5 Ways to Inspire your Child

By. Dr Stephen Jones

Children need the guidance, caring and encouragement of a parent daily. Your words are power influences in a child’s life. 

Here are 5 things you can do:

1.Give them positive words of encouragement first thing in the morning. They are never to old for a kiss.

2.Pray for them and teach them to pray. Also encourage mindfulness.

3.Explore the world with them by taking them places outside of their community 

4.Get to know all their teachers and communicate with them daily.

5.Focus on healthy living. Make sure your child gets enough rest, eats healthy food, gets the best education and  focus on fitness.

For more tips and strategies take my Parenting 101 course at. https://www.parents.teachit.education/

How Advanced Placement Courses Successfully Prepare Students for College

If you want your student to be better prepared for college, I highly recommend that they enroll in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. You may be asking why.  Students who enroll in AP courses are better prepared for the challenges and rigor that a college level course can bring.  Preparing students for college takes a lot of preparation and planning.  Too many students go to college with great enthusiasm and with little preparation. During the first few weeks of college some students realize that they are not prepare them. They start to realize that college requires long hours of studying, reading, solving problems and managing a schedule that is full of reading assignments.  If you are sending your first student to college an AP course can give your student confidence that they can handle college level courses.

Completing an AP course in high school can help your student to get over the anxiety that is common during the first six weeks of college classes.  Some students receive their first C grade or less while in their first semester of college and it is a tremendous shock.  This is especially true when the student has not received a grade of less than a B during their entire K12 experience. It’s sad to say that some students want to drop out after their first unusual grade.  Some students realize that they were not taught how to learn independently or to research knowledge on their own.

Students who are the first person in their family to attend college face unique obstacles. They do not know what to expect or how difficult it will be. There are many who have no counselor to turn to when it is time to apply to college. The counselor to student ratio is five hundred to one in some high schools. A student may not be steered toward an advance placement course if the parent is not communicating with their counselor.  It is important for each parent to be actively involved in their student’s high school education.  Always seek out the best courses for your student and get them tutoring when necessary.

I recommend community college courses for students who want to get a taste of college before attending undergraduate school. Community college classes can give your student a similar challenge that an AP course can provide. Also, a community college course can be a way for a student to catch up if they are behind in a certain course. For example, if you want to study engineering in college you will need to take calculus while in high school. If you are behind you can take a pre-calculus course during the summer and calculus during your senior year.  It is far better to take calculus during your junior year and AP calculus during your senior year if possible.

Some student’s classmates scare other students away from AP classes.  They tell them how long they study and the difficulty of the course content.  If you are their parent encourage your student and support them with resources and tutoring. It is worth it.  You are cutting down on the chances that your student will struggle while they are in college.  In fact, there is a prize at the end of every AP course. If your student scores a 4 or a 5 on the standardized AP course during May they are able to reduce the number of courses they take during college.

To succeed a college student must develop good study habits while enrolled in an AP course. It is a great way to prepare for college. Your student must devote their energy to earning the best grades in each class by meeting the expectation of the course. Students who are successful know that they must manage their time. Here are ten additional ways that a student benefit from AP courses:

1.  A reduction in the number of courses required during college

2.  Get in the habit of good time management for tests

3.  You will have some of the best teachers in your school

4.  You will have an early experience regarding the expectations of a college professor

5. You learn how to do advanced research

6.  You will share knowledge with some of the best students in your high school

7.  Get tutoring from some of the best teachers and students.

8.  Get preparation for a community college course.

 One of the best skills that a high school student can learn is how to focus on their goal.  There are always plenty of distractions in high school.  Focus on your goal to be excellent in all AP classes. Identify your distractions such as social activities, day dreaming, peers and sports.  Students who are willing to eliminate distractions while they are in high school have a great habit of doing the same while in college.  One of the biggest distractions in college is the freedom in your schedule when there are no classes.  I encourage all students to write down their goals in each AP class and to work hard to achieve them.

The decision to enroll in an AP course is a serious choice.  It can be life changing and have a positive effect on the rest of a student’s courses.  Acceptance into a college is just the beginning of a student’s career journey.  All the studying that a student is doing in high school lays the foundation for how successful his/her college experience will turn out. Now is the time to enroll your student in an AP class that helps with the transition from high school to college.

Dr Stephen Jones is a college preparation expert and author. Purchase copies of Dr. Jones’ books “Seven Secrets of How to Study, Ultimate Scholarship Guide or Parents ultimate Education Guide at http://www.DrStephenJones.net or email your school workshop/consulting questions too Learn@DrStephenJones.net

Back to School on a Shoe String Budget

According to Dr. Stephen Jones, parents can save thousands of dollars by mapping out a back to school shoe string budget.   Annually the cost of going back to school continues to rise.  Supplying one child for a k12 school or college can cost between $300 and $1000.  In fact one student recently said a book he purchased cost $200.  While this may not be the norm it is cause for alarm for parents who have several children. Parents must make difficult choices regarding the quality of materials their children will use to present term papers and projects that are due during the school year.  Often parents get so busy during the summer that they fail to plan a school supply budget and they end up running around from store to store trying to reduce the cost of book bags, calculators, text books, computers and etc. 

It is clear that the retail stores are doing their research and they know that parents will flood the stores around the third week of August.  Most parents would prefer to go to one store to get all of their supplies but they look in the papers and discover that the prices vary from store to store.  Dr. Jones says that parents can save hundreds of dollars by making wise purchases.  Here’s how parents can save hundreds of dollars:

1.         Don’t shop at the last minute right before school is about to start.

2.         Identify a discount school supply store so that you don’t end up shopping at the local corner store.

3.         Check the internet for sales at websites such as overstock.com.  Get together with friends and buy some things in bulk.

4.         Don’t be afraid to buy some clothing at a thrift store. You can save hundreds of dollars.

5.         Check your supplies from last year before you go out to buy new supplies.  You will reduce the chances that you are purchasing items that you have stored from last year.

6.         Ask your local school where they order their supplies from and contact the store for a catalogue or website.

7.         Consider purchasing certain items at the Dollar Store near you.

8.         Purchase books at discount websites that are on the internet

It’s amazing that some parents are willing to spend more money because they are unwilling to invest time to uncover savings.  The hundreds of dollars that are saved can help with the purchase of a new computer and printer. Don’t cave in to the temptation to putting your purchases on a credit card.  The credit card debts that parents obtain at the beginning of the school year can last until the next summer if a parent is not cautious.  Parents who are shopping on a shoe string budget recognize that credit cards are potholes that will take you thousands of dollars off track. 

Mobilize family and friends who can keep an eye out for special school supply sales.  Parents can use a number of methods to stay in touch.  First consider using the cell phone to create a list of people who will be looking out for certain supplies that you have identified.  Also, friends and family can contact you immediately when they discover a good sale.  Parents can give friends and family money in advance or ask them to pay for it and agree to pay them back.   Using e-mail can also be a good method to share websites that offer the products at prices that are not available at the stores.  The links to website can be put right within the text of the e-mail, which makes it easy fro a parent to make a purchase right away.

You can save thousands of dollars by shopping on shoe string budget.  Get started right away and you will not regret it.   Dr Stephen Jones is education consultant author of three books the Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent's Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide available at http://www.sevenbooks.net

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Is Professional Development Still Worth the Investment?

Recently school district administrators are look ways to cut their budgets due to declines in local state funding.  Some administrators are asking whether professional development workshops are worth the investment.  I’ve found professional development workshops to be very valuable for the teachers and staff who have been involved.  The teachers benefit from learning new information and gaining a different teaching perspective. Also, teachers who have been working at a school for a long time can benefit from a fresh perspective.  During some professional development sessions we have talked about how to improve communication with students, academic success strategies and how to manage stress.  It is amazing how many teachers do not take time off of work to re-energize.  

A presentation by someone who is an expert in their field can get the attention of staff who have worked for long time. The presenter may have worked in different kinds of school environments so that he/she is sensitive to your schools challenges in terms of resources to effectively teach your students. Your school does not need to be stuck in the ways that things were done in the past.  A professional development workshop can help the participants to catch on to the new vision that you are implementing in your school district. There are several benefits that professional developments can provide.

1.  A better response to change

2.  Improved communication among teachers and students

3.  The ability to engage in meaningful problem solving

4.  Inspire teachers to pursue additional education

5.  Learn how to handle conflicts so that you create a winning response

6.  Improve communication with the parents

7. Learn how to implement a college going culture

8. How to manage stress

It is important for teachers, principals and superintendents to take care of the whole person which includes their physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.   A good professional development can help the staff to improve their own stress management.  Healthy teachers contribute to a healthy school environment.  Sometimes it only takes a half hour of walking a few days a week to get results. Walking helps educators and other professionals to live a longer life. 

The key to a successful professional development is awareness of he needs of faculty and administration.  A survey may be one way to uncover the needs of the administration, staff and students.  Give the participant ample opportunities to comment and to make suggestions.  You will get greater investment in the professional development when it is based on the participant’s suggestions.  Most teachers want to do a better job and they can benefit the students when they are included in the professional development discussion. If you are looking for a professional development or want to discuss this topic further contact Dr. Stephen Jones at stephenjoness@rcn.com. http://www.DrStephenJones.net

10 Ways Teachers Can Ignite Excitement About School

Did you know that a teacher’s excitement about school plays a great role in a child’s enthusiasm for school?  Students can tell when their teacher really cares about their success.  A teacher can ignite a student’s fire and passion for learning just by saying the right words.  One way to encourage a student is by brainstorming a list of 25 positive words that you can use to encourage your students daily.  You should think of ways that you can get each student to have great expectations for their future.  It is important to keep your classroom moving in a positive direction. Use words of encouragement whenever you can. Highlight the students accomplishments as a class and individually.  You can compete to be the best class in your school.  Always consider ways that you can implement innovative teaching techniques.  Your students will benefit from periodically seeing change in your approach to instruction.  View student test results as feedback regarding your student’s knowledge of your subject.  Make your review of past tests or quizzes fun and engaging and your students will remember the right answers.

There are some things that you can do and say to make this school year a success.  There are limitless learning possibilities during the school year and summer.  Consider how you can also coordinate your activities with parents.  Here are some other ways that you can create excitement about current and new school year:

1.  Plan an exciting trip to explore nature

2.  Get involved in a physical activity that will require you and your students to do it using math or science experiments.

3.  Plan a visit to library when they are having a special guest speaker.

4.  Purchase and use several board games that require your students to use a strategy to win.

5. Work together on a fun project where they can earn points to win.  Let your student select the project.

6.  Ensure that your students have breakfast in the morning and encourage them to have a great day.  Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Some students come to school hungry. 

7.  Visit the local community center, YMCA or YWCA to find out about their summer activities. Help your students to participate in projects where they will learn something new.

8.  Visit the local book store to find a list of age appropriate books that your students can read during the school year. 

9.  Make sure that you take time to talk to your child about what they are learning in school.  You can both search the internet for additional points to discuss.

10.  Allow your student to teach you something that they have learned during the school year.  Ask your student to share their knowledge with others.

Getting the off to a good start in any class is an important way to lay a good foundation for learning. One way to keep the child active is using the student’s prior knowledge as a chance to build their confidence. Build your foundation on the positive aspects of learning. You can have an exciting school year just by investing time to use innovative classroom techniques to encourage your student’s success.

Dr. Stephen Jones is an outstanding educator and consultant he is the author of “Seven Secrets of How to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate Education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide. Get these books for your students right away at http://bit.ly/OOmCA0. He can be contacted at 610-842-3843

5 Back to School Savings Tips

Every year thousands of parents grab a cart and engage in the age old tradition of back to school shopping. There is a level of excitement in the air as students consider new school supplies and what clothes they will wear back to school. All parents can do is look at their pockets and try to find a way to stretch a dollar. Many parents start their shopping without a plan and that’s where money is lost. Have you ever noticed how things are strategically placed around the store so that you will make random purchases? There are all kinds of pencils, notebooks and paper right within your grasp.

There are some things that you can do to resist the temptation to spend too much. First make a list of the most expensive items that you need to purchase. Check the internet and advertisements in your local newspaper. This is important especially when you are purchasing electronic products like lap tops, Ipods and digital recorders. The money that you save from these purchases can add up to hundreds of dollars. Recognize that every product that has a sales tag can be bought cheaper if you are willing to do your research.

The second tip is to watch for the best day of the week to purchase clothes and other items. Some stores have sales on certain days of the week. This is done to increase the number of parent’s and students who are coming into their store. As you shop for sales it may be worth returning on another day. Talk with your relative who works in a retail store. They may have a discount that they can use on your purchases. There could be an additional discount in addition to the sale that is going on in the store.

Third there are numerous websites where you can purchase books at a discount. Search Google for discount book websites. Purchasing books online is real convenient today. Books that you order usually arrive in 3 to 5 days. Still it is better to purchase books well before they are needed. If your son/daughter needs the book to write a report the book will be available to get started early. Also consider purchasing reference books so that your son/daughter will have books to look at when they do not understand a particular definition or subject.

A forth back to school saving tip involves purchasing shoes and sneakers at a reduced price. There are stores that sell hundreds of shoes. You need to keep an eye on the prices several times a week. Sometimes local stores want to move inventory so that they will lower their prices. Ask your child how often he/she talks with their peers about where they get the best sneaker discounts.

A fifth tip is to form a group of parents who can each purchase some items in bulk. Pencils and paper can be shared by parents. Create a supplies storage container where you will keep all of the items. This is one way that you can avoid purchasing too many items that you already have. Before you go shopping go to your storage draws and take an inventory of all of things you need. You will be amazed at how much you have in storage from last year,

Now that you’ve saved hundreds of dollar focus on your child’s education. Decide on something that you will do to make education fun this year. Load up your students book bags with good snacks. Even high school students need snacks because they can loose their energy during the day. Remember a healthy body will boost a student’s performance on tests. Make your back to school journey one that is full of good expectations. You can control your back to school spending and have a great new school year too. Dr Stephen Jones is an education expert, consultant and author of three books the Seven Secrets of how to Study, the Parent’s Ultimate education Guide and the Ultimate Scholarship Guide available at www.studyskills2u.com.

Social Networks a School Fund Raising Dream

In these challenging times it is hard to believe that money is available for your school. Your school has used all of the traditional methods like candy sales, pretzel sales and pizza in a box. Having two children at home makes parents fund raising experts for twelve years or more. All of this fundraising has it place but what can a school do to take an innovative approach to fundraising. The rising tide of social networks better known as web 2.0 is bursting with alumni and others who have interest in supporting your school.

One of the best ways to have funding coming in is to identify your alumni. Where can you find them? Three websites I suggest are Twitter.com, Facebook.com and Classmates.com. There are millions of people each day who are finding friends from their past. It is an easy place to find alumni from your school. You can set up a Facebook alumni page for your school and get students to join before they leave school. You can give out your Facebook URL at the next school sports event.

You can update your Facebook page daily with school activities and special events. Sometimes in addition to money alumni can provide resources. For example an alumnus who owns a t-shirt design company may contribute shirts for a football event. Alumni from your school could donate money from items that they sell on eBay. Could you imagine having a bunch of alumni regularly selling items to raise money for your school?

You may even find and alumni on Twitter.com a social network that is gaining momentum. You can accumulate a following on twitter and send them daily tweets throughout the day. You can notify them of the accomplishments of your school. Each tweet will give you 140 characters to communicate your message. Your message gets right to the point. I have learned to be real disciplined when I communicate. The social networks are another way to get out information about your school and it will save you the cost of mailing information.

Classmates.com is another fruitful place to find alumni and organize events to support your students. There are millions of people on classmates. You can find alumni and create events that they can attend. If you find clusters of students in a state that’s next door like Pennsylvania and New Jersey schedule a meeting at your school or by way of a conference call. Today people want to stay in communication daily. On Classmates you can allow friends to join and save them as bookmarks. You can create a group where alumni can keep in touch with each other. The challenging times should inspire alumni to give more support.

Your school can create an electronic newsletter that goes out to current students and alumni. Take time each month to highlight alumni who are joining your Facebook and Classmates web pages. Your current students need to know that your graduates are doing great things. People enjoy reading about success stories. You can also notify an alumni’s company when they are doing something that benefits your school.

Your school can also use Myspace.com to create highlight videos of your school activities. You might be raising money for a new gymnasium or a football field. Your school can even send a visual representation of what the new building will look like when it is completed. Find ways to creatively highlight people who are contributing on Facebook and in your newsletter. Some schools have their own plaque of donors who made their new buildings possible. Why not highlight your alumni on the internet.

Using the social networks is a creative way to engage your alumni and bring more resources that benefit students. Alumni are easily reminded of the things that would have made their K12 experience better. We need every school to operate at their maximum levels to prepare them for 21st century careers.

Crumbling Schools Need New Ideas

Some politicians think that if they ignore crumbling schools they will just go away. Schools are just like the bridges and roads that have fallen into disrepair around the country. They will not go away. The school districts around the country have been repairing schools for years while trying to maintain failing budgets. There are ceilings falling down, hazardous rooms that are closed to students, cracking and dull paint and broken chairs and desks. Teachers suffer too. Many teachers spend thousands of dollars out of their own personal budgets to buy resources for their classes.

The crumbling schools did not get there overnight. School districts have delayed construction to meet their annual budget. As they wait the cost of materials and labor continues to rise and we have the perfect storm. The cycle continues where a school board says let’s wait and see how we can budget construction for next year. Students are at risk physically and emotionally when they attend a school that is falling apart. Students wonder who cares about whether they show up for school. School board members should take proactive steps to get legislators and the community involved in pursuing funding and all school funding must be equitable.

Teachers also suffer when schools are falling apart. They are shuffled from room to room. They are told to make due with what they have. While other schools issue lap top computers to students. Teachers need a boost in resources to provide instruction and innovative experiences for each student . One cannot expect teacher instruction to excel if they do not have the equipment for chemistry and biology courses that they teach. Corporations need to be more involved in supplying some of these resources.

The cost involved in the continuous repair of failing heaters, water systems, bathrooms and roofs of older buildings continues to increase. In many cases it is just better to build a new school. Why not get engineering and architecture colleges around each city involved in innovative projects with the crumbling schools. This is one way to create enthusiasm and innovative solutions for the problems that plague schools. It would also create engineers and scientists who are sensitive to the needs of schools. It is easy for college students to get stuck on campus and lack an awareness of the problems that schools are facing.
It’s time to stand up for schools and teachers who want to make an impact on student’s lives. Our country cannot compete with the rest of the world if we lack the will and commitment to change our schools. Presidents Obama must continue to fight to increase financial resources to construct new schools across the nation. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Maybe legislators across the parties should tour schools to see their condition. CNN should do a year-long series on the crumbling schools. It’s better to prepare for the future by building innovative schools than to watch students drop out. Let’s think big and create schools that will be noticed around the globe.

K-6 Students Need a High School Graduation Vision

It’s easy to think that a student entering K-6th grade will graduate from high school some day but the reality is sobering. Nearly half of inner city and some rural school district students do not graduate from high school. Their education vision and experience needs to change at an early age. Why not help K-6 students to grab a vision of their high school graduation on day one. Students must know that they have what it takes to succeed in school. This vision must not only be captured in the student’s mind it must be their teacher’s expectation. A student’s gifts and talents must be exposed early if the student is going to thrive in every grade.

I have not run into a K-6 student who is making a plan to fail and not graduate. In fact many aspire to be doctors and lawyers. Each student must receive an internal message that makes school worth it. It will take creativity on the part of each schools leadership. The students are asking why should I stay in school if no one really cares. A little praise for each student’s accomplishments can go a long way. For some students the only praise that they receive all day is from their teacher. Students also feel inspired when they receive an award. There is a tendency to single out certain students again and again. For weeks when there is perfect attendance why not give an entire class a certificate. Did you know that some students will never earn a certificate during their entire time in school? Giving awards is one way to indicate that a student’s efforts are worth it. Students need to feel that someone cares about their progress.

It is amazing how many K-6 students that I talk to who want to start their own businesses. Somehow they know that having their own business I a good idea. All along we need to help students to take daily steps into their future. They must see themselves in a variety of jobs. Inviting guests from all fields of work to speak to students will broaden their horizons. What they don’t know is that they can start and earn a good living with more education. The K-6 student needs to know the amount of education that’s required to gain employment in certain jobs.

Six years can go by really fast. One moment a student is in the sixth grade and the next moment they are ready to graduate from high school. This is one reason why it is important for students to see themselves as graduates early. Each day their parent, teacher and counselor have an opportunity to inspire each student. It’s important to take the time to notice when they are maturing emotionally and intellectually. It is a great opportunity to give them positive feedback concerning their growth.

Every student is a high school and college graduate in waiting. Some students need to learn how to focus on their goals. Each student must be taught how to reach their goals and how to avoid distractions. Ask open ended questions to find out about their graduation plans. Listen before you speak and you can gain the students confidence.

Each day students attend a k12 school adds up to the long term goal of graduation. Igniting the fire in each student requires persistence from parents and teachers who tell the students that they expect to attend their graduation. Students like challenges when they perceive that the desired goal is attainable.

Crumbling Schools Need New Ideas

Some politicians think that if they ignore crumbling schools they will just go away. Schools are just like the bridges and roads that have fallen into disrepair around the country. They will not go away. The school districts around the country have been repairing schools for years while trying to maintain failing budgets. There are ceilings falling down, hazardous rooms that are closed to students, cracking and dull paint and broken chairs and desks. Teachers suffer too. Many teachers spend thousands of dollars out of their own personal budgets to buy resources for their classes.

The crumbling schools did not get there overnight. School districts have delayed construction to meet their annual budget. As they wait the cost of materials and labor continues to rise and we have the perfect storm. The cycle continues where a school board says let’s wait and see how we can budget construction for next year. Students are at risk physically and emotionally when they attend a school that is falling apart. Students wonder who cares about whether they show up for school. School board members should take proactive steps to get legislators and the community involved in pursuing funding and all school funding must be equitable.
Teachers also suffer when schools are falling apart. They are shuffled from room to room. They are told to make due with what they have. While other schools issue lap top computers to students. Teachers need a boost in resources to provide instruction and innovative experiences for each student . One cannot expect teacher instruction to excel if they do not have the equipment for chemistry and biology courses that they teach. Corporations need to be more involved in supplying some of these resources.

The cost involved in the continuous repair of failing heaters, water systems, bathrooms and roofs of older buildings continues to increase. In many cases it is just better to build a new school. Why not get engineering and architecture colleges around each city involved in innovative projects with the crumbling schools. This is one way to create enthusiasm and innovative solutions for the problems that plague schools. It would also create engineers and scientists who are sensitive to the needs of schools. It is easy for college students to get stuck on campus and lack an awareness of the problems that schools are facing.

It’s time to stand up for schools and teachers who want to make an impact on student’s lives. Our country cannot compete with the rest of the world if we lack the will and commitment to change our schools. Presidents Obama must continue to fight to increase financial resources to construct new schools across the nation. The squeaky wheel gets the oil. Maybe legislators across the parties should tour schools to see their condition. CNN should do a year-long series on the crumbling schools. It’s better to prepare for the future by building innovative schools than to watch students drop out. Let’s think big and create schools that will be noticed around the globe.