No Picture
Teacher Education

How Online Tutoring Can Work for Your Student

In a time when kids are being pushed harder and harder in elementary school and more students are looking to attend college and graduate school, tutoring is becoming increasingly important. Whereas many people used to think of tutoring as remedial only, more people are now getting tutored not only to make up for education gaps but also to get further ahead faster.
Conversely, kids are getting busier with school and extracurricular activities and parents are working outside the home more. It’s becoming more difficult to make time for traditional tutoring meetups outside of school hours. One great solution is online tutoring. But how does it work?
Online tutoring can take a number of forms but the best closely mimics traditional tutoring but with the use of technology. Students search for online tutors using tutoring match-up websites and negotiate a rate, expectations, and timeframe with the tutor. Depending on the site, the tutoring will either be paid for in advance through the site or the student and tutor will arrange for payment.
Once the initial introductions are made and the basics are laid out, the tutor will work with the student to determine what needs to be installed on the student’s computer, both hardware and software. In most cases the student will need a microphone and speakers. A webcam can also be helpful but may not be necessary. Free software such as Skype and be used to facilitate the actual sessions and allow the tutor and the student to see and or hear each other.
From there, the tutor will begin making assignments to the student in a variety of ways. These may include pointing them to spreadsheets available online, asking them to purchase a textbook, sending them an ebook, or just emailing documents before each session. Sessions will be done in real time at pre-arranged times convenient for both the tutor and the student. For younger students it would be best if an adult is home to monitor online time, especially when a webcam is used.
Instruction can be done over Skype in the exact same way that it is done in person. The instructor can write on a whiteboard, use screen shots, or even write on regular paper to show the student what to do. The student can then do their work as the instructor watches via the webcam or explain their steps if a webcam is not being used. At the end, the instructor should provide a written followup of the session as well as expectations for what should be done before the next meeting.
Online tutoring, when done properly, can be a great way for students to get extra instruction in a convenient way. Whether it is for regular school subjects, advances courses, or even college test preparation, tutoring online is become a popular alternative to traditional tutoring for good reasons.…

No Picture
Teacher Education

Easy To Use Ideas To Make Homeschooling Work

Is public school becoming too much of a hassle and too dramatic? You’re not alone. For many parents, public school is very disappointing and does not provide their children with the quality education they need. If you have ever thought about homeschooling, there are a few things they should know. This article will fill you in on the essential details.

Keep kids’ limited attention spans in mind when preparing your lesson plans. It allows them to be motivated and relax a bit. Give them permission to simply do nothing sometimes. Letting them do this ends up in a much more rewarding time schooling the kids.

Contact other homeschooling families and go on group trips together. This will help your child feel comfortable with the idea of homeschooling. You might also save a bit of money, as many places offer group rates.

Homeschooling can keep your children from socializing with bad influences but they still need socialization with other children. Plan some play dates with other children in your area. Let kids play at the park with other children. Go out of your way to get your children involved in ballet, sports, 4H, or other clubs where they will be able to interact with others.

Before you begin the difficult task of homeschooling your child, give him an advantage by doing your homework first at conferences or training sessions. It is very easy to feel like it is too much to homeschool your children. Classes and seminars offer some hands-on inspiration and guidance for almost everything involved with homeschooling. These can also give you further information, even if you are already an old hand at homeschooling.

Leave housework to someone else if you can afford it. You cannot do everything. Cooking, cleaning, shopping, childcare and homeschooling will leave you drained. Use any resources you can to help so you do not burn out.

To find out about the laws you will need to follow, speak with The Homeschool Association in your state. Some states will make you have your home registered as a school that’s private, and other states just make you give your kids tests that are standardized when they reach a certain age. Truancy is a serious issue, so be sure to let the school district know why your child is not enrolled.

Get connected with other homeschool families. There are many different philosophies behind homeschooling. It is normally easy to find other people who have similar goals and ideals. There are many good reasons why getting involved with a homeschool group will be beneficial to you.

Know when to change course. When you’re teaching your child and it’s not working, there is a time to give in. There are many methods and approaches you could try. You could make use of online apps, movies, audio books or even virtual tutors to help to get the message through to them. Making learning fun is a great way to keep your child’s interest.

Parents often feel as though school doesn’t offer a quality education. This is why homeschooling is so popular. Make use of the tips found above to educate yourself on homeschooling and find the best alternative for your family.…

No Picture
Teacher Education

Read These Tips Before Getting A Student Loan

Because college costs seem to go nowhere but up these days, student loans are something almost every young person needs to know something about. It is important to learn what kind of loans are available and the financial implications of each. Continue reading for student loan basic information.

Know how long of a grace period is in effect before you must begin to make payments on the loan. The grace period is the amount of time between your graduation date and date on which you must make your first loan payment. You can get a head start in making timely payments by knowing what your grace period is.

You don’t need to panic if a problem arises during repayment of your loans. Unemployment or health emergencies will inevitably happen. Luckily, you may have options such as forbearance and deferral that will help you out. Just remember that interest is always growing, so making interest-only payments will at least keep your balance from rising higher.

Know how much time you have in your grace period from the time you leave school until you must begin paying back your loans. For example, you must begin paying on a Stafford loan six months after you graduate. Perkins loans have a nine-month grace period. The time periods for other student loans vary as well. This is important to avoid late penalties on loans.

Choose a payment plan that you will be able to pay off. Many loans offer a decade-long payment term. If these do not work for you, explore your other options. You might be able to extend the payments, but the interest could increase. Once you start working, you may be able to get payments based on your income. A lot of student loans will be forgiven after you’ve let twenty five years go by.

Make certain that the payment plan will work well for you. A lot of student loans give you ten years to repay. You may discover another option that is more suitable for your situation. For example, you may be able to take longer to pay; however, your interest will be higher. Another option some lenders will accept is if you allow them a certain percentage of your weekly wages. Some student loans are forgiven once twenty five years have gone by.

When you pay off loans, pay them off from highest to lowest interest rates. It’s a good idea to pay back the loan that has the biggest interest rate before paying off the others. Do what you can to put extra money toward the loan so that you can get it paid off more quickly. Student loans are not penalized for early payoff.

Many people spend a lot of money while they are in college, accumulating large debt. If decisions on student loans are not made carefully, it can have adverse impact on the borrower’s financial future after he graduates. Thankfully, the information gleaned from this article will steer you away from the troubling aspects of the student loans.…