What "I'm bored in school" might really mean for your teen

Teenagers are notorious for calling things "boring." Everything from a TV show to a particular shirt can be given such a blanket stamp of disapproval. But when they label school "boring," it's time to investigate what they really mean.

"The first step is to talk with your child, get their take on what's going on at school," says Dr. Lucy Jo Palladino, a California-based clinical psychologist and author of Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored, and Having Problems in School . "More often than not you'll get 'I don't know,' but sometimes it's the best place to begin — at the source." Most formal learning disabilities and attention problems are diagnosed by about the fourth grade, so a teen who claims to be bored probably has something else going on besides a diagnosable problem. That doesn't mean you can't get to the bottom of it, though. Palladino offers parents a few common translations for the "I'm bored" mantra — and how to go about fixing them.

1. "I'm not being challenged enough." 
   What's happening: If a child is gifted, sheer class size might be working against him, as the teacher focuses on the average student while the gifted child quickly masters the material and is left twiddling his thumbs.
   
   What to do: If your child is bright and needs more of a challenge, you have to address that with the teacher. Also dig deeper to find out what excites your teen — Is it writing? Science? Engineering? — and get him involved in extracurricular activities that address those interests.



2. "There's not enough swiping and clicking."
   What's happening: "In today's world, teens are so hyper-stimulated by technology outside the classroom that inside the classroom, by contrast, their brains are under-stimulated," says Palladino, whose latest book, Find Your Focus Zone, is on finding success in today's digital age of distraction. When today's tech-driven teens sit at a desk to exercise quiet, convergent thinking, their brains just aren't conditioned for it.
   
   What to do: Be intentional with the rules and habits regarding technology at home, Palladino says. Look at the lifestyle choices you're making, and aim for more balance. Is your family watching too much TV? Is your child playing a lot of video games? Take stock of how important you've made the gadgets in your own life, and set the example you want your kids to follow. That might mean not bringing the phone to the dinner table, or to bed, and letting them see you reading a book rather than playing Words With Friends.



3. "I'm totally lost." 
   What's happening: We turn off when we don't understand something. "This is especially true in something like math," Palladino says. "If your child has missed an essential step early on, they might be turning off for the rest of the lesson because it doesn't have meaning for them. And that lack of listening is a Catch-22, because you miss something else, and then you're even less interested."
   
   What to do: Let them know you believe in them and are here to help. "The art of conversing with your teen is to mutualize the experience, to reflect back to the child in a non-judgmental way. Use open-ended questions that are more in the spirit of exploring what's going on than accusatory, like 'How come you're not paying attention?'" You'll also want to talk to the teacher, and explore options for getting extra help, she says, "but just from those conversations, your student might try a little harder if he knows you're rooting for him."



4. "I'm spent."
   What's happening: Sometimes boredom is more an expression of tiredness, and these days teens are not sleeping as well as they should, Palladino says. We have overscheduled them to the point where their only free time is late at night, after sports, dance classes, dinner and homework are done, and they don't want to give that up to sleep. In addition, more teens are heading to bed with their phones by their sides, texting and surfing throughout the night. Exhaustion leads to an inability to concentrate, so they mentally check out during class.
   
   What to do: Have teens turn in their cell phones and other gadgets at bedtime. Ease back on daytime and evening activities, to give your teen more down time. And make sure physical activity is part of the regular family routine — everyone sleeps better when they exercise.



5. "Who can study at a time like this?!" 
   What's happening: Something outside the classroom is stealing your teen's focus. "Keep in mind that a teen's No. 1 priority is to not be embarrassed," Palladino says. Teen girls are especially vulnerable to becoming preoccupied with what's going on between classes. And drama that used to be contained to the school hallways or Friday night party is now carried on 24/7 via social media, which can do some serious psychological damage.
   
   What to do: Tread lightly, but let them know you're there. "Give them the sense of being an ally," Palladino says. "You want to be establishing a strong alliance with your teenager, because that's all you've got — that bond of trust — as they get older and more independent."

Test Prep 101 – Follow the 3Ps to Excel at SAT* and ACT® Tests

In today's competitive college admissions environment, doing well enough on the SAT™ and ACT™ may seem a daunting task. But with some work, and the right preparation and practice, you can demystify these tests and turn in your score best scores. Sylvan Learning, offers the following three-step approach – the 3 Ps – Pace, Prepare, Practice – that will make it happen.

Pace

Even though it's still four years off, you should begin to prepare for college admissions as soon as you enter high school. This is the time to begin laying the foundation for the math, science and language skills you will need to get into college—and to succeed once you are admitted.

Pace yourself along the way. Don't wait until junior or senior year of high school to suddenly realize you should have done more as a freshman and sophomore, like taking those honors and AP classes that college admissions offices like to see on transcripts.

Take your PSAT and any appropriate SAT Subject Tests in your in sophomore year. In junior year, explore colleges, learn about financial aid and take more subject tests as needed. This is also the time to take the SAT and/or ACT—twice—once in the fall and once in the spring. Make college visits in the spring and summer. If necessary, retake the SAT or ACT at the beginning of senior year.

Prepare

Use Your Guidance Counselor

Many students don't make adequate use of their school's academic guidance office. Throughout your high school career, counselors can tell you all you need to know about college and SAT and ACT admissions tests, as well as give you expert advice on which classes to take to reach your goals.

Furthermore, the better your guidance counselors get to know you during your high school career, the better they will be able to help you identify, prepare for and gain admission to the college that best matches your needs, interests and skills.

Research. Target Colleges

Most colleges accept both the ACT and the SAT, but be aware that some of your targeted schools may accept only one of them, or strongly prefer one over the other.

Before you take admission tests, it's important to collect as much information as you can on the colleges you are interested in to see which test they prefer, and how they use it in conjunction with other factors such as GPA, extracurricular activities and work experience. Do this early enough to allow yourself time to prepare for and take both tests if you decide to do so.

Practice

Know Your Test

Take practice tests to gain an understanding of how the tests work and how they are structured.

For example, the SAT is longer. It takes 3 hours and 45 minutes. The writing section is mandatory. The ACT, on the other hand, takes 2 hours and 55 minutes to complete—or 3 hours and 25 minutes if the student takes an optional writing test, which is required by some colleges.

Math also accounts for more on the SAT—33 percent, compared to 25 percent for the ACT. The tests also treat incorrect answers quite differently: There is no penalty for an incorrect answer on the ACT, but each incorrect answer on the SAT costs the test-taker 1/4 point.

Do The Math

Whether you intend to major in English or engineering, math remains an important indicator of your ability to think in a structured and logical way—a key factor that colleges examine when considering your admission application.

Even if you excel on other sections of the SAT or ACT, a poor or mediocre showing in the math sections will damage your all-important total score.  If you need outside instruction to avoid falling behind in Algebra, Geometry or Trigonometry while in high school, get help while there is still sufficient time to nail down those skills.

For additional information and educational resources on test prep programs, visit SylvanTestPrep.com, an online, on-demand, video-based course that teaches students to increase their PSAT, SAT and ACT scores by being smarter test-takers or call 1-800-31-SUCCESS.

*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc.

Sylvan Recommended Reading List: National Black History Month Reading Recommendations

Every February, Black History Month provides children with the opportunity to learn and share in the rich history of African Americans, both at school and at home.

Educators and parents alike know that even with the development of electronic learning technologies, reading still provides the primary gateway into that history, as it does for much of what our children learn.

That's why Sylvan Learning created a new learning system that blends state-of-the-art instructional technology with our proven proprietary approach to supplemental learning. With SylvanSync™, Sylvan’s certified instructors incorporate the use of an iPad® to create a more engaging educational experience for students and extend the learning of reading, math and other skills into the home and onto mobile devices.

Sylvan Learning is deeply dedicated to helping children build their reading skills. In addition to the leading-edge SylvanSync system, Sylvan also offers a range of free resources—including reading lists and online learning aids— aimed at helping children acquire the reading skills they need.

Black History Month provides parents with the perfect opportunity to use reading to bring this important history alive for their child while helping to build their student's reading skills. Each of the books in our recommended reading list offers an excellent window into black history at the appropriate level for each grade.

Elementary School

Kindergarten:	God Bless the Child by Billie Holiday A Picture Book of Rosa Parks by David A. Adler and Robert Castilla
Grade 1:	Big Jabe by Jerdine Nolan I Dream of Trains by Angela Johnson
Grade 2:	I've Seen The Promised Land: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther Kind, Jr. by Walter Dean Myers If a Bus Could Talk: The Story of Rosa Parks by Faith Ringgold
Grade 3:	Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa by Andrea Davis Pinkney Beautiful Blackbird by Ashley Bryan
Grade 4:	When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell Through My Eyes by Ruby Bridges and Margo Lundell
Grade 5:	Zora and Me by Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon A Pride of African Tales by Donna L. Washington

Middle School

Grade 6:	Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans by Kadir Nelson Extraordinary People of the Harlem Renaissance by Stephen P. Hardy
Grade 7:	Caleb's Wars by David L. Dudley Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America by Sharon Robinson
Grade 8:	The Black Americans: A History in Their Own Words by Milton Meltzer Somehow Tenderness Survives: Stories of Southern Africa by Hazel Rockman

High School

Grade 9:	The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron by Howard Bryant The Glory Field by Walter Dean Myers
Grade 10:	The Collected Works of Langston Hughes: The Poems by Langston Hughes Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Sojourner Truth
Grade 11:	Giants: The Parallel Lives of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln by John Stauffer The Color Purple by Alice Walker
Grade 12:	A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

Parents with children in grades K-8 also can take advantage of Book Adventure (www.BookAdventure.com), a free, online Sylvan Learning reading resource that provides a fun way to motivate children to read. Book Adventure lets children search for books, read them offline, come back to quiz on what they’ve read, and earn prizes for their reading success.

Book Adventure also features Parent’s Place, where parents can monitor their child’s reading progress, track quiz results, approve their child’s prize selection and help them find their next book to read. The site also includes a number of valuable resources, including ideas, informative articles and online tools parents can use to help motivate their child to read.

About Sylvan Learning

Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels with over 30 years of experience and more than 800 centers located throughout North America. Sylvan's trained and Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individualized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. For more information, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit www.SylvanLearning.com.

The Cure For Report Card Stress

Sylvan Learning of Hunterdon County Offers Effective Communication Tips to Help Parents and Children Avoid "Report Card Surprise"

It seems like school just began and it is already coming to report card time.  Report card day can often be a stressful experience for both parents and students. Parents facing a poor report card find themselves disappointed by the results and apprehensive about the best way to discuss failing grades with their child's teacher.  Students feel discouraged if they've been struggling to do better, but are just not able to make the grades.  Sylvan educators in Clinton and Flemington believe that report card time doesn't have to be a source of mutual frustration and unhappiness for parents or their children. 

By following a few simple steps, parents can empower their child to bring home a report card that will make everyone proud of progress and accomplishments.

The first report card of the year can create feelings of pride, happiness and excitement for many parents. It can also produce feelings of anxiety and frustration for those who are surprised by their child's grades. However, effective and continuous communication among teachers, parents and students can help minimize the 'report card surprise.

Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring services to children of all ages and skill levels, offers the following tips to ease report card stress:

• Communicate with your child. Don't wait until the report cards are issued - it's too late then. From the first day of school, make sure your child knows that there will be a conversation about school every evening.  Conversations do not include one-word answers and half-hearted attempts at discussion. They demand open-ended questions. 
• Meet with your child's teachers.  Keep an open line of communication with your child's teacher. Talk frankly with the teacher about any skill deficiencies that are causing performance problems and work with the teacher to address these issues. At Sylvan, we offer this type of communication as part of our services, but it does not serve as a replacement for your communication with the teacher as well. 
• Establish a study plan with your child. Work with your child to develop regular study habits and to spend an adequate amount of time daily on homework and studying for tests. Be aware of assignments and whether your child is using time effectively to tackle homework and study. Encourage him to put forth his or her best effort and to persevere.
• Get help immediately if you see a problem. Don't fall prey to your child's promise to do better. He or she may not be able to correct certain issues without help from the adults in his or her life.  If your student is having melt-downs during homework time, it may not be that they don't know how to study- It may be that the work itself is too difficult and avoiding the homework is easier than trying because the work is too hard.  

A report card is more than just a series of letters. It's an invaluable tool to help parents evaluate their child's academic progress and assess his or her strengths and weaknesses. "You and Your Child's Report Card," a free parents' guide is available from Sylvan Learning. The guide gives parents numerous tips and suggestions to turn report card day into a day of achievement and celebration. 

Sylvan can help!

Call us today:

Flemington, NJ: (908) 806-4010

ACADEMIC ANTI-RESOLUTIONS FOR 2013

Sylvan Learning offers simple suggestions for better academic results in 2013

New Year’s academic resolutions are pretty much off the list of most students. We adults don’t set a better example either. Since the beginning of time, we have been making and breaking New Year’s resolutions. Our well-intended resolutions often don’t work because changing deeply ingrained habits is never easy, even for the most determined among us.

So if you want to secure a successful change in your student this year, particularly with regards to academic performance, try a new tactic:  The Anti-Resolution.

By saying no, students can create some new, positive academic habits.  Allow your student to brainstorm a few things he or she will NOT do, in the pursuit of higher grades and a more positive school experience. 

Here are 10 anti-resolution suggestions from Sylvan Learning to get your student paving a path toward better academic results in 2013:

1. I will NOT start studying the night before a test. Procrastination is one of the biggest grade-killers. Children who get into the habit of studying earlier – or tackling a school project well ahead of its due date -- will get the higher scores they were capable of achieving all along.

2.  I will NOT tune out in math class. For many students, all-important math and algebra classes are the biggest challenge. Simply paying attention can pay dividends.

3.  I will NOT be afraid to raise my hand in class. This is a big one. Asking questions is a key part of learning. A teacher’s answer to a single question may clarify a student’s understanding of an entire lesson.

4.  I will NOT play video games before I do my homework. Today’s children have an almost limitless variety of electronic diversions that can lure them away from schoolwork. Students need to get into the habit of making sure that schoolwork takes precedence.

5.  I will NOT miss out on reading for 20 minutes every day. Children cannot improve reading skills or develop a love of reading if they don’t do it regularly.  Twenty minutes per day is the bare minimum.

6.  I will NOT participate in social media during every spare minute. As useful and entertaining as Facebook and Twitter can be, they also can be constant sources of interruption during academic tasks, both in and out of class.

7.  I will NOT talk in class when I should be listening. Teachers often hear students offer the excuse, “I guess I didn’t hear it.” Students need to realize that the teacher’s job is to instruct; the student’s job is to pay attention.

8. I will NOT forget to write down my assignments.  A student can’t do homework he or she doesn’t know about. Frantic last-minute calls to classmates for homework assignments waste time and demonstrate a lack of discipline.

9.  I will NOT sit in the back of class.  Sitting closer to the front of the class encourages participation and shows the teacher you’re interested.

10.  I will NOT forget how important school is to my future. The daily routine of school may blunt a student’s perception of just how important academics are in the grand scheme of things. Children should remain aware that how well they do in school really matters.

There you have it – 10 things for students not to do in 2013.

For additional information and educational resources, visit us on the web at www.sylvanlearning.com or call us at (908) 806-4010.

I Received My Child's NJASK Scores... Now What?

Hello Friends!

Here in New Jersey, parents should have received their child's NJASK scores withing these past two weeks.  For some of you, the letter meant a pleasant end to months of anguishing over the scores that your child earned when they took this test back in May. For others, your realize that your child is not performing at the states expectations.  And still others of you are left perplexed by how to read the score report that you received.  Sylvan is here to help you with all of those things.

Let's first begin with reading the score report and what all of the numbers mean for your child.   In New Jersey, any score at a 200 and above is considered "Proficient" and "Above Proficient" for the upper echelons of the scoring.  Any score less than or equal to 199 is considered "Partially Proficient" and students that fall within this range are often placed in a school's Basic Skills Intervention (BSI) or Academic Support Program (ASP) for that school year.  When this is the case, teachers will be assigned to help your child and any others who also scored low to boost their basic skills in either reading or math.  These classes are taught as a group and the teacher attempts to cover concepts that the group collectively had difficulty with both on the test and in class this year.  Basic Skills teachers are also called upon to teach these classes in one of two ways: In one scenario they "push in," which means they come into the classroom and teach alongside the main classroom teacher and in the second scenario, they "pull-out" which means that students are pulled from their main classroom for 20-40 minutes (depending on the school) and are provided with additional instruction while the rest of the peers carry on with the lesson in the main classroom.

Now the question is- What else can I do for my child to make sure that they 

Attain or Maintain Proficiency next school year?

• Read. Read every day yourself so your child sees you reading and continuing to learn and have them read for at least 30 minutes every day. Your local Sylvan Learning Center provides a Skills Assessment at the outset of every child's program that helps us to target specific skill weaknesses in reading, vocabulary and phonics.  Often, once skill gaps are filled in, students perform better on not only the reading portion of test, but other parts as well since now they are able to thoroughly understand all of the directions.  
• Write every day.  Encourage your child to maintain a journal at home in addition to what they may be writing at school.  Sylvan also offers an Academic Writing Program for 5th graders and up that shows students how to plan, write, revise, edit and publish a variety of essays.  This not only aids them in writing for everyday assignments, but also for the writing portion of the NJASK.
• Practice basic facts.  There are many resources available for this, including a Sylvan Math Essentials program available at your local Sylvan Learning Center.
• Watch for warning signs from the first day of school.  A month before the NJASK is too late to start cramming.  If the scores from last year's test were low, what will this year's scores look like without extra help?  The best way that you can help your child is to get them help as soon as possible in the content areas rather than in straight up testing strategies.  

Looking for more outside help?
Call Sylvan to schedule a Skills Assessment and 

take the next BEST step towards your child's academic future!

Clinton, NJ: (908) 638-6788

Flemington, NJ: (908) 806-4010

What does Sylvan SAT Prep include?

With the weather turning cooler, the sun setting earlier and students back in school, many local High Schoolers' thoughts are turning towards thoughts of their future.  Their first step in that direction?  The SAT.

At Sylvan, we help students to prepare for this very important milestone in our SAT preparation course.  Our course includes 3 practice SAT tests that are taken in the center and timed in the same manner as is done on the day of an actual test.  Our teachers are not only certified by the state (which means that they can teach in a school) they are also trained in Sylvan methods.  All of our SAT teachers teach other subjects here in our center, which means they are experts in their fields and can give your child a broader view while they are preparing for their test.  In addition, we provide your child with a math and a verbal textbook that can keep to continue practice even after their 30 hour individualized course is completed.  In addition, we are very excited to introduce the NEW SylvanTestPrep.com where students and parents have immediate access to graded tests as well as additional activities to further increase their scores.

I know there is one big question that everyone has: Does Sylvan SAT preparation work?  Watch this video to learn about a Sylvan student that demonstrates this:



Need more information?

Please call your local Sylvan Learning Center to learn about our schedule, fees and about the other great courses we can provide for your child to prepare for College.

Clinton, NJ (908) 638-6788

Flemington, NJ (908) 806-4010