A Parent's Blog About Parent Interests by our Tutoring Company

Raising teenagers can be a difficult, confusing and frustrating but it can also be exciting, rewarding and full of new experiences for parents and teenagers. The book, Parenting the Teenage Brain: Understanding a Work in Progress, is a great resource for parents, teachers and tutors who interact with teens on a regular basis.

This fascinating book, by Sheryl Feinstein, looks at the developing brain of teenagers and explains why adolescents behave the way they do and how adults can help foster teenagers’ growth and development during this crucial stage in life.

Feinstein uses different scientific studies that show the spike in neural activity that is going on in certain parts of the teenage brain. This period of growth in the brain allows adolescents to absorb information and develop new skills. It also affects how they think about certain things, changes in their emotional responses, decision-making skills, how they view themselves and even the consideration of how they are viewed by others.

Most teens don’t understand what changes are taking place in their minds and bodies, therefore, they can’t explain why they do or say certain things. You may try to talk to your child about their behavior or attitude but their response is full of anger and frustration or they may tell you to just leave them alone. You are not the only one who doesn’t understand your teenage child.They also don’t understand themselves.

Teens need structure and stability at home and in school. They also need good role models to look up to. Part of helping your child to succeed is being an active part of their lives. If your teenager is having a hard time, try to talk to them about it. If there is another adult, like your child’s tutor, who your child is comfortable opening up to, ask your tutor to spend time during tutoring sessions just talking with your child. Having a tutor who is a good role model can help your teenager learn how to cope with new situations. Your child should know that they are not alone, but are part of a team.

An interesting concept, which Feinstein points out in the book, is that during adolescence, certain skills are getting hard-wired into the brain. This means that whatever teens are doing during this crucial developmental period could possibly shape their brain for the rest of their lives. For example, if a teen spends their time reading, studying, exercising, playing musical instruments etc., these parts of the brain will maintain these skills. If they are sitting around all day watching TV then their brain will not be able to develop and lock in other functions of the brain. This is referred to as the “use it or lose it” principle.

Knowing that if teens don’t use certain parts of the brain could cause them to lose the ability to develop those areas later in life is not just good for parents and teachers to know, but this principle can motivate teens to use their brains while they are young. If teens are helped to see that doing homework, reading, tutoring sessions, and sports activities will have a positive impact on their adult lives, this will motivate them to use their brain while it is still developing.

This book is full of helpful examples of how to effectively communicate with teens, parenting tips on how to make it through the teenage years, scientific facts to help adults understand typical teen behaviors, book club discussion questions and more. The more adults understand the developing teenage brain the more they will be able to accept and adapt to these changes and help facilitate this life-changing transition from teen into adulthood.

When looking for a tutor it is easy to assume that all tutors can provide the same services. If this were true then finding the cheapest tutor would be the way to go. However, this is not always the case and not all tutors are equally trained or qualified. In fact, tutors often have varying levels of education and teaching experience, thereby creating a wide range in terms of quality. If you are looking for someone who can help your child learn in an effective way with lasting results you should consider hiring a tutor who is a certified teacher.

Why should you hire a certified teacher as a tutor?

Certified teachers are familiar with the grade level requirements and the curriculum taught in schools. Your teenage neighbor might have the top Math and Science scores at their school, but they probably are not trained to teach the material in the most effective way. Certified teachers, on the other hand, are not only knowledgeable in different subject matters, but also have the necessary teaching skills to help students learn the subject and make noticeable progress.

Teachers care about your child’s success

A certified teacher views tutoring as a way to give students the extra instruction and attention they need in order to develop proper skills. Ultimately, as a result of the tutoring sessions, students should be able to continually excel in school, and not just to pass a test or get a good grade on a paper. Teachers who are tutors want their students to succeed in life and not just in school.

Certified teacher tutors create personalized lesson plans for each tutoring session

Lesson plans in the classroom have to be created for an entire class full of different students at varying levels. Rather than merely presenting information in a general way, as they would in a classroom setting, teachers who are tutors get to focus on one individual student. They have the flexibility to spend more time on areas that the student is struggling with. They can stop at any time during a tutoring session and work with the student on particular areas until they master the concept.

Certified teachers apply professional techniques during tutoring sessions

Certified teachers are able to perform professional assessments to determine the student’s level of understanding on particular subjects. Knowing where the student is at allows teachers to develop appropriate lesson plans for that student. Teachers are trained to keep detailed records of their student’s assessment scores so they can easily track their progress and ensure that they attain their goals.

Certified teachers are familiar with learning disabilities

Teachers are trained to recognize learning disabilities and can thereby adapt teaching methods and use various strategies to enable students to learn according to theirlearning styles. If a student has a limited attention span, such as someone with ADHD or other behavioral disorders, the teachers will know how to facilitate learning during tutoring sessions. Teachers have experience with behavior management so they can use certain techniques to help the student focus during tutoring sessions and can even teach the student to apply these focusing techniques at school.

Benefits of having a Certified Teacher as a tutor:

Tutors spend regular one-on-one time with a student, which is not usually possible in a classroom setting. A teacher who gets to spend personal time with the student will get to know the student’s specific strengths, needs, learning styles as well as their attention span and capacity. Being able to focus on developing specific needs during one-one-one tutoring sessions will have more effective results than being in a large classroom setting.

Hiring certified teacher tutors might be more expensive than hiring a high school or university student. However, having a tutor who is a certified teacher can make a huge difference in the quality and effectiveness of tutoring sessions. The quality of the tutor will show in the advancement and progress of the student. Furthermore, certified teachers can also offer advice to parents on activities to do with the student that will benefit their education and make tutoring sessions even more profitable.

In order to help your child succeed, you and your child’s tutor should spend the time to identify what types of learning styles your child has. Together you can encourage them and work with them during tutoring sessions to use study methods that complement their particular learning styles.

All children are unique. Not one has the exact same personality, likes or dislikes.  When it comes to schoolwork, children maintain their differences in terms of learning styles. We often expect that all children should learn in the same way.  Traditional educational systems can make some children appear to be excellent learners, while others seem to struggle. This may not reflect your child’s abilities. Helping children recognize their particular learning styles could help them succeed in school. Your tutor can create lessons that bring out the best in your child’s abilities if they are aware of your child’s learning style.

Different Learning Styles to know for tutoring sessions:

Spatial/Visual Learning Style:

Learn best by seeing and observing. They learn well with pictures, charts, diagrams and color-coding. The visual learner may benefit from using flash cards for memorization. Spatial learners tend to be creative and artistic as well.

Audio/Musical Learning Style:

Receiving information aurally is usually the easiest way for an Audio learner. Most children with this learning style also have musical tendencies or abilities. Putting information into tunes or songs can help with memorization and learning.

Verbal/Linguistic Learning Style:

This type of learner uses words to understand the subject matter. They learn well in lecture settings, taking notes and reading subject material. They may want to talk through a problem or write it down in order to get a clear understanding of the subject.

Physical/Kinesthetic Learning Style:

Some people learn best by doing. Even if they read about it or hear about it, the understanding will click when they can go through the motions themselves. Using manipulatives and hands on activities as well as role-playing can be helpful for the more physical learners.

Logical/Mathematical Learning Style:

This type of learner likes to take information and figure out how and why. Some people refer to this learning style as Mathematical because these types of learners often excel in Math and Science. They easily understand number problems and are able to do quick mental calculations.

Social/Interpersonal Learning Style:

These types of learners enjoy social interaction. They may be willing participants in class discussions and group projects. They are able to relate to and empathize with others. Social learners may benefit from study groups rather than independent study.

Solitary/Intrapersonal Learning Style:

Some children learn best on their own. They may need to be able to focus in an environment free of noise and distractions. They may be reluctant to join class discussions even if they have relevant information or know the answer to the question.

All of these learning styles are not distinct or separate.  Many people fall into more than one category.  Some people learn a particular way pertaining to one particular subject and another way for a different subject.

Regardless of the learning styles that your child may have, there are ways to help them succeed in school. By determining what type of learner they are, you and your tutor can help them to use certain study strategies that will help them do their school work in the way that best fits their particular learning style.

If your child is struggling with Math they will benefit from having an in-home tutor. There are local Math Tutors in Vancouver Island, B.C who are skilled at making learning easier. They create lesson plans and activities that will make Math applicable to your child and make learning interesting and exciting to them. Because your Math Tutor can only spend a few hours a week with your child, there are ways you can help your child learn and maximize the benefit of having a Math Tutor in Vancouver Island, B.C.

Can going grocery shopping help your math tutor in Vancouver Island BC? You bet it can!

Going to the grocery store can be turned into one of the most useful and practical educational experiences. Your Math tutor cannot take your child to the store with them, but this is a normal weekly or even daily activity for most families in Vancouver Island.

As adults, we use mental math and estimation each time we do our shopping. We are comparing prices, considering what brand of milk is worth more per gallon, estimating about how much chicken broth will fit in the crock pot for tomorrow night’s soup. Even quickly multiplying how much chicken to buy for your family and the guests coming over for dinner. You probably don’t realize that you are using Math skills because it is such a normal part of everyday life. As your children grow up, they will also be required to use these same skills.

Why not include your child in the grocery shopping process. It may take them a little longer to figure out what to buy, but it will be good practice for using Math in every day life- and they may even enjoy it and want to go shopping with you more often!

Turn shopping into a game instead of a chore. Formulate a story problem by asking your child to figure out how many chicken drumsticks to buy if every one will eat 2 pieces and there are 5 guests coming for dinner and also including the 4 members in your family. They will need to do some addition and multiplication to figure out that they need 18 pieces of chicken. Then follow up the question by asking them how many total kilograms the packages of chicken weigh or how many dozen pieces there are.

You can even incorporate some healthy learning into your shopping trip as well. Give your child the challenge of finding the yogurt with the least amount of fat and the one with the greatest percentage of fat. Then ask them how many grams less the lowest fat yogurt has. Then let them choose the yogurt they think is the healthier option.

When buying toilet paper most companies advertise the number of sheets in each roll. Ask your child to find the toilet paper with the best value. Even if it takes you a little longer to accomplish your regular shopping, consider it an extension of your Math Tutoring sessions.

Involving them in shopping for ingredients and choosing items at the store will keep your child engaged instead of bored and dragging their feet following you up and down the aisles. There are many more ways to incorporate educational activities into your daily life. Your Math Tutor will thank you!