All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

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7 Ways to Motivate Students to Read

 

readEven with the Internet, smart phones, video games, movies and television, reading is one of the most popular and pleasurable pastimes for children and adults. Still, not all young people enjoy or value the experiences that can be had via the printed page. For parents, finding ways to get your teen to engage with written material can be a challenge, and getting those same students to develop a reading desire of their own can feel nearly impossible.

Motivating anyone to want to read is as much an art as it is a science, and even if you have training as a reading specialist it can still be difficult. If you’d like to instill a love of reading in your teen, here are seven tried-and-true ways to create the reading spark and motivate students to read.

1. Building Students’ Self-Confidence and Self-Efficacy

For some students, reading is a challenge that may have been, or still might be, a source of shame. For a less-advanced reader, spend time building their confidence. Let them know that reading isn’t about measuring up, but that even if it were, you’re convinced they’d pass muster. A belief in one’s own self-efficacy is necessary before a child can put effort toward something. As long as your student doesn’t believe they can read well, they won’t be motivated. Working with your student to master the skills of reading will also enable them to enjoy it.

2. Build Connections

Choose books and reading materials whose topics build bridges and connections with your student’s personal life. Your student has realities at home and at school that are probably wonderfully addressed in stories or essays somewhere. Find them, and encourage them to read about them.

3. Build Textual Variety

There are so many ways to read! From graphic novels and comic books to weekly magazines like Weekly Reader when they were younger, illustrated stories and biographies, you can build a variety of readable genres for your student to explore. When they see that reading is more than just black on white, their curiosity will come alive.

4. Increase Their Choices

When students have a choice of what to read, they can find ways to make deeper and more meaningful connections with the materials they choose. To that end, make sure you can supply every literary genre either by downloading books on an tablet, or by visiting a public library.

5. Build Excitement

Find the places of passion, and feed that passion with reading materials. Invite them to discuss and write about how their experiences of reading do and don’t relate to their own experiences in the world.

6. Promote Conversation

While it can be a challenge to carry on a discussion about a book with your student, it can be a tremendous experience for both of you. Ask questions about the reading that build empathy and invite reflection, and ask them questions about their reading based on the tenants of the SA

7. Share Your Own Love of Reading

Perhaps the most salient motivator of all is your own love of reading. Tell stories of narratives and memoirs that impacted you and why. If you adequately display your own deep affection for reading, it can leave an indelible mark on the students you seek to inspire.

Reading is a skill whose necessary and practical application can sometimes get in the way of its ability to provide pleasure. If you’re a parent who values your students’ reading experiences, it’s worth the effort to motivate them to develop a desire for it. Whether “Island of the Blue Dolphins” or “Diary of Anne Frank,” the written word, at times, invites readers into a stunning world, and all people should have the opportunity to visit.

 

admissions, financial aid, Zinch posts

College Decisions To-Do List

 

college decisions
-photo courtesy of Zinch

For seniors, the New Year brings those long-awaited college decisions: deferred, accepted, rejected, and wait listed. One knowledgeable college counselor once told me, “I don’t like to call these letters of acceptance. I use the term—offers of admission.”

As a parent, I like that distinction. This alternative wording makes it easier to stomach those not-so-pleasant responses and help your college-bound teen work through the gamut of emotions that come when decisions arrive.

Your student may be the one receiving these communications from the colleges, but you feel every emotion they do from failure to excitement and everything in between. But unless you understand what each term means, it’s hard to know how to help your student (and yourself) with appropriate responses and proper action.

When the letters from the colleges (or online notifications) arrive, your student will receive one of four responses: deferred, wait-listed, rejected (declined admission) or accepted (offered admission). Once you understand these terms, you can determine what your response should be and how you need to take action.

Read more from Zinch: You’ve Heard from the Colleges–Now What?

mom approved tips, study abroad

Mom-Approved Tips: The Pros and Cons of Study Abroad

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study abroadAccording to the latest “Open Doors” survey of international conducted annually by the Institute of International Education., the number of international students at U.S. universities increased 7.2 percent in 2012-13 to an all-time high of 819,644. The number of Americans studying abroad grew to 283,332 in 2011-12, representing a 3.4 percent increase over the previous year.

Inside Higher Education recently discussed a new program called Generation Study Abroad:

More than 150 U.S. colleges have pledged to increase their study abroad participation rates as part of a new national initiative, Generation Study Abroad, being spearheaded by the Institute of International Education. The initiative has the exceedingly ambitious aim of doubling American study abroad enrollment, to about 600,000, by the end of the decade. According to IIE data, just under 10 percent of American undergraduates currently study abroad during the course of their degrees.

Should you encourage your student to study abroad? The easiest way to decide is to weigh the pros and cons.

Pros

Cultural Experience

Any study abroad student will have a unique cultural experience. This is something they can’t have if they remain in the states. Becoming immersed in a foreign culture offers them a new perspective on life and enhances their view of the world.

Enhances the degree

When students study abroad, they will study subjects that might not be taught in their college or university. These courses are often unique to the country they are studying in. It’s also an opportunity to study with students from another country.

Broadens their employment eligibility

Students can add significant value to their resumes simply by studying abroad. In the competitive market of entry-level jobs, most resumes look more or less the same. The interest in multiculturalism that studying abroad suggests can make your student’s resume stand out from the pack. It also shows the ability to adapt to a new environment and take on new and challenging situations – all green flags for potential employers.

Encourages independence

More than attending college away from home, attending college in a foreign country helps students learn to survive on their own and mature in the process. Studying abroad teaches them how to manage time, money and other resources in a way that nothing else can. A child who studies abroad doesn’t just take classes in another country. They learn about a whole new way of life and that better prepares them for “the adult world” once they return home.

Opportunities to travel

It’s a great way to see the world. College is the perfect time for a young person to get out and see the world by experiencing different kinds of cultures including food, music and architecture. It will create lasting memories for the rest of their lives.

Cons

Cost

Study aboard can be costly. Most colleges offer the programs as part of the regular tuition, room and board but it won’t include travel or day to day expenses. Colleges, however, describe plans such as increasing fund-raising for study abroad scholarships, introducing a study abroad scholarship tied to student fee income, and promoting the Gilman Scholarship Program, which supports study abroad for Pell Grant recipients. With these added initiative, the cost might not be prohibitive.

Language Barrier

Some students might be afraid of the language barrier, studying abroad at schools that often teach in the native language. On the positive side, living and participating in the culture will help them learn the language more quickly.

Delays graduation timeline

It’s not uncommon for study abroad programs to delay graduation by a semester or more. It’s important to investigate the course offerings before making the decision to study abroad during the school year. If the credits are not a part of your degree plan you will have to take courses after returning home to make up for the time you lost while abroad. One way to avoid this is to attend during a summer program.

Mom-Approved Tip

For most students, study abroad is a positive experience. And with the college’s help, it can be affordable. Many students who study abroad gain a world view unlike any of the students who opted out of the programs. My daughter and many of her friends participated in a study abroad program offered by her college. The program was coordinated with the degree plan and she was able to stay on track for graduation in four years. She considers it to be one of the most beneficial aspects of her liberal arts education. Since then, she has become a world traveler and enjoys experiencing other cultures. If you can swing it, encourage your student to explore the study abroad program. Weighing the pros and cons, the pros win!

 

Guest Posts

Three tips to ensure internet security in college

 

internet securityUsing the internet is essential when you are a college student. The vast majority of college students use the web to revise for exams, to research and submit assignments, and to communicate with friends and family. However, to ensure your safety and security, there are a number of steps you will need to take when surfing the web.

Here are three tips to ensure internet security in college.

1. Ensuring that your computer is safe and secure

When using the internet at college, make sure that the computer is equipped with the latest security software and web browser to minimize the risk of viruses, threats and other threats.

Make sure that your computer firewall is turned on. If you are using a shared computer in a library or classroom, you may be unable to change the security settings of the computer without permission from the relevant department of your college. If you suspect that the computer is unsafe, or doesn’t have the latest security updates installed, contact a member of staff.

USBs and other devices that you connect to the computer can sometimes contain viruses so will need to be scanned via the security software on your computer.

Ensure that your computer is able to update the latest software updates automatically. You will be able to customize your security settings from the control panel of your security software. Remember, software updates are one of the most important tools to protect safety and security of college students on Internet.

2. Protecting your personal information when browsing the web

You may have to provide some personal information when purchasing items online at college, or when submitting personal details to faculty or members of college staff. Security will need to be adhered to at all times to minimize the risk of cyber-crime.

When choosing a password for an online account, make sure it contains both a capital letter and a number. Your password should be strong enough so that it will not be easily guessed by other people.

Create unique passwords for different online accounts. You may need to create a password to access your college emails for example, or to submit assignments online. Separate passwords for individual online accounts can minimize the cyber-criminals from accessing your details.

Never leave your computer or laptop unattended when you in a public space, for example at the college library or when in a classroom or lecture theatre. Take care to lock the computer and to password protect the account on your operating system to safeguard against other people accessing private information.

3. Protecting college work and assignments

You will most likely be spending long hours completely assignments and other work when at college, so care must be taken to back up your work.
Make an electronic copy of all files, documents, photos, and folders and store this in a safe place using not so complex backup tools. Not only will this ensure that no-body can access your files if your laptop or computer is stolen, but you will be able to access these files if your computer has become affected by a virus.

Label USBs so you can find the files that you are looking for quickly. You may also want to include a phone number or email address on the label so somebody can contact you if you lose it.

infographics

Creative Ways to Fund Your Education

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If you’ve been to college, are in college or are planning to go, you know that a college degree can cost enough to affect your personal finances for years – sometimes for life. We look at some facts and figures about college, tuition, and some of the ways that students pay for their degree.

Funding College: The Numbers

There are three timelines for raising funds to pay for college tuition: before, during and after. Obviously, having some or all funds upfront is nice. It gives you a 3-4 year head start on students who accumulate college debt. But given the cost of college, it’s not an option for everyone. Earning and paying tuition during college costs you time while you’re studying, potentially delaying your degree with distractions — but it’s a fact of life. Paying for college after graduating — i.e., acquiring student debt — is of course the most costly option because it involves interest payments. Of course, if you drop out of college and have loans, those could come due immediately.

BestCollegesOnline.org takes a look at the numbers for college enrollments, tuition and other related figures to give you creative ways to fund your education. Click on the image to see the complete infographic.

fund your education

 

Uncategorized

Scholarship Friday: Minority Scholarships

 

minority scholarshipsYour cultural heritage, your sex, and your sexual orientation could end up paying for your college education. There are scholarships and grants that are reserved for specific minority groups. You don’t need to be a first generation immigrant to qualify for these scholarships; you just have to prove that you are indeed a member of the minority to qualify for the awards.

Some minority groups that receive scholarships for college include:

  • African American
  • Hispanic
  • Native American
  • Asian
  • Women
  • Multi-racial or multicultural
  • Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT)

If you are a member of a minority group, work with the financial aid professionals at your school, to ensure your minority scholarship search is exhaustive. Talk to your counselor and ask her if she knows of any scholarships that might be available locally for your specific minority. Individual minority scholarship awards range from a few-hundred to several-thousand dollars annually.

For an exhaustive list of minority scholarships with links to their applications, you can visit CollegeScholarships.org.

Top 10

Top 10 Activities for College-Bound Juniors

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top 10With all the talk about senior to-do-lists and the excitement around the college offers and graduation, it’s easy to forget about the juniors. When it comes right down to it, this should be when juniors amp up their game in anticipation of the fall and senior year. It’s time to start now!

Here are my top 10 activities for college-bound juniors:

  1. Research colleges–If your junior hasn’t started already, it’s time to get down and dirty and start researching colleges. Make a list of “have tos” and start there. Use sites like CollegeData.com to narrow down the choices and look at some of the statistics about each of the colleges that interest them.
  2. Visit campuses–Even if you haven’t tied down your choices, visit some college campuses. Spring is a great time to visit colleges, and if you can’t travel far, find one in your neck of the woods and check it out. You would be surprised at how visits tend to shape the choice.
  3. Take the SAT/ACT–Spring SAT and ACT tests are just around the corner. Register and take them now. If your student isn’t pleased with the scores, that will leave them time to study over the summer and retake them early in the fall before your student begins their college applications.
  4. Choose the right classes for next year–It’s time to start surveying the courses for next year. Encourage your student to take as many AP classes as they can handle and consider dual credit courses as well. College look positively on students who take strenuous course loads. And the added bonus it these classes can help your student get credit for college level courses—saving you tons of money in the long run.
  5. Search for scholarships–Junior year is the time to focus, focus, focus on scholarship searches. Most of the scholarship s for seniors already have applications available for next year. Budget some time each day for your student to do the searches, and it’s perfectly acceptable for you to help. Remember, however, to help motivate them to search when you have the money talk with them about college expenses and student debt.
  6. Connect with your high school counselor–The high school counselor will be responsible for some of the application process and you want them to know your student when they are sending letters of recommendation and transcripts to the colleges. I often say this and some counselors have disagreed, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil and your student needs to be squeaky to the point of annoyance.
  7. Keep your grades up–Junior year is the grades that EA and ED college choices will see when you apply. It’s the most important year for your student as far as grades are concerned. Waiting until senior year to buckle down will not have much effect on the GPA.
  8. Get organized–Organization is the key to surviving senior year communication and deadlines. Set aside a landing zone for college related work and information, create a college calendar, and get an email for college communication only (firstnamlastname@gmail.com).
  9. Attend information sessions when campuses send representatives–Colleges will send representatives to high schools during the spring to connect with students. Make sure your student stays in contact with the counselor so they will know when those sessions occur—and encourage them to attend.
  10. Stay involved–Whatever your student is doing now as far as extracurricular activities, don’t stop. Colleges like to see consistency and commitment. Giving up before senior year won’t paint a positive picture. It may be hard as the new school year begins, but it’s critical for the big picture.

Junior year is when parents start having conversations with their students about career goals, college choices, course choices and financing the college education. Start now and you won’t be caught overwhelmed when school begins in the fall.

parenting, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: A Crash Course in Money Management

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money managementBudget? For teenagers. Why on earth would they possibly need to learn to budget? Their every need is met: food, shelter, clothing and for most entertainment. The baby boomer generation has made sure that our kids want for nothing and their every need is met immediately. What is wrong with this picture? Simple. We’re raising a generation of children who end up drowning in debt as adults.

Before you send your child off to college and expect them to understand how to budget and not abuse credit, it’s time to give them a crash course in money management.

Money 101-The difference between wants and needs

This is the foundation upon which every other lesson is built upon. We all say it, especially our kids: I need (fill in the blank). But is it a need, or a want. Most of the time, it’s a want. And if it’s a want, you can 99.9% of the time, do without it. Understanding this concept will help your kid learn to spend wisely and if you teach them to ask this question before they make a purchase, it’s going to change their lives.

Money 202-Don’t spend more than you earn

Adults (or most adults) understand this concept. If your child doesn’t learn this before college, it is open season for college students by the credit card companies. It’s easy to “swipe” the card and rationalize they can pay for it later. Before long $20 becomes $50, $50 becomes $100, and $100 becomes $1000.

Money 303-If you want it, you have to earn it

This is an easy lesson to teach your kids, but many parents don’t. Start early with chores, then summer jobs, and then encourage them to save for that high ticket item. Purchasing a new car for your teenagers doesn’t teach them this lesson. Instead, consider a used car that needs some work, but only if they contribute some of the funds.

Money 404-Don’t depend on a rich benefactor

We’ve all seen those shirts in the mall that say: “My kid thinks I’m an ATM”. This is the mantra of today’s generation. If I want it, mommy and daddy will get it for me. If I want to go to college, mommy and daddy will foot the bill. Encourage them to always have some “skin in the game” when it comes to important purchases. If it’s their hard-earned money, it will have more value.

Graduate Course-Create a budget and stick to it

You can start early with an allowance and some weekly spending money for essentials. Explain to them that this is their money but it’s their responsibility to use it wisely. When it’s gone, it’s gone. They will have to wait until the next week before their funds are replenished. It’s as simple as sitting down with them every week and writing down how much money they have and what they will need to spend it on.

Kids who learn these lessons before college will be happier adults. They won’t become a slave to debt and they will work for everything they acquire in life.

For more budgeting tips read Wendy’s blog:

6 Circus Lessons for Balancing the Budget

social networks

How Colleges are Using Instagram

 

instagramInstagram, the mobile app that allows users to take photos, add filters, and share them with their social networks, has grown to more than 40 million users. Many colleges are embracing the platform and adding it as another social media tool in their marketing strategy. Instagram is a visual platform, much like Pinterest. The appeal, according to students, is that it’s easy to communicate with pictures. Knowing this, colleges are posting pictures on this platform. The best part—they often use images posted by current students.

Here are just a few ways colleges are using Instagram:

Providing behind the scenes content

According to the University of Florida, students “want behind-the-scenes images.” The university posts more exclusive-access images, such as a photo during a class lecture, an image inside a university television station, and a point-of-view photograph from the podium at the university commencement ceremonies. This gives students a visual footprint of the campus.

Posting photos of special events

Many colleges are using Instagram to promote special events, such as commencement. Students at Vanderbilt University, for instance, have made commencement ceremonies an Instagram affair. Using a hashtag specific to the university, the university collects the latest photos from students to share, posting them on their website every 30 seconds so that they could be shared with families and students.

Expanding their social media influence

Smaller colleges may find it hard to grow a fan base on social networks to match those of larger universities, but with Instagram, they have the ability to easily share to other social media sites allowing them to reach a variety of audiences.

Highlighting school pride

What better way to promote school pride than with visual images. Students post photos from sporting events, campus activities, and cultural events. This gives prospective and current students the opportunity to visually participate in displaying their school pride.

Prospective students can use Instagram

Just like Pinterest, you can take pictures while on your college visits. By tagging them with the college hashtags, other students will see your photos. But here’s the plus: as you take the photos you can type comments and this will provide you with a visual reminder of each college.

If your student is looking for images posted by students, Instagram might just be the perfect source. A student’s perspective, after all, is the best perspective.

gap year, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Don’t Fear the Gap Year

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gap year“I want to take a year before I go to college” are some of the most feared words by parents. What do we fear? We fear they won’t want to go back to school after being off for a year. We fear they will lie around the house, watch TV and play video games. We fear they aren’t thinking clearly and have no idea what they are saying. And for those competitive parents, it’s not what they planned.

Don’t fear the gap year. Not every student is ready for college after high school. Some simply aren’t mature enough, and others simply don’t know where they want to go or what they want to study. And if this is the case, would you want to spend thousands of dollars on college if it meant they dropped out their first semester? Of course you wouldn’t want to do that.

Have a serious conversation.

If your student is considering a gap year, you need to have a serious conversation—without judgment. Let them talk and listen. Try to find out why they want to do this. Is it about fear of college, are they afraid of failing or not being accepted, or are they simply unsure about what they want to do. Once you know that reason, it will be easier to parent regarding their decision.

Be straightforward and honest.

If you ascertain that their reasons are motivated by fear of failing, be encouraging. Point out their strengths and offer to help if they are struggling. Tutoring might help or consider hiring a professional college counselor to help them make some decisions. If they truly don’t feel college is for them, be supportive and discuss what the next year will be like.

Make a plan

Gap years are successful and beneficial if your student has a plan. During this year, they should work toward determining what they want to do once the year is up. This can be accomplished in many different ways. They could work and save money for college. They could investigate internships or apprenticeships in areas they are interested in. They could travel and work abroad. It’s all about making a plan, setting the ground rules, and making sure they understand what is expected of them.

Gap years are becoming more and more acceptable, especially with colleges. Once your student has been accepted, it’s not uncommon for them to defer admission for a year and use that time to get focused. And remember that not all students are ready for college. Push and they will suffer the consequences. Keep an open mind, discuss the possibilities, and breathe deeply. It could be the best year in your student’s life.