Early Academic Intervention: Should the Classroom Teacher Tutor?

Insanity is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. Doing more of an ineffective thing doesn't qualify as a genuine attempt at becoming more effective, right? That's not how any of this works.

I want to preface this message by showing gratitude for how hard classroom educators work. Their commitment and sacrifices are not sufficiently acknowledged nor rewarded.We shouldn't expect them to do it all alone...

I raise this question - should the classroom teacher tutor? - because tutoring sessions held by classroom teachers are failing so many students. As a nationally certified professional tutor, it's disheartening that the majority of my clients believed they couldn't learn because of how the classroom teacher unpacked learning material. All too often, learners become frustrated because the multiple representations strategy is missing in many classrooms.

As practitioners in the education community, we tend to present concepts in ways that make sense to us. This approach makes sense. Deconstructing complex ideas and re-packaging them into lessons is challenging. Figuring out multiple ways to present complex ideas to students is even more challenging and requires a level of time commitment that's scarce given the work load of classroom teachers.

Here's what to look for...

First, we have to be willing to look around us to see that an issue exists. Then, we have to name it and look inward to see how we've contributed to the issue. Finally, we have to commit to removing the culprit: environmental influences, preconceived notions, unproductive behaviors.

• If he's not learning in the classroom, stop expecting the classroom teacher to tutor the child. Using the same teaching strategies for tutoring sessions isn't likely to improve performance. For a few, this approach works. For most, it's a bust.

• If she attends class regularly and is failing, stop expecting the classroom teacher to tutor the child. Showing up is half the battle; still students need to receive equitable instruction during class time. Evidence of inadequate instruction shows up early on: inability to complete homework independently; and low daily grades and quiz scores.

• If they don't like being in class, stop expecting the classroom teacher to tutor children. We are reminded by Rita Pierson quotes that building relationships with students is mandatory. Click the image below to learn why it's important for kids to like classroom teachers and how you can facilitate this transition.

Students don't learn from teachers they don't like. Forcing a student to try to learn something from someone they don't like has the potential to strengthen character; but, it's unlikely that academic performance will improve in a timely manner. We want to look for opportunities to match learners with professionals who are best equipped to reach them... and transform performance quickly.

Next steps...

When students are struggling, investigate. Resist the blame-game and finger-pointing. Stressful times are opportunities for parents and educators to show compassion, to follow the student's lead, to seek early academic intervention from a professional experienced in identifying and addressing the root causes of poor performance.

Jackson Education Support exists to develop more independent learners by implementing personalized services and supporting engagement efforts. Both low-performing students and gifted students benefit from intensive academic intervention. Early academic intervention is always best; nonetheless, commitment to a personalized learning plan results in dramatic improvement in performance as well as noticeable increase in confidence.

Here's the secret to Jackson Education Support's 96% success rate among private tutoring and exam preparation clients of all ages.

1. Make content accessible to students through equitable instruction.
2. Engage students in meaningful and rigorous learning opportunities.
3. Encourage multiple means of expression (not only teaching to the test).

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If you have a student or know a student

who could benefit from academic intervention,

visit je411.com/schedule to explore support options.

Couponing for a Cause: Improving math skill with real world experiences

Before we begin this post, I have to make a confession: prior to writing couponing blogs and becoming a stay-at-home mom (now a homeschooling mom as well), I was a math teacher. A middle school math teacher. Yes. I know... quite terrifying. And you know what? I loved it.

Teaching math is my passion. It's so much a part of me, that when I began taking advantage of couponing deals, all I could think about was how valuable the experience would've been for my middle school students during my teaching days. You see, couponing hacks are all rooted in math. 

If you want to learn more about how to coupon, check out my FREE ebook that offers couponing basics for beginners. This couponing guide teaches readers how to invest 20 minutes a week and save hundreds of dollars a year on groceries. 

Below are six reasons it's worth the effort for math teachers to join the couponing community.

Fractions
Ratios, proportions, and unit price may all be written as fractions. In order to solve these kinds of problems (during a test and in the real world), we need to have a basic understanding of the properties of fractions. This can be challenging for many students, because understanding fractions requires us to generate a mental model of fractions operations. If fractions is a pain point for the students in your life, make fractions operations  more tangible through couponing.

Adding and Subtracting Decimals
When working with money, two places after the decimal represent cents (a fraction of a dollar). If an item costs $1.99, and the coupon takes off $1, it doesn’t make sense that the item would now cost $1.98. Lining up the decimal places when you add and subtract makes a lot more sense when you do it with money!


Unit Conversions
Couponing requires understanding of unit price. When you are trying to find unit price, items price labels may show different measurements. For instance, one bottle of soda gives volume in ounces but another shows volume in liters. In this case, couponers (and students) need to tap into their math skills to convert between the two units. A different example of unit conversions involves tripling the serving size of a recipe. Instead of purchasing 21 Tbsp of a grocery item, it may be necessary to convert this amount into cups.

Percentages
A coupon or sale may provide for a certain percentage off the price of a certain item. Couponing teaching learners to calculate discounts in this way: students learn how to determine the resulting price after taking 25% off a certain amount. Why use percentages worksheets, when couponing gives real world experiences? Would you learn more from percentages word problems or saving cold hard cash in real life? Calculating discounts and sales tax are opportunities to solve multi-step mixed operations with whole numbers and decimal numbers.

Ratios, Proportions, and Unit Price
As couponers, we're always after the best deal. If six rolls of toilet paper cost $3, and eight rolls of toilet paper cost $3.50, which is the better deal? You have to brake it down into how much one roll costs with each deal. This involves using proportions to find the rate in price per roll, which is the unit price.


Greater than, less than, or equal to
An app called Flipp scans grocery stores near you. Searching the app shows the cost of grapes at different stores, for example. This feature of the app provides an opportunity to defend decisions about which store has the best deal. This approach is especially useful for comparing decimals.

There are many ways that coupons can help children master math standards; these are six important approaches to improving math skill with real world experiences. If you have other ideas, or you just want to share how you were able to use these tips, I would love to hear about them. 

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Tiffany Thomas is a former math teacher and SAHM who loves finding good deals! She and her husband launched The Crazy Shopping Cart. They enjoy spending time with family, geeking out over sci-fi, and saving money.

Student Strategies for Less Stressful Testing

It is almost that time of the year when Mississippi students begin state testing. Classrooms can become very intense, because teachers have administrators on their backs... and administrators have central office staff on their backs. This pressure can cause tension between teachers and students. 

Students in high schools really have it tough because state testing solidifies graduation. Consider a four tips designed to improve assessment performance.

Review information daily. Daily review periods minimize test anxiety. Many students get nervous on day of test, because they don't feel adequately prepared. If learners review learning material on a daily basis, they will not have the added pressure of getting it all in at the last minute. Students who feel prepared on test day generally experience less anxiety and are better equipped to demonstrate skills mastery.

Clarify gaps in learning. Many teachers review testing standards with students. Teachers connect preexisting skills as they introduce new concepts. But, students are encouraged not to let a teacher proceed with the lesson if the lesson is unclear, if questions remain. Test takers regret having not asked questions for clarity in class when they get to the test and run across a familiar topic that they do not fully understand. Avoid this stressor and improve performance by asking questions and following up with more questions.

Change daily habits. Many times students want to continue to stay up late, hang out with friends, or  try to remember things without writing them down.  As students enter testing periods, transition in focus is mandatory. Their focus should be on mastering the test, on exceeding expectations. Accomplishing this goal may require a few changes in daily habits. I would always tell students that those same friends will be there after testing, if they are your true friend.

Build endurance. Often, students find themselves falling asleep during testing. Sometimes, sleepiness will over power the mind and body, and students begin marking any answer choice just to finish the test. Prepare the extended testing periods now by getting a good night's sleep. By resting the body, students build up more energy that can be leveraged to practice testing endurance over the next few weeks.

My final thoughts: I understand that testing can be stressful. Let's work on ourselves to facilitate less stressful testing.

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A very special thanks goes to
guest blogger, Darein C. Spann, Ed.S.
Darein is a public school teacher and
board director for the National Education Association.

Algebraic Thinking: An Opportunity For Growth

Algebra is a common weak spot for test takers. From high school subject area testing and GED prep to ACT and Praxis Core planning, many students struggle to grasp concepts. Fortunately, algebraic thinking is introduced as early as kindergarten in settings where Common Core Math Standards guides learning. Other popular curricula that emphasize algebraic thinking early on include Saxon Math and K5 Learning.

Whether enrolled in school, participating in a home school program, exploring the unschooling spectrum, or preparing for post-secondary testing, there are many study tools available. As with many difficult tasks - like me learning to cook - seeking independent practice opportunity positions learners for success. When educators and family members prompt students to complete homework and provide supplemental learning activities, such as games, worksheets, and books, we model success strategies.

First thoughts may sound something like this.... I hate math; I'm not good in math; Algebra is my worst subject; I just don't get it. These are normal and (it pains me to say) acceptable. Though I love math, algebraic reasoning has not been taught to some in a way that triggers excitement. Nonetheless, learners need to see you trying. They need to see you reading and practicing and failing and overcoming.

Tap into free resources. Even many of the fee-based tools offer free trials. I'm talking about truly, no-credit-card-needed free trials. One of my favorite websites for math worksheets is Math-Aids. I often use Math-Aids dynamic Algebra worksheets to help learners during tutoring as well as reinforce learning at home. I often find that educators are using Math-Aids worksheets for these same reasons.

Popular algebraic concepts covered by the Math-Aids worksheet generator include:

• Domain and Range
• Inequalities
• Quadratic Functions
• Systems of Equations

Worksheets guided this student-centered experience.

As I shared in last month's post on place value and operations in base ten, hands-on learning is the best learning. Whenever possible, playing games and using colorful manipulatives is ideal. Having tangible tools used to model math concepts and practice problems hooks learners in a way that immediately influences their mental state. Learning algebra becomes less gruesome when we add context and meaning to standards. Performance inevitably improves.

An awesome tool from Assessment Services Inc. helped one high schooler transition his focus from resisting Algebra and misbehaving to having fun during tutoring sessions. Algebra Tiles for Your Classroom should be in every learning environment designed to meet the needs of math learners - not just in classrooms. Algebra Tiles comes with a booklet that introduces learners to integers and represents variables and equations using unforgettable visuals that are fun to compose and decompose. It is a tool for learners of all ages. This 9th grader began to have fun thinking, learning, talking about math. He learned to enjoy the  journey and embrace failures through play, a not-so-novel concept that we forget to include in math lessons. 

Jackson Education Support (JE) offers fun and engaging learning experiences to learners of a ages. Specialty subjects include literacy, math, and science. Each experience is personalized to meet individual and organizational need. Read feedback and learn more by visiting je411.com.

The Top 3 Reasons I Teach

The reasons I teach are numerous. I could write at length on this topic, because the skill set required to effectively support learners is a lifetime work in progress. We adopt student characteristics to promote independence. Then, evaluate and re-evaluate the effectiveness of instructional strategies toward this end.

Supporting clients is a mutually beneficial endeavor. Implementing lessons that meet a variety of learning needs requires educators to abandon comfort zones; through growth we learn to effectively support this in others.

Personal and professional growth are mere strokes of serendipity. My top three reasons to teach involve helping learners leverage challenges, effecting generational change, and supporting creative freedom.

Leverage learning challenges
Whether education professionals, government officials, or parents, someone is expected to accept blame when students fail to meet learning objectives. When test scores are low, are teachers to blame? When homework is missing or incomplete, are parents to blame? When environments are unsafe, are administrators to blame? When students lack resources, is government to blame? We all bear some responsibility in each of these instances. Collective effort prepares students for success.

I teach because learners are not to blame. The learning process is influenced by environment. We assimilate behaviors and beliefs - good or bad, right or wrong - from peers and role models. Students often have little control of this process. Even adults have limited physical control. Many lack knowledge of pedagogy and androgogy, which help us understand education and learning (there is a difference). Through educational support services, clients gain deeper insight into effective learning strategies and master ways to leverage challenges.

Level the playing field
Adult education impacts youth education. Young people are often limited in the types of learning opportunities to which they're exposed. Proliteracy reports, "Children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72% chance of being at the lowest reading levels themselves." We know that literacy skill impacts math and science performance as well. As a consequence, children of illiterate and moderately literate adults are at risk of experiencing greater academic challenges. With each generation, legislation and societal advancements require the bar be raised in education. Ill-prepared, students are expected to meet more challenging learning standards at younger ages.

I teach because obtaining an education levels the playing field across socio-economic sectors. Systemic inequities experienced by those having low socio-economic status result in low grades and behavior issues. Students repeat grades levels as a result; some lose hope and drop out of school altogether. This downward spiral continues generation after generation. Helping learners leverage strengths to resist low expectations permanently transforms families.

Liberate minds
Practically from birth, children are trained to abandon their instincts. We know that the best experiences happen outside the box; yet, children are expected to hoe a designated row (and do nothing else). If they talk, they're punished. If they laugh too loud, they're ridiculed. If they question the status quo, they're marginalized.

I teach because confident students feel liberated to follow their passions. Supporting this process of self-discovery is our best chance for improving life as we know it. An insightful article in Harvard Business Review makes this point simply. Teresa Amabile acknowledges creativity is viewed as "unmanageable" and shunned by short-sighted leaders (and parents). Her notion of "managing for creativity" brilliantly communicates my approach to teaching. The objective is that learners feel encouraged in this way.

Essentially, teaching to the whole child is ideal. I want students to be college- and career-ready. The most successful individuals and organizations embrace creativity, so I aim to liberate minds. I want students to feel empowered to change their circumstances regardless of perceived limitations. Many need to view the playing field as level to pursue success (a conviction that's different for each person); they must feel their efforts are valued and valuable. Sustaining the wherewithal to overcome obstacles is made easier when students learn to leverage challenges independently.

Learn more about my education firm, Jackson Education Support, and schedule a consult to improve academic performance and increase confidence. Specialty areas include literacy, math, and science. Currently, popular services are private tutoring and writing assistance. Jackson Education Support options help learners of all ages move into more challenging environments.

Parents, are you on the Fence About Tutoring?

Are you  considering tutoring for your child?  Did your child struggle to end last year on a high note?  Has the classroom teacher expressed concern about academic performance? Well, you're not alone...

Jillian Smart, M. Ed., launched Jackson Education Support.

I launched Jackson Education Support (JE) to support the educational goals of learners in literacy, math, and science subjects. If you haven't heard, JE is a Mississippi-based education firm that offers personalized in-person and online services which allows parents like you to enjoy family time.

While classroom teachers are often expected to provide children with individualized attention during class, the likelihood of this happening decreases as class size increases - not to mention the growing number of assessments that take precedence during lesson planning.  

Jackson Education Support support learners by providing homework help and study skills support.  Each service is personalized to meet individual need. Clients schedule in-person and virtual tutoring sessions to address gaps in achievement that hinder progress in literacy, math, and science classes.

Tutoring is the new normal, reports scholastic.com.  "When specific, basic skills are not developing as you would expect, or when a child has a diagnosed learning disability, having a tutor can help her build those special skills or compensate for the ones she lacks," says learning specialist Susan J. Schwartz, M.A. Ed., clinical coordinator at the Institute for Learning and Academic Achievement at the New York University Child Study Center. Parents of early elementary students are feeling the pressure to ensure that children meet and exceed rising educational  standards.

If you think your child struggles in school, I encourage you not to wait for the problem to resolve itself. I say this, because many parents regret hiring a professional at the end of the school year. Children who receive support early on become more independent over time, so working with an educator outside of school times may not have to be a long-term arrangement for your child.

But, adding an experienced educator to your team is the best way to start the new school year. Let's discuss your child's academic needs in greater detail.  Schedule a free consultation today!

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