Year Archive - 2006
Is Handwriting Irrelevant?
December 13, 2006 Did you see the article about handwriting in last week’s Toronto Star called Handwriting is Irrelevant? According to the article, computers have made handwriting obsolete. Students at the University of Toronto and Ryerson couldn’t remember how to form cursive letters… they couldn’t recall how to place the pen to form ... more
School Performance and Nutrition
December 11, 2006 Building good eating habits leads to better performance in school. Studies have shown that poor diets, especially diets that are too high in fats and sugars, can have a detrimental effect on behavior — particularly behaviors that can help children succeed in school. Poor eating habits can cause problems with ... more
From the Parenting Edge Newsletter
November 30, 2006 A segment from our December parent newsletter Parties. Shopping. Baking. Decorating. Get-togethers. The holiday season is a very busy time—with the kids home from school and the hectic pace of this season, staying organized and focused on school can be quite a challenge. After all, the holidays are a break ... more
It’s Children’s Book Week in Canada!
November 22, 2006 Last week was children’s book week in the US, this week it is book week in Canada—writing contests, author readings, book giveaways, read-ins… what a great way to promote literacy in young readers! It’s reading and fun combined. Canada’s book week is the only bilingual literacy event in the nation. ... more
Yeah for books!
November 15, 2006 One of the first things that my mother ever taught me was that books are our friends. (Usually preceded by a scolding such as: we do NOT color in books! or we do NOT crumple book pages!) Needless to say, my love of books and the written word was developed ... more
Dangerous Waters: Surfing Not Recommended?
November 2, 2006 Last week I wrote about the possibility that Instant Messaging might interfere with children’s learning curve during the early educational years… and said that IM possibly could interfere with language development, that it was potentially harmful and it's usage should be monitored. Let’s face it—the Internet is out there, along ... more
Texting VS Writing: The Problem with Instant Messaging
October 26, 2006 Q: When is talking on your phone not talking? When it's texting! At the ripe old age of 25 I thought myself to be fairly au courant — that my online skills weren't at all lacking, or needing of improvement. That is until I added my 13-year-old cousin to my ... more
TED Talks - Sir Ken Robinson on Education
October 18, 2006 Sir Ken Robinson, author of Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative, gives an entertaining and touching talk on children and their native creative abilities. Uncommon Genius by Denise Shekerjian is also worth a look. In it she interviews 40 winners of the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship award - an ... more
Handwriting Skills: Neatness Counts!
October 11, 2006 Have you ever gotten a test back and you had lost marks because of messiness, or because the teacher couldn't read some of what you had written? My son brought home a test the other day and he had lost ten marks because the teacher couldn't read what he had ... more
Does my child need a tutor?
October 4, 2006 It's a month plus into the school year, and your child is probably settling into a homework routine. But what if you've read the homework tips, and tried them all out, and that homework time is less of a routine, and more of a headache? Does this mean that your ... more
The Homework Debate - Is It Time to Get Rid of Homework?
October 2, 2006 Where do you stand on the homework issue? You may have noticed that there is a lot of talk surrounding the topic of Homework. A number of books(see below) have recently appeared criticizing homework claiming that kids gain nothing from doing the tons of homework they are assigned. Some even ... more
Make the Homework Hour Happy Hour: Top 10 Tips
September 21, 2006 At one point or another we all have to pitch in a little bit to help our children complete their homework. Whether its going to the library with your daughter to get research materials, explaining fractions to your son, or quizzing them before the big test, we all want to ... more
Knapsacks, Rucksacks, Backpacks and Schoolbags for Back-to-School
September 5, 2006 A new school year is here! And with the new school year comes new school gear... like new clothes, new binders and new backpacks. But did you know that choosing a backpack should not be made on the basis of style alone? In fact, backpacks should be considered more like ... more
What is RSS?
September 1, 2006 Really Simple Syndication There is some controversy over what the RSS actually stands for, but most agree with 'Really Simple Syndication'. The basic idea is that the content on a website is made available in a standard manner that can be read by a 'reader'. On the Oxford Learning website, ... more
It's back-to-school time again!
August 29, 2006 Here are some tips to make the first days back run smoothly: Start waking up early. We know, it's the last weekend of the summer — who wants to set the alarm clock? Establishing a wake-up time will alleviate the morning rush, and prevent the afternoon lag in energy. Start ... more
Summer Camps for the Brain
June 13, 2006 Your child's arms will have fun this summer: fishing, flying kites, holding a baseball bat, and tossing beach balls. So will his legs: running through grass, walking on sand, kicking a soccer ball, or swimming in the pool. But what about his brain? How will your child's brain stay active ... more
Year-end School Checklist for Parents
May 31, 2006 Although the school year is winding down, there are some things parents need to think about now, that are important to their child's education next year and beyond. Oxford Learning presents this handy list: Request a teacher Schools are presently matching students and teachers for the next school year. To ... more
Surviving your child's group project
May 24, 2006 It's inevitable that your child will be involved in a group project at least once during his/her schooling. Unfortunately, it's also inevitable that once a group project is assigned, not everyone will do their part, causing stress for all those involved. In the interest of arriving at a result that ... more
10 ways to build your child's memory
May 16, 2006 Having a great memory can help your child do better in school and on tests and get better grades. Here are 10 ways that you canuse to help your child improve his/her memory, including remembering facts, concepts, ideas, formulas and more: Make certain your child really understands the concept or ... more
Listening Tips for Parents and Kids
May 10, 2006 "Why don’t you listen to me?" It's a lament that's often heard from children and their parents. Effective communication helps kids and parents develop confidence, self-esteem, and achieve good relationships with other people. Here are some tips from Oxford Learning on getting everyone in your family to listen: Teach your ... more
SAT and ACT Test-Taking Tips
May 3, 2006 Regardless of whether you're writing the SAT, the ACT, or another important test or exam, here are several important tips from Oxford Learning and the American School Counselor Associationto help you achieve your best score: Get your tools together On the evening prior to the test or exam, gather all ... more
Breaking the Stress Cycle at Exam Time - Part Two
April 25, 2006 Breaking the Stress Cycle at Exam Time - Part One Whether students are in elementary or high school, preparing for standardized tests or writing final exams, they need successful study skills and habits to help them focus and stay on track. Oxford Learning recommends the following effective study skills to ... more
Breaking the Stress Cycle at Exam Time - Part One
April 17, 2006 Breaking the Stress Cycle at Exam Time - Part Two Exams on the way? Is your child facing anxiety, stress and frustration? Are you beginning to feel the same way? The game of catch-up at year's end can take a toll on a student... and his or her parents. Falling ... more
How to take great notes in class
April 10, 2006 Better studying begins by being able to take good notes in class to study from in the first place. Here are 11 tips to make your child a more efficient note taker. Sit front and center Encourage your child to sit near the front and middle of the classroom or ... more
The price of your child
March 30, 2006 Recently, a government agency calculated that the cost, to middle income parents, to raise a child from birth to age 18 was $160, 140 (and that doesn't begin to include post-secondary tuition). Here's an amusing and thought-provoking look (from an anonymous author) at what you get for that money. What ... more
Keeping your child from dropping out
March 24, 2006 An article in the April/May issue of Canadian Family discusses the fact that about 10 percent of young Canadians between 20 and 24 years of age don't have a high school diploma, despite the best efforts of goverments and school boards to keep teens in class. Here are some of ... more
Finding the right college or university
March 15, 2006 Researching post-secondary institutions is an important first step to discovering the one that suits your requirements, ideals, and academic goals. You may believe that you already know where you'd prefer to go, but you should research anyway. You may end-up realizing that the perfect school is buried in lists of ... more
How to Choose a Summer Camp
March 8, 2006 The heat of July and August may seem a long ways away in the middle of March, but it's really not too early to begin planning your child's summer vacation. For many kids, summer means going to camp. Whether your child attends a day camp or an overnight camp, the ... more
Top 10 Spring Break Activities
March 2, 2006 If you're not sure how to keep your kids occupied during spring break, check out this top 10 list from Oxford Learning. 1. Head outside Spring break is the perfect time to go skiing or snowboarding. Or if there's no snow where you live, work on a special outdoor project ... more
School mid-point gives opportunities
February 14, 2006 For most families, the arrival of the mid-term report provides a great opportunity for parents and children to reflect on the past and plan for a successful conclusion to the school year. Here are a few ways you can help your child look forward to the end of the year. ... more
How biology is responsible for the ways teens sleep
February 12, 2006 They go to bed late, then drag themselves out of bed. Teen sleep patterns cause a lot of friction in many homes. What may surprise you is that there are biological reasons for these sleep habits which teens can't control. As our eyes register the onset of darkness, melatonin is ... more
SAT or ACT, that is the question
February 6, 2006 Your teenager is headed to college soon with the aim of getting a high test score on the SAT or the ACT. But which test will provide your son or daughter with the best opportunity to be admitted to the best schools? Historically, geography plays a major role in whether ... more
Five tips for effective studying
January 30, 2006 Being organized and prepares for tests and exams can make all the difference in how well students perform on them. Oxford Learning has five important tips to follow to help ensure effective studying. Talk to teachers Teachers love it when students ask them questions. Students should talk to their teachers ... more
Trends as important as grades to college applications
January 18, 2006 A common myth is that once students are in the second semester of their junior year of secondary school, it's too late to improve their grades. The truth is that most colleges and universities look for a trend in high school academic performance and place a lot of importance on ... more
Successful Parent-Teacher Interviews - Step Three: Following-Up
January 11, 2006 Successful Parent-Teacher Interviews: Part One Part Two Part Three The Parent-Teacher Interview. Those four words can raise anxiety levels among both students and parents. However this interview can be highly beneficial to your child-s school year success. By following our key steps to success, parents can make the interview a ... more
New Year's Learning Resolutions
January 4, 2006 Many of us make New Year's Resolutions to improve ourselves by losing weight or quitting smoking or exercising more. But what about resolutions to improve your mind? Here are a few learning resolutions, some small and easy, some a little more difficult. Whether you're six years old or 60 years ... more
