Kids Need the Skills to Help Them Study

My report card for science had a glaring "D" marked offensively on the page, and I remember being as shocked as my mom, when I saw how poorly I did. It has stuck with me, so much, in fact, that I can remember the incident, clearly, even now, as an adult. The funny thing about it is that I had no idea I was doing poorly in science. It really came as an unpleasant surprise.

As a business owner of a tutoring company, and working with kids with their own studying habits, it comes as a bit of a shock that I didn't put my own experience together with what some of my students struggle with, at the present time. It did not take me long to figure out that almost as much as poor grades result from lacking the comprehension of a particular subject, another major factor in not achieving the highest grades in school is due to a lack of a structured environment at home, that consists of a schedule as regimented as the school day itself. No reason anyone should feel bad about this, as it takes discipline, even from the most Spartan of individuals, to daily plan out his days. However, keeping a few things in mind will help get your student on the right track (and most importantly, the right grade).

1. Students should always carry an agenda book with them, that not only are they responsible for, but that the parents and tutors are responsible for, too. Having teachers contact the parents and tutors about what's on the agenda for homework and major assignments is beneficial, especially when signatures are required from a parent or tutor. Having all the key players involved really makes it foolproof for the most lackadaisical student to go through her academic career with blindfolds on. It might not always take a village to raise a child, but having a few extra pair of eyes always keeps straying ones from roving too far from the academic objectives, at hand.
2. Parents or people that work closely with the student should help their student by creating a daily agenda, in which homework, time for major assignments, time for studying for tests, and even chunks of time that are planned for fun, are all written down on a weekly basis. This daily agenda can be written on a calendar, or even a makeshift one that the student creates himself. There are very few things that help a student internalize her responsibilities more - having her write what not only the things she's accountable for, but scheduling in free time, or activities that come as a reward, will also give the student the power over the academic reins, and that is what we want.
3. Students should have support not only from parents, but from teachers and tutors, as well. Teachers and tutors can supplement the child's knowledge with the content that they need, but also, with the knowledge of what is needed to pass the next test, or to earn the next "A" on the child's paper.
4. Giving students "tricks for the trade" also help tremendously with study skills. Making games out of vocabulary that will be on the test, testing students on the material that will be tested, and giving them an ample amount of practice with assignments that reinforce the academic objectives that are being taught, are all invaluable ways of ensuring success.

Lastly, maybe the most important thing to keep in mind is balance. I remember that after the upset with the science grade, I worked so hard to bring it up, that all of my other content areas fell behind. Everything in moderation!

Everyone Should Practice What He Preaches

In a commentary in Education Week, Joseph Renzulli passionately--and somewhat patronizingly--argues that "Engagement is the Answer." In fact, he maintains this so vehemently, it is the title of the commentary itself. Although there are some issues he raises that ring with some truth, the truth is only perceived with one angle. Two points of Renzuli's article will be introduced, and then examined.

Point One: Renzulli lists the implied evils of what education has done in the name of narrowing the chasm of achievement between advantaged and disadvantaged students: smaller schools, year-round schools, single-sex classes, charter schools, merit pay for teachers, and a long list of other plans that imply failure. He states, "...these structural changes have focused too much on low-level, highly prescriptive pedagogy intended to improve standardized-test scores" (www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/07/16/43renzulli.h27.html?print=1).

There are at least two major problems with this argument. What Mr. Renzulli doesn't do when he implicitly states that public education, as a whole, is a failure, is list or research its successes. Research in the field of education is an evolving body of knowledge, and this evolving body of knowledge does give proof that year-round schools and single-sex classes do have positive, quantifiable research that offer benefit to why these types of schools and classes exist. And these are only two examples. Granted, it does not mean it is the only answer for narrowing the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students, but to say that engagement is the only answer, too, is short-sighted.

The other problem is that this "prescriptive" pedagogy that Renzulli speaks of is not for the sole result of improving standardized testing. What schools and their districts are trying to do is not only improve testing scores, but show a quantifiable improvement in learning and comprehension. It is not solely the onus of public education that has made it the puppet of forces higher than it. Namely, the government. When state and national legislation involve themselves into things that are not in their field of expertise, public education has to bend itself to their latest demands and whims.

I am not, also, saying that public education is perfect. There are many fissures in its system, but being within that system for many years has shown me firsthand that schools are improving, and that student learning is occuring. Renzulli's use of the word "prescriptive" is almost said as if it were a curse word. It is insulting to true educators to have a word that is connected to the ideas of structure and method, which by the way, are connected to student success, to be bandied about like it is a taboo.

Point Two:
Mr. Renzulli states that alternative, even counterintuitive, approaches should be taken when talking about bridging the distance of achievement between advantaged and disadvantaged students. He lists some of the following ideas as to what contributes to the bridging of the gap, but also, to how it relates to the idea of student engagement: monitor understanding and the need for additional information; identify patterns, relationships, and discrepancies; draw comparisons to other problems; transform factual information into usable knowledge; and finally, extend one's thinking (www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/07/16/43renzulli.h27.html?print=1).

It is ironic how listing these truly wonderful objectives are labeled by Renzulli as "counterintuitive," because, guess what? Any teacher who has been teaching in the public education system will tell you that the language and ideas he thinks are counterintuitive are found in the state standards, the standards by which districts, schools, and teachers form and monitor how students are taught!

Not only have I taught all of my years as a teacher with the standards in the forefront of my mind, but I have also performed contracting work aligning state objectives and the state standards. I have done this for several states, and all of these states are states in which I have not resided. I remember being proud that the standards were unified in idea, whether we were discussing North Carolina, Arkansas, or Arizona. And these unified ideas are inculcated into teachers in every teaching college across the nation. So, are the colleges producing teachers that are brainwashed and beaten, like Renzulli's idea of what today's students are, or are the ideas from public education that have been inveterate very similar to Renzulli's "counterintuitive" ones? I vote for the latter.

Mr. Renzulli does bring into light some valid concerns that our society is facing with the problems of public education. However, "engagement" is not solely the answer. Bridging the reality of today's classroom with the teachers and the teachers' support systems--parents and tutors, namely--are also key factors into what will bridge the gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students.

Tutoring - Education's Necessary Invention

"'Your job description is 'whatever needs to be done,'" stated Tom Meardon, a principal of a high school in Colorado. And he should know, as not only is he the principal, but he also serves as a coach for track, basketball, and he also serves as a sponsor to the school student council. In an article listed in Education Week, "Rural Schools Doing a Better Job with Fewer Resources," it states what will confound people. Even though the schools in this article are economically poor, with meager funding, the schools in question all have students meeting or exceeding the reading scores for their grade levels. And to put it succinctly, " ... a collection of small towns in this corner of Colorado's farm country are dodging the disadvantages of remoteness and poverty, thin resources and shrivelling economies to produce some of the state's best schools" (http://www.edweek.org/). And, as one can imagine, it will mystify anyone who has lost sight of what the true marks for a successful student are. Curious as to what they are? Well, read on ... the next paragraph is only underneath this very sentence.

So, if money isn't the issue and the solver of problems every single time, what are these clusters of schools doing that some other schools aren't? They are holding the students and parents accountable for student success, and it turns out not only is that the key to success, but key. Period. Education has always triumphed or suffered at the hands of whatever has come into vogue in the political educational world, and to be frank, the lack of success with education as of late does not have its biggest correlation tied to a lack of funding, or a lack of effort. As an English teacher of nine years, I was in the "trenches," and saw the effort that both teachers and schools put forth in order to gain success. What I have also seen, however, is a going away from the student seeing consequences for taking responsibility in his learning and behavior. I've seen coddling take place, in lieu of a firm hand. Luckily, this "firm hand" method has not gone by completely unnoticed. And it's not gone by unnoticed because people paid an exhorbitant amount of money to have a consultant tell them that a firm hand is needed; like the small communities these schools spring from, the staff of the school does not spare the educational "rod": "The students [who] had gotten D's and F's that morning ... earn[ed] them[selves] extra time with a teacher instead of the privilege of watching the junior high volleyball game" (http://www.edweek.org/). It's as simple as that, folks.

Since we know these particular schools in the rural part of Colorado absolutely make the students accountable, the other factor of success in this amazingly simple equation is the parent. It's stated in the article that the parents are expected to support the school--ideologically--and some parents, sadly, have moved their families away. But, when this happens, not only is the rod being spared, but the real factors of what makes successful students are being spoiled. Some times, it does take a whole village ... or community.

Excellence in Academics Tutoring, LLC. wholeheartedly believes in the idea of everyone being accountable for student success, and so that is why our mission with working with parents, so their children excel is so paramount to our success as a business, and your student's success in school.

The "rod" (the mental, not necessarily, the physical) that is used today will be the sceptre your child has gleaming by his side, as he sees his success grow commensurately, with his own accountability in learning.

What Gets Lost ...

If it were up to the teacher and her student, maybe education would have a fighting chance. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Involve the state, the government, and its legislation, which of course, do not have a pedagogical background regarding education, and you have a quagmire that gives competition to the most insidious quicksand. Let's take a few examples, shall we? Don't worry, take my hand - I will lead you deftly through the soft, sinking parts ...
So, we really need to discuss the No Child Left Behind initiative, because even though the road by which it came to light was paved with good intentions, we know where that road can sometimes lead. Part of the way that No Child Left Behind (herein referred to as "NCLB"), tries to improve the quality of education is by stating that all teachers must be highly qualified. "Highly qualified," as reiterated and defined by ed.gov, is a teacher that is fully certified, has attained her bachelor's degree, and has a sufficient knowledge in the particular subject area in which she teaches. These requirements are a fantastic start. Really. Especially on paper. However, to play the devil's advocate, who looks awfully school marmish, with a ruler in hand, and an apple on the desk, let's just bandy about the idea that being highly qualified goes beyond what the definition hints at, when discussing what makes a quality education. You may have heard it before, but if the teacher is uncomfortable with managing and disciplining the class, the highly qualified teacher, and her education, go out the classroom window. Oh, yes, I said it - the "D" word. The word that is the most significant, but simultaneously, the most obscured because it's constantly decorated as the elephant that's sitting in the living room, while everyone takes her afternoon tea, not with scones, but with blinders. Blinders, you ask? Yes! Blinders! Over her eyes, Sillies!
And, ostensibly, I do seem to be poking fun, but like any good satire, the satire is meant to stir a social awakening. If a teacher is not comfortable disciplining, is afraid to discipline, or is more concerned with not having the battles that go with asserting authority, then what good is the highly qualified person who isn't highly comfortable establishing herself as not only the facilitator of knowledge, but the facilitator of structure and boundaries, the two things that go hand in hand with education in the public sector? What needs to happen to not only facilitate teachers becoming more skilled in their craft, but to also facilitate the legislation in helping the teachers more effectively is to have an actual, highly-qualified, "doesn't mind getting her hands muddied with discipline, and other issues that affect the education of students daily" talking to the "higher-ups" in legislation. Come-what-may, having teachers being directly involved in the legislation of education, would, hold on to your hats, folks, improve the legislation of education! How about those apples ("those" being correct, as "them" is an object pronoun, and not a demonstrative adjective)?
And even though the teachers are the first, last, and major defense when speaking of education, the school districts do try their hardest to meet the educational goals put into place with legislation like NCLB, and any variants that are born from it. For example, in order to get English language learners meeting the demands of legislation, it is required that schools implement a program in which students labeled as English language learners (ELL), are put into an intensive English block of four hours. Oh, and, by the way, those hours are run consecutively. You will not find any lover of English whose ardor runs more passionately than mine, but honestly, four hours is a long time for anything. Especially, given that four hours of anything can squelch a love, passion, or quite realistically, any spark of interest in a given subject. We want kids to be English language lovers, and not English language detesters. And to top this all off, there was a meeting in which school districts were able to come up with their own version of the legislation's requirements. Out of a multitude of districts that presented their plans (anywhere from ten to eighteen), only one plan was accepted. And the reason was that the board changed some of the rules, midstream, without telling it, and all of the remaining districts' hard work and effort was for naught. So, to come full circle, what does get lost?
Our students. Our children. Our teachers who get frustrated, constantly. Our education of the students. And until legislation enables requirements that teachers have direct input in, it would be better if it were left to the teacher and her students.

A New Me Helping the New You

I stand on the precipice of a new self, and the view is just dandy. Welcome, everyone! What is the welcome for, you ask? Why, it is the welcoming of a creation of a blog without the title of "public school teacher" attached to its author! On May 28 of 2008, my nine year identity of a high school English teacher ended, so that I may pull up stakes, and plant new ones in the fruit-bearing grounds of education. However, instead of sowing the seeds as a teacher in a public system, I'm now sowing the seeds in the private sector, as a new owner to my one year old business, Excellence in Academics Tutoring, LLC. Watch for the name, as you will see it on a marquis in the near future.

And it is amazing to see how quickly the transformation from teacher to entreprenuer has taken place. After the initial "work so hard that you don't even realize school is over until two days past" coma had subsided, I got down to business - quite literally. I called my website company that's designing my new webpage, and sent them my new logo (I don't think I've ever loved the possessive pronoun "my" until becoming a business owner), and finished writing the text that will be going on the pages of my site (did I mention that I love "my")? I also, on the wise advice of my superior business coach, joined a networking organization, from which I've already gained a new client, whose kids with whom are wonderful to work! In addition to that, there are blogs to write, articles to transfer, and the creation of material for my tutees to be done. And, as I expected, instead of it being fatiguing, it has been nothing short of exhilarating!

In a previous post, I brought up the idea of a person trying to juggle her passion with her life's work, and in a point that's been long culminating, I've created a business that absolutely meshes the two! There is nothing more intoxicating for me than knowledge, and now, I've opened up a business that's centered around it. I've made it my business to have knowledge about English and reading, and now, in the greatest joy, I get to share and teach that knowledge to kids in the privacy of their home, or the nearest library. It is absolutely cutting out the middle-man, and brings back the discussion and absorbtion of knowledge to a personalized level. The relationship between tutor and tutee cuts out the classroom dynamic, which is always entertaining, but not always the most effective when the process of learning is happening.

So, as the newer version of the older me develops as a business owner, the newer older version of you as student will develop into a student who excels in academics - thus the new entity, Excellence in Academics Tutoring, LLC.

What You Don't Know ...

I am not trying to be a snob. I am unfolding a sequence of collected experiences to illuminate a certain conclusion I have been drawn to through my own ponderings. Here are the events, and they are unrelated to each other:

The Bad -

• An acquaintance of mine has a limited scope of how she views and processes things. She doesn't have enough foresight to think of things she is trying to achieve, and because of it, she has lost out on job opportunities that would have provided for a higher income, and for a better quality of life. Unfortunately, she doesn't see her culpability in the matter. She is blissfully ignorant about her station, and how its ceiling is suffocatingly small.


• English teachers (ashamedly enough), newsmen and women, and billboards across the state, (and sadly, I'm sure, across the nation), are promoting illiteracy, and the destruction of the English language. I think with gloomy amazement about how many people will think that bad grammar and usage is the correct, standard way of speaking.


• Interest in reading is at a depressingly low point for teenagers. Granted, there are many things to have an interest in, but few interests spread the spark and rabidity of ideas the way that reading does so quickly.

The Good -

• An old dog learning new tricks: I am always amazed about how talented some of my students are. A couple I know thrive, flourish, and perform with their own musical groups, several are outstanding athletes; for someone whose athletic ability is inversely proportional to her "book smarts," dumb, speechless admiration is the only thing I can use to describe how impressed I was with this grace on the field and court. Some are so talented, as a matter of fact, that they have scholarships with "free rides" to renowned universities. Just think where their natural skill will take them. Just think about the natural skill of universities, that can open their minds to more than just the ball, but the book, as well.


• The little piece of paper that can mean so much, and no, it's not the one that puts you in a church or Justice of the Peace. A degree, Silly! Obviously, it doesn't always guarantee a person to be wiser, but if a person is wise, the person will make a correlation between what she knows, and how much money is in the wallet because of what's in her brain. It never fails to astound me in the most profound way that I've made a healthy livliehood just because I know and love English (I think to love equals to know). I've worked my degrees as soon as I've earned them, and it's amazing to realize that one can put a price on knowledge (a lucrative price, as well).


• On a grand scale: I just received an e-mail about an organization you can find at http://www.freerice.com/. Based on your skill with vocabulary, you donate, through your knowledge of vocabulary, grains of rice. The highest level you can achieve is 60, but many people don't get above 50 (I earned a 41, and donated 1,000 grains of rice). Literally, you can help save lives by what you know. Miraculous.

I guess this blog has to do with my amazement based on the knowledge one has, and where it can take him, or the people affected by his life. There are no shortage of corny maxims around teachers, and how they affect lives, but when you stop to think about it, it doesn't stop at teachers. Musicians, artists, the "movers and shakers" of this world, the people who stop to think about things in a different way, and because of it, affect something else positively. If people started looking at what they didn't know, maybe it would motivate them to find out how it could help them. The other "H" word that does much more good than the other.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

"Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty." As I embark on my last two weeks of school, I find this idea, stated by Henri Frederic Amiel, especially poignant, as the last day of this school year is not the start of the countdown to the first day back. It is the start of a whole new enterprise, as I've made the decision to retire, permanently, from teaching. So, yes, I hope to find many secret joys, as I sever a major tie to my identity, and more fearfully, a tie to a livelihood that, if not always competitive, is always consistent and stable.
I firmly believe that we are who we are, even starting from the beginning of childhood. It's not that we necessarily change, but as people who mature, we change into our ultimate selves - our honed "irreducible self," as James Joyce so aptly put it. Because teaching is the conveying of knowledge, my alternate line of work is not far from it: I have opened up my own tutoring business, and am planning on changing the way kids not only learn knowledge, but how to appreciate it, as well. It is our responsibility in life to acknowledge the exigent inside of us by showing others that they have an inner "something" that makes them tick. One of the chief means of doing this is by education, as it shows people a myriad of ways in which to reflect on themselves, and on the things they will experience in life. In art, it is argued that artists do not create because they want to, but rather, it is because they have to do so. The inner fire that burns within them won't let them cease creating an expression of themselves. But, why draw the boundary line at artists? Maybe one of the secret joys of life is to realize that we all have an artist within us, and we just have to learn how to coax it out with the purposeful strokes of the brush.
And as far as gaining liberty goes, an idea that seemingly contradicts the previous sentiment is one said in the literary world: that nothing new can ever be created or written. That each theme written upon deals with the universal ideas of God, love, and death. Certainly, these things have been written about, and mulled over through the ages, but the challenge in self-education, or helping someone else with his education is seeing these universal ideas in a way that is uniquely impacting to him. Not only can you teach an old dog new tricks, but the old dog will be thrown a bone in this sometimes harsh world in which we live. And sustenance, of the literal and metaphorical kind, is a freedom that has no value.