FREE TUTORIAL SESSION GIVEAWAY

COOLEST SUMMER VACATION WITH YOUR PARENTS

Summer has just ended and school starts to take a toll in our everyday tasks. Let Study Buddy make it simpler for you. Join our contest and get a chance to win a ONE-WEEK FREE TUTORIAL SESSION in Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

Send us a drawing of one of your family’s summer getaways.

Procedure:

1.       Go to www.tutoringinortigas.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/studybuddytutorialservices

2.       Accomplish the tasks via rafflecopter

3.       Send your entry as private message via facebook/studybuddytutorialservices

4.       Entries will be uploaded to the Family Summer Vacation album. Ask your family and friends to like your entry.

Mechanics:

Parent and child should accomplish the artwork together.

Should be drawn in a short bond paper (8’ x 11’). Scan or take a photo of your artwork.

Any form of drawing and coloring materials can be used.

Contest runs from June 18 to July 15, 2014.

Three (3) winners of a one week free tutorial session will be picked on July 16. Winners will be announced via Facebook. Winners can avail the free sessions within the month of July and August, 3-5 pm.

Criteria for Judging:

·         40% Heart-warming

·         30% Creativity

·         20% Likes

·         10% Completed Rafflecopter Tasks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 Reasons to Child’s Laziness to Study

Most parents whine about their children being lazy or getting hooked to playing games and the like. We tend to be always complaining but have we actually tried figuring out why our children have become such. Or have we asked ourselves if we've done our part in making our children go back to studying? Here is a good read about how parents and teachers can motivate their children without having to resort to punishment. 

Lazy child to study his lessons.

How does child’s laziness to study happen?  What are their valid reasons in showing no interest to study?

1.  Often, a lazy student is not interested to do homework.  There is no desire to learn and re-learn the lessons already presented.  The effective teaching approach requires repetitive procedures to reinforce memory retention.  For an average child or student, repeating materials over and over again is dumb and boring.  As a result, the child just tunes out this method until another new material comes along. 

2.  For the parents, try to investigate whether the student is really bored.  It could be that he really doesn’t understand what’s going on in the first place.  Offer help to read his book and try to discover if materials are just the repetition of the former material.  

3.  Figure out the reason why your child’s laziness to study is happening.  There must be a reason behind his laziness.  You may start probing by asking these questions:

      1.Is understanding the material hard for him?

      2.Doesn’t he know the reason why old material needs reviewing?

      3.Why this educational system not working effectively for him?

4.  Consider also his environment.  Are there lots of distractions around?  Where is the television or computer?   What is he doing while studying?  Is his attention divided into many disturbances while doing his homework?  A child’s laziness to study happens when he lacks concentration.

5.  If your child loves to play games, he might be interested to study when there’s visual stimulation.  A textbook, on the other hand, is a tedious old style approach of reading, writing and learning.  To a modern child of today, this old system may look dumb and will not catch his interest.

6.  The child’s laziness to study may have an existing issue on his learning.  Dyslexia is one of the usual problems among young children and students. This disability shows that the words being read don’t really make sense.  The child does not see nor comprehend the words the way other children do.  Unfortunately, words do not line up properly for them.  You see words and understand them, but for them they don’t.  Check it out with their school.  As much as possible get some evaluations for your child if this issue of child’s laziness to study is connected with Dyslexia.

7.  And finally, search about the things your child is passionate about.  If you suspect your child is extremely visual in his activities, then offer materials that have images, drawings, or illustrations.    If he’s lazy to read his textbooks, the material for him is mind-numbing without those attractive images.

Bear in mind that even the brain of Einstein did not work exactly the way other kids did.  Even Einstein got diagnosed with impaired learning during his childhood stages. Help your kid by making necessary actions based on our tips.  Keep this in mind: if the child gets interested in his schoolwork, he will always be glad to overcome the child’s laziness to study.

- See more at: http://parenting-train-discipline-love-child.blogspot.com/2012/01/lazy-kids-7-reasons-to-childs-laziness.html#sthash.IRxu7mpo.dpuf

A Worry-Free First Day of School

                Who among you haven’t experienced hiding behind doors and walls of your child’s classroom? Or run as fast as you could so your child won’t notice you leaving. And worst, stay all day inside the classroom for your child’s comfort. These things all happen on the first day of school.

                First day of school have always been a struggle for parents, teachers and especially for first-time students. But at this point, going to school should not be a chore. Let children think that going to school is just part of playing rather than playing as part of going to school. The best thing to do is to make any activity and preparation fun for your child. Don’t make them feel that everything is a requirement. It should appear to the child that they are having fun, that they go to school to play with friends and be excited about the activities prepared for them. But if parents make too big a deal out of this milestone, they and the child may end up being more worried than excited.

                From different readings and from my own observation as a teacher and a parent, here are some very child-centered tips on how to surpass the waves of first-day of school.

1. Do things together - Ask when you can tour the school with your child and have a visit at the preschool together twice or thrice. When you enroll, bring him with you. Then, purchase school stuffs together.
2. Give Him a Sense of What to Expect - Let your child know weeks before that he’s going to meet and play with new friends. The night before, tell him that the fun day has arrived.  Let your child choose clothes and a toy to bring for her first day.
3. Arrive early - Be sure to leave the house a way earlier so you're not rushing. Rushing can make you and your child anxious. Late comers usually get uneasy and feels unblended. Allot time for kids to warm up.
4. Pay attention to non-verbal messages – Children tends to be timid when they are in unfamiliar place, although they keep on playing. As soon as your child is having a little warm up, observe him closely. Address the things where he seem to be struggling like asking for his turn or wanting to borrow a toy.
5. Invent a special parting ritual — such as a high-five, or saying “I’ll see you later” rather than purely saying “Bye Bye”. Or something like, "I'll be back to get you soon, long before we see the moon."
6. Never sneak off - always let your child know you're going and that you will come back. Don’t make excuses to leave, you will soon ran out of reasons. If it's your child's first time, ask to stay in the preschool room until your child is comfortable with you leaving.
7. Resist the rescue - When your child has expressed readiness to be left alone, try not to run back in the classroom if you hear him crying. This is a big change and your child may feel sad and a little scared.  But if you run back in, it sends the message that he is only okay if you are there and it is likely to prolong your child’s distress and make it harder for him to adapt.

                Within the day, we never know what might actually happen in school. Everything we’ve done and prepared for may go out of their way. This will test how great parents are in coming up with plans B, C, D and so on. But rest assured that teachers also have many years of experience with helping families make the shift to preschool.

                How about you, have you had any successful strategy on how to handle your child’s first day of school? We would love it if you can share your successful parenting tips so we can all help our first-time students and their parents.

With You Every Step of the Way,

Teacher Belle <3

Credits to the photo contributors.

KEEP CALM AND BE A PARENT

Ola moms and dads! A new school year is about to start and I've got three questions for you. 

1. What are your expectations from your child this coming school year?

2. How well did you prepare him for school?

3. What do you think is your role as a parent?

Being an educator for three years now, I've met different types of parents; some are strict, some are not; some always go to school but some don’t visit at all. I've always been a fan of those parents who make sure to check on their child everyday; what they did in school; how they performed in class; ask if they have behavioral problems and know the things they are struggling with. I wonder how some parents get disappointed with their children when they don’t even allot time to help them do school tasks. How can a parent expect a lot from his child when he doesn't even bother to ask him “How’s school?”, “How’s your teacher?”, “What did you learn in English?”, “Is Math hard?”, “Did you enjoy your experiment in Science?”, “Do you get along with your classmates?”. These are all simple questions but they mean a lot to a child. Parents should remember that their time and attention are big factors in their child’s success in school.

Here is an article that I think best explains the roles of parents in the learning and development of their child. 

The Role of Parents

Mommy Belle and son Gray

Although a parent’s role in their children’s learning evolves as kids grow, one thing remains constant: we are our children’s learning models. Our attitudes about education can inspire theirs and show them how to take charge of their own educational journey.Be a role model for learning. In the early years, parents are their children’s first teachers — exploring nature, reading together, cooking together, and counting together. When a young child begins formal school, the parent’s job is to show him how school can extend the learning you began together at home, and how exciting and meaningful this learning can be. As preschoolers grow into school age kids, parents become their children’s learning coaches. Through guidance and reminders, parents help their kids organize their time and support their desires to learn new things in and out of school.
Pay attention to what your child loves. “One of the most important things a parent can do is notice her child. Is he a talker or is he shy? Find out what interests him and help him explore it. Let your child show you the way he likes to learn,” recommends Dalton Miller-Jones, Ph.D.
Tune into how your child learns. Many children use a combination of modalities to study and learn. Some learn visually through making and seeing pictures, others through tactile experiences, like building block towers and working with clay. Still others are auditory learners who pay most attention to what they hear. And they may not learn the same way their siblings (or you) do. By paying attention to how your child learns, you may be able to pique his interest and explain tough topics by drawing pictures together, creating charts, building models, singing songs and even making up rhymes.
Practice what your child learns at school. Many teachers encourage parents to go over what their young children are learning in a non-pressured way and to practice what they may need extra help with. This doesn’t mean drilling them for success, but it may mean going over basic counting skills, multiplication tables or letter recognition, depending on the needs and learning level of your child. “There may be times to review, but don’t take on the role of drill master,” adds Diane Levin, Ph.D. ” And when you do review it should feel as if your child wants to be a part of the practice.”
Set aside time to read together. Read aloud regularly, even to older kids. If your child is a reluctant reader, reading aloud will expose her to the structure and vocabulary of good literature and get her interested in reading more. “Reading the first two chapters of a book together can help, because these are often the toughest in terms of plot,” notes Susan Becker, M. Ed. “Also try alternating: you read one chapter aloud, she reads another to herself. And let kids pick the books they like. Book series are great for reluctant readers. It’s OK to read easy, interesting books instead of harder novels.”

Mommy Casie and daughter Yana

Connect what your child learns to everyday life. Make learning part of your child’s everyday experience, especially when it comes out of your child’s natural questions. When you cook together, do measuring math. When you drive in the car, count license plates and talk about the states. When you turn on the blender, explore how it works together. When your child studies the weather, talk about why it was so hot at the beach. Have give-and-take conversations, listening to your child’s ideas instead of pouring information into their heads.Connect what your child learns to the world. Find age-appropriate ways to help your older child connect his school learning to world events. Start by asking questions. For example, ask a second-grader if she knows about a recent event, and what’s she heard. Then ask what she could do to help (such as sending supplies to hurricane victims). You might ask a younger child if he’s heard about anything the news, and find out what he knows. This will help your child become a caring learner.Help your child take charge of his learning. “We want to keep children in charge of their learning and become responsible for it,” says Dalton Miller-Jones, Ph.D. “We want them to be responsible for their successes and failures, show them how engaging learning is, and that the motivations for learning should be the child’s intrinsic interests, not an external reward.”
Don’t over-schedule your child. While you may want to supplement school with outside activities, be judicious about how much you let or urge your child to do. Kids need downtime as much as they may need to pursue extra-curricular activities. “If a child has homework and organized sports and a music lesson and is part of a youth group in church or synagogue, it can quickly become a joyless race from one thing to another. Therefore, monitor your child to see that he is truly enjoying what he is doing. If he isn’t, cut something off the schedule,” advises Michael Thompson, Ph.D.
Keep TV to a minimum. “Watching lots of TV does not give children the chance to develop their own interests and explore on their own, because it controls the agenda,” advises Diane Levin, Ph.D. “However, unstructured time with books, toys, crafts and friends allows children to learn how to be in charge of their agenda, and to develop their own interests, skills, solutions and expertise.”

Learn something new yourself. Learning something new yourself is a great way to model the learning process for your child. Take up a new language or craft, or read about an unfamiliar topic. Show your child what you are learning and how you may be struggling. You’ll gain a better understanding of what your child is going through and your child may learn study skills by watching you study. You might even establish a joint study time. (Article from pbsparents.com)

I believe that parents play an important role in helping their child succeed in school. It’s important that you take time to sit with your child and let him share his experiences in school; ask him about his teacher, classmates and classroom activities; know what’s interest him and support him. Your role as a parent is essential to keep your child motivated and engaged in everything he does. Inspire your child and encourage him to do more! Good luck dear parents! 



With you every step of the way,

Teacher Trina

Team Parent or Team Tutor?

                Beginning of classes is around the corner and so is the argument about whether parents should hire a tutor or take charge of teaching their child.

Over the years, the issue about hiring a tutor rotates around these questions:

• Should parents tutor their kids or hire a private tutor instead?
• Who should be tracking their child’s academic progress?
• Do smart kids need tutoring?
• Is tutoring only necessary if you’re getting an ‘F’ grade?
• Would my reputation be at stake if someone knew I have a tutor?

                In the early generations, tutors were hired for students who were having difficulty in coping with school tasks. True! I never knew of any classmate being tutored back in grade school or high school—that was 15 years ago. But nowadays, it has already become a trend in the educational and parenting system even if it entails additional cost. Expenses for hiring a tutor is almost equivalent to half, if not whole, of a child’s tuition fee in a private school. However, there still are many parents who have been independently managing well their academic years. Kudos to them! Some eventually get lured to hiring a tutor for many reasons. Even parents of performing students are tempted to hire tutors for their kids. The question now is, what really is the role of a tutor and when should parents hire a tutor?

                From a teacher’s view, tutors share some responsibilities with which parents can no longer accommodate. That’s it! Tutors share the duty of teaching children in a structured yet calm approach. No pressure from parent’s demands and school teacher’s perception. But take note that tutors are not merely saviors or a life vest in a pool of expectation. Tutors help students learn the know-how of study habit. So that in the long run, children can take advantage of getting hold of everything, developing a self-directed and instinctive study routine, learning the material independently, and getting better results. So when should parents hire a tutor? Here are some things that are certain about students and can be used as a measure.

· There are less responsible students who have difficulty accomplishing tasks or even organizing things on their own.

· There are students who need help in getting a handle on everything – academics, projects, research, extra-curricular.

·There are performing students who struggle in keeping up or maintaining their grades as they progress to the next year level.

·There are students who need to strive in a specific area, otherwise it will cripple his whole academic performance.

·There are naturally smart but sluggish kids who need a little more constant drive to study.

·There are students with no study habit but may perform well when guided accordingly.

       When getting a tutor, hopefully, it is mainly because of any of the student factors presented above rather than of a parent’s inadequacies. Parent factors can always be addressed. We should know that even in the presence of our shortcomings such as imposing authority, lack of time, and being less knowledgeable, we can always be 100% involved and hands-on to our children’s academic years. There is always a way. How?

·      Just by merely assisting your children accomplish their homework is already a gesture of supporting your child.

·           Giving your child a form of review (oral or written) during examinations is the best act of teaching.

·           Making worksheets for your children is a great act of teaching.

·           Helping your child come up with a study time is also an act of tutoring.

·           Asking for or reminding them of projects and other school requirements is also one way.

·           Helping them keep their bags clean and organized is another.

          Easy right? But when parents decide to hire a tutor, daily supplement from them is also essential— an ideal set-up to make tutoring effective. For time-constraint parents who can’t constantly follow-up their children’s educational flight, make time to converse with your child’s tutor and be updated of his progress. Make this your routine and not only if there is left of your time. Work with your child’s tutor as you do perform in your career. 

               

                In the end, it boils down to collaboration. Just a solid reminder, do not leave it all up to the tutor since they may also have inevitable shortcomings. For instance, getting sick is beyond control but it does have no place when you are a one proactive tutor.  However, when you work with hands-on parents, it makes tutoring more efficient and the process doesn't easily get off track even at a tutor’s absence. The student can always take the lead especially when guided by the parent. Now if you have the means, it is best to get a tutor and collaborate. It is indeed a wise use of money.

                And when the child's grades went below expectation, who should be blamed? The tutor or the parent? But when your precious child performs better or even best in school, whom will the credit be given to? The tutor or the parent? Take accountability. Take pride.

With You Every Step of the Way,

Teacher Belle

Credits to the photo owner.

The Dream

                It’ so funny how you find a friend who shares the same interest with you. We only know each other for quite some time but we planned lots of things together. We call each other dream mates. We are very much convicted to our belief that one cannot survive without the other. We are best friends, well, better term is sisters. We started a home-based tutorial, May of 2013. Because we were both busy being full time teachers, we had to drop it. We planned of having an online store but it didn’t happen. We tried entering a different world which is event planning but it also failed. Failure comes after failure and we felt so disappointed with ourselves. We got frustrated, lost hope and then we just stopped dreaming. We told each other that maybe we are bound to be employees for the rest of our lives. We began searching for jobs abroad. At that moment, we believe that the only hope we have to live the life we want is to earn dollars. But God works in amazing ways. He closes a door but opens a window. He gave us another opportunity to relive our dream and make it come true.

I’ve been teaching for three years while Belle is in the academe for 6 years now. In that short span of time, there’s one essential thing we noticed that every parent looks for, a tutor. Some of us may not understand why parents need to hire a tutor for their children. You may ask yourself, “Why? Don’t they have time to look after their children?” Some may say, “It is a parent’s responsibility to teach their child and help them do school tasks.” But have you asked yourself, “What really is the problem?”

I started tutoring when I was still in college. I’ve handled different types of learners from different schools. After four years of working as a tutor, the common complaint of parents is “My child never listens to me, he only listens to his teacher.” I got it! Authority really matters in teaching a child. Students seem so comfortable with their parents making them feel lax. Their behavior and reaction vary when they are being taught by their parents at home and by their tutor in a center. This explains the importance of a tutor in the lives of both parents and students. It sets the equilibrium between authority and flexibility making a tutor an essential element in breaking the barriers to learning.

Belle and I aim to help students succeed in school especially those who are struggling in academic subjects. As teachers, we want our students to love learning and be the best they can be. Our students’ welfare is more important than our own. The role of a teacher doesn’t only lie in educating a child’s mind but also in touching his heart and transforming his life. For the love of our tutees, we pictured ourselves having our own tutorial center where we can cater the needs of students and help them achieve their goals. Study Buddy Tutorial Center is the realization of a dream. It took us a little while but we made it come true.

Our advocacy is to get every child out of tutoring. We believe that it’s every tutor’s happiness and fulfillment to see his tutee succeed and do things on his own.

With You Every Step of the Way,

Teacher Trina