What happened to August?  It just flew by.  Whew!  I hope the world slows down a bit.  It is just moving too fast.  In an end of summer burst....we have been growing by leaps and bounds.  We love the growth.  We find it invigorating and challenging to meet these new demands.   In the months ahead we look forward to continued growth, as we add new features and interests to our many websites.  

Last weekend our neighborhood held their annual block party.  It was months in planning and was a delight to all who attended.  A disk jockey provided the backdrop for an air jump, relay races, game,  visiting, singing, eating, playing and dancing.  Every child went home with a prize, candy and smiles.  The police and fire stations provided us with demonstrations and tours of cars and trucks.   It is such a wonderful way to teach our children the value of relationships and neighbors.  In our busy world we often forget about the person living next door.   These gatherings help to reinforce that we are part of a larger community.  My family extends beyond my house to the neighbors up and down my street.  They take care of me and I take care of them.  Oh, if the world could be so easy to take care of!  

As the season winds down, dwindling heat mixed with cool winds remind us that cooler weather is on the way.  Flowers offer their last blooms on straggly stems, while trees reluctantly give up a leaf or two.  

Enjoy  this very special month.  It is one of my favorites.  May you find beauty in each day of this month.  

Learning with e-Tutor:

Eleven new lessons were added to e-Tutor this month.  We are constantly adding new lessons to the bank of lessons.  There are approximately 1600 lessons in the e-Tutor program now.

Welcome to all of our new subscribers!  We are pleased that you have joined the e-Tutor world of learners.  This newsletter is a way to keep you informed of ideas, thoughts and changes going on with Strategic Studies and all of its satellites.   Your involvement and feedback are important to us.  We look forward to hearing from you.  

Many of you have written this month to tell us of how happy you are with e-Tutor.  We especially like hearing about how your students are doing.   It is through your participation and encouragement that we are able to improve upon our educational offerings.  

Please look for our ads this month in the following newsletters and Journals:

• The Link
• Texas Homeschooling Magazine
• North Carolina Greenhouse Report

If you have a suggestion for us, please let us know.  We are anxious to share our educational program with others. 

Although the first month of traditional schooling is just about over,  students using e-Tutor have the flexibility of learning throughout the year.  

The following is a description of the three main sections including the nine parts of each lesson:

READY TO LEARN - This section includes information you will need to begin this lesson.

Title: Every lesson has a Title Page that includes a title picture, a title, the author of the lesson and a footprint.  The footprint picture appears at the beginning of each section of the lesson. 

Introduction: This page tells a little about what to expect in the lesson. 

Lesson Problem: The lesson problem is the question that the learner will be able to answer upon completing the lesson. 

Vocabulary: Vocabulary words are linked to the Merriam Webster dictionary website and are defined by simply clicking on them. The words are an excellent source for spelling words or sentence construction.

LEARN - This sections includes the main content of the lesson.

Study Guide: The study guide teaches the skill or concept of the lesson. Throughout the study guide are underlined blue words (hyperlinks) that take the student to other sites that reinforce the skill or concept of the lesson.  


Figure 6. Study Guide Section

Activity: Some of the activities allow you to type on the screen and some need to be printed and completed off screen. An activity consists of an experiment, research, project or some other hands on activity.  

Extended Activity: These activities may involve hyperlinks. The activity will expand the student's understanding and critical thinking skills. 

WHAT YOU KNOW  - This section lists of all the resources included in the study guide and also links to the quiz and exam questions.

Resources: The  resources are very essential part of the lesson. Students are encouraged to visit all of the listed sites before completing the lesson. Links are always highlighted in blue and underlined. By simply clicking on the link, e-Tutor links the student to the resource site. 

Quiz:  Every lesson contains a question bank of from twenty to sixty questions. This means that quizzes can be taken more than once.  Each time the student takes the quiz the questions and answers are rotated.  Some students like to use a quiz as a pre-test before completing the lesson.


Figure 7. Quiz Section

Exam: The exam is similar to the quiz, but consists of ten questions, instead of five.  Scores for both quizzes and exams are recorded in the student's report card accessible with the parent login.

If you are not an e-Tutor subscriber, don't let another day pass without  logging on to this great way of learning!

The difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing it exactly right. 

Do You See What I See?

Studies indicate that vision makes up almost eighty percent of the learning process during a child's first twelve years.  For children who have undetected vision problems, the joy and discovery of learning can quickly become a burden. 

Undetected vision problems are easily overlooked by parents, educators and children themselves.  Children assume that what they see is what everyone sees even if it's blurry.  If your child exhibits any of the following behaviors, consider making an appointment for a comprehensive eye exam:

• Loses place while reading
• Avoids close work
• Holds reading material closer than normal, brings it closer while reading or shifts it often.
• Tends to rub eyes
• Has headaches
• Turns or tilts head to use one eye only
• Makes frequent reversals when reading or writing
• Use fingers to maintain place when reading
• Omits or confuses small words when reading
• Consistently performs below potential

Ensure that your child can make the most of his five sense while learning.  For more information check this site.  

Vision Council of America

Happiness is a dividend on a well invested life. 

Duncan Stuart

Becoming a People Magnet

Charisma is based on authentic caring for and interest in others.  Following are seven abilities which contribute to charisma.  Most of us already have some skill in these areas. 

• Send powerful nonverbal messages.  Charismatic people are aware of how their "silent messages" make an impression before they speak.  A variety of factors contribute to sending powerful nonverbal messages, including appearance, bearing and attitude, all of which can be improved with training and practice.
• Speak in an authoritative manner.  Cultivate your ability to speak clearly, precisely and with impact in any situation.  Charismatic people are highly effective at identifying the message they want to send and communicating it with conviction and optimism.
• Be an attentive listener.  As we listen to others, many of us think about how we will answer rather than listening to understand.  A charismatic person will often ask questions that show they understood the speaker's point perfectly.
• Be persuasive.  The best way to persuade others to do something is to find out what's important to them, then link your goals to theirs.  
• Use time and space well.  Most successful people are well organized and have efficient work habits.  They are aware of the people around them and they don't overstep their boundaries.
• Learn to be in "synch" with others.  A charismatic person notices another person's situation and adapts to it which creates a feeling of rapport and familiarity.  Speaking with people in a manner they prefer will help you establish a good relationship with them. 
• Develop your own vision and ideas.  Charismatic people know where they are going and how to get there.  Most of those who write down their goals reach them. 

Tony Allessandra, Ph.D., 
Charisma:  Seven Keys to Developing the Magnetism That Leads to Success

Wishing

"I wish I were honest enough to admit all my shortcomings:

• brilliant enough to accept flattery without it making me arrogant;
• tall enough to tower above deceit;
• strong enough to treasure love;
• brave enough to welcome criticism; 
• compassionate enough to understand human frailties;
• wise enough to recognize my mistakes;
• humble enough to appreciate greatness; 
• staunch enough to stand by my friends;
• human enough to be thoughtful of my neighbor; 
• and righteous enough to be devoted to the love of God."

Gordon H. Taggart

Think of yourself as on the threshold of unparalleled success.  A whole clear, glorious life lies before you.   Achieve!  Achieve!

Andrew Carnegie

Coping with Anger

Children's feelings of anger, jealousy, even hatred need to be accepted by parents.  When these feelings are acknowledged and allowed appropriate expression, they begin to lose their sharp edge.  When parents deny their children's strong feelings, saying, "You've no reason to feel like that!" the feelings do not go away!.  They simply get repressed. 

Later, they may come out in indirect ways...through temper tantrums, nail biting, nervous tics or bad dreams.  Feelings that are bottled up inside grow stronger and more intense.  By accepting children's strong feelings, parents show them their feelings are part of normal human experience.  In fact, it is helpful for parents to tell a child that all people feel these ways at times.  

Children need to learn acceptable ways to express strong feelings.  When their expressions are hurtful or demeaning, parents should redirect them. 

Sometimes a parent's feelings (or sibling's, grandparent's, stepparent's etc.) are truly hurt by a child's angry outburst.  When this happens, the parent can ask the child to rephrase her anger in a more acceptable manner, still allowing the child the right to feel angry.  It is often necessary at a time like this for the parent to tell the child what a better or more appropriate way might be.  

Adapted from Sal Lerman Caruso, "Coping With Anger:  Yours, Your Child's"

Déjà Vu

In 1900, only about eight percent of Americans 14 to 17 years old attended high school, and of those, only about eleven percent expected to attend college.  Education beyond the age of 14 wasn't compulsory in most states and dropout rates were high.

Students in 1900 studied many of the same subjects offered in modern high schools:  English, history, science and math.  But Latin and Greek were considered essential for the college-bound.  Other popular subjects included rhetoric, logic and bookkeeping.  Memorizing was more important than understanding; grammar and spelling were the backbone of English classes.

Test scores of the minority of students who made it to 12th grade could be as discouraging to educators then as they are now.  In 1924, 19 percent of high-school students who took the New York state regents exam in English failed; 30 percent failed the math exam and 31 percent failed Latin. 

Wall Street Journal

Fine Arts for a Fine Education

It is pretty hard to maintain the view that the fine arts are a "frill" in curriculum when you consider that most of the greatest human achievements in the history of the world are in the arts.  

Think of the Mona Lisa, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the Taj Mahal, Romeo and Juliet and Swan Lake.  Looking at  fine arts as a way to encourage budding artists, musicians, architects, dancers and creative writers misses the point.  If that were all that a society required, then those interested could merely take lessons.  

What any society needs is an entire citizenship capable of appreciating the arts and of understanding the insights into the human condition that the arts afford, as well as exposure to a way of thinking that differs from the black-and-white, right-or-wrong approach often fostered in fact-based curricula.  The arts teach us to view the mysteries of life in a different light, to be open-minded and to develop an aesthetic sense.  They also offer us a way to express our deepest feelings, our longings, fears, joys and hopes. 

A civilization is often defined by its arts.  Think of the Egyptians and you think of the pyramids.  The French boast their left bank artists; the Germans, many fine composers; the Russians, superb corps de ballet.  We communicate with one another through the arts; the arts hold a society together.  

How does a new generation tap into the vast treasure of artistic expression in the world and in its own society?  A home environment that strives to enrich the lives of its children helps.  Trips to museums, concerts and plays are a good start.  Playing different kinds of music on the family stereo or radio, encouraging children to read classics or to notice nuances of architecture also help.

Even if your child never becomes a great artist or musician, it is important for him to find a way to express what is in his heart.  The arts will give him that opportunity.  For children and adolescents, who particularly strive to find their identity and their relationship to the rest of the world, the arts are an important vehicle for self-discovery. 

When your child shows you his drawings or poems, be sure to praise his efforts.  You may not have a young artistic genius on your hands, but you certainly do have a feeling, sensitive human who needs all the paths he can find to relate to others, to understand the world around him and to tap into his own being.  The fine arts will provide those paths. 

The Community Link

Page 4

Always do right.  This will gratify some people and astonish the rest. 

We often learn when we least expect it.   

I grew up in the fifties with practical parents -- a Mother, God love her, who washed aluminum foil after she cooked in it, then reused it. She was the original recycle queen, before they had a name for it.  A Father who was happier getting old shoes fixed than buying new ones.

Their marriage was good, their dreams focused. Their best friends lived barely a wave away. I can see them now, Dad in trousers, tee shirt and a hat and Mom in a house dress, lawn mower in one hand, dishtowel in the other.

It was the time for fixing things -- a curtain rod, the kitchen radio, screen door, the oven door, the hem in a dress. Things we keep. It was a way of life, and sometimes it made me crazy.

All that re-fixing, re-heating, re-newing, I wanted just once to be wasteful.  Waste meant affluence. Throwing things away meant there'd always be more.

But then Mother died, and on that summer night, in the warmth of the hospital room, I was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't any "more."

Sometimes, what we care about most gets used up and goes away,  never to return.   So...while we have it...it's best we love it...care for it...fix it when it's broken...and heal it when it's sick.

This is true...for marriage...old cars...children with bad report cards...dogs with bad hips...aging parents...and grandparents. We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it.

Some things we keep.  Like a best friend that moved away -- or -- a classmate we grew up with.

There are just some things that make life important, like people we know who are special...and so, we keep them close!

Author Unknown

Parental Involvement in Learning

We know that parental interest in school work and frequent communication of the value of learning are important.  A nationally representative survey of 25,000 American eighth-graders, their parents, their teachers and their principals has been conducted by the federal Education Department.  The National Educational Longitudinal Study shows:

• Although three-quarters (79 percent) of parents said they talked regularly about their eighth-grader's school experiences, half of the students (48 percent) said they had engaged in such discussions less than twice since the school year began.  And one child in nine said he or she never had participated in such a conversation.

• Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of students said they never or rarely discussed their classes or school programs with their parents. 

• One-quarter (26 percent) of students said their parents rarely or never checked their homework, while 57 percent of parents said they rarely (once or twice a month) or never helped their child with homework.

• Although a majority of parents (62 percent) said they had rules about how many hours their children could watch television on weekdays, the same percentage of children said their parents rarely or never limited their TV watching. 

U.S. Department of Education 
Office of Educational Research and Improvement

Page 5

That old law about an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.

Spectacular September Links!

Africa:  This website was created to support the series of PBS shows on Africa. There is something for all levels of students. For younger children, go to Africa for Kids. Learn about the daily life of students in four African nations, play a virtual thumb piano, or figure out how the hero of a Swahili folktale can accomplish his mission. Teacher tools has four wonderful units on Africa. For those who think they already know it all, take the Africa Challenge. 
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/

Figure This!   Although developed to provide interesting math challenges to families of middle school students, this resource can also work in schools. Three to four math challenges using real world examples are posted here each month. For those who need help solving the challenge, there are hints and complete solutions, along with related problems.  http://www.figurethis.org/

Special Education Department:  This site is very specific to Special Education resources in Peoria, Arizona,  but also offers good information to parents, teachers and the general 
community on the topic of special education. Procedures list the steps taken to refer, evaluate, and implement special education resources. Forms may be specific to the district, but parents and teachers can acquaint themselves with the information generally required along each step of the process. http://specialed.peoriaud.k12.az.us/

Poetry Express:   Fifteen Poems You Can Write Now is a great resource for educators looking for poetry activities. Most of the activities had good examples for students, while leaving room for creativity spirit. The area for Sharing gives ideas for conversation starters when talking about poetry, the first steps of criticism (at its most positive). 
http://www.poetryexpress.org/

Autoshop101 - Automotive Training Resource Site:  Automotive training support for Automotive technicians, students, and teachers. Online ASE style electrical practice tests, technical articles, online tutorials, etc. All items can be used for education purposes; students and educators can reprint materials for instructional use. Toyota supports education, their only requirement is that their copyright remain on the document and that their work not be modified.
http://www.autoshop101.com

exZOOberance:  The site is dedicated to those who love and support the animal kingdom. The pictures of animals make this site a joy for animal lovers of all ages. (Readers are invited to add to information about the animals listed). News articles regarding all things touching the animal kingdom can tie Life Science in with current events. 
http://www.exzooberance.com/

The Great Plant Escape:   Detective LePlant guides students through the information they need about plants and the part they play in our lives.  In six multi-disciplinary lessons, plants, dirt, flowers and bulbs are the center of attention. A teacher's guide integrates the lessons and online quizzes with other instructional ideas.  
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/

The Star Spangled Banner:   Did you know that the Star Spangled Banner is on display at the Smithsonian in Washington DC? The inspiration for the US national anthem 
now has a web site examining the history of the flag itself. Students can use this information as a resource for research projects, or test their knowledge of the history of the flag and the events of 1814 that affected Francis Scott Keyes, author of the anthem.  
http://americanhistory.si.edu/ssb/

Enjoy a Wonderful Month!

From the Staff at Strategic Studies Corporation

 
Copyright © 2003 Strategic Studies Corp.
http://www.strategicstudies.com