You don’t have to let your schedule compromise your child’s education.

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:57:26 +0000

We receive this question: “I live in Los Angeles and am very busy, but my child needs tutoring. What are my options?”
You don’t have to let your schedule compromise your child’s education.
You have several options to fit your and your child’s busy schedule. As a Los Angeles tutoring company, we know that not all companies are created equally. So make sure you understand your options before you commit to a tutor. Most tutoring services fall into one of the following categories: learning center, in-home tutoring, at-school tutoring, or online tutoring.

Online Tutoring
If your student just needs the occasional question answered, then online tutoring may be a good option. But if they need more consistent help, online tutoring is not your best option. So make sure you understand what you are getting.

For a time-strapped parent, online tutoring can seem like a gift from above. It seems like the student can just sit in front of a computer and get help. Online tutoring has the definite advantage of being convenient. It is also timely, if your student is struggling with a math problem at 10:00 p.m., they can go online and get assistance. This is why we, at Fyrebrite Tutoring, offer online tutoring as a tutoring option. However, online tutoring has some significant downfalls:

First, it requires some investments in technology: a scanner, a webcam, and a broadband Internet connection. Some people have these already, but for those who don’t, it can be expensive.
Second, online tutoring prevents the tutor and the student from truly connecting with each other. This is especially true if you use a service were you aren’t connected to the same tutor each time. Rapport and trust are the foundation of tutoring and they are not always possible with online tutoring.

Because of these limitations, we at Fyrebrite Tutoring offer online tutoring as a supplement to our in-home tutoring. If your child needs a lot of help, make sure your online tutor can meet in person. If your student just needs the occasional question answered, then online tutoring can work. But be careful to monitor your student’s progress so that you see results.

If you want more information you can see my response to questions about online tutoring at http://fyrebrite.com/articles/online-tutoring-can-be-great-but-be-careful
(Online Tutoring can be great…but be careful.)

Learning Centers
As Los Angeles tutors, we see that this type of business fails most clients. To make these centers financially viable, your child probably won’t get one-on-one attention. Most learning centers provide a maximum of one teacher for three students. Because of all the kids, they are usually very distracting places for struggling students. Would you rather read in a quiet room or a busy train station? Compare this to an in-home tutor where you get one-on-one care in the comfort and convenience of your home.

Learning centers are usually the most expensive option as well. This is because they have to pay rent, electricity, water, etc. and those costs get passed on to you, the parents. Their high overhead also means that they usually can’t afford to hire the best tutors.

Further, they are almost always the worst choice for a time strapped parent. Living in Los Angeles, your commute, even down the block, is a significant factor. Many parents need to leave work to drive home, pick up their child, drive them to the learning center, wait an hour, pick them up, then drive back home—two to three times a week! For a working parent, this can be a terrible burden.

At-School Tutoring

The advantage of tutoring that takes place at school, usually after classes, is that your student is already there. For parents this means that you don’t need to pick them as you would at a learning center. However, there are several disadvantages:

First, you may need to change your schedule to accommodate this tutoring. This also means having your child dropping out of sports to accommodate the new schedule.
Second, most after-school programs are nothing more than large study halls where your student probably won’t get the help they need. If there is instruction, it is usually in large groups, which is similar to what got the student in trouble in the first place. Every child is unique and benefits from personalized help.

Remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for.”? If you are going to rearrange your schedule, make sure that the program will really help your child.

In-Home Tutoring

At Fyrebrite.com, we provide in-home tutoring in Los Angeles, so I can speak to its usefulness. From the very beginning, we designed our entire program around this format because we believe so strongly in its effectiveness.

First, In-home tutors come to you and usually work around your schedule. (Some private tutors don’t have the flexibility that companies with multiple tutors do.) This means if you get off of work at 7:00 p.m., and your child has soccer until 8:00, an in-home tutor will usually have the flexibility to accommodate your schedule.

Second, because they are working one-on-one with your child, they establish a strong rapport with your child. This is critical when the child gets frustrated and needs to rely on someone they trust.

WARNING: Not all in-home tutoring is created equal. Make sure that the tutor you are getting is qualified. Further, (and this goes for any tutoring option you choose) make sure that your child and the tutor “click.” A strong rapport is important; if there isn’t a connection between the tutor and student, change immediately. At Fyrebrite, we believe this is so important that we guarantee it. If you want another tutor for any reason, we will replace the one you have immediately. Make sure the tutoring company you go with has this same policy.

Also, BEWARE of tutors with limited experience tutoring one-on-one. There are opportunities and pitfalls with one-on-one tutoring, and you need to make sure that your tutor is aware of these. You can find more information about how to choose a tutor at our website: http://www.fyrebrite.com/how-to-choose-supplemental-education

I hope this helps. Below are some links to help you get started.

In-home tutors – http://www.fyrebrite.com
Online – http://www.onlinetutors.com
Learning Centers – http://www.sylvan.com

If you have any further questions, please email me at: info@fyrebrite.com.

Hope this helps.

Sean Markin

President
Fyrebrite Tutoring ( http://www.fyrebrite.com )
Every child is bright—WE CAN MAKE THEM FYREBRITE!

Online Tutoring can be great…but be careful.

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 19:48:37 +0000

We received this question: “My child needs help with school. Is online tutoring any good?”

Online Tutoring can be great…but be careful.

Online tutoring has its pluses and minuses. It can be extremely effective for certain students, but like most technologies, its strength depends in large part on how it is used.

Our Los Angeles tutoring company provides both in-home and online tutoring, so I can speak to how effective online tutoring can be. We have had a lot of success helping kids remotely, so it can be done. It is very important, however, that you make sure that the tutor you hire is competent and can provide you with in-home support if needed.

–Make Sure Your Tutor is Competent with Online Tutoring–

At Fyrebrite.com, we will only provide online tutoring when we know that it can be effective.

If your student has been frustrated for some time or you believe they need a significant amount of help, then online tutoring is probably not the best option—at least for the bulk of the teaching. In this case, one-on-one personalized tutoring, such as what is provided at Fyrebrite.com, is ideal. At Fyrebrite, however, we always supplement our regular tutoring with online tutoring for when the student has a problem between sessions or needs help with homework.

If your student just needs occasional help with homework then online tutoring might be right for them. It can provide quick and timely answers. Further, technology has advanced to a point where you can have “face-to-face” exchanges using webcams. PLEASE NOTE: Scanners are very important to online tutoring. Your student needs to be able to scan their assignments in so that the tutor can view them. If you don’t have a scanner, then online tutoring becomes less effective.

–Make Sure the Tutor Can Provide One-on-One Support–

There have been many situations where a student was being tutored online, and just wasn’t getting a concept. In those cases, our tutors went to the students’ homes and helped them work through their issue.

Technology is not where it needs to be to provide the “connection” that face-to-face tutoring does. Until it develops further, your child should have the support that in-person tutoring offers in case the online tutoring doesn’t work.

–How to Select the Best Online Tutor–

To select the best tutoring option, make sure whichever online tutoring provider you choose has the following capacity:

- Make sure they use webcams. (You should purchase one if you don’t already have a webcam.) Your student should be able to see the tutor’s face to develop rapport as well as be able to show images of what they are working on.
- Make sure they use scanners. Scanners allow them to respond to your child’s written assignments.
- Make sure they can supplement their online tutoring with in-person tutoring.
- Make sure they have experience tutoring online.
- Make sure you feel comfortable with the tutor they provide.
- Make sure you control the situation and can periodically review progress.

–Conclusion–

Online tutoring has its place, and as technology improves, online tutoring will increasingly become a viable option. But for now make sure you are very careful when selecting an online tutoring provider.

If you have any further questions, feel welcome to contact me by email at: info@fyrebrite.com.

Hope this helps.

Sean Markin

President
Fyrebrite Tutoring ( http://www.fyrebrite.com )
Every child is bright — WE CAN MAKE THEM FYREBRITE!

Getting clothes for Elementary school.

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:27:33 +0000

We have numerous other articles written on this very subject. Each one tackles a different aspect of this complex topic.
It is a well-known fact that, for the most of parents or moms on a budget, the back to school clothes for nursery school can be a fearsome perspective.

Majority of parents grasp that purchasing school clothes that are practical but chic for the playground-can be really arduous.In today’s society when you have a choice of either enrolling your children to parochial or public primary school, your child will be required to wear an uniform. And for most of parents this option proves to be successful for both the parents and the kids, since the mandatory uniform apparel will liquidate discussion about what can and can’t be worn to school. It will also significantly lower the time for preschoolers in the morning to dress up, or solve what to wear. Although, there are multiple adverse arguments about uniforms, however they make your life easier, and let the kids to devote their time on education and not on the clothing or fashion matters.School uniforms get rid of all the arguments and debates, and give you unambiguous parameters about which clothes are practical in the preschool and the playground. Without a uniform, you need to haggle all of those issues with your child, and if your child is extremely picky, there will be plenty of issues to deal with.The parents always have a dilemma about what is and what isn’t appropriate for school attire for nursery school. With the younger kids at toddler and preschool age, it is rather simple, since the “rule of thumb” here is -comfort! However with the kindergarten level kids, it gets to the point where the kids compete with each other or copy each other’s distinctive ways of expressing themselves, or simply follow the current trends they see all over the place! Many kids tempted by the trend that is more “expensive” and “design label” type clothes, and this can become a burden for you and other parents.For those parents who are in the no-uniform zone, can follow these simple ideas that will provide some established tips for negotiating, and help you decide just which clothes are essential and practical in the playground.

Tips for Saving Money on School Clothes

Make it known to friends and family that you would accept good quality hand-me-downs. It works great for birthday parties to, if your family and friends ask for what your child is in; just recommend to get a gift card to the major clothing store where you can purchase what your child requires for school. This works great for both kindergarten and lower elementary level schools.

Abstain from buying costly, labeled clothes if you can. Particularly for the toddlers and nursery level childcare, due to this age kids spring so fast, practically every month.

Only purchase good quality, sturdy, and breathable clothes for your children, that will last a whole school year or season and can then be passed onto younger children or sold as a second hand. When there is more than one child (suitable for same gender siblings!), it is sensible to retain the clothes that are already used, and no longer fit. This works great when you have an older preschool age child and the daycare age child.

Always obtain clothes at a minimum one size bigger for your child, to ensure that they remain through this season’s inevitable growth spurt! Very useful for the kids who are attending in the nursery school and other type childcare.

Try to find good quality second hand clothes in second hand clothing shops or online. These types of stores offer bunch of good quality clothes for a specific age, gender and season.

If your child will enroll in to a parochial or public school, that requires special attire and you have to obtain a school uniform then inquire around for second hand alternatives. Normally you can inquire in school uniform shops, school notice boards, and any of your local second hand shops that resell the uniforms. The majority of lower elementary schools and kindergartens have designated “used uniforms” sale days, which are administered by the parents of kids who are attending these schools. In this case at least, you will not feel like you are getting the clothes from absolute strangers.

Whatever the situation is with your selection for school, whether it is preschool, kindergarten or elementary school-the clothing has to exemplify comfort, durability, great quality and be clean and neat! Our pupils should be going to school to learn, explore and receive sufficient education! The concentration should be directed on the studying and not on each other or the type of clothe the students are wearing. There is enough pressure placed on kids already: to learn, be able to keep up with their peers academically, much less getting apprehensive about the latest fashion trends and styles, that “bleeds” in to and overtakes our school system and our kids minds! Recognize, that as a parent you can make the right determination that will influence your child’s education, social behavior and self-confidence! And do not underestimate the power of nursery schools, childcares and other conventional daycares; the personal, social and academic development starts really early!
When we learn, we continue on a path of growth. Therefore, learning about this subject has already helped you more than you know.

The Learning Process in Studio City preschool

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:22:04 +0000

Some Studio City preschool are located in quiet and wealthy areas of Los Angeles, CA. They also has a lot of good preschools which kids from all over the neighborhood attend.Folks who live in Reseda also tend to be gainfully employed and needed to leave their homes for a big chunk of the day. For single moms especially who have to go to work, this can prove to be quite a challenge by itself since the kids have to be taken care of while the busy parent is out there making a living.What’s a busy parent in Reseda to do? Enter preschools.The preschools in Reseda provide a safe haven where kids between three and five years of age can be left safely for that period that parents are not available.

Also, apart from the advantage of having a teacher take care of their kids, these busy young parents have the added benefit of having their kids be taught how to develop their social and emotional skills, their communication skills, their knowledge of things around them, their creativity, their physical development and overall learning abilities or intelligence.

Now let’s see at how some of these developmental skills happen:Social and emotional development Since a lot of parents in Reseda drop their kids off at their local preschools, there is a lot of activity at these preschools. Now this can prove to be a good thing since children are jovial in nature and when a lot of kids mingle they tend to interact with each other and are curious to examine their surroundings.Unlike homeschooling where the children are being taught by an adult and not interacting with other small kids, the children who go to preschools in Reseda tend to develop their social skills a little bit better. They are generally more social towards other people apart from their own parents and in fact have to be reigned in sometimes by worried parents who admonish them against speaking with strangers. Communication, including talking and listening Just like kids who develop their social skills, children who attend preschools in Reseda tend to be better communicators and do a fantastic job of listening or communicating their thoughts when they are instructed on what to do. This is always good because when kids express themselves, then a sensible and intelligent educator will normally be able to tell if there is a problem and resolve it. This is always a good thing because it then alleviates the future problem of having children running around with guns killing people and feeling isolated from the general community. Knowledge of things around them Since Reseda is a pretty urban town, preschools in Reseda tend to contain a lot of modern equipment that is found in many urban cities around the country. To a kid’s probing mind, this is a good thing because kids will educate themselves a lot about the stuff surrounding them. Creativity Ever see those drawings of stick men hanging on the fridge of almost every TV show or sitcom that has children? That is just the beginning part of creativity that is acquired when kids attend preschools in Reseda. Many of these kids tend to grow up and achieve careers as motion picture animators, artists or even have a high paying career in a creative field. Physical development When children attend preschools in Reseda, they are allowed to canter about and play a lot. This is good for developing the kids body and making them stronger. With a lot of running around, comes physical development. The outcome is projected all across Reseda and Los Angeles when some of these youngsters in the future become athletes and sports superstars. Overall learning abilities or intelligence Perhaps the biggest benefit of attending preschools in Reseda is that youngsters tend to learn how to be literate. Virtually nowhere in this universe can anybody get a job without learning how to read and write. Extremely busy parents sometimes tend to ignore the fact that their kids need to learn how to read and write from a very early age. This happens by attending preschools that are all over Reseda.

Choosing a Day care

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:21:00 +0000

For most people the decision about enrolling their child in to a preschool often is base on family needs and values.Your personal family’s values, preferences and practical concerns are essential details to entertain when electing a school.In all truthfulness, what matters to one family, as far as goals, expectations, wants and needs, will not matter to another family, entertaining their personal inclination. Many parents will have to determine which details will influence their family�s life, or which details are considered underling. Because there are many people come from diverse cultures and backgrounds, they will be deciding which impacts are better supported at school, or which ones will be instilled at home. The bottom line is to determine if a preschool is a perfect match for you and your child. Because most of parents electing the school for the long period of time, it is essential to make a comprehensive determination in regards to all essential requirements that are valuable to your family.There are some tips to help you to designate your primary preference for a preschool.

Child’s learning. As a parent you have to review your own family educational history, and perceive what you want your child to have in their academic program. Many parents deem that they lack the opportunities and had some sort of flaws while they were attending schools, so they are adamant to have their kids “make up” for it, or better said to have a maximum opportunity to learn. Some parents, in fact, had a unique level of academics, which they would expect their own children to overtake . And, there are parents who deem l that their children can have a basic traditional education, that is mostly delivered by public, charter or even some private nursery school,, where there is a focus is centered on social development vs. academic.
The learning process. The most common and traditional way of learning and teaching is furnished again through standard school system, and there is a specific technique administered in some private nursery school, such as Montessori, Walrdorf and some other ones. These aproaches of education had been flourishing for years, providing the children with the most productive instruments for learning math, phonics, reading and other important subjects . In the other hand, the standardized and traditional education is just as great, conditioned that your child doesn�t require some special needs. Unfavorably, many parents are confronted with perplexity of how their children will progress at school; if their kids call for special needs assistance. The ultimate way to go about it is to establish through the special testing that is carried on by many schools (may be different in each state) if your child is academically and socially ready, and enroll your child in the school where he or she will be able to keep up with the curriculum.
Social Development for a preschool. Each school offers a specific type of social development program. Many parochial schools, integrate spirituality in to the program, which allows your children to grow and develop with specific cognizance about others, their feelings, their worth, respect and love. These types of schools can supply a very nurturing environment, and at the same time encourage discipline and instructions for your child to grow and develop in to a astute and self-confident adult. The community and parents taking part is always substantial for both schools and the children.
After school and enrichment programs for a preschool . As a parent you need to establish if the school of your choice offers the after-school program, that is equivalent to day care , and if there are any additional either extra-curriculum or any enrichment programs are available. Many schools today do provide afterschool programs, ascribable to a growing need for the parents to work full time. Many schools will provide a day care type program that includes a home work assignments, playing, physical activity, reading etc. In addition to this, and usually as an alternative option, the school will provide some enrichment classes that your children can participate in. This includes your family’s needs for child care during non-school hours, daily and yearly schedules, transportation, school location, coordination of your other children’s educations, and your financial constraints.
Organizing and making priorities for a preschool One the most important facts about locating a school, is adding some extra activities, juggling home work and other family activities, will only be feasible with organization, scheduling and making priority. Because the school education should be a priority, be certain that your are capable of performing a basic drop-off and pick up every day, avoiding the the problems or anxiety. Many people undervalue the traffic and what they think is an bionic abilities to conquer other accidental circumstances, they often find themselves in. Many parents hassling just to transport their child to school. Make sure that school is nearby; either close to your home or work whichever is rational and works for you. Bear in mind that you want to be close to your child in case of emergency, or any other reason. And fighting traffic every day, or when you are needed can be very tormenting. Organize your child�s after school activities, such as ballet, music or sports lessons on the weekends, if it is practicable. Do not overload yourself with all of these tasks if you cannot handle it. Make rational arrangements about your child�s day to day activities and functions, that comprises predominantly a preschool time. For the families with multiple siblings, the organizing and prioritizing can even be more demanding. The bottom line is it to direct it, so that you do not accumulate more stress to your own everyday life.
Choosing a preschool, reckoning your child’s needs Deciding what your child needs and what matters most are pivotal steps in picking out a school with the best suitable option for your child.

Every child is unprecedented and special in so many ways! To the parent, their child is one of a kind ! However, the kids tend to posses many qualities that coordinate to other kids, and have many different things in common, such as mixture of capabilities, wants, needs and motives. Finding a happy and healthy educational environment for your child attending a preschool is a priceless treasure!

Efficient preschool programs

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 19:05:35 +0000

Efficient preschool programs derive advantage on a time when children’s brains are expeditiously developing, placing a foundation of social skills, knowledge and self confidence that builds the way for success in kindergarten and upper grade school. Many parents send their kids to preschool as early as two years old, and parents wait until it is time for kindergarten to send their children to school. The determination you make as a parent should be established by your child’s preparedness for preschool, and your own convictions. However, there are multiple benefits for your child if he or she is enrolled in to preschool before starting kindergarten. There are several benefits featured below and elaborated in details to provide important information for you to regard, as to why preschool can aid your child prepare for kindergarten.

Before we begin to give you additional information on this topic, take a moment to think about how much you already know.
Children who go to effective preschool are:

Presumed to be able to read better, since most of competent preschools incorporate beginning reading in their academic programs.
Less likely to be assigned in special education or redo a grade. Preschool offers fundamental learning skills, and allows for the kids to be ready for kindergarten.
Presumed to graduate from high school and attend college.
Less likely to claim public assistance as adults.
Less likely to become distracted.

Preschoolers become ready to learn.

High degree of excellence preschool provides eager young learners with early academic and social skills that prepare them to be efficient learners in kindergarten and throughout their academic and formative years.

According to the state statistic, 95 percent of California kindergarten teachers reflect that their students who participate in preschool program are better prepared for kindergarten in both social and academic areas, from pre-reading skills to early math concepts to the ability to share and play well with classmates.
The pre-kindergarten years are a significant time when children’s brain is rapidly developing. Pre-kindergarten is a time, or a preschool years, for children to learn about self-control, curiosity, cooperation, paying attention, and other skills that will prepare them for their K-12 education.

If Done Right, Pre-school Is a proven investment in School Success!

To make sure kids are ready for school; our state of California should put funds in pre-kindergarten programs with well-trained, favorably indemnified teachers. Pedagogs with the capability to establish enthusiastic, enriching classrooms, to direct the kids for lifelong success.

To teach young children in the preschool program requires special abilities and training, particularly in a state as linguistically and economically diverse as California.
High-quality preschool programs deliver a learning environment with developmentally appropriate curriculum and lucently distinguished goals and results that help get the children ready for success in K-12.
The children whose parents do not have the means to send their kids to preschool are unbalanced children of some minorities, children whose second language is English, and children whose parents failed to graduate from high school. These kids would avail from the preschool program the most.
Education reform takes on with competent pre-kindergarten programs.

One of the key benefits of the preschool education is the favorable circumstance to interact with other children. Interacting with other children signifies learning how to share, wait, how to take turns, and how to listen. The social skills that the children learning while interaction with other kids are key to a developing personality.

There are several other advantages to preschools, other than the chief one–an academic development. Many activities that are integrated in to preschool program are based on the primitive play type activities: which allows children to learn through play. Puzzles, Matching, sequencing, recognizing the difference between objects, learning shapes and colors, and the list go on-all participates in to preparedness for kindergarten learning and future schooling. The children are able to watch others and be involved in multiple challenging and not so challenging activities that are normally offered through the preschool program, which can result in the self-confidence to increase, and the ability to work in groups and on their own.

Make sure to do your own research about the preschools, school system, get reviews about the schools, to make certain that the school will fit your�s and your childs needs. Look out for many schools (some charters or others) which do not offer any type of academics until the child is attending in to first grade. The kindergarten programs often offer just basic play and social skills. These types of schools do not observe the standard guidelines concerning lower level education, so that can be significant factor while you make this major decision for your child’s primary education. I think that some parents actually approve this non-academic environment. And, this is their option and conviction. However, it had been demonstrated that the preschool that unifies academic and social learning will positively benefit your child!
No matter which way you look at it, having a firm understanding of this topic will benefit you, even if it is just slightly.