For many children going to school can be a challenging experience. Fear and insecurity can often cause great kids to act in less than positive and constructive ways. It has been estimated that 160,000 children miss school every day out of fear of being harassed or attacked by another student. Bullying, targeted viciousness, and violence in our schools have become a national concern.
In 2004, Orchard Elementary School in Orem, Utah found itself with an especially difficult 6th grade class. Many of these students, both male and female, were forming predatory cliques that seemed devoted to teasing, belittling and bullying other students before, during, and after school. “There was little empathy or respect for one another,” said Principal Brent Palmer, “A lot of the kids were wonderful, but those that were causing problems were pretty aggressive.”
Deciding to take matters into her own hands, a mother of one of the “problem” boys asked his teacher, Lisha Hill, to allow her to try an experiment. She gathered all the 6th grade classes together and read them the book, “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” by Emily Pearson, in which Mary, an ordinary girl from an ordinary school on her way to her ordinary house, stumbles upon ordinary blueberries. When she decides to pick them for her neighbor, Mrs. Bishop, she starts a chain reaction that multiplies around the world. Mrs. Bishop makes blueberry muffins and gives them to her paperboy and four others - one of whom is Mr. Stevens, who then helps five different people with their luggage - one of whom is Maria, who then helps five people - including a man named Joseph who didn’t have enough money for his groceries - and so on, until the deed touches every single person on the planet and finally comes back to Mary.
After reading and discussing this book, the entire 6th grade decided to set a goal of leaving their school with 15,000 good deeds by the time they graduated. The results were astounding. Not only did they reach their goal, but the entire tone and climate of the school changed as a result.
“All the kids really became one cohesive group,” said Hill, “Popular kids started reaching out to less popular kids and several kids left cliques they were in and forged new friendships. It was really hard for some of them emotionally but it turned out to be a really great thing. This program pulled kids out of the shadows, included them in social interactions and made them more aware of the ratio of positive to negative things they do.”
In 2006, other Utah schools also began successfully implementing this program. By taking the focus off of negative behaviors and getting children, teens, and even adults united in a positive goal, a difference can be made — and that difference can be huge.
Don L. Wright, Ph.D. has been an educator for more than 30 years. For more information on the Extraordinary Deeds Program or the book Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed” go to http://www.ordinarymary.org.
If you are thinking about in-home tutoring for your child you are not alone. There are many people that use this method to get their child back on track. In addition, this type of tutoring also allows for you, the parent, to take a step back. In many cases, a child will simply be reluctant to work with a parent to improve their school work. But the second that a tutor comes into the picture they are much more willing to cooperate.
Listed below are just a few of the advantages that go along with tutoring in your own home.
1. The most obvious advantage of this tutoring is that your child will get the attention that they need without ever having to leave home. For many people going to a center or library for tutoring is no big deal, but why do this if you can have the tutor come to you? With in-home tutoring you will never have to rearrange your schedule to meet the needs of the tutor; they will work with you and your child to find a time to meet.
2. With in-home tutoring your child will be able to learn in an environment that they are comfortable with. Some children are so overwhelmed at the fact of working with a tutor that they do not do well at an offsite location. By having the tutor come to your home your child will be much more stress-free which will in turn help them learn more effectively.
3. In-home tutoring can help your child out with any subject that they may be struggling in. Some centers only specialize in subjects such as math or SAT preparation. But when you hire a tutor to come to your home, you can tell them what you need and they will work with you to get the job done. The larger tutoring services that come to your home have plenty of tutors to choose from meaning that regardless of subject matter you will find somebody to work with.
4. In-home tutoring can save you money in more ways than one. Not only can you save on the sessions themselves, but you will also save on time and gas money. You will never again have to leave work to drop your child off at tutoring or be forced to drive out of your way.
Overall, in-home tutoring is an option that you should consider if your child is struggling in school. Even though there are other options that you can rely on such as learning centers, the individualized attention of tutoring in your home will ensure the best results for your child. Start your search today for the best service in your area!
Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your student reach their full potential
at http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog .
There are several reasons that a person may not complete high school. However, without that high school diploma, a person is at an extreme disadvantage. In 2004, a high school graduate earned around $717 per month more than a person not completing high school. The importance of a high school diploma is becoming more and more evident today. In 2004, if you have graduated you are 70 percent more likely to be employed than someone who did not. The above statistics came from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics.
So what happens if you are one of the individuals who have not graduate, but you want to improve your chances of being employed and increasing your earnings potential? Did you know you can earn your school degree online?
The fact is that getting your High School diploma as an adult could be a bit awkward and embarrassing in a conventional setting. Also, as an adult, there are other factors to consider such as a spouse and children. So, to earn your diploma online would be a good solution. You are able to take classes and study when convenient for you. It can be tailored to your schedule as opposed to traditional classes that make you adjust your schedule to participate.
To earn your degree online, what do you look for? Well, obviously you need to find some public or private school that is offering this option. The number of online high school programs is increasing, so searching for one is as simple as using a search engine with the keywords virtual schools. Next, cost would be a primary concern. Most state or community online charter schools will be free, but they are only funded for K-12 and have no adult education money. If you are over the age of 21, you would need to look elsewhere.
You should be prepared to spend around $885 to $1350 a year to earn your high school diploma online. But, as with anything else, you need to research to find what is best for you.
You will also want to look into accreditation. A couple of the most recommended are regional and DETC accreditation or state approved. Be sure to check with potential employers and also, if planning to continue on to college, on the acceptability of the accreditation.
The time involved to earn your degree will vary. Most online courses are at your own pace.. If you had a daily time you could set aside for studies you would earn your high school diploma much faster. Some have regular semester type schedules that would determine the pace you could advance.
A few schools to look at to earn your high school diploma are: Brigham Young University where courses cost about $102 and the school does charge for some materials, plus a twenty dollar application fee. It also offers non-credit independent courses free of charge. This is an excellent choice to earn your high school diploma from home.
CompuHigh - Since 1994 programs have been offered so you can earn your needed credits online. Students and teachers work with each other completely online. Courses cost about $275, but because all material is online there are no book fees. CompuHigh also furnishes a list of colleges that will recognize their diplomas.
Indiana University - You can earn your high school diploma here with a combination of online and correspondence courses. You do have the option of completing the program at Indian University or can transfer credits to another high school and finish it there. As a student you are assigned an academic advisor who will be there to assist you in the course of study if needed. The cost is $125.40 for each credit hour and a $40.00 application fee. There also are more than 100 colleges who accept the transcripts from this college.
Your graduation is an important item today and is needed to help you increase your earning potential. Earning your credits online is as easy as finding the right institution for you at a price you can afford. Do your research and we will see you on graduation day.
Bill Henniger is the founder of Online Distance Learning a website providing information on learning online
Of all the professions to choose, being a writer would seem to be one of the most trying for a person with a learning disability. Still, some people with scholastic problems-even those that interfere specifically with language, such as dyslexia,feel the urge to express themselves through writing. The obstacles these individuals encounter are considerable, but if they can find a way to overcome them, they just might be able to create a true work of literary art. The following writers have all struggled with learning disabilities and have proven that the challenges that those with learning problems face head-on can often reap the biggest rewards. Among these inspirational examples are:
1. Robert BentonThis 74-year-old screenwriter grew up during a time when there wasn’t much information available about dyslexia. Finding reading and writing difficult and branded as “slow,” Benton’s imagination was captured by the movies. He became a film fanatic, watching his favorites over and over again. This dedication led him to a deep understanding of what worked and what didn’t in the cinematic world. After a brief stint as an art director for Esquire magazine, Benton decided to try his hand at screenwriting by partnering with his friend, David Newman. The product of their partnership was the critically-acclaimed screenplay for Bonnie & Clyde which launched his writing career. Benton went on to win best screenplay Academy Awards for Places in the Heart and Kramer vs. Kramer. He continues writing professionally to this day; his most recent work was the script for The Ice Harvest.
2. Fannie Flagg
Growing up in Birmingham, Alabama, Flagg struggled with severe dyslexia, which led her to believe that her dreams of being a professional writer were out of reach. She initially began her career as a news anchor, then moved on to acting in such movies as Five Easy Pieces and Grease. While Flagg had found success as an actress, the pull to write was just too strong to ignore. A writers’ conference inspired her to craft her first short story, for which she won a prize. Encouraged by this warm reception, Flagg began writing in earnest. Her bestselling novel, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, was turned into a much beloved movie, for which she wrote the Academy Award nominated screenplay. Flagg’s warm, funny novels have continued to land on the bestseller lists. Her latest book is Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven.
3. Wendy Wasserstein
This late, great playwright also struggled with dyslexia throughout her formative years. She went on to receive degrees from Mount Holyoke, City College of New York, and Yale. Wasserstein was known for extremely witty and incisive plays about intelligent, successful women dealing with their inner demons. The Heidi Chronicles catapulted her into theatre world superstardom, earning her a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize. Her final play, Third, opened on Broadway in 2005. She is also the author of four books, including Elements of Style, and wrote the screenplay for the film version of The Object of My Affection.
Jane Saeman runs an In-Home Tutoring service called Aim High Tutors. Find out about how to help your student reach their full potential at http://www.aimhightutors.com/blog .
