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Category: High School
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The Importance of Science Labs (and how to make them happen) Part Three
In the last two posts, I talked about how lab activities benefit your student, but now I’d like to switch gears a bit and discuss how you can help your student get through labs and make a success of those assignments they may be avoiding. But first, it helps to understand some of the reasons students avoid labs.
- They’re time consuming.
- They require planning ahead.
- They don’t have the materials.
- They feel overwhelmed or confused.
For the student who does well with bookwork and can get through assignments efficiently, having to stop to complete a lab can seem frustrating or a waste of time. Since you already know they are important, one way you can help your student is to schedule a regular lab time into your week. If they know the time is set aside for labs, and possibly means that there won’t be bookwork for that class on that day, they will hopefully see it as less of a time drain and more of a useful tool.
Many labs that you complete will require planning ahead. If your student doesn’t look at the lab ahead of time, they may not know that the steps will take several hours or days and won’t plan accordingly. In addition to what they might learn in the lab, this is a great skill to learn for life. However, bear in mind that most teens don’t have the ability to do this on their own. The part of their brain that controls executive function, which includes planning, isn’t fully developed yet. They may need you to model for them how to plan out the activity, and in the beginning, the planning may fall entirely to you. If the activity will take several days, help them by getting them started each day and showing them what needs to be done. Write out the steps and which days they need to be completed on and follow up by checking that those steps have been done so that Friday doesn’t roll in and no progress has been made.
Sometimes the planning process will include gathering materials. Just as the planning may initially fall to you, so might the materials-gathering process. If the book is broken into units or chapters with multiple labs, try gathering the materials to a single box or cabinet (if it is safe to store the materials together). Demonstrate how to organize the materials by activity and soon your student will be able to follow your model and gather future materials themselves.
And the final reason many students avoid lab activities is that they feel overwhelmed. This is often a combination of the first three obstacles and by following the steps above, your student can often avoid this issue. If labs also overwhelm you, try starting by breaking the labs for a course into groups, then follow the steps above. Get out a calendar and plan for when each activity must start and how long it will take, giving yourself lots of buffer room for life and mistakes. Plan to do a little each day or set aside an entire day for labs, whichever works best for your family. Then gather the materials for the first few labs. Separate and label the material so you can see what you have and what still needs to be found. If you see the lab as small steps it won’t be so overwhelming and is much more likely to be done. Think of it like cooking a meal, you don’t do all the steps at once and it’s much less overwhelming if you have all the pieces together before you start. Planning is your best weapon when it comes to labs. In the end, it’s ok if you don’t do every lab, but make an effort to do a good chunk of them.
And finally, my biggest piece of advice is to let students do the labs themselves and that struggling is alright, even good, for your student. It’s the struggle during learning that makes the connections in our brains and doing the lab for your student won’t help them in the long run but working by their side and showing that you are learning right along with them will do wonders for their self-confidence and interest in the material they are studying. Even if you are familiar with the experiment, showing your interest and enthusiasm in the subject will help ignite a fire of interest in your student, even if the topic at hand isn’t their favorite subject. Lab activities are important, and more importantly, totally doable for both the scientist and non-scientist alike! If one activity doesn’t work, chalk it up to experience and move on. Use what you’ve learned to make the next activity a success!
Find a great lab activity here that you can practice with! It’s fun and it doesn’t count toward your grade, so try it out with your student and see if you both don’t have fun and learn at the same time! Comment below with how it turned out!
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Setting Up for Success: 3 Keys to A Great Start in Math this Year
Everyone starts a new school year with high hopes and fresh resolve to make it a year of growth and accomplishment. Over the years I’ve seen many math students excel and others struggle to just get by. I’m a firm believer that habits and attitudes play a much bigger role in our accomplishments in the classroom than innate ability. Here are some concrete ways you can increase your odds of a fruitful and joyous year in math.
- Get organized. Have your student set aside a specific shelf for math. It should house their textbook, notebook (not assorted pieces of loose leaf paper), graph paper, calculator, and everything else on those supplies lists. Some of you are thinking really, that’s her first tip? I know, it seems so obvious. Yet, very few high school students take the time to do this. Pick a notebook that can last you for the whole course or at least the semester. I’ve seen students skip over graphing problems because they didn’t want to go searching for graph paper. Print off a nice pile of this graph paper and have it hole punched and ready to go.
- Line up help. I’ve done several posts on math tutors here and here. But the important point is if you know math might be a problem devise a plan ahead of time. Don’t wait until your student has struggled through 20 lessons and they finally admit they’re completely lost. A better approach is to pick an objective measurement. For example, any quiz grade below 70% and there’s going to be a one-hour review session with dad or an older sibling. Agreeing to this ahead of time lowers the stress involved with admitting they need help.
- Be honest about weaknesses and shortcomings. If math didn’t go well last year it might be best to start with some review. Review helps all of us. In 10th and 11th grade I set aside the first six weeks of school to review for the SATs. My main goal was to get a great score and earn a scholarship. But a secondary benefit was that I reviewed lots of basic concepts before jumping into something new. In the end, I made up those 6 weeks because I was able to learn the new material more quickly.
Try these out and let me know how it goes. And if you want to ask about specific concerns or questions find me on Facebook! I love helping homeschool families figure out high school math.
Kathryn Gomes teaches SAT Math for Aim Academy. This post was originally published on her blog kathryngomes.com.
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AAO: Literature with Susan Spivey Reviews
Click here to learn more about this class
British Literature student project Greetings, I’m Susan Spivey and I love to talk about good books and great writers. When I’m not reading a book, talking about a book, or writing about a book, I bake! In all seriousness, I view teaching high school literature as not only a personal joy, but a privilege. Sharing the insights I have gained over the years about writers and their works is deeply satisfying. Too often students have been challenged to read stories, poems, and novels without having the tools to make sense of what they find within the pages. I strive to make the reading come alive and help students enjoy their journey through literature, not simply survive it. I structure my classes so students can respond to the reading in a variety of ways. In addition to class discussion, students have the opportunity to write, create art, act, and even sing their response to an assigned piece of writing. Having the ability to give perceptive feedback on literature is a skill all high school students need as they prepare for college. My goal is to help them attain it.
J.S., PA – February 19, 2016
Mrs. Spivey’s literature class challenged and equipped me for college in a way few other high school experiences did. The class, which I took at a homeschool co-op during my senior year, surveyed great Christian literature with a diverse and challenging reading list. Our class meetings were a chance for Mrs. Spivey to push her students to think critically about the material we read; she encouraged us to reevaluate our presuppositions and validated our thoughtful opinions, even when she didn’t share them. This open discussion stood in contrast to many high school classes that shielded authors from critique. Mrs. Spivey’s approach to in-class discussion helped prepare me for college literature and writing classes, where criticism of an author and their worldview is encouraged. Her love of literature was apparent in everything she did; from her enthusiasm in class to her warm invitations to continue discussions and reading outside of it, Mrs. Spivey was a hugely influential teacher who was instrumental in my decision to pursue English and writing as a part of my college and career.
Parent, PA – February 19, 2016
Susan Spivey does an excellent job of instilling the love of learning and literature into her students. I have had two children participate in her English/Literature classes, and even though they enjoyed reading before, Susan was able to unlock areas of interpretation that allowed them both to understand more fully what the authors are attempting to convey. Her writing assignments challenged them to think deeply and put into their own words portions of specific text. Susan also challenges her students by assigning projects that may not be in their particular strength. For example: Not only do the students write, but some assignments may require them to perform a dramatization or an art project. She realizes that not all the students have the same strengths, but she motivates them to branch out and try something new. Susan also wants each of her students to succeed and encourages them to use whatever gifts or abilities they have to do their best. Thank you, Susan, for using Literature to help my children to mature and flourish.
E. C. – May 15, 2017
I enjoyed reading many different kinds of writing from a wide array of authors and eras. I also enjoyed class discussion. Mrs. Spivey always made class time interesting and informative by providing direction where needed but also opening up time for discussion of our own perspectives and interpretations, allowing us to grow further. Mrs. Spivey is very passionate about what she teaches, which makes this course very fun. She asks engaging question and encourages the class to be readers that meditate on the works they read and analyze the contents. Mrs. Spivey is open to new perspectives form her students and never ignores or discounts a persons thoughts. This course taught me how to analyze a work of literature and form an extensive understanding of it. This course also gave many opportunities for practice of creating well-developed and detailed papers about a piece of literature. -American Literature Student
G. Beaumont – May 15, 2017
(Mrs. Spivey) has a vast knowledge of writing, is extremely friendly and kind, and super understanding. Not many teachers WANT their students to learn, they just want them to pass and be done with. I know she genuinely cared about how I did. Mrs. Spivey encouraged class participation and asked us open ended questions, which led to helpful explanations and wonderful discussion. I now have read multiple poems, essays, short stories, plays and understood them. I know how to dissect a poem and how to figure out what the author is trying to convey. I know how to write over ten page papers and keep them interesting! I can see how literature ties into art, science, politics, history and everyday life. I have learned to handle a workload and manage my time better. And lastly, I have learned what it is like to have a deadline (Oh and I had a wonderful teacher, I don’t think I could find a better one).
N.A. ~British Lit student
Mrs. Spivey encouraged class participation and asked us open ended questions, which led to helpful explanations and wonderful discussion. I now have read multiple poems, essays, short stories, plays and understood them. I know how to dissect a poem and how to figure out what the author is trying to convey. I know how to write lastly, I have learned what it is like to have a deadline (Oh and I over ten page papers and keep them interesting! I can see how literature ties into art, science, politics, history and everyday life. I have learned to handle a workload and manage my time better. And had a wonderful teacher, I don’t think I could find a better one).
W.Q. ~American Lit student
Mrs. Spivey explains the reading well in class and helped me to understand many things I wouldn’t have noticed or understood completely from the reading. Her corrections on assignments and essays are also helpful and clear. If I started to fall behind on submissions, she emailed me to ask if anything was wrong (which is helpful in getting me to get back on track). The feedback was great. It was clear and I knew exactly what I had done wrong, or what I had to improve.
Example of student paper: BritishLitInterpretivePaper
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The Power of Parental Influence in Uncertain Times
The Power of Parental Influence in Uncertain Times
This is the second in several installments about navigating through the teenage years. In this post I would like to spend some time describing the culture our teenagers find themselves facing; and discuss how parents can both grieve the loss of our compliant naïve children and begin to rewire the brains of our confused adolescents.
It’s Really Scary Out There
In case you haven’t noticed, it’s a pretty scary world out there. And it’s not just scary for you and me as adults, but it’s especially harrowing for our teenagers. We have created a world dripping with violence, drugs, and sex, and our children are right in the middle of it. For a moment, let’s delve into this culture of madness that our teens claim “we just don’t understand.”
The temptations begin with the culture of drugs and substance abuse. For teens, drugs provide a short term antidote for the pain of crazy emotions, raging hormones, and a bleak and uncertain future. Although the effects of this antidote are often short term, the eventual use can kill your child. Unfortunately the insanity of the teenage years, and a brain looking for short term pleasure without long term reasoning sees this as a pain free alternative.
Adding to this deadly sin is the potent enticement of adolescent sexuality. Powerful hormones, combined with a need for peer acceptance, curiosity, intimacy, a female desire to please and a male desire to dominate contribute to a brain filled with desire, with little thought for consequences. Our society has also become hypersexualized and kids (even younger than teens) have no way to process this information in a healthy way. These are only a few of the many evil temptations in the world. I could go on to mention violence, negative peer influences, and internet insanity, but I think you get the picture—the world is a scary place, especially to a naïve kid who has just left the comfort of playing with Legos and dolls.
What’s the Protection or the Antidote?
In the last blog post I mentioned that the adolescent brain is in a state of re-wiring; a pruning occurs which is eventually hardwired into the brain. Research shows that parental influence of both a good and bad behaviors has an enormous effect on adolescents. How we interact with our kids gets burned into that adolescent brain telling it how to act as an adult. Thus, as Michael Bradley states, “through the rewiring process, the sins of the parents becomes the insanity of the adolescent. Likewise, the wisdom of the parents can become the salvation of the teenager.”
For the next several paragraphs let’s take a look at this potent influence, and how we can use it to our advantage in training our teens.
- First, as a parent we need to begin to grieve and leave behind the image of our sweet compliant child. Few of us are prepared for the emotional hurt which occurs when we lose the close, loving relationship that we had with our young children as they enter adolescence. Our own need for nurturing is often lost to a teen who is wrapped up in their own emotional struggles. So what is a parent to do? GRIEVE, and remember that this teenager in front of you didn’t kill your child, but IS your child, just reborn once again. Your job is to get to know this new person, and navigate the growing pains together. Keep your eyes open for the excitement of getting to know your new young adult. Focus on the good and show your child that you are in control of your own emotions. Above all exhibit some strength, and demonstrate to your child that you are there for her even when she is distant from you.
- Next take a look at some of the ways in which you shape your child. Reinforcement is the primary tool of hard-wiring behaviors into your child. Reinforcement in simple terms is anything that increases behavior. Punishment, the opposite of reinforcement, is designed to decrease behavior. Although this is fairly straight forward and simple, it can get a bit confusing when we are talking about the adolescent brain, and that is because we have to add one more component to the mix—the teenage brain’s craving for new sources of stimulation. Adolescents CRAVE excitement, new experiences, and novelty. Think back to my discussion of scary environments. The reason that drugs, sex, and other undesirable behaviors are often appealing to adolescents is because of this constant need for brain stimulation. Now couple this with the fact that the reasoning portion of the brain is not fully developed, and you have a recipe for disaster. This is why adolescents often push their parent’s “buttons” in order to get a reaction from them. Your screaming at them can become addictive and act as positive reinforcement to them. In the world of the developing brain, what we think as negative can often be positive. So what is a parent to do in the face of this crazy behavior pattern? Actually the best strategy it is to give no reinforcement to the aggressive outburst and behavior. Go into shutdown mode and reinforce only the good behavior. This is where parenting can get really personal. It requires you to control your own needs and emotions and actually “walk the walk” of an adult role model.
Future Discussion
I would like to save the final few suggestions for the next installment. As a final discussion I would like to present some research on how important modeling or copying behavior is in training the adolescent brain and finally present ways to improve your teen’s respect towards you.
Bonnie Gonzalez has 36 years of experience as a counselor. She has taught high school and college classes and is now offering Intro to Psychology and AP Psychology courses through Aim Academy.
Reference material from Michael J. Bradley’s, Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy, Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind, Harbor Press: 2003.
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Beating the Block: Five Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block
Dr. Patricia Huston describes writer’s block as, “a distinctly uncomfortable inability to write.” Every writer feels some resistance when staring down a blank page but some authors experience near paralysis when it comes to writing. Somehow, any writer who has ever written has beaten the block. The good news is that there are ways to make your brain work for you when it comes to writing. Here are some tips to help you get past your own writer’s block.
Routines rule
Anxiety is toxic to creativity. So the more you wait to start a project, the more anxiety you’ll feel about it, and the less creative you’ll be when it is time to write. How do you combat this vicious cycle? Exercise creativity by writing daily. You might choose to write something fun, something you care about, or something you’ll have to submit on a deadline. Creativity works like a muscle. When you exercise muscles, you exhaust them so that they work more efficiently next time. When you practice any kind of creativity, including writing, it gets easier over time. In order for that to happen, creativity – like exercise – has to be habitual. Sometimes, what feels like writer’s block is simply your brains just settling down enough to write. You can expedite that process by training our brains to be creative by setting a clear time and space in which to do that. Do your writing when you feel most awake each day. For some people, that’s first thing in the morning. For others, that’s mid-afternoon. At this time, your brain is fresh and full of good ideas. You also work more efficiently to produce better writing more easily. Block off this time for your writing tasks and watch your ideas take shape on the page. Do this every day and you’ll never again feel that last-minute deadline stress.
Start single-minded
Writing anything is really hard work and takes a lot of focus. Focus means reducing the amount of things your brain has to handle for a little bit of time. Whether you’re perfecting a poem, tweaking that plot twist, or rounding out your research paper, you can set yourself up for success by removing distractions during your writing time. Cognitive science tells us that humans are simply not good at multitasking. In fact, every time our brains toggle from task to task, we lose a minimum of five seconds of focus (and we often lose much more time than that). Check your phone 10 times in a twenty-minute period and you’ve lost almost a whole minute (at least) you could have been writing. In order to maximize your writing time and to let your ideas flow freely, remove all distractions from your work time and space. This may mean clearing your desk, turning off your phone, silencing notifications, or all three! I use an app called Self Control to block all Internet activity during my writing time. You can download it for free here.
Embrace the sloppy copy (rough draft)
The truth is there’s nothing scarier than a blank screen or a cursor blinking at you from an empty screen. You’ve got to start somewhere. Revision is far easier than new creation so just get something on the page. There is no expectation that your first draft comes out perfectly – just the opposite! When you begin writing each day, write whatever comes to mind. It can be in bullets, sentence fragments, or pieces of dialog: whatever works to get words on the page. Once you get cranking, you can continue the draft and spend time later on revisions. Bonus tip: start your writing time with five minutes of something fun and pressure-free to get your creative juices flowing. For a list of writing prompts, check out this link.
Small chunks of work
Bill Gates famously said, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” This goes for writing, too. Many of us think that we can knock out that assignment if we had, for example, six hours of uninterrupted time. But you probably don’t have six hours of uninterrupted time anywhere in your schedule. And the truth is, we tend to be less productive and certainly less creative when we do a task for more than about 90 minutes. The solution? Plan small chunks of time over several days or weeks to do your writing tasks. Break your assignment down into several pieces and spend 20 to 40 minutes a day. Piece by piece, you’ll build a better product (with less stress!). I love the Pomodoro timer, which prompts you to work for 20 minutes and then to take a five minute break. There are may apps available but here is the one I use (and here is a web-based option for PC users).
Teamwork makes the dream work
Community is essential to writing. Writing partners serve many purposes: they provide accountability, they suggest new insights, and they might even revise your writing (if you’re really nice to them). Identify someone who has assignments similar to yours or someone who can offer impartial feedback (think parents, writers, and other educators you may know). Choose a date in advance of your deadline, tell that person how much writing you’ll have done, and meet that deadline. Voila! You’ve built in two advantages for yourself: you completed the work (or at least a draft) well before your actual deadline, and you’ll get the benefit of another writer’s input. Get ready to have a thick skin – sometimes writing feedback feels a little painful, but it’s worth it!
Dr. Lauren Bailes is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Delaware. She teaches Ready, Set, Go! College Writing and Readiness and Writing Research Right: The Research Paper.
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Q & A with the Science Faculty
What is the recommended progression of science classes for high school students?
How can labs be effectively taught at home?
Any recommendations for getting kids interested in science?
What are some suggestions for helping the struggling science student?
Susan Habacivch teaches Introduction to Chemistry and Physics, Math for Sciences, and Chemistry. Kristen Lauria teaches Pre-AP Environmental Science, Physics, and AP Physics 1.