Why Should Classwide Peer Tutoring Be Beneficial?

Why Should Classwide Peer Tutoring Be Beneficial?Classwide peer tutoring is the most common method used to improve academic performance in public schools. It's an effective way to encourage students to concentrate on learning and attend to their schoolwork at a time when they're ready.The school system has long-established that students who participate in rigorous academic courses are more likely to do well in life and in work, so any effort to enhance academic performance can be easily accepted. Classwide peer tutoring is just one method that teachers can use to enhance student learning.Students should find out from their local school, what the curriculum is like at each of the different curriculums. There may be no requirement for every student to attend all the classes. If they do, they should get involved with the teaching methods that are being employed.During a peer tutoring session, students will generally need to have their own books. They should then be able to handle the ma terials they need to study with the help of other students who've taken the course before. They should be able to get to class and back on time, as well as being able to catch up with their homework before the end of the day.In many schools, it's possible to live in a place where the students might be somewhat isolated because of the current home environment. Thus, an individual who wants to learn new skills or improve their current skill set needs to be able to rely on other students who have been in the same situation as them. This will also be a chance for the students to help each other by sharing their experiences.Often, the teachers at public schools would rather create new skills for students instead of teaching them new skills. But, these students should be supported by classmates who are interested in improving their skill sets as well. Agood example of peer tutoring is being able to work in groups with another class at the same school, in order to learn something about a t opic or something that they're interested in.The benefits of peer tutoring are numerous. With a bit of hard work and motivation, students can find a way to move from being non-academically motivated students to achievers.

Volunteer Spotlight Sharon and Kelsey Manning - Heart Math Tutoring

Volunteer Spotlight Sharon and Kelsey Manning - Heart Math Tutoring Volunteer Spotlight: Sharon and Kelsey Manning Volunteer Spotlight: Sharon and Kelsey Manning January 23, 2020 Sharon and Kelsey Manning are a mother/daughter pair who are partner tutors at Merry Oaks International Academy, working with the same students on different days every week! We sat down with them to learn more about their experience as Heart Tutors. Q: How did you get involved with Heart Math Tutoring? Kelsey: I work for Bank of America, and Heart gave a presentation at my office encouraging us to volunteer. I’ve been a Heart Tutor for five years now! Sharon: Kelsey and I were at a breakfast in December 2017, and the discussion around the table was inclusivity and how we could get involved on a local level. Kelsey challenged me to come alongside her and be a part of the Heart program, so I joined in January 2018. After that semester, we began partner tutoring so we could work with the same students. This is our 2nd year as partner tutors. Q: Have you had the opportunity to work with the same students over multiple years? K: When I volunteered at Westerly Hills Academy I had the same student for 3 years. It’s so great and so impactful to see how much they change. Even going from the first to the second semester, coming back from winter break, having that time apart from them for a little while makes you realize how much they’ve grown. The effect is doubled after coming back from summer vacation â€" there’s a few cobwebs to clear away, but then you realize how much progress they’ve made since you worked with them in the previous year. It’s great to be able to leverage our relationship when my student is feeling a little shy or intimidated. We even saw one of our students when we were out in Uptown once, and it was so great to say hi and meet her family! Q: What are the benefits of having a partner tutor and how do you utilize that relationship? K: Since we are mother and daughter, it’s a lot easier. It’s neat for our relationship because we can connect about the girls and talk about their progress. I would totally recommend for anyone to partner with someone you know if you can â€" it not only helps you provide a better experience for the students, but helps your relationship since you are helping the community together! S: It also provides a level of accountability, making sure we both are being the best tutors we can be. The students even know about our relationship â€" if Kelsey isn’t able to come to tutoring one week, the students will say “Where was Kelsey this week?! You’re her mom, you should make sure she comes to tutoring!” We can also share with the students about our lives â€" when Kelsey got engaged, I showed my student a picture of Kelsey with her fiancé, and our student was SO excited for her! K: And that gives the students more to talk about with us. They asked me after that, “Your mom said you’re engaged! Can I see more pictures?” S: We will even have phone calls about tutoring to compare notes, and put our heads together if a student is struggling with a concept or has trouble focusing. Communicating about what we hear from our students helps us understand what is happening outside the classroom â€" it’s a conduit for communication. We have seen a change the way our students respond to us, just in one short semester. They’ve gotten to know us and are so much more comfortable. Q: Outside of math, what do you talk about with your student(s)? S: One of our students is extremely shy and we’ve been able to work on making eye contact, speaking up, and being confident. We want her to believe that her words are important, and that her voice matters. I’ll tell her, “That’s the right answer! Say it emphatically!” We’re slowly trying to pull her out of her shell, and it’s great that we can work together and both see the progress she makes. K: And now that Mom has told me what she’s doing with our student, I make sure to give the same messages for consistency. Another thing is that both of our girls are Spanish-speaking, so I ask them to teach me a Spanish word on my way back to class. I told mom about it, and we’ve started writing down the words they teach us so we can keep track of everything that we’ve learned throughout the year. Now the girls look forward to it and will even have words prepared before they see us! Q: What is your favorite or the most rewarding part of being a tutor? S: When you get to the end of year and you look at the difference between where your student was on the first day and last day of tutoring, the difference is tremendous. K: The small victories throughout the year, as well â€" brain checks, making it through the notebooks, getting to track the progress students make toward their goals and seeing how excited they are about it. When you get to the end of year and you look at the difference between where your student was on the first day and last day of tutoring, the difference is tremendous. Q: How does your tutor experience impact other parts of your life? K: Obviously the unique experience I’m able to share with my mom has impacted our relationship. I’m also a graduate of CMS, so being able to give back and address a large need is really rewarding. I work in a corporate environment and sometimes it’s a stretch to make it work with my schedule and I may feel stressed at times, but when I get to the school, I never second-guess why I’m there. It really grounds me and sets a great positive tone for the rest of the week. S: I get great joy out of doing something for somebody else. It takes the focus off me and my perceived problems, and helps put into perspective where I am, the resources I have, and how I can use my resources to help in a larger way. It seems like such a small thing but as soon as I get there, get the kids, and get going, it’s like an adrenaline rush â€" you’re so glad that you’re doing this, and that feeling spills over into the rest of your day and week. K: My mom makes a good point, I would say I think everyone innately wants to give back to the community, get involved, but uses the excuse about not being able to give the time or commit to a whole school year. With Heart you have a regular routine and you have to be there weekly â€" I look back on my month and my year, and it’s reaffirming to me that I’ve made a large impact and it’s because of that routine â€" it makes sure that I’m there, and it adds up week over week. When I get to the school, I never second-guess why I’m there. It really grounds me and sets a great positive tone for the rest of the week. Q: How has the support from Heart and the Program Coordinators impacted your experience? S: We as volunteers don’t have to create anything, we don’t have homework, don’t have to prepare ahead of time. We can walk in and grab our materials and go â€" Heart has made the process so streamlined and seamless. Heart takes care of everything so we can just focus on our time with the students. It makes it easy to do it weekly.I really like the fact that we can take the curriculum home to practice and prepare if we want. I also love the high energy level that everyone carries into the room while we’re there, and the sharing of information through the monthly newsletter. If there are school holidays or school events I plan to attend, I can use the dates to plan ahead. I enjoy having that information. K: The curriculum makes it so easy, the Program Coordinator is always there to help with questions or concerns, and they know your students by name. You can really feel the commitment to the program from the coordinators. And the flexibility too is a great selling point. I hear a lot of people say they can’t commit because they can’t make it work with their schedule, but the flexibility is there if you need to reschedule due to work, lifestyle, etc. Q: There are a few common concerns people have when they consider becoming a Heart Tutor, and we would love to hear how you address these concerns. What would you say to someone who has these concerns? I am no good at math. S: If you can play dice, play cards, and read on a basic reading level, you don’t have an excuse! I am no good with kids. S: Because the curriculum is so well-written and leaves nothing to chance/interpretation, give it a try and see. If you interact with people, you can interact with children and can follow the script. You don’t have to come up with anything on your own. Just dig in and say “I’m going to do this,” and it will come. K: The icebreakers at the beginning of the year really help you lean into the relationship. Treating them as a partner or peer if you’re intimidated by kids can help â€" you are partners and are both working together to improve their math skills. I don’t have a partner tutor to sign up with. K: Challenge someone to be your partner tutor! Go find somebody to volunteer with you! Or let Heart provide you with a partner tutor, and just get your feet wet and see what it’s all about. Once you’re more comfortable you can be a spokesperson and get your friends and family to join. S: From a personal standpoint, we grow more when we’re uncomfortable and out of our element. This isn’t just about the kids â€" it’s personal improvement and beneficial for the tutor as well as a student, and signing up on your own can be a great opportunity for growth. I don’t have time in my schedule. S: We all make things happen if we really want them to happen. Some people are more constrained than others, but if you have a little bit of wiggle room and can adjust your schedule slightly or work from home for a bit, I’d say bring it on. K: It’s the most rewarding hour of my week. Take the leap to just try it and see the benefits. You can start with just one student, just 30 minutes a week, and see how it goes. Talk to the people who impact your schedule â€" your boss, coworkers, etc., to see if they’re on board. You may not think they’ll be supportive, but you don’t know until you ask! S: Also, it’s an important use of time â€" you’re investing in these students’ futures. Every child deserves equal access and equal opportunity. K: That’s a great point â€" do your research and see what a large need there is, and that this is a way you can help. Q: Anything else you want the world to know about Heart? K: Anybody can do it! It’s easy! S: It’s so worth it. Take 5 minutes to read Heart’s mission statement and general information about the curriculum. It’s an important use of time â€" you’re investing in these students’ futures. Every child deserves equal access and equal opportunity.

A turkey-less Turkey Day - November National Vegan Awareness Month

A turkey-less Turkey Day - November National Vegan Awareness Month Photo by flavorrelish on flickr.com Maybe it’s no coincidence that National Vegan Awareness Month falls in November, the month in which college students count down the days to Thanksgiving and their quintessential turkey dinner. While many Americans consider the turkey an integral part of their festivities and would consider a turkey-less “Turkey Day” an unthinkable tragedy, vegans might beg to differ. University of Maryland junior Rachel Muccino, who grew up vegetarian and became vegan a year and a half ago, said, “I create vegan versions of food all the time! My favorite opportunity to be creative with meals is Thanksgiving.” Many people are familiar with vegetarianism, refraining from eating animals but in some cases consuming dairy products and eggs, but may be less familiar with what constitutes a vegan. Although there are many definitions, the consensus is usually that vegans are those who make the decision not to consume any animal products whatsoever. “It extends way beyond food! Vegan clothes, vegan shoes and more,” Muccino said. Veganism is a lifestyle, not simply a diet. For the vast majority of Americans, that might sound outrageously difficult and unappealing. However, as 2 percent of American adults consider themselves to be vegan, according to a Jul. 9-12 Gallup poll, there must be some benefits to the lifestyle. “I became vegan primarily to be healthier,” Muccino said, “and secondarily to refrain from participating in the abuse of animals and the environment.”Muccino said that becoming vegan helped her to feel more energetic, to lose body fat and have a contented conscience. Studies have shown that people who eat plant-based diets tend to have lower cholesterol, cancer, heart attack and obesity rates. In addition, a vegan’s diet depends heavily upon fruits, vegetables, whole grains and alternative protein sources such as beans, tofu and lentils, all of which are very healthy. When Muccino’s friends find out she’s vegan and also does not consume soy and gluten, they often ask what in the world she can eat. “The answer to that is: a lot!” Muccino said. “There are so many vegan alternatives to delicious animal-product food. Portabello burgers, veggie sausage, coconut milk yogurt, almond milk, granola, fruit popsicles instead of ice cream! The list goes on and on!” However, Muccino does acknowledge the difficulties in being vegan. In order to consume enough calories in a day, Muccino packs plenty of snacks. Muccino also makes a point to eat plenty of kale and beans to bolster her protein intake and lots of coconut milk to make up for any calcium deficiency in her diet. Although she struggled as a vegan while living in dorms on campus, now that she has her own kitchen in her Commons apartment, she has the opportunity to buy her own food from a variety of locations. “I buy all my food at markets or Whole Foods or Trader Joes,” Muccino said. “Around campus, I go to the Co-Op or order vegan options at Lime or Wasabi.” Over the past year and a half, Muccino has found ways to find or create her own vegan versions of all the foods she loves most, and Thanksgiving will be no exception. So if you sit down to your Thanksgiving feast and perhaps pity vegans like Muccino as you enjoy your gravy-adorned mashed potatoes, don’t feel too sorry. “I can make mashed potatoes and gravy vegan style,” Muccino said. “Just use vegetable stock, olive oil and coconut milk instead of chicken stock, butter and cow’s milk!”

Teachers Matter Canadian Teacher Receives $1 million Global Teacher Prize

Teachers Matter Canadian Teacher Receives $1 million Global Teacher Prize Last night, we were excited to be there as the top educators in the world were recognized and the $1 million Global Teacher Prize was awarded at the annual Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai. One of the most high-profile awards for teaching excellence in the world, the Global Teacher Prize is handed out each year by the Varkey Foundation under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and was set up to celebrate the hard work and important contributions of teachers all over the world. In a video message aired during the ceremony, Prince Harry congratulated the 10 finalists and talked about the importance of teachers as mentors and role models for students, saying that “in addition to reading, writing and arithmetic, the very best teachers go beyond the pages of textbooks to teach young people about determination, aspiration, resilience and compassion. We will all face setbacks and challenges in our lives and our teachers play a vital role in preparing us for these ups and downs”. At Teach Away and Skooli, we see first hand, every day, how a great teacher can transform the lives of their students, so it was a joy to hear these teachers’ stories and learn more about the lives they impact. Each of the finalists’ stories, while unique, had the same theme - that teachers have the power not only to educate, but to change the trajectory of a life. The 10 finalists - Salima Begum (Pakistan), David Calle (Spain), Raymond Chambers (UK), Wemerson da Silva Nogueira (Brazil), Marie-Christine Ghanbari Jahromi (Germany), Tracy-Ann Hall (Jamaica), Ken Silburn (Australia), Maggie MacDonnell (Canada), Michael Wamaya (Kenya) and Boya Yang (China) - narrowed down from a nomination list of 20,000 teachers, all share the same goal: to inspire and to educate their students and the communities around them. We were thrilled to see a fellow Canadian, Maggie MacDonnell, snag the $1 million prize. While Bear Grylls parachuted down to bring the trophy into the ceremony hall, the winner was announced via a special video message from French astronaut Thomas Pesque at the International Space Station. Maggie has been teaching for the past six years in Salluit, a remote Inuit community in the far north of Quebec that’s accessible only by air. Drug and alcohol abuse rates are high in the region and in 2015 alone, there were six suicides in the village, all young males aged from 18 to 25. So far, Maggie has helped to support several suicidal students, built a life-skills program for girls, secured funding for a fitness centre and has established a community kitchen, running club and second-hand store in the community. Maggie was congratulated by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by video message. Trudeau, a former teacher, praised Maggie’s work in Salluit: “You have done extraordinary things in exceptional circumstances and have showed enormous heart, will and imagination.” He went on to say that “teachers owe responsibilities to many people - to students, to parents, to the community, the school board. But in the end, as all great teachers know - they are responsible tosomething far greater. They have a responsibility to the future and to the world that will be shaped by the children they teach.” In her emotional acceptance speech, Maggie addressed teachers everywhere, saying, “We matter, teachers matter.” Three of Maggie’s students also made the trip to Dubai with her. She plans to set up an environmental stewardship program for northern youth, focused on kayaking, with her $1 million prize money. Congratulations, Maggie! And here’s to teachers everywhere, who go above and beyond every day, both inside and outside the classroom. For more on the Global Teacher Prize, visit www.globalteacherprize.org. This article has been reposted from AcceleratED on Medium.

College Admissions 5 Reasons to Love Your Second Choice

College Admissions 5 Reasons to Love Your Second Choice Coping with college admissions issues: 5 reasons to love your second choice Its that time of year already; students are finding out which colleges they were accepted to and which ones they werent. Some students will be thrilled about the options they have while others might be a little bit disappointed at first. However, students who will be choosing from a list of their second choice schools have a lot to be excited about. They are likely to be a great fit academically and will have a better chance of handling assignments handed out by professors. Students may have had one-second choice school or a list of several, so its important they make the right choice and have a great four-year college experience our private Los Angeles college admissions consultants have a 97% success rate. 1.   Finding the right fit The first thing students need to do is take a look at the schools they were accepted to and start to find the right fit. This will include some factors such as choice of major, social opportunities, the living situation, and academic expectations. Students might also look at the teaching staff before they make their final choice. For instance, are they most likely going to be interacting with a TA, a professor, or an adjunct instructor? Theres no perfect school, but theres a perfect fit for each student (READ: Tips From an Irvine Admissions Consultant: 5 Reasons to Love Your Target School). 2.   The benefits of a target school Students who choose to attend one of their target schools are quite lucky in that they are going to be academically challenged but not overwhelmed in every aspect of their college experience. The university felt that this particular student was a good fit for their campus and expect them to do well based on their test scores and grades that theyve already earned in high school. Being academically challenged, but not overcome with stress, is a great thing that can help students enjoy all aspects of their academic career. 3.   Celebrating your new adventure Some students may have had their heart set on their dream school and, as a result, havent really spent a lot of time thinking about the benefits of their target schools. Students might be choosing between three or four schools and should think about the new adventure they get to go on. Are they going to be staying close to home near family and friends? Will they be moving to a new state for the first time in their life? What will they choose for their major field of study and their eventual career? Going on this exciting new adventure is something students should celebrate. 4.   Exploring potential majors Many students apply to university as an ‘undecided’ major which means they now get to start exploring all of the different possibilities for their future. Students are encouraged to take a variety of classes during their freshman year so they can decide which topics theyre really interested in and which ones they can cross off the list. Additionally, students are encouraged to go over the practical elements of potential choices with an academic counselor. Its important to know if a student needs a four-year degree or Masters degree to enter a particular field and how much theyre going to be making as a recent grad. 5.   Social life on campus Another thing students should think about as they make their final college admissions decision is what their social situation will be like once theyre living on campus. Will they be living in a dorm or off campus? What sort of opportunities will they have to join in on social clubs or organizations? Will they want to join a sorority or fraternity once they become a sophomore? There are so many options for students to social network and enjoy a well-rounded college experience, and its something they should consider before making their final decision. Still applying to college? Our private in-home Los Angeles college admissions consultants are here to help. Call TutorNerds today for more information. All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us write.

The 5+ Ultimate Pranks For Roommates

The 5+ Ultimate Pranks For Roommates image via  http://pad2.whstatic.com 2. Voice Activated Laughs This workplace prank has a dozen variants. Most of them go something like this. If your workplace gets a new device like a coffee machine, printer, or microwave, place a sign on it explaining how the new appliance is “voice-activated.” The more formal the sign you tape to the machine, the better. Just type up something along the lines of “This machine is voice-activated. Say ‘brew’ to start the coffee pot.” Bonus points if you cover the actual buttons with the sign. image via http://9buz.com 3.  Saran Wrapped This one is fun for a variety of places mostly for its tedium of cleaning. You will need lots of saran wrap and lots  of time. A classic. (image via www.complex.com) Cars are fun to saran, but do recall that some people do need to be places on time as a matter of work or school, so you might consider something else. Two other options might be your roommate’s bed or your friend’s fridge. 4. Pressure Plate Prank This one relies like the first on unsuspecting victims, but has a more audible impact. There are a variety of very funny ways to do this type of prank. The first is pretty simple. Blow up some balloons, tape to a door, tape thumbtacks to the wall, and wait. After that things get a bit louder. Next up is a much harder one to prepare and might not work as well for men. Take a few pop-it percussion firecrackers and tape them to the underside of the toilet seat. This might take some patience and work. Lastly and perhaps most dastardly, take an air horn and tape it to the underside of an office chair, preferably the ones that compress down when you sit on them. If the victim’s chair doesn’t go down like that, adjust the seat up high to make them have to adjust down and trigger the can. Loud, scary, and effective. (image via www.digdang.com) 5. Mouse Madness This might be a bit tricky depending on your roommate’s computer. First you’re going to need a wireless USB mouse. Next, take the mouse and insert the USB transmitter into a port on their computer. The more hidden, the better. Then as your roommate starts using their computer, periodically move the mouse around in another room. Right click is particularly frustrating. As a bonus, you can get an even better prank by changing their keyboard with an application called Key Extender. This will remap their keystrokes to be whatever you want. Let chaos rain! This will drive them crazy. (image credited to www.wrestlenewz.com) 6. Extra Bits For fun and amusing pseudo-bureaucratic forms check out The Bureau of Information. If you can get it, the Annoy-o-tron is a great prank tool you can find on Amazon. If you’re feeling particularly mean, wean someone off their coffee by switching out decaf bit by bit and then one day use espresso. If you really want to freak out your roommate, run in and scream “Where is it?! Have you seen it?! It just ran in here!” and run out of the apartment/dorm and do not call or text. As I said before, these are intended for harmless pranks and fun jokes. Any and all criminal behavior resulting from this article is not the liability or responsibility of any involved in its creation including, but not limited to Uloop, its affiliates, and the author. Have fun and prank responsibly.

Computing Courses - Uses Tutes For Computing Science

Computing Courses - Uses Tutes For Computing ScienceWith the growing use of tutoring services, computing science courses have found it necessary to create effective tutoring services to ensure that their students are provided with a competitive edge. For every computing course offered in a university, a particular set of problems will be faced by the students.The tutors in such courses will probably have already done their homework on this particular set of problems. For those students who do not already know what these problems are, they will have to at least find out the characteristics of the course that they want to pursue. This way, they can choose a course that fits their character.A course might have different difficulties. Some students might find it hard to tackle problems that involve decision making. These students might find it difficult to deal with algorithmic problems. On the other hand, students who are more comfortable with problem solving might need tutoring on the use of algorithms in solving problems.With that in mind, the standard approach is to match the difficulties to the student's personality. For instance, a mathematical course might have some easier problems than those that involve numerical computations. In such cases, the students may be made to do some preparatory work to enable them to handle the tricky parts of the course.There are some academic institutions who have decided to offer tutoring services as part of their curriculum. One of these is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They have established a specialized and systematic program of courses that can be taken up online by those who are interested in it.MIT students have long been taunted by their peers for their ability to get good grades. Even as far back as the 1950s, there was some doubt about the quality of the tutoring services provided by Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They now have to face up to the reality that there are a lot of people who ha ve turned to the Internet to find an alternative to the traditional tutoring system.Jason King is a journalist with a background in technology and journalism. He has been working as a freelance writer since 2020.