa i mafaufauga fatufatuaʻi ma faitio, mafaufauga o le tagata lava ia, ma fa'aaliga patino - o fa'ailoga o se a'oa'oga fa'ava-o-malo malosi. A maeʻa le faʻaaluina o le taimi e suʻesuʻe ai filifiliga eseese, sa le mafai e nei tina ona maua se mea e fetaui lelei ma manaoga o a latou fanau.
O lea, sa latou faia le mea e faia e soo se tina lelei, tuuina atu le avanoa, ma maua a latou lava auala e ofo atu ai i a latou fanau ni avanoa e aoao ai e sili ona lelei ua fuafuaina e fesoasoani ia i latou ia alualu i luma. Sa latou feutagai ma faiaoga tomai ma galulue faatasi ma isi matua e saili pe faapefea ona sili atu ona latou faafetaiaia manaoga o isi tamaiti e tutusa sini. Tamaiti, matou te faamoemoe, pei o oe.
Sa tuuto atu matua i:
Matou te fiafia e ta’u atu ua ausia e nei tina lo latou faamoemoe. O le aso o le Reach Out o loʻo faʻaalia se laina atoa o aʻoaʻoga faigata ae faʻamalosi lea e aʻoaʻo loloto ai tamaiti aʻoga aʻo fiafia ma fatuina ni mafutaga taua ma o latou faiaoga ma tupulaga..
O nei mea uma ona o le tautinoga a o tatou tina faavae i le aoga ma le fiafia oa latou fanau.
Le Mea e Tutasi ai i Tatou?
E ui ina matou malamalama e tele filifiliga a matua pe a oo i polokalame e faʻatamaoaigaina ai aʻoaʻoga a a latou fanau, matou te talitonu matou te ofoina atu le tele o uiga uiga ese e le faigofie ona maua i se isi mea.
O la matou 'au e aofia ai faiaoga sili ona tomai ma poto masani na latou fatuina se polokalame tulaga ese ma faigata e faʻavae i tulaga faʻavaomalo aʻoga., lea e saunia ai tamaiti aʻoga laiti e faʻatautaia aʻoaʻoga faigata e pei o le IGCSE, IB, ma AP.
-O a matou polokalame e tasi i le tasi ma aʻoaʻoga ua fuafuaina e sili atu i manaʻoga tau aʻoaʻoga a matou tamaiti aʻoga
-O la matou aʻoaʻoga filosofia o le faʻamalosia ma le faʻamalosia o tamaiti aʻoga, ma auala fa'afaiaoga e fa'ataga ai tamaiti a'oga e su'esu'e le poto lautele ma loloto a'o fa'atupuina le fiafia i le a'oa'oina
-O la matou tautinoga i le manuia umi o a matou tamaiti aʻoga aʻo matou taumafai e faʻaauupegaina i latou i tomai taua latou te manaʻomia e manuia ai a latou galuega i le lumanaʻi ma le lalolagi i tua atu o aʻoga.
- O fa'amatalaga auiliili matou te tu'uina atu ma a matou su'esu'ega uma a tamaiti aoga, ina ia iloa e tamaiti aoga le mea o loʻo latou manuia ai ma le mea e ono faʻaleleia atili ai, faʻapea foʻi ma mea faʻaopoopo ma faʻatonuga e manaʻomia e fesoasoani ia tatou tamaiti aʻoga e tapunia soʻo se va i le malamalama
-O lo matou faʻamaoni i le atinaʻeina o mafaufauga faʻapitoa o tamaiti aoga ma tomai e foia ai faʻafitauli, lea o le a taua mo lo latou lumanai, fa'apea fo'i ma le lumana'i o lo tatou lalolagi lautele
-O la matou folafolaga e fa'afaigaluega uma a matou tagata a'oa'o ma tagata e le o ni faia'oga e fa'atatau i lo latou naunau fa'atasi mo a'oa'oga
-O lo tatou tomai e fa'amalosia ai tamaiti aoga e fa'aoga le gagana, malamalama, ma tomai latou te maua e atiina ae ai i latou lava i tua atu o le potuaoga ma avea ma fiailoa, tagata a'oa'o i le olaga atoa o lo'o fa'atulagaina ma tulituliloa lu'itau, faamalieina, ma sini aoga.
-O tatou lima-lima, auala fa'apitoa e fa'atupuina ai se ala a'oa'o mo a tatou tamaiti a'oga e tusa lava po'o le a le vasega latou te i ai pe a latou fa'atasi ma i tatou, o le a faʻapipiʻiina i latou i mea faigaluega e manaʻomia e faʻaleleia atili ai ma tuputupu aʻe vave
-O la matou tautinoga i le faʻamalosia o matou tagata faʻatau i faʻamatalaga ma poto masani o le a fesoasoani ia i latou e faia ai filifiliga sili ona lelei mo le aʻoga a le latou tama e ala i le ofoina atu o tala faʻamatalaga, vitio ma mafutaga faaleaoaoga.
O tatou Mataupu Aoaoina
La matou a'oa'oga Blue Line, lea e aofia ai kosi mo tamaiti aoga i Vasega 2 ia 8, na mamanuina e faiaoga faʻapitoa e iai tikeri maualuga i a latou mataupu o loʻo faʻaaluina le tele o tausaga i nisi o aʻoga maualuga faavaomalo i le lalolagi.. Matou te faʻaaogaina le faʻasologa o mataupu aoaoina i tua mai le tausaga muamua o polokalame e pei o le polokalame IGCSE lauiloa ma faʻaaloalogia..
A'o fa'aalu tausaga o a'oa'o a'oa'o a'oa'oga a'o le'i IGCSE, IGCSE, IB ma AP po'o A Levels curriculum, latou te malamalama i mea e manaʻomia e tamaiti aʻoga e manuia ai i na polokalame. O lea, o vaega ta'itasi o a tatou a'oa'oga ua faia ina ia mautinoa e ulufale uma tamaiti a'oga i le aso muamua o le Vasega 9 lagona mautinoa, saunia, ma saunia e faafetaiaia manaoga o nei kosi faigata.
Matou te ofoina atu le tele o vasega i mataupu o le Igilisi, Numera, Talafa'asolopito ma Fa'afanua. Va'ai i lalo mo nisi fa'amatalaga au'ili'ili i la matou kosi atoa ofoina.
Auaunaga Faaopoopo
Matou te fiafia fo'i e fa'ailoa le fa'atūina o la matou Laina Siliva, lea o lo'o ofoina atu auaunaga fa'aa'oa'oga fa'apitoa e fa'atino ai se faiga fa'apitoa e fa'afetauia mana'oga oa tatou tamaiti a'oga. Tatou amata i se iloiloga loloto o sini ma manaoga faaleaoaoga a tamaiti taitasi, ona fai lea ma fa'atino se fuafuaga o galuega o le a fa'aogaina e a tatou faiaoga fa'apitoa e ta'ita'ia ai lau tama i lu'itau tau a'oa'oga a le Aoga Maualuga ina ia saunia ai i latou e iu ina a'oga i latou i le iunivesite miti..
Matou te ofoina atu foi auaunaga 1-i-1 i vasega uma mo matua o loʻo manaʻo e ofoina atu ia latou fanau le tausiga ma le faʻatonuga taʻitoʻatasi. O a matou Faufautua Fa'aa'oa'oga fa'apitoa o le a fa'amautinoa e fa'afetaui lau tama ma le a'oa'o sili ona lelei mo ona mana'oga ma ana sini.
Auai ia i matou!
Matou te tulimatai atu e feiloai i lou aiga ma talanoaina pe faapefea ona avea oe ma se vaega o le matou aiga Aapa Atu; se tasi e aoao faatasi, popole le tasi i le isi, manumalo faatasi i luitau, ma faamanatu manuia o le tasi ma le isi. Fa'amolemole fa'afeso'ota'i i matou i le asō e su'e atili.
Matou te faʻamoemoe e faʻalogo vave mai ia te oe!
Being a parent is hard. In fact, with the changes in our world today, it might just be one of the challenging moments we have had to face in decades. Change leads to uncertainty, and uncertainty can lead to stress. Stress certainly affects all areas of our lives, sometimes it will impact our relationship with our loved ones the most; especially our children.
Our children can be complicated (let’s face it, so can we!), and it is a daunting task to ensure that every move is the “right” one. That all of our conversations, demands, requests, plans, praises and criticisms mean something. Every moment we spend talking to our kids, we hold the hope that these words will be enough to fill our children with the hope of a great future at a time where the future is so uncertain. Times change, and this too shall pass, but one thing we can guarantee is that we will never have a second chance at spending a childhood with our children.
I le avea ai ma matua, we often ask ourselves if we are in fact doing the right thing, wondering how we can get through to our kids, trying to understand our children better, and sometimes feeling like a guilty failure because we tell ourselves we are doing it wrong. Oftentimes, that is not the case, but there is no instruction manual on how to raise a child that will work for everyone in all situations. Sure, there is a lot of advice, an overwhelming amount of it, but again, most advice is just that; guidance and recommendations by people who don’t know you or your child. Some of it is helpful, and some of it…not so much.
One thing that we cannot deny though is the importance of a healthy relationship between parent and child.
Research shows that:
It is essential to make the time to nurture a relationship with your child, and perhaps even more imperative, making sure the interactions we have with our children during that time are positive. This is something that many parents find challenging, which is why we created a parent book club for the book How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk by Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish. Together we learned ways to positively communicate with our children in order to strengthen our bonds. We spent time discussing ideas from the book, as well as had a virtual meet up to role-play some of the strategies from the book. On top of that, we invited Middle School Guidance Counselor, Regina Wehner, to provide parents with a workshop in understanding our child’s cognitive and emotional development.
Here are some highlights we would like to share with you!
First, from How to Talk So Kids Will Listen and Listen So Kids Will Talk, here are two of our favorite strategies:
Children have difficulty regulating their emotions, as the brain’s emotional regulation center is one of the last to develop. This means that they need our help in the form of compassion and modeling. This can be so challenging, especially when we may have difficulty managing our own emotions at times! We have an easy strategy for you that will only require two things:
When your child comes home upset about something that happened at school, instead of lecturing and offering our sage advice, we can simply listen to their concerns and repeat the ideas back to them. For example, if your child comes home upset and says something like, “Ugh, today Elizabeth and Sarah were so mean to me! They completely ignored me and I hate both of them now!” Instead of saying, “Elizabeth and Sarah are your best friends. It’s not a big deal and I am sure you will be fine tomorrow,” which could invalidate your child’s feelings, you can say, “Oh, I see. Elizabeth and Sarah made you feel a bit left out. That probably made you feel a bit sad and mad.” At this point your child might keep talking and open up to you, which is great! It means they trust you and you are making them feel better. Continue to listen, nod, say, “Mmmhmm,” and repeat what they say. Having you simply listen will likely make your child feel 100% better and ready to face their next challenge!
2. I wish!
Our children often express their desires in the form of wishing they had things they don’t have or wishing things were different than the way they are. For example, children may say, “I wish I didn’t have to do all that homework.” We may reply, “Well, you do and that’s that!” or “It’s what you have to do. It’s your responsibility so you need to do it now!”
This may escalate into a battle of wills as parents feel frustrated that they keep hearing the same complaint and repeat the same reasoning. The children feel frustrated because their opinions are being invalidated and they feel misunderstood. Well, don’t worry, we are here to help! We have a little trick that will help you turn the conversation around, and that is to agree with your child. It may sound counterintuitive, but we have firsthand experience with this trick and it works wonders!
For example, if your child says, “I wish we could go to the park today like I wanted!”
Instead of saying, “I can’t, I am too busy,” or “Yes, but we can’t, it’s raining,” we can say, “I wish we could too! We could go to the park and have a picnic! We could fly a kite and blow bubbles! Why don’t we have a picnic in the living room and after that we can blow bubbles in the bathroom!”
The first part gets the kids excited and their imagination going, taking them to a happy place. The next part makes them feel heard and connected to you.
O lenei, some highlights from Ms. Wehner’s workshop:
*Please help me choose these! :)*
If you would like to join one of our workshops or book clubs in the future, make sure to follow us and stay tuned! We have great things coming up this fall!
Many parents ask us what the fastest way their child can improve their writing. While we firmly believe there are no shortcuts to becoming a truly effective and skilled writer, there are some things students can incorporate into their writing to help take it to the next level more efficiently. Like with anything trying to be mastered, the key to success lies in hard work and repetition. Practicing these skills regularly will help your child reach their educational goals.
This article will be the first in a series of articles that will focus on skills suited for different types of writing. This week, we will focus on descriptive writing tips.
Descriptive Writing Tips:
Descriptive writing is a true art form, as its purpose should be to create an image in the minds of the readers. One cannot tell a story on action and dialogue alone, and one cannot convey deep meaning and emotion in a poem without painting a picture with his or her words.
One powerful way to excel in description is to add adjectives and adverbs wherever possible. For example, if your child is writing a story he or she might write something like:
“Harry went outside and started looking for his friends.”
While this sentence conveys a basic meaning, it’s effect on the reader is also basic. By adding descriptive language in the form of adjectives and adverbs, we can quickly and effectively add imagery to the sentence:
“Harry zipped out the front door, slamming it shut behind him. His heart raced as he ran around the neighborhood eagerly looking for his friends.”
In the revised sentence, we see descriptions that tell us not only the action that is taking place, but also helping us feel the emotion of the character, an important aspect of storytelling.
Another great way to make a story or poem more effective is by adding figurative language, such as similes. Similes are comparisons that use like or as that can be used to help the reader imagine what is happening more clearly.
For example, your child might write something like:
I was so happy!
It was so cute!
He was so scared!
We can add similes to help create an even better result:
I was as happy as a a kitten in a yarn shop.
It was a cute as a baby panda playing in the snow.
He was as scared as a rabbit that just heard a wolf howl.
Our final tip for descriptive writing is to choose vocabulary that is so precise that it communicates exactly what the writer wants the reader to feel. Often, students will write descriptions that are a bit vague, with sentences like:
He was very tired.
The movie was very boring.
They were very cold.
The room very hot.
Again, these sentences convey a simple meaning, but in descriptive writing, that is simply not enough. Effective description uses vocabulary that has an impact, and we can achieve that by choosing only the best words to convey the most exact meaning.
See how we can take the sentences above from ordinary to extraordinary by replacing part of the sentence with powerful vocabulary:
He was exhausted.
The movie was unimaginative.
They were chilled to the bone.
The room was roasting.
The good news is that your child doesn't need to rely on his or her current vocabulary knowledge in order to succeed in creating sentences like those above. The thesaurus has all of the words they need to create memorable descriptions.
We hope these tips have been helpful! If you would like for your child to learn how to put these skills into practice with one of our passionate educators, stay tuned for coming announcements on our new summer and fall courses!
Next week, we’ll have a look at persuasive writing tips!
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I grew up in five different countries (Sweden, England, Germany, South Africa, and Canada). Integration into a diverse spectrum of cultures growing up has made me see the world with an open mind. I currently reside in Canada and work as both a university lecturer and a Math teacher at Reach Out. Outside of work I really enjoy sports such as badminton and chess, which I played at a competitive level for many years.
What is your educational background and qualifications?
I received a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and an obtained my MSc at the same university. My graduate work involved experimental geoscience where I designed an apparatus to investigate how diamonds reach the surface of the Earth through high velocity magmas. I published articles in two high impact journals and presented the work across Canada and Europe.
During my graduate studies I had the privilege of lecturing a few classes which transitioned into a lectureship position. Teaching at the university level involves lecturing a class of over 200 tamaiti aoga, which is very different to the work I do at Reach Out, but has helped me develop a dynamic teaching style.
Additionally, I have been teaching Math and Science both privately and through educational organizations for over 6 tausaga.
Why did you join Reach Out?
I joined Reach Out because the prospect of being able to deliver high quality education from around the globe without border restrictions resonates with me.
I feel that the reason I am committed to staying at Reach Out is more important. The personalized classes being delivered has allowed me to connect with the students, making their progression much more meaningful to me. Some students have been together with me through multiple grade levels and I feel immensely proud to have played a role in their education.
What is your educational philosophy?
Having a background in experimental science has allowed me to see value in making breakthroughs through experimentation. By allowing students to experiment with different methodologies while offering guidance is an extremely effective way of teaching students to not be afraid of failure. Richard Fuller correctly said, “There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes.” Students often start my classes afraid to answer questions, discuss with their classmates, or write on the board since they don’t know the answers. Since I am always more focused on solutions rather than answers, students’ are rewarded for trying new techniques, discussing failed methods, and asking questions about their classmates’ work. I found this to produce a phenomenal learning environment and takes a lot of pressure off the students.
What is your favorite thing about teaching Math?
My favorite thing about teaching Math is the exciting challenges it provides. After teaching Math for many years, I have come to realize that students see the world from a unique perspective, which more often than not, is very different from my own. This diversity produces a wide spectrum of learning styles and requires me to stay very flexible with the methodologies I use in my teaching.
Math is a complex subject which has provided us with a universal language to better understand the universe that surrounds us. Having a good problem solving ability is a byproduct of learning Math and crucial for success in the modern world. For these reasons I have the responsibility to transform a traditionally dry and boring subject into something exciting by creating compelling lessons and using creativity to inspire my students. This will always be something I love about my job.
Who is your favorite mathematician and why?
This is a tough question, and it’s hard to pinpoint one Mathematician since I utilize the works of so many Mathematicians in just one lesson. If I had to pick it would be either Johannes Kepler or Nicolaus Copernicus since I also love astronomy. Their Math not only challenged everything that was believed about our solar system at the time, but also formed the foundations for understanding planetary motion. Space travel has relied heavily on these concepts.
If you could only give parents one piece of advice when it comes to helping their child improve in Math, what would it be?
One thing I have worked on a lot with my students, is getting them to explain their solutions to me regardless of how easy it may seem. Being able to arrive at the correct answer in certain school curriculums may not require a complete understanding, but being able to explain a solution well does require a good understanding. Make sure that your child is always showing very clear steps in their work and that they can explain their steps to you. This certifies understanding and shows they are prepared for questions which test the same concept but may be worded differently.
What is one fun fact about yourself?
I really like learning languages! After growing up in many different countries I can speak English, Swedish, and German fluently. For the past two years I have been working to add Chinese to my collection and have enjoyed the unique challenges that learning this complex language has provided me with.
O le Secret Garden o se vaega o tusitusiga masani na avea ma vaega o le le mafaitaulia numera o tamaiti laiti (pe afai na e misia le matou tusiga i luga o le mafuaaga e tatau ai ona faitau e tamaiti tala masani, tagai i ai le sootaga i lalo!). O se tala mamana o faauoga ma le iloaina o le tagata lava ia e ootia i o tatou agaga.
O le Faatoaga lilo e uiga i se teine talavou e igoa ia Mary Lennox ua leiloa lona aiga ma mea uma e masani ai o ia ona o le kolera i Initia., lea sa galue ai lona tama o se Kapeteni o le Ami a Peretania. A o tamaitiiti, Sa matua le amanaiaina Maria, ae fa’amalieina e ‘au’auna a le aiga, o lea na avea ai o ia ma se tamaitiiti leaga ma se uiga leaga. Sa itiiti lava ni ona uiga e mafai ona fesoasoani ia te ia e feagai ai ma se olaga fou i Egelani, lea na auina atu ai o ia e nonofo ma se tasi o lona aiga ita, Na saunoa Mr. Craven.
Na saunoa Mr. O Craven sa i ai ni tulafono faʻapitoa mo Mary e mulimuli ai i lona fale fou i Misselthwaite Manor i Yorkshire, lea na aofia ai le faasaina o ia e ulu atu i potu eseese i totonu o le maota tele, fa'apea fo'i ma le fa'asa ona ulufale i se tasi o fa'ato'aga i luga o le fanua ta'ape, lea a lana avā pele ua maliu. A o amata ona suʻesuʻeina e Mary lona fale fou, ua amata ona ia maua se lagona o le fiafia ma toe maua lona soifua maloloina ina ua ma'i mo le tele o lona laitiiti. Ina ua uma se robin e fesoasoani ia te ia e sue le ki i le togalaau faalilolilo, na te maua se lagona o le faamoemoega i le toe faaleleia o le togalaau, e pei ‘ona fa‘afoisia e ia o lona tagata i totonu. E ala i vao tuitui ma lau mago o le taumalulu, na te mauaina le tele o pepelo i totonu.
Fesoasoani mai se uo fou o Dickon, Ua atiina ae e Maria ana faauoga muamua, ma fa'aaoga lona malosi fou ma le agalelei e fesoasoani ai i lona tausoga o Colin o lo'o taoto i le moega, whom she finds tucked away in the manor. Friendship strengthens both Mary and Colin, ma i le iuga, e molimauina e tagata uma se vavega e na o nei noataga vavalalata ma talitonuga i totonu o le tagata lava ia, two very important themes in the novel.
O le a fiafia tagata talavou e faitau lenei tala matagofie o faigauo, fa'ato'ilaloina o fa'alavelave, and experiencing the healing power of nature. O tagata ma lesona latou te aʻoaʻoina mai ia i matou e mautinoa lava e paʻi atu i lau tama ma fesoasoani ia latou iloa le mana o se tala sili.
Afai e te manaʻo i se avanoa mo lau tama e iloa ai lenei tala ma isi, matou te fiafia e ta'u atu ia te oe o le a matou faitau O le Faatoaga lilo as the first novel in our Young Classics Level 2 Vasega i lenei taumafanafana.
I le vasega, we not only read the novel, ae tatou te aoaoina foi ma faaaoga upu fou mai le tusi, talanoaina auala taua o tusitusiga o loo faaaogaina e le tusitala, and practice writing summaries, a key skill that many students find challenging
Afai e te fiafia e aʻoaʻo atili e uiga i Young Classics, po'o isi a tatou kosi lelei ma fa'afiafia, contact one of our Education Consultants today! We hope to work with your child very soon!
Literature study is an important aspect of any excellent academic program, and that is because it helps to teach students a wide range of knowledge and skills that are essential for success in many areas of life. While studying literature, students learn about important events and people throughout history, they consider cultural perspective and increase their own understanding of acceptance of different ideas and beliefs, and they learn how to analyse the words of others in order to form a deep understanding of new ideas and ways of communicating. In short, it exposes students to a toolbox of ideas, techniques, strategies, theories, and more that they will carry with them throughout their life, shaping the way they approach the world.
Why do we offer this course?
Reach Out students typically pursue high school programs such as IGCSE, which includes challenging courses such as English Language and Literature and English as a First Language. Later, most of those students will take on the challenge of IB and AP level programs, in which they must take on the task of reading a variety of literature. Our aim is to expose students in upper primary and middle school to a wide range of advanced literature so that by the time they reach high school they possess the knowledge and skills to hit the ground running, and therefore achieve to a higher level.
This course is designed for Grade 7-9 tamaiti aoga.
The Objectives of our Advanced Literature Course are to:
✪ Enhance students’ ability to understand and discern literary techniques used English and American literature, and the ability to communicate the effects of those techniques;
✪Improve children's literary comprehension skills and increase their understanding of British and American culture;
✪ Under the guidance of our expert educators, learn the power of language and storytelling in a challenging yet engaging way.
Meet Our Teachers
*Insert teacher bios here for Barry, Anthony, and John*
Our Book Selections:
Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
Set in South Africa in the 1940s, award-winning Cry the Beloved Country tells the story of a Zulu Pastor, Steven Kumalo, who travels from his village to the city of Johannesburg. Along his arduous and heart-wrenching journey, he discovers that his sister and son have found themselves in terrible situations that he must now face with them. The characters’ vastly different lives become unexpectedly woven together through tragedy during a dark time in South Africa’s history. However, through tragedy and challenges, the true nature of the human spirit can be found and uplift those who need it most.
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The legend of Dracula has loomed large in the minds of readers and movie-goers for generations. Bram Stoker based the infamous character of Dracula on the legend of the real life ruler of Wallachia, Vlad the Impaler. Stoker was able to take this dark corner of history and turn it into a legendary novel told through journal entries, letters and telegrams. As with any classic, Dracula has stood the test of time because it speaks to something very deep and meaningful within the human psyche.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
The Great Depression was a defining moment in American history that tested its strength as a nation, and placed the population in a precarious balance between life and death. In what is considered one of the greatest American classics, readers are introduced to two displaced migrant workers, George and Lennie. George is an intelligent young man, while Lennie is mentally disabled. George takes Lennie under his wing as they seek employment where few opportunities exist, trying to survive, yet still dreaming of the day they will have their own land and build a life. Their hopes are dashed when a devastating incident occurs that alters their lives forever.
What Students Will Gain
Develop an early sense of literary appreciation,
See the world from a more mature perspective
British and American classics contain thought-provoking moral and social issues. Reading the most influential classic literature thoroughly helps students become better readers, and begin the process of pursuing self-realization.
Improve understanding of culture and history
Learning allusions from classic British and American literature can help us bridge cultural differences. "The classics have opened the door to different worlds, different cultures, and different historical perspectives. Literature crosses race, culture, religion, and geography."
Self-reflection and personal growth
Many classic literature allude to our lives from the side: books that reflect similarities to our own lives are called "mirrors"; and those that give us a glimpse of different lives are called "windows." Whether it is a "mirror" or a "window", it further enriches the students' life experience and increases the courage and strength to face life.
Auai ia i matou!
Contact us to discover more about our course. We sincerely hope to meet your child soon, and develop a love of reading classic literature together.
It’s back to school time and we know parents are getting ready for a new year with new beginnings. The start of a new year is usually met with a mix of excitement and a bit of anxiety, as students and parents look forward to new skills and experiences, but also might feel nervous about new routines and expectations.
Don’t worry, Reach Out it here to help! This year, we have 5 top tips to a fantastic start to the school year.
Understanding how your child’s school approaches education, what curriculum they use, what systems, and standards are used can be overwhelming for non-educators. Spending a bit of time each day reading your school’s website content, handbooks, and other resources can help you feel more confident in understanding what your child is learning at school and how they are learning. It’s also important to attend your child’s back-to-school night and informational sessions to get a better understanding of your child’s program as a whole. It also provides a great opportunity for you to establish a relationship with your child’s teacher. At any time if you still have questions, you can always e-mail your child’s teacher. They are there for you and your child, as they know that a great relationship with parents is a fantastic way to ensure academic, social, and emotional success for all students.
2. Make Sure to Catch Enough Zzzzs Before the ABCs
Sleep is so important for a child’s growth and development, and a lack of it can negatively impact a child’s academic achievement. In fact, research shows that sleep depravation in children can lead to higher rates of anxiety and depression. When we sleep, our brain processes the information from he day, finds the best system to file it away in out memories, and re-charges our systems for a new day. For various reasons, parents often find sticking to an early bedtime difficult, but with a clear routine, and time for adjustment, it can be easy! Tamaiti 3-6 years old should be getting 10-12 hours of sleep per day, 7-12 year olds should get 10-11 hours per day, ma le 12-18 year olds should get 8-9 hours per day. Creating a schedule where children get to bed earlier will make mornings easier as well, hopefully with less stress for both parents and children as they will be well rested and ready to start their day!
3. Ask the Right Questions at the Right Time
Sometimes parents are anxious to know how their child’s day was as soon as they get home from school, especially during the first few weeks. Those weeks are especially exhausting and full of ups and downs as your child learns to navigate new material, new friends, new teachers, and new expectations. Giving them time to come home and decompress is extremely important for their emotional and mental well-being. Once they have had some “me” time, parents can ask specific questions based on what they know they are working on, if they happen to know. They can go through their child’s homework diary with them and help them make a plan on how to tackle each task, as well as share in their enthusiasm for specific subjects, books, or information they also enjoy. Avoid asking, “How was school? What did you learn?” as kids respond much better to more specific questions, such as, “What did you do with your friends at lunch? What was the best part of your day? What was the weirdest or most wonderful thing that happened at school today?” Most importantly, parents should be fully present and listen intently when students answer, so they really feel valued and hear when they share.
4. Let Them Learn From Failure
This one can be extremely hard for parents to allow. We want our children to do well and reach their full potential, which means we might go over each assignment with a fine-toothed comb, correcting every mis-calculation or grammar mistake. Although parents have good intentions when we do this, we are taking away important learning opportunities from children when we do so. Back when we were students, many of our parents were often too busy or didn’t have the knowledge or capacity to help us with our school work, but we found a way to push through and try our best. If children are never given opportunities to fail when they are young, they might resist taking on challenges later in life for fear of failing at them. However, when we let them fail gently, such as on an assignment or at a little league soccer game, we are teaching them resilience. It’s not the end of the world, and they learn a valuable lesson; that we can try and not succeed, dust ourselves off, and try again next time.
5. Nurture Their Passions
New school years are an exciting time for many reasons, one of them being that they provide children a chance to discover new passions. If they are lucky, they will stumble upon something they truly love, and that they can become fascinated with enough to spend hours on end discovering. Helping a child find his or her passion is not always easy and takes time. Sometimes parents worry if their child focuses too much on a couple of things, and feel they need to expose them to as much as possible to help shape them into well-rounded individuals. However, if we look at the people who have shaped our world, it was because they had a laser focus on what they were passionate about. It was all they ever did or do. As humans, we naturally gravitate towards what we love most, and as long as it provides some sort of value on top of fulfillment, we should continue pursuing it. O lea, don’t worry if your child protests going to one activity while running out the door to attend another. Maybe the one they love is the most valuable to their growth and development, and the one they don’t like isn’t that necessary after all.
We hope these tips have helped, and we wish you and your child the best in the coming school year! We are excited for the new school year and all of the challenges and hope it will bring.
Reach Out will be with you every step of the way, so be on the lookout for more information and more articles we hope you will love!
