Huntington Learning Center

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Help Your Child Strengthen His or Her Weaker Learning Styles

Contact: Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

Help Your Child Strengthen His or Her Weaker Learning Styles

Ankeny, Iowa. November 2017– When it comes to learning, no two children process information exactly the same. Like adults, children have their own learning preferences and styles and it can take a little trial and error to determine exactly how they learn effectively and retain information. Doctor Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center says that while knowing a child’s preferred learning style or styles is valuable information, parents should still help their children improve their lesser-refined styles too. “Not every classroom or subject will fit a child’s tendencies, so even though it is natural for children to gravitate toward certain subjects because the typical class activity fits their learning style best, they shouldn’t just ignore subjects that are a bit more out of their comfort zone.” How can you help your child strengthen any weaker learning styles? Here are a few tips:

To become a stronger visual learner, have your child try the following:

· Use mnemonic techniques for memorizing information.
· Organize notes logically so that main concepts and ideas are highlighted and it is easy to skim supporting information.
· Try a variety of visual aids to learn new material, such as graphs and charts—and combine these tools with reading aloud.
· Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child generally enjoys reading and talking aloud, he or she could do so while writing things on a whiteboard or in a notebook.
To become a stronger kinesthetic learner, have your child try the following:
· Study in small groups to talk through ideas.
· Use flashcards and other “active” tools.
· Have your child share material with you or a study partner to reinforce learning.
· Take notes while reading, draw out concepts on a whiteboard or piece of paper, or act things out with you or someone else.
· Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child generally needs a quiet place to focus, he or she can still improve those tactile learning strategies by active studying (e.g. highlighting while reading).
To become a stronger auditory learner, have your child try the following
· Record information (such as vocabulary words) on a tape recorder and play back while on the go or in the car.
· Use the “Read Aloud” tool in his or her word processing software to review drafts of what he or she writes.
· Purchase both the audio and regular version of textbooks and listen to chapters while following along in the text.
· Read aloud to him or herself.
· When learning new information, make associations—with music, for example—to remember what he or she learns.

· Pair any of these techniques with his or her stronger learning preferences. For example, if your child benefits from the use of memory devices and flash cards, he or she could also have a partner read those tools aloud to strengthen the auditory learning aptitudes.

Lastly, Dr. Shaw reminds parents that students who are versatile in their learning preferences will be better prepared for the real world. “When children spend time developing their less comfortable learning styles, they’re essentially helping transform themselves into stronger, more agile students,” he says. “The world is fast-moving and children who are able to adapt as the situation requires will be well equipped for lifelong success.”

For more information about how Huntington helps students strengthen their learning styles, call Huntington at (515) 965-3860.

About Huntington

Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington’s mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

©2017 Huntington Mark, LLC. Huntington Learning Center®, the three-leaf logo, and 1 800 CAN LEARN® are registered trademarks of Huntington Mark, LLC. Each franchised Huntington Learning Center is operated under a franchise agreement with Huntington Learning Centers, Inc.

Did you know about this?

So, people, get started on those college applications! Good luck! When you think you are finished writing up your essay, set it aside for a day or two so you can reread it over and catch any mistakes, grammar errors, words that does not fit as descriptive in a sentence and more. Have someone else take a look, a set of fresh eyes can possible see something you have may missed.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

October 23rd is Ankeny's schools report card day!

Contact: Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

Questions to Ask About Your Child’s First Report Card of the Year

Ankeny, Iowa. October 2017– It’s the start of a brand-new school year, which will be full of new adventure for your child. Soon, you’ll receive his or her first report card—an official status update on how things are going. “Parents should take this first ‘check-up’ of the year as an opportunity to open the lines of communication with their children and their children’s teachers,” says Doctor Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center. When the first-semester report card comes home, what should you address during those conversations? Here are several questions to ask:

Questions for your child

1. How has this year gone so far? Give your child a chance to talk about the first couple of months of the school year candidly. How does your child feel about the teacher, each subject and any homework and tests?

2. What are you proud of? Allow your child to ponder what has gone well this year as a result of his or her efforts. Perhaps there will be one or more classes where the grades were hard earned and a few that came much easier. This insight will help you understand your child’s journey to date and what concerns he or she has that weren’t on your radar.

3. How do you learn and study best? Before offering your own observations and ideas about how your child learns most effectively, ask for his or her opinion. Be sure to talk about how this year is going and if your child is noticing any changes in his or her most useful study and learning methods.

4. What do you want to change going forward? Bring this up after reviewing the report card together. If your child received a poor grade, it’s understandable that you might want to lay out a game plan to fix it, but let your child talk first. What does he or she think is the best course of action?

Questions for your child’s teacher

1. What are my child’s strengths and weaknesses? You have your own thoughts, but it is invaluable to understand the teacher’s ideas about your child’s areas of strength and areas to improve upon. This gives the teacher a chance to talk about your child’s performance compared to grade-level expectations and how he or she is staying on track thus far in the year.

2. How would you describe my child as a student/learner? The more you know about your child’s learning preferences, tendencies and methods, the better equipped you will be to offer support at home. Ask the teacher what he or she sees in the classroom as far as the environment and types of lessons that seem to “click” with your child the best.

3. Where would you like to see my child make changes? This question should hopefully open the conversation to your child’s working habits and demeanor in the classroom. Whatever adjustments the teacher brings up, make sure you ask for suggestions on how best to proceed.

4. What can I do to support your efforts? It’s always helpful to get an understanding from the teacher as early in the year as possible of the role you should play in your child’s education. Ask about tips for approaching homework time, what the appropriate level of involvement is and how you can stay in touch with the teacher for your child’s benefit.

Before any conversation about the report card, Dr. Shaw encourages parents to write down their own list of questions, springboarding from the above topics. “All parents have a unique perspective of what their children need to work on, so it’s a good idea to keep that big picture in mind when communicating both with their children and the teachers,” he says. “Parents can keep those conversations focused and constructive by spending time in advance putting any issues or concerns down on paper.”

If the first report card of the year brings up issues that are of serious concern, call Huntington at 515-965-3864. We can develop a customized, one-to-one plan of instruction to help your child address any problems big or small and make this a great school year.

About Huntington

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Month of October Learning Disabilities Awareness Month

"In observance of Learning Disabilities Awareness month, Huntington's own Dr. Mary Rooney shares tips for breaking screen addiction habits in children with ADHD."

https://huntingtonhelps.com/resources/adhd-blog/screen-addiction-in-kids-with-adhd

Sunday, August 20, 2017

5 Tips to Write a Great College Application Essay

Contact: Dr. Dennis Shaw, Center Director
Huntington Learning Center of Ankeny
515-965-3860
ShawD@HLCmail.com

Ankeny.HuntingtonHelps.com

5 Tips to Write a Great College Application Essay

Ankeny, Iowa August 20, 2017– If you’re the parent of a college-bound student, you know well all that goes into the college admissions process. From taking the SAT or ACT to the researching of colleges, there’s a lot to do in a relatively short amount of time. But what about the application essay? “If the college to which your teen is applying requires or strongly recommends that he or she write an essay, there are a number of things your teen can do to put his or her best foot forward,” says Dr. Dennis Shaw of the Ankeny Huntington Learning Center. Here are five tips:

1. Put thought into choosing the right topic. Most colleges’ essay prompts are open ended, as admissions officers generally hope that students will give good thought to selecting a topic that shows who they are and what they are capable of. Encourage your teen to be authentic and introspective, to think about what he or she is proud of and passionate about as well as life experiences that have required your teen to work harder, overcome setbacks or change. Remind your teen that the goal isn’t to impress the college with a laundry list of achievements, but rather, to present oneself in a way that is different than what the admissions officer would find on a transcript.

2. Follow the directions. The essay is your teen’s chance to engage in thoughtful self-expression, but it isn’t the place to ramble about why a college is your teen’s dream school or explore tangents about his or her life or feelings. Remind your teen to carefully read and ponder the essay prompt given by the college. Don’t disregard any instructions. If there’s a word count, stick to it. If specific questions are asked, be sure your teen submits something that answers them.

3. Create a detailed outline first. Rarely do words flow together to create a compelling essay without sufficient planning. Your teen must spend time creating an outline with a beginning, middle and ending. The outline should include good examples and clearly show how the essay will move from start to finish. Before your teen starts writing, have him or her review and edit the outline if needed. Are there gaps in the story? Is the main takeaway of the essay clear from the outline?

4. Allow plenty of time for multiple drafts. It’s understandable that your teen might be focused on preparing for the SAT or ACT and narrowing down colleges and universities of interest, but it’s critical to allow time to craft a well-written essay—and revise it. If an application is due January 1, a sample timeline might be creating the outline by November 1, first draft by November 10, second draft by November 20 and final draft in early December. This allows your teen time to set the essay aside for a couple of weeks and read it with fresh eyes (and proofread and fine-tune if necessary).

5. Edit like a pro. Speaking of drafts, your teen might question the suggestion that an essay requires rewriting several times. Yes, it’s true. A great essay takes writing, revising and revising again. Encourage your teen to do the obvious—proofread for errors and edit wordy or confusing sections—but a great self-editor should ask questions while reviewing as well, such as:

· Does the essay hook the reader from the very start?

· What’s the point of the essay and did I capture it effectively?

· Is any part of the essay too long or too rushed?

· Is there a clear conflict that caused me to change in some specific way or take a new path?

· Did I achieve the desired tone for the essay (moving or humorous, for example)?

· Does the voice sound and feel like me?

· For each and every sentence, could I say it better or more clearly?

The college application essay is the chance to show an admissions officer who your teen is as a student and a person—beyond his or her transcript and test scores. It’s a personal statement that should come from the heart and share with the college to which your teen is applying why he or she would be a great fit as a student there. Your teen should be sincere and articulate and remember that a college’s goal in requesting supplemental essays from applicants is to give them the chance to tell the college something about themselves. This is a powerful opportunity—encourage your teen to put his or her best foot forward.

About Huntington