Tip #78: If Your Child is Having Difficulty Get Help

Everyone wants their child to do well in school. What can you do if your child struggles with school work?

You must realize that children will often develop and learn at different stages. Try not to panic and don't become frustrated. It will only frustrate the child. Many children will hesitate to admit whey they don't understand because they don't want to appear "slow" or "dumb". As long as a child has a strong base and passion and confidence for learning, it will hopefully become easier. That brings us to tip #78.

Tip #78: If your child is having difficulty in school and nothing is working get your child some help.

First, take a breathe and realize that most kids struggle at one time or another. Just because a child is having difficulty doesn't mean there is a learning disability. It may mean the child is not developmentally ready for certain concepts. Patience is the key. Don't do the work for the child, but let the child work through problems as independently as possible. Children need to feel that they are successful, not the parent will do the work. Make sure you meet with the teacher and together create a plan on what you can do at home to help your child. See if the teacher has any concerns and work together to solve the the situation.

Next, find out concrete examples of the problems your child is having, like test scores, classwork, or homework. That way you will better understand how to help. If you cannot help with a certain subject, seek help from older siblings, friends, tutors, or ask the teacher for suggestions. It is important to address any academic problems as soon as possible. The child doesn't need to go on to another concept, chapter, or grade level without mastering all basic lessons.

Lastly, be positive and give your child confidence. Nothing will cause a child to bottom out more then feeling frustrated and that the work is too hard. Have high expectations for the your child, but have realistic goals and expectations. Not every child will be great in every subject. Just let the child know that hard work and putting in the time will make a difference.

Traits of Highly Effective Schools:#6

Elaine K. McEwan writes a book about the qualities and unique characteristics of school that help students get the "Best Education Possible". Each chapter offers research-based trait and examines its impact on student achievement. Trait # 6 is High Expectations.

High Expectations - Teachers can say they have high expectations because they expect their students to do tons of work and pass very difficult test.  However, tons of work and difficult test do not necessarily mean high expectations.  In order to qualify for membership in the high expectations club, teachers have to believe that their students can achieve, explicitly teach them how to get smart, and convey a profound and unwavering commitment to their academic success. 

How can High Expectations be achieved:

1. Eliminate Low Expectations - Once your convey to children, whether consciously or not that they are too "dumb" to learn, they will almost always prove you right.

2. Intervene Before They Fail - Help students achieve academic success by giving intervention to students who show non-mastery in reading and other content areas.

3. Build in Rigor and Relevance - An average student who attended a "high rigor instruction school" would learn about 78% more mathematics between Grades 8-10 than comparable students in a
"low rigor instruction school.

How To Outsmart Breast Cancer: Part 2

According to an article in the October 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, 38 percent of breast cancer cases could be prevented with diet, exercise, and weight control. Yesterday's blog hit on watching weight gain, incorporating certain veggies in your diet, taking vitamin D, and avoid excess hormones. Today we will look at 5 more tips on preventing breast cancer.

5. Back away from the bar: The reality is that the more alcohol you consume, the greater your odds of getting breast cancer possibly because it raises estrogen levels. The consensus among health groups is to limit consumption to one drink or less per day.

6. Race for the prevention: Being physically active, it turns out, could be the single best thing you can do to protect your health. For a start, regular aerobic activity for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. This will help control weight, but it also acts directly on body chemistry to lower levels of circulating insulin and estrogen.

7. And keep on going: Surviving and thriving after diagnose may also depend on stepping up the pace. In a review of six studies involving 12,000 breast cancer patients, researchers found that regular exercise could reduce disease recurrence by 24 percent, breast cancer deaths by 34 percent, and overall deaths by 41 percent.

8. Don't miss mammograms: When government-sponsored task force announced last year that it didn't think there was enough evidence to subject women in their 40s to regular mammograms, and that women in their 50s could be screened every other year. A major 2009 study reported that three-quarters of breast cancer deaths occurred among women who did not undergo regular screening.

9. Assert your individuality: Public health guidelines focus on the population as a whole, but to protect your health, you need to get specific. You may need a stepped-up screening schedule if, for example you've ever had a breast biopsy (even if benign). Likewise, if you are at increase risk due to family history, you may need more frequent exams or screenings with MRI. Make sure your doctor knows your family history (father's as well as mother's).

How To Outsmart Breast Cancer: Part 1

According to an article in the October 2010 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, states that no matter what age you are now, or what generation you belong to, it's not too early, or too late, to take steps to avoid the disease. Below are steps 1-4 that make a difference from eating the right vegetables, to taking the correct supplements.

1. Watch out for weight creep: If you could still fit into your high school prom dress (with Spanx, if necessary), you're in good shape in more ways than one. Woman who have gained between 21 and 30 pounds since age 18 have a 40 percent increase risk of breast cancer compared with those who have put on five or fewer pounds, an American Cancer Society study found.

2. Embrace cauliflower: Recent research seems to show that adopting a pattern of eating that includes lots of fruits and vegetables is beneficial. When Colorado State University scientist took a second look at the famed Singapore study, the research that initially pointed to the Asian-style diet found that even among Chinese women, those who ate more "vegetable-fruit-soy" diet had a lower risk of breast cancer than woman whose plates contained less of these. The veggies that seemed to to the most good: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale.

3. Swallow a super supplement: In a Canadian study involving more than 6,000 women, those who reported taking a daily dose of vitamin D were 24 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. The science is not definitive, but evidence is growing that women with adequate vitamin D blood levels have a lower risk of breast cancer than those whose levels are below normal.

4. Avoid excess hormones: Most women are aware that hormone therapy has been linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. But studies have also found that birth control pills raise your chances slightly, at least while you're actually on the Pill (the risk starts to go down when you stop taking it; after 10 year, it's the same as it would be if you'd never been on the Pill).

Stay tuned for tomorrow because there will be 5 more preventive measures you can take to help in the battle against breast cancer. We as women and mothers must take care of our health for the sake of the family. By the way, men are known to get breast cancer too.

Traits of Highly Effective Schools: #5

Elaine K. McEwan writes a book about the qualities and unique characteristics of school that help students get the "Best Education Possible". Each chapter offers research-based trait and examines its impact on student achievement. Trait # 5 is Collaboration.

Collaboration is powerful when accomplish, but is a challenging one, calling for a variety of talents, essential when different points of view and thinking styles are needed to accomplish a task. In a highly effective school, all members in the community are responsible for teaching others and for learning themselves.

Benefits of Collaboration

1. Reduction of isolation of teachers

2. Increased commitment to the mission and goals of the school

3. Shared responsibility for the total development of students

4. Powerful learning that defines good teaching and classroom practices

5. Increase meaning and understanding of the content that teachers teach

6. Higher likelihood that teachers will be well informed

7. More satisfaction, higher morale, and lower rates of absenteeism

8. Significant advances in adapting teaching to the students, accomphished more quickly that in traditional schools

9. Commitment to making significant and lasting changes

10. Higher likelihood of understanding fundamental systemic change

Traits of Highly Effective Schools: #4

Elaine K. McEwan writes a book about the qualities and unique characteristics of school that help students get the "Best Education Possible". Each chapter offers research-based trait and examines its impact on student achievement. Trait # 4 is Relational Trust.

Relational Trust is the basis for positive relationships in the school community.  Some refer to it as the glue that holds a school together.  Bryk and Schneider (2002), described rational trust as a construct compose of four concepts: (1) respect, (2) competence, (3) personal regard, and (4) integrity.

Respect - is the deference someone shows to others without regard for their political position, wealth, job role, or power.

Competence - is the ability to do something in a superior way, for example, the ability to teach previously low-achieving students and bring them to mastery.

Personal Regard - is the presence of positive feelings toward someone.  When individuals like each other, they enjoy being together.

Integrity - refers to an individual's adherence to certain moral principles and standards.  When they promise to do something, it happens.

Traits of Highly Effective Schools:#3

Elaine K. McEwan writes a book about the qualities and unique characteristics of school that help students get the "Best Education Possible". Each chapter offers research-based trait and examines its impact on student achievement. Trait # 3 is  Academic Focus.

Academic focus is the most under appreciated and overlooked trait of highly effective schools.  Focus is difficult to observe behaviorally, but there is a quick litmus test:  Ask the principal, a handful of teachers, and a small group of students to describe their goals for the school year.  If all of these individuals aren't working on the same goals, the school lacks focus. Everyone is doing their own thing. 

Step 1: Begin With a Compelling Academic Vision in Mind - The vision that a strong instructional leader has for a school is often sketched out for stakeholders (teachers, students, and parents) with a broad brush.

Step 2: Articulate a Meaningful Shared Mission Statement - After a compelling vision has been conceived and explained, the next step is usually the development of a mission statement that spells out more specific terms what the vision will actually look like in the school.

Step 3: Set Goals That Are Measurable and Attainable - These goals are logical action steps that flow from the mission statement but are smaller and more manageable in scope. Everyone should be working with a different set of goals related to their specific set of responsibilities.

Step 4: Ensure a Focus on Student Learning - Focus is the combination of discipline, intensity, concentration, and commitment with which groups or individuals tackle goals related to student learning.