Tips for parents – Doing science at home
When you have young children you may come across plenty of resources for helping your child with Maths or English however it can be harder to find things to be able to do some science with your children. Science can be so interesting and fun too so it’s a great thing to encourage your child to do. They will find that they are learning whilst having fun. Here’s an idea for an experiment you could try at home: Floating challenge – for this you will need a tank of water, or you could just fill up the sink or the bath. Ask your child to choose a selection of objects from around the house such as a piece of fruit, a toy car and a plastic cup. Then ask your child if they think each item will sink or float and why? You can then test the items and discuss why some things float and somethings sink regardless of their weight. A good way to demonstrate this is with tin foil, if its rolled into a ball it will sink, however if its made into the shape of a boat it will float. Playdoh works well too. You could then […]
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Taking Mobile Phones on School Trips
Many children now have a mobile phone and they may or may not be allowed to use it in school. Often parents will feel safer knowing they have one though, as they can send a message to say they got to school safely or that they arrived at their friend’s house afterwards. Should children be allowed to take their mobile phones with them on school trips? It may be a useful and practical addition for a pupil in some circumstances, as they can use their phone to document the trip and take photographs to help them remember it in the classroom. If a child has a particular health need, it may also put their parents’ minds at rest to know they can get in touch at any time. Having a mobile phone abroad is a big responsibility and it’s not something that all children can be trusted with. It’s also worth remembering that teachers will have phones and will be able to call home should anything happen.
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Giving your Child a Head Start in their Learning
Sometimes, children need to be given an extra little bit of support in order to learn as well as they can in school. One way to help your child get this extra support is to hire the help of a tutor. Here are some of the benefits a tutor can provide: Your child can focus on the aspects that matter to them. If they are struggling with a particular subject or find something especially interesting, the tutor can cover these with them in more depth. A tutor will work flexible hours. They can come to you whenever it suits you, at weekends or during the evenings. Many tutors are highly specialised. Make sure you look at their background in their subject and their previous teaching experience to help you hire the right person. Your child can learn in person or online. Tutors offer online sessions as well, further helping with flexibility and giving your child new ways to learn.
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How to Get the Most out of a Parents’ Evening
Parents’ evening is beneficial for both teachers and parents. It gives them the chance to talk to each other face to face, go over any issues and make plans going to forward to really help with a child’s development. It’s important that you prepare beforehand, or you might not be able to make the most of your child’s parents’ evening. Here are some things you should ask about: How is your child performing? Get a general overview of how they are doing in school. This doesn’t just mean asking about their subjects. Find out whether your child behaves well, concentrates in class and has a good group of friends. It’s your chance to find out how well they are doing socially as well as academically. Where do your child’s strengths lie? You will need to give your child career and study advice in the future, so it’s good to know the subjects they excel in. Teachers will be able to advise on subjects where you child has a natural talent, helping you to work with them to select A levels, university courses and careers in the future. Is there anything specific you could be doing to help? It might be […]
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Using an E-Reading Device to Improve Reading
Children sometimes don’t have access to as many books as they used to. Libraries are closing down, and buying books yourself is expensive. One way to keep costs down is to use an e-reading device to give children access to all the books they want. Often, e-readers will be very useful as they will have educational books available as well as fiction. This can really cut costs as text books are usually expensive. If you don’t have time to go out and shop for books, you can buy one with the click of a button from the comfort of you own home. Whilst the books will still cost you, they will be a fraction of the price of a paperback or hardback book. You should check whether or not the device you want to buy has the books your children read before you invest, as different models all have different availability.
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Hiring a Tutor to Help With Learning
Sometimes, students just need a helping hand. Lessons can move quickly, there’s a lot to take in and exams are frequent. It’s inevitable that children will often require some additional support outside of school and outside of what parents can provide. There are lots of specialised people who are now deciding to work as private tutors. Some teachers and lecturers do it to supplement their income, and others choose to do it full time. Therefore, it should be easy enough to find someone who is able to help. The best place to begin your search is on the internet. This tool will introduce you to many people who can help you out. There are lots of websites that specialise specifically in tutoring, so these can be useful to sign up to and monitor. Check the terms and conditions and choose the sites where all tutors have been thoroughly vetted and carry all the relevant qualifications. It’s important to involve pupils in any decision to hire a personal tutor. They might have strong feelings about the kind of person they’d like to work with, which will affect the way they respond to their new tutor. If the two people clash it […]
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