According to a new experimental study by George Mason University professor Robert Youmans and University of Illinois doctoral student Jared Ramsburg, meditating before class can lead to better grades. The pair of researchers conducted three classroom experiments at a California university to see if meditation might help students focus and better retain information in class. A random selection of students followed basic meditation instructions before a lecture, and the students who meditated before the lecture scored better…
Most students have their own tried and true methods when it comes to studying for important tests. Yours might involve using a special purple highlighter or reviewing everything with a study group. But how do you know if your study hacks are truly effective? Luckily, scientists have researched popular study hacks that will help you ace your exams and get stellar grades. Here are a few ways to get to the top of your class.…
Getting feedback on schoolwork is an essential part of how students learn, but the current method for students receiving this feedback only from their teachers holds students back. Too often students turn in work to a teacher for a grade and then immediately move on to the next big assignment, without giving the project much thought after the due date. Additionally, teachers spend a lot of time evaluating student work, but many students barely glance…
Some teachers are turning to infographics in the classroom because the way students experience literature is changing. Web writing, advertising, YouTube, Snapchat, and Vine are condensing the story, and increasingly short pieces dot the student landscape. Whether they’re reading, predicting, or decoding a piece of classical literature or writing and producing short bits for their YouTube channels, the craft of story is still critical. Good stories have universal themes that can apply anywhere with the…
Learning is not and should not be a passionless task — it should be fun and rewarding! We will all spend our entire lives learning, but it’s a shame that for some students, bad experiences can stain their perception of what they’re capable of. It’s so important to find for yourself what works best for you, and to be okay if your style of learning differs from others. Learning Style Tests Many of us have taken a learning style test before.…
The summer is nearly over and it’s time to go back to school! The transition will be easier for some students than for others. Does your child forget to bring the right books and supplies home or to school? Is her desk, locker, backpack, or notebook always in disarray? Does she often forget deadlines and scheduled activities? If you answered yes to any of these questions, your child may need some help with organization. Many…
Does your child continually put off starting their summer reading? Does she protest that there is plenty of time and that you are being ridiculous for suggesting getting started now? Some students hate to read and will always avoid it, but even those who enjoy books sometimes resist reading in the summer. Here are some strategies you can try to help your child finish up that last minute summer reading. These first two strategies may…
Learning Social Studies concepts can be a challenge for children, as there is a lot of ground to cover within this one subject. These apps alone range in subject matter from geography and world cultures to news and history. Utilizing modern technology can help! Here is a list of our favorite Social Studies apps currently available at the app store. News-2-You. This app is a virtual, symbols-based newspaper perfect for special-needs students. It includes the symbols…
Educational apps like these are no substitute for tutoring, but they can help provide a little extra practice! Check out our list of the top 5 English Language Arts apps currently available for download. Grammar Jammers. If your child is struggling to learn basic parts of speech or finds this topic intimidating at school, then Grammar Jammers could be an excellent way to ease them into grammar. Fun songs, animated characters, colorful images, and simple…
Sometimes vocabulary words are too difficult to learn by rote memorization, and they don’t have any helpful prefixes or roots for you to dissect and make meaning from. Using mnemonic devices for difficult vocabulary can be a great strategy. Mnemonic devices are tricks that help you remember things. You can take words and try to think about chunks of those words that stick out to you and then make a story from them. For example,…
