Tag Archives: tips

August 12, 2015 · 10:23 am

5 Ways To Prepare Your Family For Back To School

At the moment the new school year may seem like weeks away, but it will sneak up on us much quicker than expected! Before you or your child panic about organizing the house and picking up last minute items, here are 5 ways you can prepare your family for going back to school.

  1. Add more storage space for incoming books

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2. Set up an organized work space for homework and projects

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3.  DIY a makeshift mudroom before coats and backpacks start flooding in

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4. Put all their work needs together in a homework caddy or a find place where they can keep their homework organized.

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5. Upgrade their getting-dressed routine for a smoother morning, you don’t want your children to be stressing about clothes 5 minutes before they have to leave!

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Light in the Attic Learning is a  premier tutoring company in Toronto. We offer educational enrichment and remedial programs for students JK to grade 12. Our private instruction is tailored to fit each child’s individual needs and learning style while adhering to the Ontario curriculum.

 

 

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June 8, 2015 · 10:25 am

Last Minute Revision Tips

Woman studying at the libraryExams may have already started for most students across the county, even if you haven’t revised as much as you should have, it’s never too late to start. Here are 5 winning revision tips that will help you learn as much as you can in a short amount of time.

Draw up a revision timetable

Research shows that shorter 20-30 minute spells work best, because your concentration is much higher. We therefore recommend taking short, frequent breaks. We also advise to mix the order order of the subjects. Take a look at the proposed timetable:

9.00-9.30 Subject 1
Break 5 mins
9.35-10.05 Subject 1
Break 5 mins
10.10-10.40 Subject 2
Break 5 mins
10.45-11.15 Subject 2
Break 30 mins
11.45-12.15 Subject 3
Break 5 mins
12.20-12.50 Subject 3
Break 1 hour
13.50-14.20 Subject 1
Break 5 mins
14.25-14.55 Subject 2
Break 5 mins
15.00-15.30 Subject 3
Break 5 mins
15.35-16.05 Subject 1

Find a quiet space

This is a pretty obvious one but one that many students forget when they go to a coffee shop to revise. You desperately need a place where you can be uninterrupted for a few hours. Your room, local or your school/university library will work best.

Start in the morning

You have to make a start at some point and doing it sooner rather than later is a very good idea. Research shows that you are more likely to do all the planned work if you start early, because as it gets closer to the evening, there is bigger tendency to get outside.

Make summary notes

We’ve all been there, trying to read the same text book or glancing at past papers and feeling like we’re being productive, when actually we aren’t! Making notes over and over while you’re reading is the best way to memorize information. It may seem tedious but the most successful students make as many as three sets of the same notes in the run up to exams.

Reward yourself

It is not all about the work; you need good breaks too. People who manage to find the right balance between study and leisure are the ones who get the top marks. For instance go to a cinema with friends after a productive day of revision or treat yourself to something sweet. Work hard, play not-quite-as-hard is the motto here.

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November 30, 2014 · 1:52 pm

Cyber bullying tips for teens

cyberbullyingThis blog post follows on from our last blog post, tips on how to deal with the school bully, but this time focusing on cyber bullying. After talking to many children and parents we realised that the most common form of bullying now takes place online, it has become too prevalent especially if you are a teenager who is online. Last week we sat down and discussed different ways which teenagers can deal with this form of harassment, so that they can put it behind them.

The first thing we would suggest is to block the bullies. If anyone is writing mean things about you or anyone else, block or unfriend them immediately. Even if their animosity isn’t aimed at you, you don’t know when or if they will turn their attention to you.

Document the bullying! If someone is bullying you online, take screen shots of it, you never know if you will need proof, especially if the situation escalates and you have to get the authorities involved. You don’t want it to be your word against theirs and run the risk of them avoiding punishment.

Once you have taken the screen shots of the cyber bullying incidents, delete/hide/block them so that you can’t see them. When someone has been that horrible to you or a friend, the last thing you want is a constant reminder of the unkind words and images. It’s important to remember that most bullies pick on people because they have issues or problems and are just projecting them on to other people, so delete the content from your computer and forget about it.

If you feel the cyber bullying is getting out of control and you feel it’s something you can’t deal with on your own, get an adult involved. The adult can listen to your concerns, give advice and step in to put a stop to the bulling.

Spend less time on the internet! It’s often easy to forget that not everything we do has to be online, spend time away from social networks and spend more time with friends and family. Remember you can’t be cyber bullied if you’re not online.

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November 14, 2014 · 11:56 am

Tips on how to deal with the school bully

bulliesSadly bullying is still a major problem in many schools, despite worldwide anti bullying campaigns and school run initiatives. Although it’s impossible to eradicate bullying in its entirety, there are many “bullying prevention skills” which can protect and help kids from certain types of bullying. Increasing your child’s confidence and helping them to develop positive peer relationships are two steps will hell help ensure their well being at school.    

If you find out that your child is being bullied, the first thing you should do is to assure them that they are not to blame. Kids often internalize things, believing they somehow provoked or deserved it. They need to know that you will work with them to make the situation stop, not make it worse, it’s often a kid’s fear that the parent is going to go knocking on the bully’s front door. However this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to your child’s teacher, you’ll want the teacher to keep an eye on the situation and to reprimand the bully if needed. 

Explain that countering bullying with retaliation is never effective; it only serves to amplify conflict. Many parents want to teach their kid to ‘stand up’ to a bully, but we know this doesn’t help.

Tell your child to appear unruffled, even though they will feel it inside. The lesson here is to not let the bully engage you or get your goat, instead, practice peaceful, non-engagement tactics.

Bullying tends to happen when the target child is isolated, so be strategic encourage you child to take friends with them when they go to the washroom, walk between classes in a group and eat with friends.

No matter how angry you are at the bully for tormenting your child, it’s important to feel empathy and understanding towards to bully as well. You don’t know the bully’s situation: they may have troubles at home, suffer from an illness or are bullied themselves. It’s an important trait to teach your little ones: greater awareness of others’ feelings not only allows kids to treat each other with respect and kindness, it also makes them more likely to intervene when necessary. Kids with good perspective-taking skills are less likely to be physically, verbally, and indirectly aggressive to peers because they are better able to manage social situations and make the right decisions about their behavior. Empathic concern toward peers makes bystanders more likely to intervene to stop bullying, and those with perspective-taking skills are more likely to offer emotional support to others.

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August 28, 2014 · 3:30 pm

Back To School Tips For Teens

Back to schoolIt only seems like yesterday that the final school bell rang for the last day of term. Students racing out through the classrooms eager to begin their much awaited break, a break that seems like such a long period of time that it couldn’t possibly come to an end. Alas the time has come to prepare for another school year, but don’t worry it’s not all doom and gloom there’s a lot to look forward to, like catching up with old friends, making new friends and making plans for the year ahead.

However school isn’t alllllllll about socializing, follow our tips to make sure you have a successful school year in the classroom too!

1. Try your best

Not everyone can get all A’s, there are some subjects that not every student can excel in. The most important thing is that you’re trying your best, whatever you do don’t give up! If you feel like you do need some extra help in a particular subject, have a look at out of school programs like Light in the Attic Learning – talk to your teachers and parents about it.

2. That leads us on to… don’t sleep in class

What more can we say? Never a good idea. You’re definitely not trying your best if you’re sleeping at the back of the class! Try and get anything from 7 – 10 hours of sleep a night, this is definitely doable if you’re not playing your playstation late at night or talking on the phone!

3. Don’t backchat the teacher

Remember, the teachers are there to help you succeed, to make sure that you do the best you possibly can in your studies. They are not your enemies! Having a good relationship with your teacher will bode well for later on in the schooling year, will you need a reference from them in order to get into college?

4. Get to class on time

You never know what vital exam related information you’re missing by turning up half way through the lesson.

5. Be nice

Treat your fellow students and teachers how you would like to be treated. Just be yourself and be nice to the people in your class, not only will you be happier but you’ll notice that the people around you will enjoy your company too.

6. Stay organized

School can get frustrating especially when the homework is piling on from various classes. The most important thing is not to stress and to stay organized. Keep a diary that highlights when homework is due and keep a separate binder for each class so that your notes don’t get mixed up!

7. If you’re absent from school

Sometimes it simply can’t be helped. Make sure you catch up on the work you missed, and no that doesn’t mean copying the notes your friend made (which could have numerous mistakes), it means asking the teacher (remember that good relationship you’re meant to have with your teacher?!).

8. No drama

Don’t let yourself become dragged into arguments, especially if they don’t involve you personally. When there’s an awkward atmosphere at school, you’ll dread going, which is not a good start to the day.  When you’re worrying about a situation or person, it will be the only thing you’ll be able focus on throughout the day and it will take your attention away from your work.

9. Do your homework

Enough said.

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August 22, 2014 · 1:22 pm

Back to school preparation for parents

Back to schoolThe beginning of September can be a stressful time for parents, whether it’s your child’s first day of school or if they’re returning students, making sure that they are fully prepared for the term ahead takes organization.

Children take their cue from their parents so it’s important to plan ahead, not only for your own piece of mind but to set an example for your children too. Stay calm, reassure your children if they’re feeling nervous and offer support. You want your children to look forward to the term ahead, not dread it!

Here are some tips to make sure your children are prepared for the first day of term:

1. Shop in advance

Last minute shopping is stressful at any time, remember last year’s panic Christmas shopping dash? Don’t make the same mistake when it come to shopping for school supplies, especially with uniform or any other dress code that the school requires your children to abide by. Children want to fit in, so if you can’t get them the correct material and clothing on time, it will only add to their first day worries.

2. Visit the school

Is your child attending a new school? If they are, try to visit the school before term starts. This way your child will become familiar with the layout of the school including classrooms and important offices. When your child arrives on the first day a new school will seem daunting, especially with hundreds of other students there. By visiting the school a week in advance your child won’t have to worry about getting lost or feeling too overwhelmed by the general size of the school.

3. Buddy system

Do you know any other parents who are sending their child to the same school? If you do organize a system where the children can travel to school together or meet outside the gates for the first week. It will make the transition into a new school much easier, know that someone else is doing it with them, plus your child will have a new friend.

4. Become an active parent

Get to know your child’s teachers before term starts, show your interest in the school and join the PTA. By becoming an active member in the school’s community, you can help to make the schooling environment the best it can be.

5. Routine

If your child does not have a regular bed time or an organized routine, the first few weeks of school are going to be rough. Ideally you should try and encourage your child to go to sleep at the same time every night (around 10pm) and to wake up in time to get ready for school (around 7.30am), a couple of weeks before term starts. Remember cranky tired children means they won’t focus in class!

6. Safety

Make sure your children know their name, their address, telephone number and your name. Always see your children safely to the school gate or school bus, you don’t need to wave them off if it will embarrass them, just make sure they arrive safely from a distance.

7. Talk

Talk to your children about how they’re feeling and how their first few days of school are going. Anything they are unhappy about? Anything they love? Are the feeling nervous about attending school? Why? Encourage them to share their thoughts and feelings with you without embarrassing them or forcing your opinions on them.

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