AuthorTralee is SF Bay Area educator, learning coach, and counselor helping students gain competence and confidence in school, predominantly in their math class. Archives
June 2015
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What is all the fuss about STEM?6/23/2015 ![]() There are 40,000 computer science bachelor’s degree earners each year, but roughly 4 million job vacancies for computer workers and engineers. Speaking of engineers--Do you know the reason computer engineers use the phrase "debug" to find problems in a program or computer? My UCLA computer professor said it is because computers, like the one in the photo, were so large and generated so much heat, they had to be housed in large rooms. The heat they generated attracted bugs to the internal workings. The engineer in the photo is probably getting ready to "de-bug" the computer. Today the culture is breaking down old stereotypes engineers. No longer are engineers white men in white shirts and ties, or young men with pocket protectors. There are female engineers, some who are making headlines. Debbie Sterling, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEeTLopLkEo) a female engineer from Stanford, invented Goldibox through a Kickstarter campaign. She developed interactive books plus construction toys starring a girl named Goldie to engage girls in building and problem solving. It is a good thing the market has such toys for girls. Do you know that girls score lower on spatial relations than boys do? It's not genetic. Comparisons in foreign countries show girls and boys score similarly. It is cultural. We provide boys with the experience of building three-dimensional forts, machines, robots, and cars. Goldiblox toys provide girls an opportunity to to build objects in three-dimensional space. Without purchasing toys, you can provide your daughter of son a chance to create three-dimensional solutions at home. * Ask your child to build a bridge out of toothpicks. * Give your child a paperclip and ask for a list of all the ways to use it. * Take out your child's favorite collection of mini-figures and create a hanging mobile. All these activities help fill the void. If you have a middle school girl, you can also enroll her Girls Go Figure Summer Academy at http://www.themathematicstutor.org/girls-go-figure.html Girls will be challenged in problem solving, logic questions, puzzle solving, and have some pure fun related to STEM. There are several sessions this summer. Registration closes on June 10th for the June 15th Session. Costs and upcoming deadlines are on the website. I am tutoring individuals this summer, and offering August review sessions. Please call me for more information. Warmly, Tralee
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Should you intervene in your child's homework?
You provide a homework structure for you child;setting up a place and time to work, communicating your expectations, and being accessible to “give help on demand.” But, when should you intervene when in your child's homework? The when and how you should intervene depends on your intentions. I want to help my child. If you intervene too much, you send an unconscious message to your child: “You are helpless and need my help,” which research shows undercuts the child’s development of agency and independence. But, my child works s-l-o-w-l-y. It is faster to give your child the answer than to allow enough time for processing through to understanding. Are you doing so because it is 11 p.m. and the assignment is due in the morning? “Good enough” parenting permits you to expedite the process and give an answer or to in order to prevent your child's meltdown.. I want to teach my child problem solving strategies. Now, you are on to something! One of my parents told her daughter, “Math is a puzzle to be solved, and life will give you lots of puzzles and problems to solve.” Word problems are great opportunities to teach problem solving, even though children give them a bad rap. You may borrow any of my time-tested techniques for solving word problems: 1. First, you and your child read the problem aloud-- twice. This models the importance of reading carefully as if you both are detectives. When I teach, I ask students to ignore all references to numbers until they read it the second time. This reduces the load on their memory. 2. If there is too much information, draw up a table, a chart, or a picture to keep the information organized. 3. If you are unsure about how to solve a problem, that's O.K. Take your time and think out loud. This helps you arrive at a plan, shows children problem solving takes time, and becoming a Super Hero Problem Wizard takes time. . 4. Finally, always check if the answer makes sense. Students are eager to find ANY answer, they don't care if it does not make sense. When you understand your intentions when helping with homework, you will know if it is for a good reason or not. Warmly, Tralee Johnson Great Math Tutoring P.S. (This summer, 2015, I am offering my middle school Girls Go Figure! Workshop where motivated participants can experiment with various thinking strategies through games, movies, puzzlers, treasure hunts, reading, and good, old-fashioned problem solving. The workshop is offered monthly this summer, Monday through Thursday, beginning June 15 through Jun 19, from 9 am to Noon, or from 1 pm to 4 pm depending on the location (Berkeley/Oakland) for $275 (Early Bird Registration of $ 250 closes on May 15, 2015). Copyright © 2015 Tralee Johnson, MA, MFT "Great Math Tutoring!" All rights reserved. You're receiving this email because you worked with Tralee Johnson or inquired about her services. If you no longer wish to be on this list, you can unsubscribe at any time. Add us to your address book
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Are you happy with the results?
The school year is half over.Did your child's first semester report card meet both of your standards? If not, maybe it's time to sit down and write NEW goals with your child. However, without an action plan and action timeline, the goals could become untouched items on their "To Do List." That's why teacher Nancy Berile teaches her students to write out action plans and action timelines in association with their goals. She says it provides them the "concrete steps to reach their goals, gives them hope, teaches them perseverance, and helps them practice skills they can use in college and in their careers." You can help your child achieve these goals more effectively by inserting action plans and timelines. Here are Ms. Berile's recommendations for doing so. 1. Each goal should be action oriented. Every sentence should begin with a verb, such as "Read 30 minutes after school," or "Review my notes every night." 2. Sometimes a student's goal is grandiose or vague. It's up to you to help them chunk down big goals into bite-size mini-goals break down large goals There is an ancient proverb; "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer: "One forkful at a time." 3. Be available to offer help if they can't reach their goal without you. For example, if your child needs help in Pre-Calculus and you are a bit rusty in math, you might get a math tutor. 4. Periodically stop to re-assess that the student is on the right track. As adults, we know the only constant in life is CHANGE. When life changes, your child's plan may need to change as well. 5. Write a timeline attached to the mini-goals. In my work as a learning coach, I notice that the clients who give themselves a deadline are more likely to achieve their goals. Don't believe me? How does this date motivate you: April 15th? 6. Finally, identify obstacles to success. Within each goal, a problem may be hidden which needs a solution before taking the next step. In raising or teaching children, look for progress, not perfection. Celebrate all students' progress towards their goals and be sure to acknowledge the work they've done--even if they did not reach their ultimate goal. If you or your child were not satisfied with their math progress or achievement, call my Google VoiceMail (415) 508 - MATH to set up a consultation or a single appointment for a "tune-up." Warmly, Tralee Johnson
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According to Dr. Daniel Siegel parents should "honor the teen's intense, emotional turn away from the safety of parents and toward novelty and peers. The brain is helping the teen get ready."
We all know how teenagers shift their focus from family to their peers. But, did you know there are biological parallels to these behavior inside the child's brain? See more at : |