APPLETON BLOG

Transitioning from 2nd to 3rd Grade

^{By: Dr. Kathrynn Seidler Engberg, Picasso, Director of Education}

The transition from 2nd to 3rd grade can be one of the biggest leaps you will see your child make as a parent. During this phase you begin to really catch glimpses of the young adult they are on their way to becoming. At the same time, your child has not completely left childhood behind. While your child may begin to exhibit more confidence, independence, and express the desire to not be so closely tied to parents, they are still full of silliness. You may begin to notice more pop culture references in their jokes, as they giggle with friends in the back of your car during school pick up. By 3rd grade, children are becoming more aware socially, and become more influenced by external forces. Friends, music, video games, and internet, begin impacting your child’s perception of the world at this stage of development, more so than during previous stages of your child’s life. The impact of outside influences can often be unnerving for many parents of 3rd graders.

Your 3rd grader is facing huge changes academically, challenges which can also unnerve parents. When children enter into 3rd grade, the level of work and expectation becomes much more challenging than what they experienced in previous grades. The reading passages get tougher, the amount of writing gets longer, and the level of abstract thinking in mathematics increases. There is a noticeable escalation in homework because this is the year that your child has to memorize multiplication tables and other important foundation information. Your 3rd grader is also faced with standardized testing for the first time. These scores often determine whether a school is labeled as successful, and so there is added pressure placed your child to master concepts. As a result, 3rd graders often begin to exhibit new emotions about school that they have never felt before. Often children begin to feel anxiety about homework and going to school because the pressure to succeed has increased. Many children struggle with perfectionist tendencies, trying to make their work perfect, because they have a growing sense that everything they do has impact on their success.
 

As a parent you can help your child have an easier transition from 2nd to 3rd grade. You need to become more aware of who their friends are and what external influences may be impacting your child. Do not be afraid to filter friends who you think may have a negative impact. Encourage your child to be more independent and hang out with friends, but also set aside time to connect one-on-one. Family dinner without distractions, planning activities that encourage family engagement, and even just making time to talk becomes increasingly important at this stage. Your 3rd grader may protest, but in the long run, they will love you for taking the initiative to engage them and get to know the person they are becoming.
 

Getting more involved in their academics becomes important as well. As a parent, you can help your child mitigate the increased stress of performing well at school by offering lots of encouragement. Praise the effort they put into learning a new concept, memorizing facts, or spending extra time to do an assignment well. Be sure to iterate to your child that tests and grades do not necessarily determine future success. If your child faces struggle, or even failure, help them see that these moments are part of the learning process. Turn homework into a game, especially if rote memorization is involved. Make time to quiz, even in short spurts while driving your car or cooking dinner. Help provide spaces that are conducive for your child to accomplish their homework. Your child may like to crawl away in quiet, or your child may need the social interaction of sitting near you, while you cook, surf the internet, or do your tasks. To balance the intensified work load, be sure to provide your child with unscheduled downtime, where they can just be themselves, doing what they like to do.

Most importantly, let your child know they are loved and encourage laughter. Even if they act embarrassed, tell them you love them and be silly with them. They may roll their eyes at you, but deep down it matters to your child. It is so much easier to face challenges, new experiences, and big transitions, when you know someone cares.

^{Appleton will later explore other transitional years and how parents can proactively prepare their students for success.}

^{By: Chris Sims, Aristotle, Test Prep Coach}

As we get into May, the general level of anxiety among students increases.  For some students, this anxiety builds for the end of semester deadlines of exams and papers.  Others face this with standardized tests such as the ACT or SAT.  For a less stressful end of the semester, here are a few things to remember.

Prepare mentally.  The best way to reduce test anxiety is to be well prepared for the test.  For final exams, make plans to study in advance for the test.  Study the way that is best for you.  Break the material down into smaller units to review each night.  Take mock exams.    If you learn best with others, make plans to have a couple of study group meetings before the exam.  Avoid cramming—you retain very little if you study the night before. So go ahead and chill out the night before a big test.

Prepare physically.  As you prepare for tests, make sure that you also prepare physically.  Get enough sleep the night before you take your test.  Eat a solid breakfast the morning of the test.  As you study, also allow time to exercise and spend time with friends, especially the night before a major test. 
 

Be a good test taker.  When you sit down to take the test, make sure to pay attention to the question and answer choices.  It is easy to miss a word that changes the meaning of a question.  Eliminate answer choices that are wrong.  Use your time wisely.  If you get stuck on a question, skip over it and come back if you have time at the end.  If you have to write an essay, take a couple of minutes to develop your position and broadly outline your response.  If you have time, review your work before you turn in the exam.
 

Finally, relax and be confident.  Tests are an opportunity to show what you have learned.  There is not a reason to get nervous about them.  As you prepare, you can build confidence that you will do well on tests.

^{By: Sonia Robinson, APR, Rembrandt} 

Just last week a colleague and I traveled to Atlanta to visit with our great friends from the Ron Clark Academy. We caught up with Rosalyn Merrick, Director of Development, and talked about RCA’s philosophy, rigor and discipline. We also marked our calendars for some incredible events coming up at the school including their musical, written and produced by the students. Jamal, his mom and sister, later joined us and just like always, each greeted us with a smile and hug. Jamal is in his first year at RCA, a 5th – 8th private school.

If you ever visit the Ron Clark Academy expect students to greet you with a handshake and politely introduce themselves. They have a slide in the lobby just incase you don’t feel like taking the stairs down. But perhaps one thing that Jamal’s mom would describe as the biggest difference between her son’s previous school, where he was making all A’s, and RCA is the discipline. We’re not talking about “stand in the corner for 5 minutes” discipline. We’re talking about academic discipline.

Jamal isn’t making all A’s now. Not because his skills are deficient, but because the rigorous course work is challenging him to push his knowledge and abilities. The discipline part comes in when the work seems too challenging or playing out side sounds more attractive than homework. Jamal was excited to tell us that he has improved his grades. Geometry is his favorite subject and he had just scored 100% on two assignments. For Jamal, the discipline is paying off. He’s more confident and his grades reflect his hard work.

Jamal has an incredible cheerleader at home, his mom.

^{By: Nick Wilbourn, Aristotle, Academic Coach}

With the end of the school year in sight, your students are probably getting excited about summer, that long-awaited seasonal break from school. This is not only an enjoyable time but also a highly important one for students: a chance to refresh their mental batteries so that they can be prepared for the next academic year.

Relaxing and de-stressing are an important part of the summer for most learners, from kindergarteners to college students. However, as we relax and refresh our minds this summer, it is important to remember that we are all lifelong learners. Even when school lets out for summer, students do not stop learning. We are constantly learning new things, from our time spent casually browsing the Internet to our social interactions with friends and family. Learning happens all of the time, whether we are actively trying to learn or not.

For our students to maximize their potentials as lifelong learners, they—like all of us—must be attuned to the idea that just about anything can be turned into a learning experience. The summer is a great time for students to learn new things because they do not typically have the same academic work load that they do during the school year. Summer is a great time to read a new book, learn to play a musical instrument, try a new hobby, or discover a talent you never knew you had!

Summer is also a great time for students to work toward their goals of academic success. Whether they are reviewing ideas from the previous year, looking ahead to concepts they will encounter in the fall semester, or planning for college and career, students can really capitalize on the summer as an opportunity to keep their mental muscles in shape and remain academically focused. Just as athletes work out year-round to stay at the top of their game, so too should our students constantly “work out” their mental muscles so that can be the best at what they do.

Meet Corban Swain. Appleton was recently introduced to Corban by ways of his scholarship application. After all, out of 86 applicants with score increases ranging from 3 - 8 points, Corban increased his ACT score 10 POINTS - from a 23 to a 33! We believe that all of our scholarship applicants are genius and we congratulate them on their success, hard work, and commitment to being the very best student they can possibly be. At Appleton, that's what it's all about. Identifying academic goals and setting the course for maximized performance and long term success. Congratulations Appleton Hometown Scholarship Applicants and Corban Swain!

More about Corban:

Corban Swain is highly motivated and very talented however his primary passion is Photography. He works as a freelance photographer and as a school photojournalist. His creative images have won both local and state awards. Second to photography is his love for origami; he teaches this ancient art of paper folding to kids and adults alike at a local art gallery. Often you’ll find him tutoring his peers in calculus and physics. He also serves as Vice President of the Spanish Club and has won two state awards for poetry recitation in Spanish.

At Sparkman High School, Corban is actively involved with the track team, the technology team, and the National Honor Society. This National Achievement Scholar has been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CalTech, Washington University in St Louis, and UAB.

Corban’s desire is to pursue a Biological/Biomedical Engineering degree and he envisions a path to conducting biomedical research as a Physician-Scientist (MD/PhD). “Working to perfect, innovate, and even invent treatment methods for pathologies troubling millions today,” Corban stated in reference to his future.

^{By Glenn Clayton, Picasso}

“What does the future of education look like?”  That was a question I was asked recently by a school board member.  It is a topic I enjoy discussing, and one that we should all be concerned with.

The typical educational experience today is one that is familiar to all of us:  large schools that average 500 to 600 students (but in many case are well over 1,000), cinderblock walls, florescent lights, lecturing teacher in front of 20 to 35 students who (ideally) are jotting down notes as the teacher pontificates, arriving at 8am and leaving at 3pm, start in kindergarten and end 12 years later…you get the picture.

Sadly, it’s not a picture many of us are fond of, but that is education today.  So how should it change?  How should this 19th century model of learning be brought into the 21st century?

Imagine this:
The student of tomorrow wakes up, let’s say at 9am, and logs on to their iPad (or other yet to be developed cool interactive device).  Today’s suggested lessons pop up.  These lessons have been picked based on several factors that are individual to the student, including previous skills mastered, learning style preferences, interests, etc.  But these lessons are just suggested starting points.  Our student of the future has the ability to browse other lessons and explore ideas at any rate and in any direction they would like.

Once our student picks the lesson they would like to begin with, they are delivered highly engaging, fully interactive content in a manner and style that accommodates their unique learning preferences.  Research tells us that students learn differently.  Some students will retain information that they read better, where others may better grasp a concept that they have seen a video on or heard a podcast on…others (like myself) do better when given some seed information and then an opportunity discuss it with others in a social learning environment (say like Skype).  Since our smart system knows our student’s learning preferences, it delivers the desired lesson through mediums that speak to that student.

Later in the day, our student goes to “school”.  But this school is very different than the schools you and I went to.  There are no classrooms of lecturing teachers.  No textbooks.  No prison like architecture.  This school is designed to inspire students and to give them an outlet to express themselves and their newly acquired knowledge.  Students of all ages come and go as they please.  “Teachers” are now more of facilitators than lecturers…they hold small group discussions, experiments, debates, and other activities designed to help students “apply” what they have learned and interact with other learners.   Classrooms have given way to interactive labs, lounges, coffee bars, and other environments designed to stimulate the mind.

Another departure from the “old days” is that students are now graded on their ability to apply knowledge, not simply regurgitate it on a bubble sheet.  Standardized tests have fallen out of favor.  Now students create portfolios of knowledge if different subject areas.  Much the way a graphic designer has a portfolio of projects or a writer has a list of published articles.  The idea is to “demonstrate” in a real way that you know what you’re doing.  Our modern day “Learning Facilitators” (the folks who replaced our teachers) help students create their portfolios in various subject areas – ensuring all along that the student is engaged, interested, and challenged to excel.

The end result is an education system that allows students to move at their own pace through a large, complex, and ever evolving body of knowledge.  This system would provide a truly individualized learning experience for every student, something made possible by advanced, adaptive technology.  The best part is that we are equipping our students with the skills they actually need to be successful in the modern world.  Today, we spend our time memorizing facts that could just as easily be Googled, and learning formulas that the calculators on our phone are perfectly capable of doing for us.  In the future, this won’t be the case.  Instead, our students will learn the skills they actually need, like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, resourcefulness, and an appreciation for learning new facts (something quite impossible in today’s education system).

So what do you think?  Do you like this vision of the future?  I hope you do because the truth is that it is closer than you may think.  Everything we need to make this happen is already in existence.  We don’t need to wait for some undiscovered technology or more government funding.  The system I have described, at a very high level, could already be in use…and it could be done CHEAPER than how we currently educate our students.   The only think standing in our way is ourselves.   Once we get the political desire to push for change and depart from our archaic system, we will be ready to make the leap into the future…and hopefully ensure our ability to keep up with the rest of the world.

^{Published first at YoungCXO Talking Business with Glenn Clayton, President and CEO of Appleton Learning. Clayton's personal blog features his thougths and ideas about business, education and individualized learning. This summer and fall Clayton will travel to state and national education conferences sharing his philosophy and proven methodologies on individualized learning.} 

^{By: AJ Henry, Monet, Appleton Test Prep Coach}

Being the parent of a high school student is a difficult task in itself, but when you add the preparation of standardized testing and college applications, it can be totally confusing. You are asking yourself, “Should he take the ACT or SAT?”, “When should he start taking the ACT/SAT?”, “When is the deadline for college applications and scholarships?”; these questions and others are important to know the answers to.

When should my student start taking the ACT/SAT? The best time to start taking these tests would be the end of sophomore year. By this time, your student will have taken the majority of the classes necessary for these tests. Also, it will give you several opportunities to retake the test if needed.
 

Should my student take the ACT or SAT? All colleges and universities accept both the ACT and SAT for admissions; however, schools may have a preference. For instance, most southern schools prefer the ACT and schools on the east coast like the SAT. From a student’s standpoint, it’s a toss-up. If your student starts taking these tests sophomore year, allow your student to take both and see which one is most comfortable for them.

When is the deadline for college applications and scholarships? Deadlines vary. For scholarships, the deadline is generally December 1st. To ensure accuracy, communicate with the admission’s department of your schools of choice. Not only will they give you the deadlines, but they will also inform you of GPA & ACT/SAT requirements and other important merits.

Also, research information on ACT’s , www.act.org, and SAT’s, www.sat.collegeboard.com,  websites. There, they will have all of the testing dates, score results and practice as well. The more informed you are, the better you can support your student to excel through this process.

^{By: Allison Daily, Picasso, Academic Coach}

We all know the value of reading to or with our children. As parents, we’ve read all the articles, talked to all the teachers, and watched all the specials about these benefits.  No, this article isn’t about the value; it’s about keeping the love and the passion alive in our children.  With gaming systems, high tech cell phones, and computers, an old fashion book can seem archaic to our tech savvy children.

As a teacher, I watched my students read with disinterest and displeasure.  I wanted to inspire my students to read and enjoy doing so.  I decided to incorporate chapter books into my instruction. We not only read the books, but students became interactive and engaged in the reading.  What I saw was children who were dreading opening a book, transform into students who couldn’t wait to read the next chapter. 

Who wouldn’t want to see that same spark in their own children?  First step is choosing a book.  Choose a book that is one grade level or a bit above for the books study.  Do not worry if a book is on a higher level for a younger child.  Reading more advanced books to a child helps them become better readers themselves.  When choosing a book, remember, this is not an assignment for your children, you should be reading the book along with them. Once a book feels like an assignment, older students may shut down. So keep it fun!  If you need help choosing a book, the internet is full of options, as well as, a local education store.

The next step is choosing the activities that are appropriate for your children.  Activities can and will include everything from color sheets, projects, recipes, and puzzles. Books which have great resources online would include Charlotte’s Web, Willy Wanka and the Chocolate Factory, Fingle, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, Where the Red Fern Grows, and Old Yeller. Finally, read and interact with the book.  Try making it a family activity to help get older students on board. Use the questions and the activities to create a deeper meaning, develop reading skills, and, most importantly, foster the love of reading in your children.

For the past five years Allison taught in the public school system in Tennessee.  She recently moved to Alabama and joined the Appleton team.  As an academic coach, her main responsibility is to meet with the clients to develop an academic game plan for the students.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family.  Promoting the love of reading is something she feels passionate about.

^{By: Laura Armstrong, Plato, Academic Coach}

Spring Break is here for some and just around the corner for others.  Take this time to get out of the house, recharge your battery and spend some quality time with family and friends.  Take a vacation.  Take a road trip. Turn off the technology.  Play board games.  Go camping.  Pitch a tent in your backyard.  Plan a picnic.  Pack your camera and take lots of pictures so you can display them in your home/office and reflect on such happy times.  Do anything to create “together time”. 

Time spent riding in a vehicle might not be considered quality time by some, but it can create great memories.  Tell your kids stories about your own childhood.  It gives you a chance to talk and interact in different and enjoyable ways.  Prepare for joyful rides by taking books, toys, music, movies and snacks.  Having activities readily available can alleviate backseat boredom and eliminate chaos. 

Plan meal times for family involvement.  Try to schedule extracurricular activities around your family time.  Make sure that your priorities lie where they should.  Have fun with your children.  Show them the commitment you have made of being the best parent you can be. Hopefully, all of these experiences will make you want to spend more personal time with them, when regular schedules and routines resume.

Laura is a mother of two and spent ten years teaching Kindergarten and First Grade. After spending time at home with her children she has returned to the education profession as an Appleton Academic Coach. Laura says she feels it is very important to establish and maintain healthy relationships. "I strive each day to better myself, so that I can help others.”

_{By: Nick Wilbourn, Aristotle, Academic Coach}

Think back to when you were in school. Do you remember eagerly waiting for summer break, watching the hours creep by in the classroom, waiting for the day to end so that you could count down one more day until summer? I know I do. Spring is practically here already, and the beautiful weather is one more reason students might be counting down the school year. The summertime itch will probably only get worse after Spring Break, when we are in the last quarter of the school year—or as I like to call it, the home stretch.

The home stretch can be an important time for students. This is the final chance for students to improve their grades for the school year, and it is often a great time to get ahead or play “catch up” because many teachers take these last few weeks to review concepts from the semester or year. Older students have cumulative final exams to prepare for, which can sometimes count for a high percent of their final grade for a class.

For parents, being successful in the home stretch means encouraging your students to stay focused on their studies and not slack off as summer nears. For students, it means not losing focus in the last few weeks of school. This is no time to let study habits lapse or stop doing homework for classes. Remember: it will only be a few months until school is out for summer. Brace yourself, and push through to the end of the year. You can do it!

^{By Nancy Sessler, Locke
Vice President of Finance, Appleton Learning}

Even though it’s the end of February, if your student is planning to attend college that transition will come quickly. It’s never too early to begin preparing your student for their financial responsibilities. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help the family survive financially that first year:

Choose an affordable college.  College is expensive, be realistic about what you can afford. Consider options such as having your student attend a community or state college for the first two years and then transferring to a four-year university. 

Create a budget and stick to it.  Work with your student to establish spending limits for tuition, textbooks, living costs and extras like an occasional Friday night pizza.  Review the budget periodically; track all expenses.  Once you know where the bulk of the money is being spent, you can work on ways to reduce these costs.  Textbook costs may potentially be reduced by buying used, renting books or downloading them from the Internet.  Also, if your student wants extra cash, it doesn’t have to come from mom or dad’s pocket.  A part time job may be the answer.

Be very careful with credit card debt. Credit cards can be tempting for students living on a budget.  Have the bills sent to your home and review them with your student.

Have your student live the life of a college student.  Find the least expensive way to live, which may be living at home, in a dorm room with a food plan or in a shared apartment.  If living in an apartment, teach your child to cook simple dishes so he or she is not eating out all of the time or relying on expensive prepared foods.  If reasonable, ask your student to use public transportation or walk instead of having the expense required to maintain a car.

Apply for scholarships.  Keep a calendar for application deadlines and apply in a timely fashion.  Your student may be able to get free money.

Ensure that your child scores well on their ACT or SAT.  It may be worth spending money up front for test preparatory classes to ensure that your child reaches their highest potential score to open up doors for scholarships.

Establish financial discipline with your student prior to them being on their own their first year of college!

The greatest athletes in the world still have a coach and most of them consistently work with trainers.  They do this not because their skills are deficient, but because they want to constantly improve and be the best they can possibly be.  A proactive approach to maximizing a student's performance is no different.  Academic coaching is an alternative to tutoring that is more focused on long-term success and turning average students into extraordinary students.  We believe that all students can achieve their highest potential regardless of their current performance.

With the right trainer and the right plan we can stabilize, energize and even maximize your student's academic performance.

Meet Nick. His is an Aristotle Learner and Appleton's High School English/Humanities Academic Coach. He has a Bachelor of Arts in English, Language Arts & Secondary Education and is currently in school working on his Master of Arts in English. FUN FACTS: His favorite authors are Raymond Carver and Amy Hempel.  He also worked at Huntsville Times writing and editing the obituaries (Interesting conversation starter).

@my_geniuStyle

Like us HERE

^{_{by Alissa Ramsay, Plato}}

As a Marine Corps Brat and wife of a former Marine who has lived most of her life alongside some of the most honorable and courageous men and women, it gives me great pleasure to announce Appleton’s involvement with the International Franchise Association’s (IFA) VetFran initiative. The VetFran mission is to expand the economic opportunities of veterans and their families by providing them with special franchising opportunities.  VetFran and the IFA have helped more than 2,100 veterans become proud owners of small businesses in communities across our country.  

Franchising is one of the best ways for someone to embrace their entrepreneurial spirit and stake their claim as a small business owner.  Moreover, veterans make for some of the best franchisees because they possess the discipline, work ethic, and civic mindset necessary to be a great business owner.

By 2014, the franchise industry has committed to hiring and recruiting 75,000 veterans and their spouses and 5,000 Wounded Warriors. Recently, a piece of legislation known as the Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 was introduced that provides incentives and tax benefits to businesses that hire veterans. The legislation’s objective is to reduce the level of unemployment among the veteran community.  One way to do that is by making it easier for veterans to go into business and capture their own piece of the American Dream.  As President Obama noted during the legislation’s signing ceremony the Franchise Industry has been one of the strongest supporters of this initiative. 

Appleton is among the more than 400 franchisors that have made a commitment to fight for and serve those who have fought for and served our great nation. In fulfillment of this pledge, Appleton is doing its part to make it easier and more affordable for vets to start their own business. Specifically, Appleton is offering to take $25,000 off the $35,000 Appleton franchise fee of veterans and spouses who purchase a franchise*.  

As the Director of Franchise Development and former military dependent, I am honored to be associated with the IFA and their VetFran program.  Thank you to our veterans and to everyone who supports them and are committed to their successful futures. 

*Please contact Appleton for more details concerning the VetFran opportunity.  

This is an exciting time at Appleton and for education reform!  Many people have questions about Appleton’s growth in a down economy and our part in the education revolution.  Over the last couple weeks we asked our Facebook fans and Twitter followers to submit questions for Glenn, Appleton’s founder and CEO.  Thank you to everyone who submitted questions!  See Glenn’s video blog below for answers to those questions.   

If you have more questions for Glenn about education reform, franchising, business, or any other topic of interest, please tweet them to @my_geniuStyle or post on Appleton’s Facebook page. 

Follow Glenn: @Glenn_Clayton

Follow Appleton: @my_geniuStyle

Be a fan: Facebook/AppletonLearning

Watch more videos: Appleton Learning on You Tube

^{_{by Glenn Clayton, Picasso}}

^{_{Founder & CEO}}

I have spent the last seven years fully engaged in the business of educating people.  I’ve worked with hundreds of public schools during that process and seen the stark contrast in how I approach running a business compared to how they run a school.  It really is quite interesting when you think about it.  Appleton sets out to do the same thing that a school does every day – help a student learn and master a concept or idea.  However, we go about it in very different ways and deliver very different results.  Recognizing these differences and seeing the impact (positive and negative) of those differences has allowed me to identify what I believe are a few principles from the business world that would do a lot to turn around our public school system.  Here are 15 of the most important lessons I think schools could learn from business.

15 Business Lessons For Education (TEDx Video above)

1. Competition is a good thing:  Just like with businesses, when schools compete the customer (aka the student) wins.  When teachers and administrators know that parents and students have the ability to choose where they go to school, they will become more responsive to their customer’s needs.

2. Meritocracy:  People are naturally competitive and respond to incentives.  We incentivize employees to perform well by giving bonuses, promotions, etc.  Teachers should be treated no differently – promote the best and the heck with the rest!

3. Build a brand:  Your brand is your voice and your personality…critical components to understanding WHY your organization exits.  Schools need to develop brands for the same reasons companies do.  Communicate what you believe and why you believe…then hold yourself to your own standard.

4. Managers and technicians: In business, it has been proven time and again that the skills necessary to be good at a craft and the skills necessary to manage an organization that engages in that craft are two different things.  Hire business people to run schools…not teachers.

5. Customer service:  The idea of customer service in education is completely foreign.  But why?  Are students not a school’s customer?  If so, we should be treating them as such and trying to find ways to make them WANT our product…not despise it.

6. Profit...the cost of efficiency:  Profit might as well be a four letter word in education…but should it be?  Profit is not an unnecessary cost added on to a product…it is the price you pay for a more efficient and effective product.  That’s why for-profit organizations often can accomplish the same ends as government but at a lower cost, in less time, and with a higher degree of quality.  Why not embrace for-profit schools?

7. FEAR: Fail Early And Responsibly...in education “failure” is to be avoided at all costs.  However, in successful companies, responsible failure is encouraged.  We understand that great things are never achieved without first failing a few times.  Let’s start encouraging students to be innovative, creative and risk takers…FEAR!

8. Be a talent snob:  A friend of mine who is an organizational psychologist helped me to become a “talent snob” – relentless seeking out the most talented people, even when those people didn’t have the ideal resume, etc.  Talent above all else leads to success.  Let’s start focusing on highly talented teachers…instead of highly “qualified”.

9. Marketing is your friend:  When is the last time you saw a school market itself?   My guess is never.  But marketing is a key communication tool.  Schools should be marketing themselves to students to try to attract students to them.  Students should WANT to go to school…let’s sell them on the idea!

10. Structure follows Strategy: Rather than coming up with “Improvement Plans” and countless policies and procedures, schools should first focus on strategy.  Businesses go through a strategic planning process to understand where they want to go before they try to figure out how to get there.

11. Change or die:  Education is slow to innovate.  Schools must accept that if they don’t innovate and change, they will soon become obsolete.  Online schools and non-traditional education will corner the market if public schools don’t change…and soon!

12. Looks matter:  Walk in an Appleton branch, and you’ll see that the environment is important to us.  Schools should take their looks serious too.  Cinder block walls and florescent lights never attracted anyone…

13. Set expectations, Not regulations:  As a manager, my job is to find talented people, give them clear goals to achieve, ensure they have the resources they need, and then get out of their way.  Government should start focusing on clear, concise expectations for schools, and stop regulating HOW they go about achieving those expectations.

14. WHY is more important than what or how:  Mission statements, vision, values, etc.  All related to WHY we do what we do.  Schools must understand what they are setting out to achieve, in precise terms, before they focus on mastering their craft.  Focus on the result we’re trying to produce in students and the rest will follow.  Unfortunately, this often backwards in most schools.

15. Don't Stop Here:   Last, but not least…once you’ve done all of the above, don’t stop there.  Keep innovating and reinventing education.  Just like in business, once schools start to get lazy (as they have today), they will wake up to find themselves irrelevant.

_{by  Sonia Robinson, Rembrandt, Director of Marketing at Appleton Learning}

Day three of the New Year! Have you already broken a resolution or did you even make a New Year’s resolution? If your resolution involved exercise did you include your noggin in that equation? In addition to the treadmill RETHINK your exercise routine for your BRAIN! 

READ: Make a resolution to read more or to read more to your children! A child’s reading skills are critical to their success in school. Be a reading role model. Check out this list of the best books to read with your kids!  Bored with a bedtime favorite? Read books a new way!   Is your child mastering their reading skills, consider an Academic Coach for Reading.

MUSIC:  Did Santa fail to deliver the drum set this year? Well, music lessons may be a great investment for child’s brain health especially later in life, according to the American Psychology Association.   So make a joyful noise (okay, it may not be that joyful at first) whether its drum lessons, guitar lessons, trumpet lessons or any other musical instrument. Oh, and music lessons aren’t just for your children, take up a musical hobby of your own, too.

STUDY: WHAT? You want me to go back to school? No, you don’t necessary have to go back to school but do continue learning. If you toyed with the idea of Graduate School or even obtaining your undergrad degree, DO IT! What’s holding you back? Education is an investment.  Check with your employer, they might offer tuition reimbursement or you may even qualify for scholarships. Consider a professional accreditation program or learn a new skill.

DAYDREAM: Okay, this is a resolution we should be able stick with, right? Wrong, you would be surprised how many us are so closely connected – to the point of addiction – with our electronic life lines. Take a break from the TV, video game, cell phone, tablet, computer, etc. and spend time just DREAMING! Encourage your children to partake in CREATIVE PLAY.
 

Happy New Year and Happy Learning!

Welcome to the “new Appleton.” We have spent many months preparing to unveil our new logo, website and so much more. Our new website has been live for over a month now and we continue to add features and information to better serve our visitors. We’ve also been busy constructing our new location in Jones Valley located in South Huntsville, Alabama. The Jones Valley location will be the first branch built with our new design which features telepresence technology and a truly “green” environment designed to appeal to our students! Appleton is also beginning construction on two locations in Nashville, TN this month.  One is in Brentwood and the other in Franklin. To say the least, it is an exciting time for all of us.

We are also refining our service offerings to focus on proactive academic opportunities for each and every student. We have always considered ourselves academic coaches and trainers first and foremost. The greatest athletes in the world still have a coach and most of them consistently work with trainers.  They do this not because their skills are deficient, but because they want to constantly improve and be the best they can possibly be.  Our proactive approach to maximizing a student’s performance is no different.  So we have made the decision to improve our service offering by moving away from strictly being a tutoring service to being an Academic Coaching service.  Our tutors will transition to the role of academic trainer with our specialists acting as coaches – guiding students toward ever higher performance levels.

We believe that academic coaching is for every student who wants an A, regardless of his or her current performance level. In fact, many of you might be surprised to know that the majority of our students already make A’s.  Just like elite athletes, they too want to be the best they can possibly be.  Certainly with rising admissions standards and heated competition for scholarships, academic coaching is not just for students who might be struggling with one subject or another.  

Over the coming weeks you will notice our website evolving to reflect our refined service offerings of Academic Coaching. New videos will capture the individuality of our students and how they want to learn differently. Test Prep students will share their exciting stories of success. We invite you to join us and share your passion for education and individual learning!

More to come…

Report Cards and Progress Notes are often the first snap shot of a student’s performance for the semester. Teachers and Parents can work together to set the tone for goals and expectations that can boost academic performance. Set the stage for success and take your student to the next level:

Motivation: Tapping into your student’s interest is a great way to get them motivated to strive to reach the next level. While the big picture goal may be overwhelming, Dr. Daniel Crosby, president of IncBlot Organizational Psychology, recommends that you commit your student to smaller goals. “Committing them to smaller goals can help motivate them through small wins and a desire to finish what they started.” What motivates your student? Some students are motivated by challenges, recognition, rewards or just the feeling of accomplishment. Ask your student about what motivates them!

Organization: Teaching students organizational skills will create opportunities for students to succeed. Time management, scheduling and prioritization are lifelong skills. Discuss priorities with your student and share your priorities. Hanging out with friends may be a priority for your student which can also be a motivator! As adults we fully understand the importance of time-management. Time-management allows for focus. Encourage your student to “schedule” homework time. High school students should schedule time for college prep – researching schools, completing applications and searching for scholarships.

Balance: Finding a balance between extra-curricular activities and academics plays a big role in the student’s success. Students like being involved, but like their free time as well. As a family, discuss a goal that is what the child wants as well as what will work for the family. Exploring the student’s natural interests is the key to their growth. Let your student know that it’s okay to say “no” to an extra-curricular activity. Quality, not quantity, is what’s important.

Parent-Teacher-Student Relationship: In a recent article on CNN.com, Ron Clark, founder of the Ron Clark Academy, shared thoughts on What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents.  “We [teachers] are educated professionals who work with kids every day and often see your child in a different light than you do.” Clark further explains that parents should consider the teacher/parent relationship much like the relationship they have with a doctor or lawyer. “If we give you advice, don’t’ fight it. Take it, and digest it in the same way you would consider advice from a doctor or lawyer.” Read the full article.

As Ron Clark put it, be a partner in helping your student achieve academic excellence. Surround yourself and your student with a support network to help them maximize and sustain success in the classroom!

Earlier this week some members of the Appleton Learning team had the opportunity to meet a very special Appleton client. Many children face illnesses that compromise their immune system and demand lengthy treatment schedules leaving them unable to attend school. These children not only miss the normalcy of a routine school day but their academic achievement may be affected, too. At Appleton, we felt strongly in providing gratis expert service to these students through a partnership with the Huntsville Hospital Foundation. Hutch is our very first student to utilize this service. Thank you, Hutch, for inspiring the Appleton Learning team! Learn more about Hutch and his story by watching the videos below. You can also view the photo gallery from the Huntsville Times.

It’s not just about SAT and ACT scores anymore.  And, it’s not just for high school Juniors and Seniors.  Preparing for college acceptance starts early.  If you’re the parent of a junior high, or even a middle school student, there are critical strategies that you can employ now to help your student gain an edge when the time comes for college applications.

We asked around… we wanted to know where a well-rounded and highly competitive college application starts.   In the past,  some parents and students were tempted to think it’s as simple as a high GPA, a litany of activities and an essay about “The Person You Most Admire.”    Our Education Specialists, Lacey Cesarz and Michele Kennedy shed some light on the subject.  They both agreed:  Most college admission boards have very different visions of what their student body should look like, and most are seeking well-rounded students with a variety of strengths, skills and interests.

Here are 3 areas that you can address with your student now, even in middle school and junior high:

1) Academics
Talk to your child about their interests and plan their class selection early.  Did you know…the classes that your child takes as early as middle school can have an impact on the classes that he or she is eligible to take in high school?

Appleton recommends that every student take at least one semester of Speech or Debate.  This course gives students of all learning styles an opportunity to improve their writing, critical thinking and public speaking skills.

2) Activities
What are your child’s favorite activities?  College admissions boards want to see students who are dedicated to the organizations that they become involved with; they want students who can commit to an activity and see it through. Encourage your student to be an active participant in their chosen activity.  Even if they’re not an elected officer in a certain club or group, there’s always an opportunity to demonstrate leadership qualities.  Your child can use his or her critical thinking skills and creativity to identify a need within the club, design an action plan and lead a project.

Remember, colleges are less interested in the list of clubs in which the student is a member, and they’re more interested in the role played, actions taken and the results a student produced.

3) Applications
When the time comes for your student to complete college applications, it should be a fun opportunity for your student to tell their personal story and to share their success.

Stay tuned…we’ve got critical strategies that you can use to develop college applications that stand out from the crowd.

Put college admission on your radar early, and you’ll amplify your student’s chances for success.  With a little push in the right direction, every student can gain great experience that allows them to showcase their unique learning style and skills.

Who hasn’t heard that old adage?

What applies to athletic, musical and artistic skills applies to academics as well.  Now that our students have had a few weeks time since the ringing of the last school bell, it’s more important than ever to remember that our students never stop learning.  Appleton Learning Education Consultant Philip Kovacs, Ph.D., asks, ” If we never stop learning, the question then becomes, What are we doing with our summer breaks?”

When students pass an entire summer without meaningful learning activities, they essentially lose of their ability to perform.  Summer Learning Loss is the loss of grade-level equivalency that results from taking a two- to three-month month break from academics over the summer.   What happens during a traditional summer break that causes such striking effects? Kovacs continues, “Too many kids are learning to be lazy over the summer months.  They’re learning that it’s OK to turn your brain off.”

What can you do as a parent to help your child maintain the progress they’ve made throughout the last school year…or even get ahead of the curve?  Here’s the top 3 strategies from our Appleton Learning Education Specialists:

Remember, the clock starts ticking after the last bell rings.  Try to not let too much time pass between the last day of school and your student’s summer learning program.  Appleton Education Specialist Michele Kennedy notes, “Ideally, most students take advantage of tutoring services throughout the entire year.  But, summer is a great time to start.” Parents can use tutoring services to bridge the gap between the last day of school and the beginning of the new school year.  “Appleton strategically matches students with a tutor who connects with them on a personal level.  Appleton tutors are trained to make learning interesting for every student, and summer is a great time to maximize your student’s learning potential.”

Research Free Learning Activities in your Community.  Most communities will offer local concerts, Library productions, and even free movies at different times throughout the summer.  Appleton encourages parents to take their student to free events when possible, and then follow up with simple learning activities.  Kennedy makes a simple recommendation, “After an event, chronicle the experience in a journal, make a slideshow to share online, or find a science experiment online you and your student can do at home.”   Stay tuned to our blog and Facebook Page for our tips on FREE local events!

Practice Project-Based Learning.  Appleton Learning Education Specialists craft summer tutoring plans that give students an opportunity to apply academic concepts that they’ve learned throughout the year.  “It’s critical to give students the opportunity to extend their knowledge base by using their new skills in real life,” comments Kennedy.  “There’s no such thing as a standard worksheet or workbook at Appleton.”  Typical Project-Based Learning activities at Appleton Learning include practicing math computation and budgeting skills on recipes; honing writing skills by self-publishing books; and  improving problem solving and organizational skills by planning trips under an imaginary budget.

“Every experience can be made into an educational one if parents put a little bit of thought into it, and use the right resources,” says Kovacs.   Appleton’s individualized approach to student learning turns summer boredom off and learning opportunities ON!

The opportunity for students to learn new skills and develop strong study habits begins long before each tutoring session begins.  Appleton Learning Education Specialists Michele Kennedy and Lacey Cesarz work with parents and tutors every day to design individualized tutoring plans for students.  They both emphasize the importance of parental support in helping  students gain the most from time spent in tutoring sessions.    Here, they share their top 3 tips to set the stage for a great tutoring session.

Build time management and organizational skills.
Good organizational skills are an asset that will serve your student throughout their entire life.  Cesarz notes that even the simplest reminders help your student stay on track.  “Store backpacks in the same place at home, and keep a checklist of supplies that they need for each tutoring session.”  If everything is in the same place every day, your student is more likely to have all the supplies they need for their tutoring appointment.

Bring your classroom syllabus.
The impact of your tutoring session extends far beyond the appointment itself. Use every opportunity you can to provide continuity between what your child learns in school and what they review with tutors. Cesarz continues, “When you bring the latest class syllabus to your session, your tutor can take extra steps to reinforce what’s taught in the classroom throughout the session.”

Take the pressure off.
We all run late to appointments.  It happens.  No matter the time crunch you’re in after school, try no to take it out on your student.  Kennedy adds, “Try to remove the tension-driven ‘Hurry up’ messages you give your child when you’re on the way to a tutoring session.  Near the end of a semester, stress and pressure from exams really add up, especially on middle and high school students.”  She continues, “If you can keep additional pressure off of your student at home, they’re able to perform better during tutoring sessions.”

These three quick tips will help you maximize your investment in tutoring services, and they’ll yield returns for your student in lifelong organizational and time management skills.

Michele Kennedy serves as an Education Specialist at Appleton Learning of Huntsville/Madison, and Lacey Cesarz is an Education Specialist at Appleton Learning of Houston.

Does your student have a countdown to the last day of school?  It’s only natural for students to look forward to wrapping up another year at school and beginning their summer break. Pressure from final exams can also zap their energy.  Sometimes special circumstances make it even more challenging for students to maintain focus until the final school bell rings.  Many students we know are making up extra days missed throughout the year due to weather-related events.

Here’s 3 Tips for a Strong School Year Finish:
1. Stick with Routine:  Demands on your student’s time probably increase towards the end of the year- exams, recitals, school plays and more.  Remember, different routines work for different learning styles.  Some students prefer to complete their homework before taking a break after school, while others need to unwind for a bit.  Maintaining your student’s routine as much as possible will give them both consistency and the time they need to complete critical end-of-year assignments.

2. Goal Setting: Set Goals for Fun and School Activities!  As weather warms and the temptation to spend more time on outdoor and extracurricular activities grows, acknowledge it. Talk to your student about all of the demands on their time (academics, sports, activities, chores) and help them outline a schedule for the coming weeks.  This helps with the practice of time management and critical thinking skills. Mixing up fun goals (“Getting 3 hits during my baseball game”) with academic goals (“Improving my score on the last 3 math quizzes”) helps your child better integrate learning into their overall priorities.

3. Remember: Learning doesn’t end when the last school bell rings.  Make the end of the school year a time to “gear up” for new challenges rather than wind down.  What summer reading books has your student chosen?  What can they do to prepare for the next grade level– or for college– next year?  Appleton offers programs throughout the entire year so that your student doesn’t lose any gains from the previous year due to “summer learning loss.”

What will you do to make the end of the school year a great one?