Archive for the ‘ Blog’ Category
Past Event: Dyslexic Action Group of Naperville: Dyscalculia
Thank you to everyone who came out to our special educational event with the Dyslexic Action Group of Naperville talking about Dyscalculia.
WSEA Tutoring Introduces New Logo!
Introducing WSEA Tutoring's New Logo:
Spring Into Summer Special! $50 Off Any Five Week Program!
Register for any June 5-week Program in May and receive $50 off tuition.
Deadline is May 31st!
This is valid for: Semi-private 5 week block tutoring and classes T, W, Th, total of 15 hours. Classes are in the Morning at Grace (Central Naperville Location) and Afternoon Classes are held at Zion (South Naperville Location).
View Classes and Register Now!Not valid with any other offer.
EVENT: Testing Accommodations for Smart Kids with Learning Challenges – 4/29/15 7pm
EVENT: Testing Accommodations for Smart Kids with Learning Challenges
When: Wednesday, April 29th, 2015
Where: Naperville Municipal Center Lunch Room
Test scores of students with ADHD, dyslexia, executive function problems and other learning challenges often don’t reflect their true abilities.
Learn what can be done at the school to help your child test to this or her potential.
Presented by Adrienne Osmun of SOS for 2e, a Naperville parent group focused on the “twice exceptional’ child, a student who is intellectually gifted who also has some for of disability. Appropriate for K-12. More information at DAGNaperville.com
Download and Share the Flyer
Qigong for Kids
Grades 1st – 6th – 2/28/15 at 11am
Try the first class for free!
Bring your kids to WSEA Tutoring on 2/28/15 at 10am to try “Wuji for Kids”. While your kids are trying this new activity that promotes a natural alternative to medication to improve focus and attention, parents are welcome to join Camille Jones as she explains the benefits of Qigong for your kids and answers any questions. We will be using the strategies taught in the Wiji class to improve classroom focus and test taking.
Looking to try a new activity with your kids? Try “Wuji for Kids”. It’s a natural alternative to medication to improve focus and attention.
The Wuji for Kids class is especially designed for children that teaches a free-form style of Qigong to keep kids engaged and excited. It uses specific Qigong movements that kids draw from as they create their own form and flow. Perfect for kids ages 6 through 12!
The class promotes:
- Mental focus
- Body & environment knowledge/awareness
- Control of emotions/desires through breathing and controlled movement
Class Time: 2/28/15 at 11am. 5 Week Course Class!
Location: 300 E Gartner Rd || Naperville, Illinois 60540
Cost: Price is $150 per child (or $125 when you register with a friend or if you’re registered for Phonics is Phun as well)
Ten Year Membership – Naperville Chamber of Commerce
WSEA Tutoring is proud to have been a member of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce for 10 years. We were recognized at the latest Naperville Chamber Luncheon for our 10 year membership.
Diane Nelson, Camille Jones, Nicki Anderson, Jennifer Bredberg
The High School Balancing Act – Academics – Sports – Volunteering – Extra Curricular’s
One of the first things high school students are told is to become involved in school! Join that club, participate in that sport, and make the most of their high school years! Great advice, but many students find their homework alone to be challenging and time-consuming, and before they know it, they are doing poorly in classes, and are wondering how in the world they are supposed to balance school and extra-curricular activities.
At WSEA, we know how hard it is to perform this balancing act, but we have found the key to success: Organization! It’s a simple concept, but we cannot count how many times a student will come in and not know his or her upcoming test or paper due dates. We work with students to fully utilize their assignment notebooks. First, we have them write in all tests, quizzes, papers, projects, etc.
Then, we have them write in all extra-curricular activities, both in and out of school. Finally, we have them write in all family commitments, like birthday parties and weekend trips. We work with the students to look ahead and see if there are any conflicts.
We teach them to plan ahead: if they will be gone this weekend, but the paper’s due Monday, then they should finish it Friday. If they have a test on Monday, they should bring their notes to study in the car. If they have two big tests on the same day, perhaps they can talk to their teachers to see if they can help out. Yes, it’s a lot, and it’s a balancing act, but it can be done. Organization is the key!
Common Core – Social Studies
With the advent of the Common Core, our children are reading more primary source documents.
In Social Studies, this means they are reading the original Declaration of Independence, Gettysburg Address, FDR’s Pearl Harbor “Day of Infamy” speech and Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The original words are powerful and profound, and do much to bring important events to life. However, they can pose a challenge to students not used to such formal language and complex construction.
Increasingly, teachers are looking for students to comprehend more complex vocabulary and concepts. In addition, students are expected to synthesize the readings into ‘big pictures’ that address the ‘so what’ ramifications of the concepts introduced by the readings. For some students, this poses no problem. But for many students, this can be a very challenging change.
At WSEA, we understand this, and work with your children to help them improve their reading. We develop individualized programs that focus on reading techniques to improve comprehension, vocabulary, and written responses.
So, if your student is finding the Common Core uncommonly difficult, give us a call. We will help your child succeed.
Improved State of Mind Exercise for Children (helps w/ Children with ADHD)
Often, low self-esteem is prevalent in children diagnosed with ADHD, because they feel so out of control. They try hard to follow the expectations and norms of their world, and are upset when they are to be held accountable for their “bad” behavior. They are bombarded by negative feedback from their teachers, peers and parents.
Change your state of mind: One of the quickest ways to empower children and boost their self-esteem is to show them that they are in charge of their state of mind. No matter what happens, they can control their internal reactions and feelings. By paying attention to their breathing & changing their body posture, they can change their mood in minutes!
Be the Balloon Game
Remind children of the balloons in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Have them sit in a chair and pretend they are the deflated Underdog balloon-empty & limp. Now take a deep breath, as air is filling them up (sit up straight and tall, with shoulders back & stick out the chest, head raised). Hold it for 3 seconds and release, blowing out all breath & collapse back to original position. Do this exercise two more times. Show children that they can do this in a smaller way, without pretending to be a balloon. Demonstrate how to take a deep breath, hold it for a count of three, and release. They can do this anytime they feel anxious, upset or have hurt feelings. They are in control of their state of mind. Raise their head and hold their shoulders back, looking confident and in control. Their moods should improve, and as a result cause others to respond to them in a more positive way.
Illinois Common CORE – Naperville Standards
Lets talk about Common Core.
The common core movement is a reaction to an awareness that standards of achievement and competency varied greatly from state to state.
In 2007 a group called Student Achievement Partners -David Coleman, the current President of College Board- as in SAT- was one of the founders.
This group partnered with leading educators, school districts, legislators and businesses to lobby for standards in education and achievement.
In 2009 the Dept of Education created Race to the Top offering 3.4 billion dollars in grant money. States that agreed to adopt Common Core Standards won points.
Up until now each state had its own standards and tests.
Think of expectations in business or industry: I expect my hamburger to meet certain standards weather I get it in Seattle, Chicago or Washington DC.
By 2010 most states had adopted the Common Core standards and were beginning to implement them.
This monumental movement of educational reform in our country happened so quickly!
Common core curriculum evolves from common core standards and evaluations.
An example of a common core math skill for first grades is that they will count to 100 by ones and tens.
The new 2016 SAT will reflect common core standards.
This is a time of change in our system. The way children learn, however, remains the same. There is a developmental process that is influenced by time and maturation.
Children learn through, exposure to sensory information, good teaching, positive reinforcement, practice, problem solving, practice and patience AND MORE PRACTICE.
Common CORE Standards and Curriculum do not change the development process, they are tools to aid and to evaluate.