Is it true that no two snow crystals are alike? If so, how do we know?
The Librarian in the Science Reference section of the Library of Congress has the answer!
The scientific consensus states that the likelihood of two large snow crystals being identical is zero.
The probability that two snow crystals (a single ice crystal) or flakes (a snow crystal or multiple snow crystals stuck together) will be exactly alike in molecular structure and in appearance, is very minute. And to prove otherwise would not be easy. Each winter there are about 1 septillion (1, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 or a trillion trillion) snow crystals that drop from the sky!
To go through all of the snow crystals produced every winter would be a daunting task. So, we rely on cloud physicists, crystallographers, and meteorologists to study snow crystals and explain to us why there are no two snow crystals alike.
First, we need to understand that not all water molecules are exactly alike. Generally speaking, water molecules have two hydrogen molecules with one 16O atom. However, not all water molecules will have this arrangement. Some water molecules will have an atom of deuterium in place of one of the hydrogen atoms and some water molecules will have an atom of 18O. Since the molecular makeup of snow crystals varies greatly from one to another, it follows that each snow crystal will be slightly different.
Furthermore, the unique and complex features of snow crystals are very much affected by unstable atmospheric conditions. Snow crystals are sensitive to temperature and will change in shape and design as they fall from the cloud and are exposed to fluctuating temperatures. To have two snow crystals or flakes with the same history of development is virtually impossible.
So the next time you look closely at snowflakes on your gloved hands, you can marvel at their complete uniqueness!
Letter from Betty for January 2022
Hello Friends,
Suspend your disbelief for a few minutes and imagine wondrous stories about a clever princess and her enchanted brothers, or about a girl and a boy on a meandering road trip across America, or an undercover FBI investigation and thrilling whodunnit. These are just a few of the worlds to explore from this past year's crop of new young adult and children's books. Read on in our feature article for January, "The Year in Review: Young Adult and Children's Book Recommendations."
Attention star-gazers and all amateur admirers of the night sky, do look up this week. Read more about an imminent light show blazing our way in this month's bonus article, "Did You Know? Quadrantid Meteor Shower."
As always, we're tracking test dates and information for the SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE tests. So mark your calendar and check out all the details in our "Test Schedule for January 2022."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep. Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Test Schedule for January 2022
Here are some important notes about 2021 testing.
SSAT
There are at-home SSAT test openings on January 13, 14 and February 4, 5, 6.
ISEE
Students can now take the admissions test trusted by schools around the world from the comfort and safety of their homes. Students currently have two ISEE At Home remote testing options. Families should follow any instructions provided by their application school(s) when selecting their at-home testing choice. For more information about this option go to:
ISEE At Home For Families | ERBlearn.org
All Tests
Please make sure to check with the testing center ahead of the test date to make sure that there are no closings.
The Year in Review: Young Adult and Children's Book Recommendations
Let’s start off the new year with some great books! Here are some recommendations for young adults from book reviewers, librarians, and fellow authors.
Six Crimson Cranes
Elizabeth Lim
When a princess discovers she can do forbidden magic, her evil stepmother curses her and turns her brothers into cranes. “The Six Swans” has long been one of my favourite Grimm fairy tales, and Elizabeth Lim’s reimagining of it does not disappoint. It takes all the tropes – the princess in disguise as a kitchen wench, the enchanted brothers, the kindly prince – and twists them just enough to make them fresh, rendering this retelling more nuanced and compassionate than the original tale.
— Caitlyn Paxson, book critic
Me (Moth)
Amber McBride
A girl who lost her family in a car accident takes a transformative road trip across America with a boy she barely knows. Me (Moth) may feature a list of sightseeing stops and a series of motels, but it defies the road trip genre, carving out a pensive path through ancestry, trauma and art. On every page, author Amber McBride builds layer upon layer of meaning, entwining imagery of moths with Navajo creation stories with American history with Hoodoo magic. For a book in verse that is so spare and careful with words, Me (Moth) is very full of meaning.
— Caitlyn Paxson, book critic
Firekeeper's Daughter
Angeline Boulley
Ojibwe college student Daunis has become enveloped in an FBI investigation that threatens to tear apart her community, and once she agrees to go undercover, she realizes that the corruption runs deeper than she ever could have imagined. This absolute powerhouse of a debut combines a contemplative exploration of existing between two cultural identities with backwoods thriller intrigue, and does it with such confidence and grace that you find yourself suddenly at the end, breathless and hard-pressed to believe that it’s over. Firekeeper’s Daughter forges a new path, creating a deeply engaging mystery that illuminates far more than the expected whodunnit.
— Caitlyn Paxson, book critic
Sunny Song Will Never Be Famous
Suzanne Park
Feisty Sun-Hee Song is a 17-year-old Korean American influencer who ends up in a digital detox camp after a slightly PG-13 moment goes viral. She’s forced to spend a month in the cornfields of Iowa among celebrities with no digital devices whatsoever – except the burner phone she smuggled in. Sunny’s in the running for an exclusive influencer contest, and she actually has a shot! But the other competitor is the meanest girl in camp, who has 10 times Sunny’s following. And is maintaining her social status worth risking her adorable budding romance with the farm family’s youngest son? An absolute joy to read.
— Alethea Kontis, author and book critic
Not Here to Be Liked
Michelle Quach
Eliza, the Chinese Vietnamese American heroine of Michelle Quach’s marvelous debut novel, Not Here to Be Liked, has worked tirelessly on Willoughby High School’s Bugle newspaper for years. So when an inexperienced ex-basketball player with tons of charisma walks away with the editor-in-chief position, she’s understandably upset. After her rant about the situation is unintentionally published, Eliza finds herself held up as the Voice of Feminism. But the more she gets to know the handsome and kind “face of the patriarchy,” the more she likes him. Is following through with her activism worth killing their budding relationship? Not Here to Be Liked is a truly excellent book, helmed by two captivating main characters and an author who is not shy about tackling weighty subjects.
— Alethea Kontis, author and book critic
And here are some recommendations for younger readers.
Magic Candies
Heena Baek, translated by Sophie Bowman
This picture book import is so good that it’s been turned into stage productions in South Korea. When Tong Tong purchases a bag of strange, round candies, he discovers that each one allows him to hear the hidden speech of someone, or some thing. Intricately designed models bring this kooky story to life. And honestly, who wouldn’t want to hear what the leaves have to say? You’ll also be sure to treat your couch with greater kindness after a single read. (For ages 4 to 8)
— Betsy Bird, librarian, book critic and author of Long Road to the Circus
Bright Star
Yuyi Morales
Bright Star takes readers on an exploration of the borderlands between the United States and Mexico, inviting us to observe moments of joy, to be attentive to danger and to shout out in anger when necessary. Yuyi Morales includes reminders to “breathe in, breathe out” throughout the book, giving the story the feel of a guided meditation that crosses from the world of animals to the world of people. In doing so, she shows how the actions of humanity can sometimes run counter to the ways of the natural world. (For ages 4 to 8)
— Minh Lê, author of Lift and Green Lantern: Legacy
The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess
Tom Gauld
When a childless king and queen seek kids of their own, they end up with a wooden robot and a girl made from a log. And when tragedy places the siblings in danger, this unlikely duo will plunge into a multitude of adventures to help each other. First-time picture book creator Tom Gauld has a keen ear for fairy-tale conventions with much of the story’s charm coming down to his keen ear for tone. And with blurbs from Neil Gaiman, Oliver Jeffers, Jillian Tamaki, Jon Klassen and Carson Ellis, clearly this book is doing something right. (For ages 4 to 8)
— Betsy Bird, librarian, book critic and author of Long Road to the Circus
Garlic and the Vampire
Bree Paulsen
Bree Paulsen’s debut graphic novel for middle-graders, Garlic and the Vampire, is utterly charming. Garlic is one of the vegetable folk who tend Witch Agnes’ garden. She has anxiety, is best friends with Carrot, and definitely doesn’t want an adventure. But then a vampire moves into the neighborhood, and suddenly everybody is relying on Garlic to deal with the newcomer! This is such a warm-hearted story – and it has neat vampire lore and a caution against assumptions. Paulsen’s illustrations glow, the palate all late summer gold and green and rust, and expressive characters. I desperately want to be Garlic’s friend, and you will too. (For ages 8 to 12)
— Jessica P. Wick, writer and book critic
The Boy and the Sea
Camille Andros, illustrated by Amy Bates
Like the ocean itself, this book sparkles on the surface while containing immense depth below. Following a young boy over the course of a lifetime, Camille Andros’ story ebbs and flows with a comforting rhythm while Amy Bates’ timeless artwork washes over you. As the boy grows older, he returns regularly to the sea looking for answers but discovers something more valuable: perspective. As an author, I desperately wish I had written this book myself, but I’ll happily settle for cherishing it as a reader. (For ages 4 to 8)
— Minh Lê, author of Lift and Green Lantern: Legacy
Did You Know? Quadrantid Meteor Shower
The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks overnight from January 3 to January 4, hitting its peak hours between 3:00a.m. and 4:40 a.m. Eastern on January 3, 2022. During this peak there will be up to 110 meteors sailing through the sky per hour, and though they radiate from the northern sky, they will appear in all parts of the sky. You may be able to spot one of its fireballs anytime between December 26 to January 16 when the shower is active.
The Quadrantids are named for a constellation that no longer exists. Most meteor showers get their name from the constellations from which they appear to radiate, and so it is with the Quadrantids. But the Quadrantids’ constellation no longer exists, except in memory. The name Quadrantids comes from the constellation Quadrans Muralis. French astronomer Jerome Lalande created this constellation in 1795. This now-obsolete constellation was between the constellations of Boötes the Herdsman and Draco the Dragon.
How does a constellation become obsolete?
In 1839, two men, Adolphe Quetelet of Brussels Observatory in Belgium and Edward C. Herrick in Connecticut, independently suggested that the Quadrantids as an annual shower. Then, in 1922, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) created a list of the 88 modern constellations, and it did not include Quadrans Muralis.
Letter from Betty for December 2021
Hello Friends,
'Tis the season to be giving, and as usual for December, we have incredible suggestions for gifts for your children. They are amazing, interesting, and — shhhh! — educational too. Check them all out in our feature article for this month: "Fascinating and Fun Gifts For Your Children."
And while we've got you in a Ho Ho Ho mood, let us suggest a deep dive into the untold story of the making of the first Charlie Brown special in our bonus article for December: "Did You Know? Some Facts About A Charlie Brown Christmas." Enjoy!
As always, we're tracking test dates and information for the SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE tests. So mark your calendar and check out all the details in our "Test Schedule for December 2021."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep. Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Test Schedule for December 2021
Here are some important notes about 2021 testing.
SSAT
There are at-home SSAT test openings on January 12,13, 14, 15, and 16.
ISEE
Students can now take the admissions test trusted by schools around the world from the comfort and safety of their homes. Students currently have two ISEE At Home remote testing options. Families should follow any instructions provided by their application school(s) when selecting their at-home testing choice. For more information about this option go to:
ISEE At Home For Families | ERBlearn.org
All Tests
Please make sure to check with the testing center ahead of the test date to make sure that there are no closings.
Fascinating and Fun Gifts For Your Student
It’s that time of year again and we’ve got fascinating gift ideas for you to consider! These learning toys will entertain while at the same time help the recipient develop critical thinking and problem solving skills and imaginative fun. They’re creative and challenging and are sure to elicit hours of imaginative fun.
National Geographic Stunning Science Chemistry Set (for ages 8+)
With this set, your children will be able to:
Mold and paint their own volcano
Make their volcano erupt
Make an extra bubbly volcano eruption
Make an extra loud volcano eruption
Create an underwater volcano
Mix a variety of color-changing and fizzing solutions
Cause a fizzy rainbow eruption
Erupt a geyser
Blow up balloons with pop crystals
Launch a rocket with CO2
Make pop crystal fireworks
And a whole lot more!
Magna-Tiles 100-Piece Clear Colors Set (for ages 3-99)
The original 3D magnetic building sets that engage young minds by fusing together math, science and creativity.
The set includes one-hundred translucent, colorful shapes including squares (4 large, 50 small) and triangles (20 equilateral, 11 right, 15 Isosceles).
It sparks hours of imaginative free play in children. Anything they can dream, they can create!
Develops math, science, spatial and tactile skills.
PEEK & PUSH: A Game of Memory and Coordination (for age 12+)
PEEK & PUSH is a 2-player strategy game that puts your memory to the test. Create a set or run before your opponent does, and you win! The game begins with all of the tiles face down. Peek to see the contents of a tile, or Push a row or column to shift the board. But be careful, don't lose track of tiles you’ve already uncovered!
Wonder Workshop Dash: Coding Robot (for age 8+)
Program Dash to move, dance, make sounds, avoid obstacles, and more with 5 Free Programming STEM Apps. Free apps for Apple iOS, Android OS, and Fire OS. Voice activated fun!
Craft-tastic – Learn to Sew Kit (for ages 7-15 years)
Craft Kit Includes 7 Fun Projects, 34 Page Instruction Book, and Reusable Materials to Teach Basic Sewing Stitches, Embroidery & More
Your children will make a bracelet, headband, adorable stuffie, bunny pouch, pin cushion, backpack, and a cool phone case.
ThinkFun Rush Hour Junior Traffic Jam Logic Game (for ages 5+)
Rush Hour Jr. is the junior version of international bestseller Rush Hour. It's a traffic jam game that comes with 40 challenges of increasing difficulty. Made with high quality components, and comes with very clear and easy to understand instruction manual.
Avengers Hero Inventor Kit (ages 8+)
How much fun to join the Marvel Avengers! Players become their own Super Heroes by building and customizing their high-tech hero gear and unique identity with littleBits electronic blocks. With their favorite Marvel Avengers, like Iron Man, Black Panther Shuri, Ant-Man and the Wasp, players enter Super Hero training in the app, control their gear with their smart device, give gear new abilities with easy block coding, and use their creativity and STEM skills to customize their own hero identity and gear to match. With inventions like night vision to see in the dark, speed Tracker to test their speed training, and hero icon design to code their own hero icon on the LED Matrix bit, children will unleash the power of their imagination to change the world. Product features include instruction videos for over 18 in-app activities, wearable Tech sensors, in-app block coding, customizable LED Matrix light design, and authentic Marvel Avengers sound effects.
Did You Know? Some Facts About A Charlie Brown Christmas
1. Charles Schulz Wasn't Really Interested In Getting Into Animation
Since the debut of Peanuts in 1955, Charles Schulz and United Press Syndicate had gotten a steady stream of offers to adapt the characters for film and television. Schulz relented for Ford Motors and allowed Charlie Brown to appear in a series of commercials for the Ford Falcon in the early 1960s. The spots were animated by director Bill Melendez, who earned Schulz’s favor by keeping the art simple and not using the exaggerated movements of the Disney films Bambi, and Dumbo, that Melendez had worked on previously.
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas Was Going To Have a Laugh Track
In the ‘60s, it was standard procedure to lay a laugh track over virtually any half-hour comedy. When producer Lee Mendelson told Schulz he didn’t see the Peanuts special being any different, the artist got up and left the room for several minutes before coming in and continuing as if nothing had happened. Mendelson got the hint.
3. Snoopy's Voice Is Just Sped-up Nonsense
The early Peanuts specials made use of both untrained kids and professional actors: Peter Robbins (Charlie Brown) and Christopher Shea (Linus) were working child performers, while the rest of the cast consisted of "regular" kids coached by Melendez in the studio. When Schulz told Melendez that Snoopy couldn’t have any lines in the show—he’s a dog, and Schulz’s dogs didn’t talk—the animator decided to bark and chuff into a microphone himself, then speed up the recording to give it a more emotive quality.
4. Charles Schulz Hated Jazz
The breezy instrumental score by composer, Vince Guaraldi, would go on to become synonymous with Peanuts animation, but it wasn’t up to Schulz. He left the music decisions to Mendelson, telling a reporter shortly after the special aired that he thought jazz was “awful.”
5. Charlie Brown's Head Was a Nightmare To Animate
Because Melendez was unwilling to stray from Schulz’s distinctive character designs, he found himself in a contentious battle with Charlie Brown’s noggin. Its round shape made it difficult to depict Charlie turning around, and as with most of the characters, his arms were too tiny to scratch his head. Snoopy, in contrast, was free of a ball-shaped cranium and became the show’s easiest figure to animate.
5. Charles Schulz Was Embarrassed By One Scene
Careful viewings of the special reveal a continuity error: in scenes where Charlie Brown is standing near his tree, the branches appear to grow from moment to moment. The goof annoyed Schulz, who blamed the mistake on two animators who didn’t know what the other was doing.
6. CBS Hated A Charlie Brown Christmas
After toiling on the special for six months, Melendez and Mendelson screened it for CBS executives just three weeks before it was set to air. The mood in the room was less than enthusiastic. The network found it slow and lacking in energy, telling Melendez they weren’t interested in any more specials. To add insult, someone had misspelled Schulz in the credits, adding a “T” to his last name.
7. Half the Country Watched A Charlie Brown Christmas
Viewers weren’t nearly as cynical about Charlie Brown’s holiday woes as his corporate benefactors. A Charlie Brown Christmas pulled a 50 share, meaning half of all households with a television turned on were watching it. CBS finally acknowledged it was a winner.
8. A Charlie Brown Christmas Killed Aluminum Tree Sales
Aluminum Christmas trees were marketed beginning in 1958 and enjoyed fairly strong sales by eliminating pesky needles and tree sap. But the annual airings of A Charlie Brown Christmas swayed public thinking. In the special, Charlie Brown refuses to get a fake tree. Viewers began to do the same, and the product was virtually phased out by 1969.
Letter from Betty for November 2021
Hello Friends,
When you were in high school you had a lot on your mind. Teens today are no different, and thoughts and worries having nothing to do with class work can be stressful preoccupations. To address this issue we have a feature article for November, "Helping Your Teenager Manage School Related Stress."
What's in a date? In the case of Thanksgiving, there are many answers. Find out why in a behind-the-scenes history lesson about one of America's favorite holidays in our bonus article for November, "Did You Know? A History of Thanksgiving Days."
As always, we're tracking test dates and information for the SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE tests. So mark your calendar and check out all the details in our "Test Schedule for November 2021."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep. Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Test Schedule for November 2021
Here are some important notes about 2021 testing.
SSAT
Registration for upcoming paper-based tests will be open after August 1st.
There are at-home SSAT test openings on November 19, December 17, 18, and 19.
ISEE
Students can now take the admissions test trusted by schools around the world from the comfort and safety of their homes. Students currently have two ISEE At Home remote testing options. Families should follow any instructions provided by their application school(s) when selecting their at-home testing choice. For more information about this option go to:
ISEE At Home For Families | ERBlearn.org
All Tests
Please make sure to check with the testing center ahead of the test date to make sure that there are no closings.
Helping Your Teenager Manage School Related Stress
The school year has started, and while parents may be especially focused on their children’s grades, their teens may be stressing more about very different things, such as fitting into the social scene, dating, making the team, impending college decisions, and physical changes. Here are a few stress management tips for you.
Find time to connect with your children so that conversations are comfortable and often. Over time you’ll be able to understand what is on their mind, not only because something fresh and new has occurred, but also because you’ll be able to see patterns in what it is they talk about. It also lets them know that you support them now and will be there for them throughout the school year and beyond.
Take a look at the successes your children have had in the past, both socially and academically, and talk about those too. Triggering those memories will help them be at ease with current challenges and may help them identify those skills that they learned that can be utilized again.
Don’t wait until stress has reared its ugly head, leading to a major meltdown. Instead, take advantage of these calmer moments to check in and remind your teens about the importance of getting enough sleep, eating well, managing time wisely, and scheduling downtime each and every day to unwind and recharge while doing something fun, engrossing, and relaxing.
Make sure your teens, as well as the entire family, have a healthy and realistic daily routine. This will set up reasonably good expectations for each day, and help potentially stressful mornings run more smoothly. Be sure to allow your teens to have input here as this will reinforce the importance of time management, as well as be a show of respect for them, their ideas, and their needs.
Anticipate potential stressors and talk about them by asking open-ended questions such as “What are you looking forward to this year?” or “What are you feeling nervous about this semester?” You can help your teens work out solutions to anticipated stressors, think of ways to lessen this stress ahead of time, take a look at what did or did not work the previous year, and of course, talk again about healthy ways to manage stress. To have this conversation before the big test or project will make a big difference.
And just to repeat, make sure to build in regular, ongoing time for these conversations. Checking in regularly will reinforce for your teens that you are a source of support, you can nip potential problems in the bud, and you can revise or rework plans as needed.
Did You Know? A History of Thanksgiving Days
In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November. But it was not always so, and the history of the chosen date for this holiday is rather convoluted. Here is the strange story.
In 1789, President George Washington became the first president to proclaim a Thanksgiving holiday when, at the request of Congress, he proclaimed November 26th, a Thursday, as a day of national thanksgiving for the U.S. Constitution.
When Abraham Lincoln was president in 1863, he proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be our national Thanksgiving Day.
In 1865, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the first Thursday of November, because of a proclamation by President Andrew Johnson, and in 1869, President Ulysses S Grant chose the third Thursday for Thanksgiving Day.
In all other years, until 1939, Thanksgiving was celebrated again as Lincoln had designated, the last Thursday in November.
Then in 1939, responding to pressure from the National Retail Dry Goods Association to extend the Christmas shopping season, President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday back a week, to the next-to-last Thursday of the month.
At the time, the president’s 1939 proclamation only directly applied to the District of Columbia and federal employees. While governors usually followed the president’s lead with state proclamations for the same day, on this year, 23 of the 48 states observed Thanksgiving Day on November 23rd while another 23 states celebrated on November 30th, and Texas and Colorado declared both Thursdays to be holidays. As a result, football coaches scrambled to reschedule games set for November 30, families didn’t know when to have their holiday meals, and calendars were inaccurate in half of the country.
After two years of confusion and complaint, President Roosevelt signed legislation establishing Thanksgiving Day as the fourth Thursday in November. Roosevelt, recognizing the problems caused by his 1939 decree, had announced a plan to return to the traditional Thanksgiving date in 1942, but Congress introduced legislation to ensure that future presidential proclamations could not affect the scheduling of the holiday.
Letter from Betty for October 2021
Hello Friends,
Many students have told me: "I don't like math" or "I'm not good at math." But I have seen many success stories when struggling students are given the right help. If your child is overly stressed or overwhelmed by math class, please take a look at our feature article for October, "How Your Child Can Overcome Math Anxiety."
Birds sing, church bells ring, drivers honk, and orchestras swell. Music is everywhere! But what reasons can we give to justify a place in a school's curriculum for music? Find a brief explanation in our bonus article for October, "Short Answers to Big Questions: Why Music?"
As always, we're tracking test dates and information for the SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE tests. So mark your calendar and check out all the details in our "Test Schedule for October 2021."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep. Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Test Schedule for October 2021
Here are some important notes about 2021 testing.
SSAT
Registration for upcoming paper-based tests will be open after August 1st.
There are at-home SSAT test openings on October 22, 23, and 24.
ISEE
Students can now take the admissions test trusted by schools around the world from the comfort and safety of their homes. Students currently have two ISEE At Home remote testing options. Families should follow any instructions provided by their application school(s) when selecting their at-home testing choice. For more information about this option go to:
ISEE At Home For Families | ERBlearn.org
All Tests
Please make sure to check with the testing center ahead of the test date to make sure that there are no closings.
How Your Child Can Overcome Math Anxiety
Does your child struggle with math anxiety? Here’s what you need to know.
Have you noticed that your child often has an increased stress level when completing math homework or studying for a math test? A little bit of stress may actually be a good thing, helping students be more productive and to strive to achieve, but math anxiety is more concerning. A child who struggles with math anxiety may make errors even when he knows how to work the problems, leading him to avoid doing math homework, and possibly causing him to lose interest in or avoid school altogether.
We don’t always know what causes math anxiety. For example, it could be that there was a bad experience with math, such as being called out in class for having a wrong answer, having to solve math problems at a chalk board in front of the class, or picking up a parent's math anxiety.
There are a number of ways parents can help reduce their child's math anxiety:
1 – Talk to your child to see if there’s an obvious cause for his worries. Was there an incident in school? Maybe an issue with getting a particularly bad grade? Your child may not even recognize the basis of his anxiety, but a conversation is a good place to start.
2 – Make sure that your child understands basic math concepts. This will give good groundwork and help him to feel more confident.
3 - Try to find the right level of challenge without working beyond his ability level so he doesn't get overwhelmed. Do recognize though, that some amount of stress is actually a good thing. It helps him to strive a little harder or a little longer, and he will feel a real sense of accomplishment when he reaches an understanding of the problems he is working on.
4 – Work together with your child’s teacher to find out what triggers the anxiety, to recognize behavior patterns, and to resolve these issues.
5 – Hire a tutor who will can work with your child, one-on-one, to grasp the concepts he's struggling with, or even to develop the learning strategies needed in order to overcome his particular struggle.
6 – Teach your child how to take effective notes while in class, to copy down any important problem-solving formulas, or any tips that his teacher shares. Reviewing these notes at the end of the day will reinforce what's been covered in school that day, a little at a time, rather than cramming all the information in before a test.
7 – When you’re helping your child with math homework, focus on the problem-solving process when a wrong answer is discovered, rather than focusing on the mistake. Let him know that you’ll figure out the problem together. Additionally, if you don’t understand the problem yourself, let him know that too. It may help him to know that you need to work to solve the problem!
8 – Watch how you talk about math. Is it a fun puzzle that you’re doing in order to come up with the answer? And make sure to avoid expressing your own math anxiety to your child. Don’t say, “I’m not good at math either.” This will not only increase anxiety, but will inadvertently tell him that you think he's not good at math. Express confidence that you can help to work out the problems and understand the concepts together.
9 – Play real-world math games. Have your child make change when shopping, figure out coupon discounts, help with cooking and baking activities, use fractions when measuring out ingredients or halving a recipe. There are many real-life math applications that are used every day, so take advantage of these moments.
Math anxiety can be a real challenge, but know that it’s also quite common. There are ways to work to overcome this struggle and should you want or need our services, Foundation for Learning is here to help. Just give us a call at 610-207-7811 and we'll work on this together!
Short Answers to Big Questions: Why Music?
Here's a big question: Why music? Here's one short answer: Because it relates to so much else.
Here is a slightly longer answer. Music contains the rhythms and divisions of math, the acoustics and frequencies of science, the styles and eras of history, the moods and emotions of art, the bodily coordination of physical education, the literacy of reading, the vocabulary of language, and the very beating of our hearts.
Letter from Betty for September 2021
Hello Friends,
How can a student best deal with completing difficult homework? The best way is to find coping methods that can minimize the "difficult" and clear the path for the "completing." For the parents of children who struggle with homework, we have a great feature article for September, "Homework Challenges and Strategies."
When the homework is done, why not sneak some learning into free time by enjoying a place where your child (and you) can doodle, explore, compose, puzzle, and play, by checking out our bonus article for the month, "You Can Do It! Toy Theater."
As always, we're tracking test dates and information for the SAT, ACT, SSAT, and ISEE tests. So mark your calendar and check out all the details in our "Test Schedule for September 2021."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep. Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Test Schedule for September 2021
Here are some important notes about 2021 testing.
SSAT
Registration for upcoming paper-based tests will be open after August 1st.
There are at-home SSAT test openings on September 17 and 18.
ISEE
Students can now take the admissions test trusted by schools around the world from the comfort and safety of their homes. Students currently have two ISEE At Home remote testing options. Families should follow any instructions provided by their application school(s) when selecting their at-home testing choice. For more information about this option go to:
ISEE At Home For Families | ERBlearn.org
All Tests
Please make sure to check with the testing center ahead of the test date to make sure that there are no closings.
Homework Challenges and Strategies
Most children will face homework challenges from time to time, though some students struggle more than others. Since most families will have to deal with this struggle during this new school year, we thought we’d address the problem ahead of time and offer up some tips that might help.
Problem: Rushing to get it done
It could be that the work is boring, too repetitive, or that there’s something more fun to get to after a long day at school. But the problem with rushing is that parts of the assignment may be missed, that the work may be messy, or that there may be too many incorrect answers.
Strategy:
Try approaching the assignment in a different way, or break up the assignment into smaller bits just to mix things up.
Problem: Taking notes
Whether it’s an actual struggle with writing, reading, or issues with organization, note taking can be challenging.
Strategy:
Show your child how to use the outline method of note taking. To do this, the lesson is broken down into main ideas, then further broken down into subtopics and then details. You don't need to use Roman Numerals, just be sure to indent the subtopics and details. This is a clean and organized method which many find very useful.
Problem: Time management
Let’s face it, we’re all busy, have too much to do in our daily lives, especially during the school/work week. Your child’s week is no different so when faced with a big pile of homework to be done, they could use help budgeting their time.
Strategy:
Set a specific time and workspace for getting homework done. Plan for blocks of time to get the work done, but build break time in too. Twenty-five minutes on and then a five-minute break works well for many middle and high school students. Make and use checklists, because it feels great to cross off a task when an assignment is completed. You can also consider using a homework timer to help your child get a better sense of how much time they are spending on homework and to stay on track.
Problem: Lack of good study skills or effectiveness
Why is this a problem? Your child could actually be spending more time working away at assignments than is necessary.
Strategy:
Create a distraction-free study space. Encourage your child’s efforts by pointing out their strengths in order to give them confidence. Recognize their weaknesses or challenges and help them to find ways to adapt during homework time, include your child in the brainstorming of ideas. Help your child to prioritize, whether it’s starting with the easier work first or working with due dates in mind. Help your child to organize their work, and how to break assignments down into smaller steps.
Problem: Trouble with Recall
Some children will study hard, but when it comes time for the test, they can't recall what they learned during prep. This could be caused by an issue with working memory, inattention, or even test anxiety.
Strategy:
Different people have different learning styles (visual, written, auditory, etc), so try to make sure that you child's study strategies fits in with their personal/preferred style. Explore working memory boosters such as mnemonics and even muscle memory, when appropriate.
Problem: Trouble learning how to work independently
It’s important that your child knows that they can ask for help, but they will eventually have to be able to do the work by themselves.
Strategy:
Encourage your child to set realistic goals, and to think out loud while working on homework. Being able to meet those goals will help them to be more self-confident and will lead to more independence.
So, take a realistic look at your child’s challenges and strengths and try to create a personal study strategies that suit them. If, however, despite your best efforts, your child’s challenges need to be addressed by a professional tutor, contact Foundation for Learning.
