_In The News January 2006 Vol. 9-1
 President’s MessageWe are going into our ninth year of offering online learning. It is hard to believe. As the years go by and we watch our newsletter volumes increase, I am truly amazed. When we started I wasn't sure how the concept would take hold. I remember deciding on the name e-Tutor. I envisioned an electronic teacher when we coined the name. There were certain standards that were important, in my mind, when creating a distance education program for the Internet. 
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Over the years we have
maintained integrity to those important standards. There
are many companies offering online educational programming today and
the market will continue to grow. As always parents and often
students need to do their 'homework' to determine the best program for
their immediate needs. We are proud of the recognition and
accolades we have received over the years. But,
we are most proud of the successes of the students we have
served. They have gone on to graduate from colleges and
universities,
received scholarships, joined the armed services, returned to
public and private schools or found jobs. The standards we
established early on have served students, parent and us well.
This is a planning month for us. We have been
busy making plans for expansion and growth. It is fun to dream
about possibilities but it is important also to keep our feet firmly
on the ground. Nevertheless, over the years some of our dreams
have taken root and are growing. Early on, we thought it would
be advantageous to have a learning center where we could actually
observe and learn from students who were using the program. We
have that now and we are learning new things every day. So, one is never completely sure, but as
I've often tol d my
own children, "If you don't have a road map, you
won't know where you are going." Planning, goals and even
dreams can provide that 'road map.'
Enjoy this winter month.
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Are you thinking about homeschooling? Find help here. Are you beginning to homeschool your child? Find resources here. Are you an old hand at homeschooling? Check us out.
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One is not rich by what one owns, but more by what one is able to do without with dignity. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804), Philosopher |
 Learning with e-Tutor
Lesson
Modules The e-Tutor Virtual
Learning Program consists of lesson modules. The Lesson Library
contains nearly 1900 lesson modules. Each lesson module has
several important sections that are included at each of four levels,
Primary, Intermediate, Middle/Junior High and High School. Each
section is important to learning and maintaining the skill or concept
taught in the Study Guide. Lesson modules focus on
relevant and interesting topics emphasizing basic skills.
The content applies to real-life situations that students can
relate to, such as creating a budget or reviewing a movie. Each e-Tutor lesson module,
consists of nine parts followed by an assessment section, which
contains quizzes and an exam. 1.
Introduction
– a brief statement explaining the topic of the lesson. 2.
Grade
Level – e-Tutor lessons are cross-aged at Primary, Intermediate,
Middle/Jr. High, and High School. 3.
Lesson
Goals – goals and objectives are correlate to national and state
learning standards in the major subject areas. 4.
Resources
– links to quality education web sites where students can find
information to reinforce or expand upon the information given in the
Study Guide. We suggest that the student write a paragraph or two
describing each of the 5.
Lesson
Problem – setting the stage for learning by posing a question(s) to
be answered in completing the lesson. Students should respond in
writing to the lesson problem before and after completing each lesson
module. This provides an excellent opportunity for students to
self-check what they have learned. 6.
Vocabulary
– enriched vocabulary words new to students are hyper-linked to
dictionaries on the Internet. Students are encouraged to use
these as spelling words, for writing sentences or creating word games
and puzzles. 7.
Study
Guide – the main body of each lesson contains information on basic
skills and concepts that students need to be successful learners.
Internet links are embedded into each study guide. These are
provided to clarify and extend information about the skill or concept
being taught. Quizzes and exams may reflect information from
these resources. 8.
Activities
– worksheets, experiments, projects that give the student practice
in what s/he has learned. These are completed off line and we
request that parents review this with the student. Grading is
not necessary. 9. Extended Learning – additional thought provoking activities that stimulate logical thinking, creative reasoning and critical thinking. These are also completed off line. Parent should use these as a springboard for discussion, i.e., "What did you learn by doing this?" "How could you have done this differently?" "Explain more about this concept or skill to me." Each
of the learning modules (Resources, Vocabulary, Study Guide,
Activities, and Extended Learning) contributes to the learning process
in a unique way. These modules, interesting topics and colorful graphics, make
e-Tutor effective and inviting to the student.
With the use of the many valuable online For
example, in a lesson that investigates the giant pandas, the student
learns about the pressing problem of saving the endangered animal by
connecting to the World Wildlife Funds where the giant panda is one of
the top ten most endangered species.
The student is later linked to a map of China to study the
native terrain of the pandas and to the San Diego Zoo for information
about panda research. In
this engaged learning environment, the students routinely take virtual
field trips to every corner of the earth from the computer.
The e-Tutor students are not time-stressed.
e-Tutor can help students focus on learning, instead of time,
by assisting the learner to manage information, by providing
resources, and by being “open” 24 hours a day.
In another lesson example, the student
can read about a masterpiece by Edgar Allan Poe, visit the author’s
hometown and interact with other writers interested in Poe’s work. The e-Tutor method of learning encourages students to learn
by doing, simulating the real world situation. Three new lessons
were added to the e-Tutor Lesson Library this month. |
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Like the wild beasts of nature, bullies have an instinctive knack for identifying and preying upon weaker kids. According to studies, three out of four kids report bullying or teasing episodes in the course of a typical school year. Repeated cases of bullying have been tolerated because society considers bullying a rite of passage. As long as nobody gets hurt, the message is to just deal with it. The truth is, the bullies as well as the victims suffer. Below are some suggestions to help your child deal with bullies:
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens |
educational resources,
no place is more than a few mouse clicks away.
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Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures. H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Writer |
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The Power of Conventional Wisdom For centuries, people believed that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it would fall to earth. Aristotle was regarded as the greatest thinker of all times and surely he could not be wrong. All it would have taken was for one brave person to take two objects, one heavy and one light and drop them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object landed first. But no one stepped forward until nearly 2000 years after
Aristotle's death. In 1589, Galileo summoned learned professors
to the base of the leaning Tower of Pisa. Then he went to the
top and pushed off a ten-pound and a one-pound weight. Both
landed at the same time. But the power of belief in the conventional wisdom was so strong that the professors denied what they had seen. They continued to say Aristotle was right, reinforcing the observation by Niccolo Machiavelli in his book, The Prince, that: "There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." Executive Speechwriter Newsletter |
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Raising children is a
two-way street. It isn't just the filling up of an empty vessel
with your thoughts, feelings and beliefs. Kids have opinions,
impressions, thoughts and ideas of their own to share, if you would
just ask. And if you are willing, they can even show you a new perspective.
They tell the truth. We adults Children have opinions about a lot of things. Take the time to say "What do you think?" or "I'm wondering how you are feeling?" or "Any ideas?" Listen to their responses. From something as simple as what to cook for dinner to the more complicated matters of allowance and curfew, children have valid suggestions and observations of their own. Michelle proposed painting her room pink, yellow and green plaid. It looks great! Even very young children know what they like. At ten months old, Martin knew for sure he didn't like squash and spit it out each time his father tried to feed it to him and one-year-old Kalle hated playing in sand or getting her hands dirty. Children are curious
observers of their world. Let them know it's okay to express
themselves. You might be surprised at what they have already
learned. Lacey told her aunt, "My mom thinks there's a Santa
Claus, but I know there isn't." At six years ol Children have lots to say and when asked will give you new ideas where you might be stuck. At age eight, Manda told her mother about a new babysitter and got her phone number from a neighbor. They tried her out and Manda informed her mother, "She isn't any good because she talks on the phone too much." So she didn't use her again.
Kids do have something to say, so if you stay open to what that is, you will discover what they know. Involving your child in this way may take time and energy, but it's the beginning of creative problem solving. Wonderful Ways to Love A Child, Judy Ford pp. 28-29 |
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Love is not blind....it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less. Julius Gordon, Rabbi |
Listening is the first language skill
learned by humans. Perhaps that is why it is so taken for
granted. Much of our listening takes place on a superficial
level. Televisions and radios provide "background
noise"; minds wander during telephone or face-to-face conversations.
Superficial listening prevents aural overload. if a listener
were to focus on each sound in the environment, the listener would
have difficulty concentrating on any new aural information. Research indicates, however, that listening comprehension can be improved. Investigators recommend direct instruction using strategies similar to those used to teach reading comprehension. Of course one cannot expect students to begin practice in listening (e.g., listening to a story) until the students learn strategies for listening. Students can benefit by using the following strategies:
Adapted from Silver Burdett and Ginn |
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Researchers have found certain characteristics that identify effective schools, businesses and organizations. They found that the best organizations share certain common features. Researchers have found that the same is true for families. Ten characteristics of effective families have been identified. They share:
Adapted from The Parent Institute |
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Knowing how to manage your anger can go a long way toward helping you deal effectively with spouses, children, friends and neighbors. RETHINK is an acronym to help you cope with anger. It was developed by the Institute for Mental Health Initiatives of Washington, D.C.
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When people share their fears with you, share your courage with them. |
Weather Scope: An Investigative Study of Weather and Climate:
This is a new educational project that uses online real time data investigations and hands-on activities to guide student discovery of the science behind the factors that affect weather and climate. After completing this project, the students will learn how to how to record weather data and represent it in graphs and maps, how to compare weather in different places and different times, and ultimately be able to identify and explain the factors that affect temperature and current Coliseum: A Gladiator's Story:
A multimedia extravaganza which includes a virtual trip through Rome's "Arena of Death,"
Coliseum through time slideshow, and an animated video fly-through of the
Coliseum as it looked 1,900 years ago including a gladiator's battle! Also includes an
online quiz. Requires Dairy Council of California Educators Page:
Since 1919, Dairy Council of California has been an innovator in nutrition education. An Education Advisory Panel provides a grassroots perspective about what kind of programs and services are needed by teachers and health professionals. You will find Lesson Plans,
articles and free handouts appropriate for parents and students. The JASON Project:
Educators and students can get involved with math and science experts from around the world in real time through the Web site of the JASON Project.
The project was founded in 1989 by Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the wreck of the RMS
Titanic to supplement science curricula for middle grade students. Harriet Jacobs's Life As A Slave Girl: Like Frederick Douglass's Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs's Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is one of the great memoirs of former slaves. Students can learn more about slavery and events leading up to the Civil War. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/JACOBS/hjhome.htm Lincoln Debates: The debates between Stephen A. Douglas and Abraham Lincoln were held during the 1858 campaign for a US Senate seat from Illinois. The debates were held at
seven sites throughout Illinois, one in each of the seven Congressional Districts,
From the Knowledge HQ Staff Copyright © 2006 Knowledge Headquarters, Inc. All Rights Reserved. www.knowledgehq.com
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may be a little jaded, or perhaps
we have forgotten what it's like to be a child. Molly told her
father as they were getting ready for church, "It's hard to go to
church when I'm having fun at home."
d, Jill told
her mother, "I'll study my spelling words after I play for one
hour." And Riley told his parents, "I think playing
one sport is enough for me."
Don't be so quick to
discount your child's thoughts and feelings. Recently, while
speaking to a group of junior high students, I asked them what they
wished their parents would do differently. One girl raised her
hand and said, "I wish my parents would listen more."
Several others agreed, and one teenage boy added, "Kids know how
to listen better than adults."
People usually are amazed when they hear the audio portion of a home
movie or tape. Sounds that they have selectively tuned out in
their environment (e.g., clocks ticking, horns honking) are audible
because the microphone is not a subjective listener.
The school-age child is adept at
selectively tuning out aural
information. 
want to be heard.
Have a
Warm Month!