In this issue:• Snow Day Alternatives• A Message from Dr. Rick• Saving Early for College

He l p i n g s t u d e n t s d e ve l o p t h e s k i l l s, h a b i t s a n d a t t i t u d e s fo r l i fe l o n g s u cc e s s

JANUARY 2012

Research and common sense repeatedly tell us, that “multitasking” does not work, especially if you are a student trying to do a bunch of really important things at

once, like homework and studying for a test. Multitasking hinders our attention to details. To make matters worse, our efficiency decreases and our concentration lowers with each task we add. In fact, some studies show a drop in IQ points for workers distracted by email, phone calls and other interruptions as they work. And yet most of us insist that we’re good at multitasking. Students really can’t study for a test while text messaging or surfing the net. We know that in our hearts – and maybe on our report cards – so why do we persist? Why do we shrink from reflective quiet time? That’s a question for deeper, quiet consideration, without interruptions. Here are some things to consider to break the tyranny of multitasking:

Learn to prioritize. Who are you trying to convince that all the things you’re juggling at any one moment are of equal importance?

Plan, coordinate. You’ll always have lots of projects to do, so you may as well learn good time-management skills now.

Get more control over your time. It’s your life. Control it. Don’t cede control to the latest thing that buzzes its way into your consciousness.

Organize yourself. This can be hard, but with patience and some help from a study buddy or another person whom you respect, you can do it. Have a role model you can emulate.

Stay organized. This can be even harder, but the rewards are great. Persistence pays.

Break down big tasks into smaller ones. Talk to anyone who’s achieved a big goal, and you’ll hear this.

Teach yourself how to handle interruptions promptly. This doesn’t mean immediately, breaking your concentration, but within a reasonable amount of time. Train interrupters not to expect instant responses.

Know when and how to say “no.” This doesn’t have to be a big deal. “I’m sorry, but I’m working on something very important to me, and my schedule just won’t allow that right now.” Your friends will understand, admire and even respect and maybe emulate your new determination.

Keep a quiet space just for you. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll come to appreciate quiet.

This doesn’t mean you’ll never multitask ever again. There will be times when it’s appropriate – times that are not supposed to be devoted to study or work and times when concentration and attention to detail aren’t vital. You’ll be a better judge of that when you’ve learned to master your tasks and not let them master you.

Connect with us

The Myth of Multitasking

A Message From Dr. Rick

Read the rest at DrRickBlog.com

Schools are closed. The snow is deep. You’ve made snowmen and snow angels, baked cookies, watched TV, played video games, and even pitched in to shovel the snow for a neighbor up the street. Now what? The snow continues, schools are closed for several more days. Here are a few snow-day tips to help students and families while at home. They won’t exactly bring serenity to your house, but they might keep the children busy for a while -- and maybe even learning a little.

Read. Everyone has his or her favorite book, so read them to each other. It’s fun for the older kids to read their favorite childhood books to their younger siblings. Act out your favorite scenes for the enjoyment of everyone.

Tell stories. This is a great time to trot out the old family photo albums and tell stories of your happy memories. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, favorite friends and neighbors. Connect the kids to your past -- and theirs.

Keep a snow journal. As a family, write a few sentences every day about the snow. What time did it start to fall? What did it look like on the trees? How did it affect the traffic on your street? Did you feed the birds? Does your dog like the snow? Write about sledding, snowman building, snowball battles, snow forts. Write how you felt when you learned there’d be no school. What friends will you miss for the days you’re away from the classroom?

Do some weather science. Measure the snow as it’s falling. Keep a log of the temperatures hourly. How long does it take for the snow to melt on the south side of the house? On the north side? How do those icicles form?

Play games as a family and, for some quiet time, as individuals. Some mind-engaging activities include board games, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, jigsaw puzzles, coloring, finger painting, water colors, and scrapbooking.

Keep up the lessons. Check those spelling words -- if there aren’t any from school, assign your own. Practice math facts. Read the next chapter in the social studies book.

Organize. Take this found-time to organize notebooks, planners, back packs, and study areas at home. Make sure everyone’s up-to-date on assignments that will be due when school starts again.

Try to keep up normal routines. Yes, the snow throws everything off, and that’s okay. It’s good to take a break (or have one thrust upon you) from time to time. But try to keep bedtimes, mealtimes, study times, and other important personal routines (medications, for example) as close to normal as possible. When you know schools will reopen again, start to get back into the swing of things right away.

Be a role model. Use your homebound time for catching up on some put-off tasks. Enlist the kids’ help in rearranging furniture, organizing closets and donating unused clothing to the homeless shelter. Talk about how warm and cozy you are -- not everyone is as lucky.

Stay positive. Spring will arrive.

Snow Day Alternatives Ten Tips To Beat the Winter Blues

What To Do After Your Child Has a Tutor I’ve long advocated for tutoring to be an open option – never really “ended” – useful whenever a student needs help, which occurs from time to time. It’s confidence-building for a kid to know there’s someone there, ready to assist when an elementary student gets stumped by long division, a middle-schooler needs help organizing for several subjects, or a high-schooler is flummoxed by writing college application essays. Let’s discuss what we can do when a current tutoring stretch comes to an end. Your child has just finished a period of time at a Sylvan Learning center (the company I work for), and he’s back on track. What now? Here are some tips. Keep those expectations high. It was high expectations, yours and his, that made him brave enough to seek help in the first place. Keep up those grades and his confidence by expecting continuous improvement.

Keep up periodic checkups. It’s wise to keep this an option for whenever you’re concerned about his grades or his progress.

Keep in touch with the tutor. Don’t lose touch with Sylvan once the current tutoring has ended, especially during those high-stress times like oral reports, long-term projects, or major exams.

For additional information and educational videos, visit

www.ConnectWithKids.com

As reported by ConnectWithKids.com, saving early and being realistic are the keys to preparing for college tuition.

“Parents know they need to save for college, but they don’t take the steps to do it - they think they have plenty of time and they don’t. They need to go ahead and start [saving] as soon as possible,” says Tracy Ireland, Vice President, Financial Aid Operations, Georgia Student Finance Commission.

College tuition: it ranks second, next to a home, in the list of big-ticket expenses that parents pay for. Yet many parents - in fact, the majority of parents - are in the dark about how much it’s really going to cost.

“[My parents] didn’t put money aside for me to go to college, because they thought, you know, since I was a good student in school, like my whole school career or whatever, that I was going to get scholarships,” says Tiffany Peck.

Tiffany received some financial aid, but it didn’t cover everything. And Tiffany is not alone. According to a study by financial planning firm, AllianceBernstein, 92 percent of parents overestimate the amount of scholarship money their children will receive.

“The reality of it is that, even if a child does get a scholarship, it’s not likely to cover the full cost of attendance,” explains Ireland.

Experts say the first step for parents is to be realistic about how much college will cost.

“Parents know today what it costs; but what it will cost in 15 years can be a staggering number,” says Ireland. “For example, a public institution may cost $12,000 a year today - but in 15 or 16 years, it could be well into 30 thousand or 40 thousand dollars a year.”

Next, he says, start saving early. “Save something - you don’t have to necessarily save for the full cost at the beginning. Begin saving and you can increase it over time. Even $50 a month into a savings account or a college savings account can grow into a sizeable sum by the time the student’s ready.”

Tiffany is now a sophomore, paying for college with a student loan. She wishes her parents had been able to save even just a little.

“Even if it was just like a couple of thousand dollars, it would have helped out a lot,” she says, “because going to school here isn’t that expensive - but still it would’ve helped. I wouldn’t be in the situation I am now, taking out loans.”

Tips for Parents Trying to save money for college or university? ConnectWithKids.com recommends:

When students enter high school, 91 out of every 100 say they plan to go to college. But by the time the students are 19 years old, 30 of every 100 who entered ninth grade have fallen behind or dropped out - and only 38 of the 70 who earned high school diplomas enroll in college. (National Household Education Surveys Program)

Despite the media hype about rising college costs, a college education is more affordable than most people think – especially when you consider that college graduates earn an average of one million dollars more over their careers than do high school graduates. The average yearly cost of a four-year public school in 2006-2007 was just $5,836. There are some expensive schools, but high tuition is not a requirement for a good education. (College Board)

Experts recommend deferring cost considerations until late in the college-selection process. Most important is finding a school that meets your child’s academic, career and personal needs. In fact, you might have a better chance of receiving aid from a private school. Private colleges often offer more financial aid to attract students from every income level. Higher college expenses also mean a better chance of demonstrating financial need. (College Board)

Tuition is not the only cost that needs to be calculated into the cost of college. Tuition and fees represent only a fraction of the total cost of attending college. When living costs and other education-related expenses are considered, tuition and fees constitute 67 percent of the total budget for full-time students enrolled in four-year private colleges and universities. (College Board)

There are many resources on the Internet for parents to find information about college costs and available aid – including Fast Web, College Board and the U.S. Department of Education. (Tracy Ireland, VP, Georgia Student Finance Commission)

Start planning for your child’s college education immediately. 529 Plans have several advantages, including tax breaks - and as the contributor, you remain in control of the money. (Tracy Ireland, VP, Georgia Student Finance Commission)

Upcoming Events...

January

Sylvan’s proven process:

• Builds skills in math, reading, writing & more

• Develops independent work habits• Improves attitudes• Motivates learning• Provides feedback to parents and

teachers

Connect with us

JANUARY 2012

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

8

15

22

29

2

9

16

23

30

3

10

17

24

31

4

11

18

25

5

12

19

26

6

13

20

27

7

14

21

28