Goals for you Elementary Aged Child

It's 2017! I'm sure many of you have already thought about your goals for the new year. It seems obvious at the start of the new year to come up with ways that we want to improve ourselves. But, what about our children? Have you spoken to them about their goals for the year? What would they would like to accomplish in the new year? Below are five different areas where elementary aged students can work on improving over the new year:


📚 Reading: Are you really reading with your first grader every night for at least 20 minutes? Really? Make this your goal for the new year. It is extremely important to do this one simple activity every night. Scholastic put out a study in 2015 stating,


" 41 percent of frequent readers ages 6 to 10 were read aloud to at home, while only 13 percent of infrequent readers were being read to."

This study shows how important it is to read aloud to your child. If you want your child to be a lifelong reader, then you must commit to this daily habit. 

Older elementary aged children who are confident readers should always be reading something. There is a book for every interest and personality. Time has a list of the top 100 books for children. Many of these are picture books, but not all.

📈 Math: Are your child's math facts under control? Mastering the basic math facts is essential to future success in mathematics. It is very difficult for a child to master long division if he does not know his multiplication facts. There are a multitude of websites that can help children master their math facts such as XtraMath.

🌎 Science: A great goal for science is to peak your child's interest in science. On a day off of school like MLK day, take your child to a science museum like the Museum of Nature and Science in Denver. Another option is to enroll your child in an after school science enrichment program like Mad Science.

🎨 Humanities: Encouraging art exploration for children is another important goal. In a school setting, children often do not have enough of an opportunity to explore their artistic side. Most of the school day is dedicated to preparing for standardized tests. Parents usually need to add art of some kind to their child's day after school. Many recreation centers offer art classes such as the Castle Rock Rec Center in Douglas County. Current classes being offered are KidsArt, cooking, drama, dance, scrapbooking and music.

⚽ Physical: Again, due to an emphasis of schools on testing, children do not have enough time during the school day for physical activity. Some children have one maybe two recesses a day of 15 to 20 minutes. Physical Education classes are dwindling. Students have PE about every three weeks or so. This is simply not enough physical activity. We are all aware that children (and adults) should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. The answer is a sport of some kind. It does not have to be a team sport either. Swimming, archery, and skiing are all excellent individual sports in which children of all ages can participate. Recreation centers are the best place to start when looking for a program. Get your child involved in more physical activity for a lifetime of health.

If you need help with achieving these goals for your children, Aim for the Stars Tutoring would love to provide your family with the support it needs. We support families in their academic goals and in coming up with a plan for enrichment activities for families.

Welcome Spring

Spring Fever  n. A feeling of restlessness, excitement, or laziness brought on by the coming of spring.       With the warmer temperatures and sunny days, it may be becoming more difficult to ensure that your students' remain motivated and focused on school work.  Here are a few suggestions of how to handle a reluctant student in the Spring. 1.  Give in:  It may be surprising, but allowing your children to get outside and play for about 20 minutes before siting down to complete assignments will do more good than harm.  2.  Set up a schedule:  If your child has an end-of-year book report or project, use a big calendar to assign goals for each day and check them off as completed.  3.  Reward for completing a big project:  Choose a summer activity that you can plan with your child to enjoy when school is finished for the year.4.  Outdoor reading spot:  Set up a comfy chair and a glass of lemonade for your child to enjoy while reading or completing assignments.  5.  Celebrate:  Celebrate your child's accomplishments more often and make privileges easier to earn.  Yet, don't make the reward staying up late or anything that would work against your child at school.   It is very important that parents ensure their students stay on task of studying and completing assignments during this time of year.   A strong grade in a class right now could decrease rapidly if students burn out too quickly.  I encourage all parents to be aware of the "spring fever" phenomenon because it try does exist. A tutor can be a great way to help a student stay motivated in school.  Visit http://www.AimfortheStarsTutoring.com for more information about finding the perfect tutor for your child.

Aim for the Stars Tutoring is on YouTube

I have created my first "advertisement" and posted it on youtube.  It is pretty basic, but it gets the information across.  It will be fun to see how my videos for Aim for the Stars Tutoring change over the years.  Check it out:

Aim for the Stars Tutoring youtube video

Tips for a Successful School Year

It is the first week of August and many students will be starting back to school within the next few weeks. Depending on how your school year went last year, you may need to make some adjustments or improvements to your life and schedule to ensure a successful school year. Below are five tips to a great school year.

First, you need to get organized. You should start by collecting all the school supplies you will need for the year. If you are in elementary or middle school, your teacher may give you a list of what you need. If you are in high school and you don’t have a list think about what worked for you last year and what didn’t work for you. For example do you want a separate notebook for each subject or one big 3 ring binder that holds everything? After you have gathered your school supplies, you must organize your desk for elementary or your locker for older students. Have a place for pens and pencils, another place for your textbooks and notebooks, and a place for your personal items. Your locker is your home away from home at school so it also helps to put up pictures or drawings that make you smile. Lastly, you must organize your study area at home. Clear off your desk or workspace so you have some place to study and do your homework at home.

Second, I recommend meeting your teachers before school starts. It might seem a little nerdy for high school students, but it is very important to meet your teachers before all the other kids do. It gives a great first impression that you are excited and interested in learning. On the first day of school, your teachers will be meeting so many new students and you will have the advantage of already knowing your teacher. He/she will remember you better and be more likely to help you from the beginning.

Third, evaluate your schedule. It is so important to create a feasible after school schedule for yourself. You must set aside homework time, preferably at the same time each day. You should evaluate your extra-curricular activities. You do not want to overbook yourself with clubs, sports, music classes, and whatever else you are involved in. If you over-extend yourself, your studies will suffer. Don’t forget to include some down time when you can rest, watch TV, and hang out with friends and family.

Fourth, stay current with all of your assignments and readings from the first day of school. This may sound obvious, but so many students don’t do this. The first week of school, each of your teachers wants you to read a chapter in the textbook for next week. You think to yourself, I have all week to get this done and then Sunday night arrives and you are supposed to read 5 chapters all together by the next day. Don’t let yourself get into this situation. You won’t be able to get it done and you are already behind 5 days into the new school year.

Fifth, if you do fall behind, find a tutor immediately. Often times, students can easily become lost in a large classroom full of students. Or, they might feel embarrassed asking questions in front of the class. This is why a one-on-one at home tutor is so important to have. A student will be comfortable in his/her own home and will be able to ask as many questions as necessary in a safe environment.

Aim for the Stars Tutoring offers just this service in Douglas County, Colorado. We tutor students in grades K-12 in all subjects. There are no long term contracts and no testing fees. Get started early to get a jump on the new school year! Check out our website: http://www.aimforthestarstutoring.com. We tutor students in Castle Rock, Parker, Highlands Ranch, and most cities in Douglas County.

Aim for the Stars Tutoring Launches

IN-HOME TUTORING SERVICE CATERS

TO BUSY PARENTS

Castle Rock, CO– (July 23, 2010)– Private in-home tutoring is in high demand - and is difficult to come by at a reasonable price. Parents don’t always know the background and qualifications of a tutor when they respond to a flyer at a local coffee shop, a small ad in the newspaper, or on Craig’s List. Schools are not generally helpful when a parent requests extra help in the form of a tutor list. Enter Aim for the Stars Tutoring LLC, based in Castle Rock, CO.

Meredith Jacob, President and Founder of Aim for the Stars Tutoring LLC has a keen interest in helping parents find the right supplementary educational solutions for their children. Jacob, a certified K-12 teacher, herself has seven years experience teaching high school students.” She left the classroom to be more involved with her own family. Not wanting to totally give up teaching, she quickly discovered she could fill a much-needed niche in the private sector by matching qualified tutors with students who need help. “My clients really love the fact that I personally meet them and their children to assess their educational needs, personality and learning style before matching them with the perfect tutor. They don’t have to travel to a learning center; we accommodate their schedule and come to them. Considering the price of gas and the traffic at rush hour, when most moms would be driving their kids back and forth, this service is convenient and affordable.”

Jacob has developed a network of credentialed teachers and qualified tutors who tutor all grades and subjects, Kindergarten through twelveth grade. The tutors don’t have to spend their money on ads to attract clients, Jacob does it all in the role of a tutor broker.

“When people want a new home, they hire a real estate agent, when families need a tutor, they call me. I discuss their needs, meet their child, help them set goals and find the right person for them. I find it very rewarding to help parents, children and educators come together with the same goal - to help a young person improve their attitude toward learning, their self-confidence and their grades."

Aim for the Stars Tutoring launched July 20, 2010 and services all of Douglas County including Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Franktown, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker and Sedalia. For more information or to schedule your complimentary in-home consultation, please call 720-289-5773 or visit www.AimfortheStarsTutoring.com

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ABOUT Meredith Jacob

Meredith Jacob taught high school French for 7 years in Oklahoma, Texas and 3 of the years in Colorado at Cherry Creek High School. Meredith has also tutored one-on-one to students in their homes. For the last 6 years, Meredith has been a stay-at-home mom. Meredith is married to David and they have three children; Payton, age 6, entering first grade, Braydon, age 4, entering pre-kindergarten, and Bryce age 2. Meredith enjoys competing in triathlons, reading, hiking, and spending time with her family.