October 2007

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

* Introduction to The Tonelli Learning Center (TLC)

* Welcome from Norman Tonelli, L.M.H.C.

* Classroom Benefits of Tutoring

* Article

* Question and Answers

* Date & Time of Local School District Speeches

 

 

 

Introduction to The Tonelli Learning Center

 

 

The Tonelli Learning Center believes a child’s success in school stems from collaboration of family and school working together.  Study habits and skills taught in school need to be reinforced at home as well as promoting learning as fun!  The Tonelli Learning Center will be offering informational speeches to parents on helping their kids do better in school and learn how to foster homework skills.  Check our website for your local school districts date and time.

 

 

 

Welcome from Norman Tonelli, L.M.H.C.

 

Dear Parents:

 

I, Norman P. Tonelli, promise to deliver on the following message:  As the owner and director of the West Brookfield counseling and the Tonelli Learning Center (TLC), I will continue to listen to you, the parents, intently.  I will see to it that both your child’s needs and your needs as a parent are respected as well as understood.  I have hired professionally credentialed, friendly, and supportive professionals.  We will not stop at simply educating your children, but we will inspire in them a love of learning and self-appreciation.  I stand on my reputation as a child and family therapist in private practice for 20 plus years.  I promise to deliver the same personalized and energetic service that I have given my clients all these years, to this new educational endeavor.

 

Thank you,

Norman Tonelli LMHC

 

Owner and Director of the West Brookfield Counseling Center and the Tonelli Learning Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

Classroom Benefits of Tutoring

(When 13 is not an unlucky number)

 

1. Tutoring can provide a higher quality student improving classroom performance.
2. The most effective tutoring services keep parents and schoolteachers aware of the student’s progress.  This can foster a better relationship between teacher and parent.
3. Tutoring can improve a student’s attitudes towards the teacher and the school making the classroom a more pleasant experience.
4. Students learn basic skills and individual learning styles needed to learn in the classroom, which were not covered earlier in the student’s life and the teacher does not have the time or the authority to cover.
5. Students end up with better study habits, performing better in class.
6. Individual attention is essential for confidence to increase, learning to take place and grades to improve.  Self-image is the generator of performance in learning.  With more confident students, the classroom performance improves.
7. The student’s are more caught up with their work, creating a more positive experience in the classroom.
8. Students are more accountable for their actions when one person is able to provide them with positive reinforcements, continuous encouragement, combined with technical expertise and constructive feedback.  By consistently modeling and encouraging effective organization and discipline, tutoring can foster within each student the ability to concentrate on the material and learn faster with fewer distractions.
9. Through continual accomplishments, students of all ability levels gain confidence, discover learning is worthwhile and realize their potential.
10. Working at their own pace students can be taught according to their individual learning style, which can bring them up to par within the classroom creating a more successful class.
11. Students who want to work ahead in specific subjects (often subjects at which they already excel) can use tutors to help them advance.  A student who wishes to improve his/her writing skills, for example, should be helped to develop these talents.
12. Students with learning disabilities often rely on tutors for extra help outside the classroom.  A personalized curriculum can be tailored to the special needs of that student.
13. The attitude of a professional tutor can influence the way a child responds to the learning process.  Their enthusiasm for learning improves which can give more back to the class and create an attitude for life long learning.

 

 

 

 

 

Article

 

Talking With Your Child About School

 

By Emily Graham   

 

Maybe your daughter says she hates social studies but won’t tell you why. Or your son, when asked what he learned at school, just says “Nothing.” Talking about school with your children shows them that you value education and keeps you aware of what’s going on in their lives, but what should you do when they don’t want to talk?

Getting the Conversation Started

First, think about the time of day and the kind of questions you ask. Whether your child is a chatty 1st grader or a tightlipped teenager, he may not want to talk about a tough math test as soon as he gets home from school. And questions like “How was school?” are bound to elicit uninformative answers like “Fine.”

Experts recommend taking a few minutes to reconnect as a family after the busy day before addressing school and household issues. Let your kids know you’re glad to see them and wait a while to ask about grades. Keep in mind that kids may be tired or preoccupied when they first come home, or they may want some quiet time before launching into the evening’s activities.

When you start a conversation about school, ask specific questions about parts of your child’s day or the school environment, advises Laurence Steinberg, author of The 10 Basic Principles of Good Parenting and a psychology professor at Temple University.

“I think the biggest mistake parents make is to ask broad questions like ‘How was your day today?’ and their kids give a one- or two-word answer,” Steinberg says. “The more specific you are in your questions, the more of an answer you’re likely to get.”

At the beginning of the school year, Steinberg suggests asking general questions to learn about a child’s classroom, teacher, and classmates, such as:

• What does your classroom look like? Where is your desk?
• Which of your friends are in your class? Who else is in your class?
• What did you like best at school today?
• What did you have for lunch?

If your child is not talkative, you can still learn a lot about her school experience through other means. Read the school newsletter, email the teacher, and talk to other parents on the phone. As you become more familiar with your child’s daily routine, you can ask more specific questions to get her talking about a project or a class pet.

Talking About Problems

What should you do when your daughter announces that she hates school or when your son says he can’t stand the kids in his class? Even for children prone to melodrama, these kinds of statements may signal that a child is having academic or social problems at school. It’s important to get to the root of the problem, Steinberg says, and that will take patience and understanding.

When your daughter says “I hate school,” it could mean she is bored in class, doesn’t understand new material, is being pushed too hard, or doesn’t get along with a teacher. Your son’s declaration that he doesn’t like the other kids may mean that he feels ignored or friendless or that he’s being bullied or victimized.

Parents can help by talking with their kids about steps they can take to make the situation better. Younger children may need their parents’ help to think about how to solve a problem, while older children need a chance to solve problems on their own, Steinberg says.

While most kids will be nervous about new experiences, that nervousness should fade over time. Steinberg says. Parents should be cheerful, yet firm, in dealing with their kids. “The most important thing for the child to have is support from you.”

Communicating With Kids: Tips by Age Group

Playground disputes and disappointing grades—and learning to deal with them—are important parts of growing up. Before you intervene on your child’s behalf, think about what response is appropriate for his maturity level and developmental stage.

Talking With Young Children

Younger children, especially those in kindergarten through 3rd grade, will need help thinking about how to respond to problems at school. You can help your child learn problem-solving skills by talking about potential responses and what results they may bring. Help your child decide the best steps to take and encourage her to do what she can on her own.

Older children may be aware of potential solutions but still need encouragement to act. Children sometimes need coaching from their parents to take the first step, says Temple University psychology professor Laurence Steinberg.

If the problem persists, Steinberg recommends calling your child’s teacher to see what insights she can bring.

Talking with Adolescents

By 4th or 5th grade, children may become more resistant to parental involvement. Although it’s a difficult balance, it’s important to respect your adolescent’s growing desire for autonomy while being available to help when needed. For example, if a 7th grader is struggling in math class, talking with the child about the best way to ask the teacher for extra help is likely be more effective than calling the teacher directly, Steinberg says.

As adolescents feel the need for more privacy, there will be times they simply don’t want to talk. When that happens, Steinberg recommends the following approach: “If a 12- or 13-year-old looks upset, say, you look upset.  Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?’ If the child says no, say ‘That’s OK, but if you do feel like talking, I’m here.’ ”

 

 

 

 

Questions and Answers

 

 

Q. If my child still seems nervous or upset after talking with me. What is my next step?

 

A. Schedule an appointment to speak with your child’s teacher regarding your concerns.  Often a child will not tell a teacher about certain issues due to embarrassment, not wanting to be a “tattle-tale”, or simply being reluctant to ask for extra help.

 

 

 

Q. When extra help is offered after school at a time that does not fit my schedule, how can that support be given?

 

A. Often teachers will make arrangements to work with your child during a recess period or another time  (if available) during the day.  Unfortunately this cannot be as consistent as after school help due to schedules which change daily.  Sometimes an alternate solution is outside support such as a tutoring service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date and Time of Local School District Speeches

 

Top Ten Ways Parents Can Help Their Kids Do Better in School

 

October 18, 2007     7 to 8:30 p.m.

North Brookfield Jr./Senior High School, Kiva Room

 

 

 

 

TALK TO US ABOUT OUR MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN

 

CALL OR E-MAIL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE SESSION.