October – HEART NOTABLES

October 20, 2013

Important Logistics

• Friday, November 1st – Teacher Work Day – No School, No Tutoring

• Monday, November 11th – Veterans Day Holiday – No School, No Tutoring

• Wednesday, November 27th to Friday, November 29th – Thanksgiving Holiday – No School, No Tutoring

• See full list of school holidays here or in grid form here.

• When your student is ready to move to the next concept notebook, let [Emily/Grey] know. We will give a mini-assessment and offer suggestions/tips if more practice is needed.

Tutoring Tips

• For motivation and focus:

o Do your students know why you are there? Ask and see… Explicitly stating your reason (e.g. “I care about you and want you to become a strong student.”) can empower them to partner with you in their learning.

o Do your students know what they are learning? Explain the goals and importance of the concept so that students know what they are working on. The overview at the beginning of each concept notebook includes goals, key points, and how the student will be assessed later in the year. You can also ask [Emily/Grey] about the concept’s importance.

• Make them talk! Help your students use complete sentences when answering questions. This is invaluable for language development, student confidence in class, and our ability to discern their understanding of the math. You can prompt by starting the sentence for them. For example:

o Tutor – “Which train has less?”

o Student – “Blue”

o Tutor – “complete sentence: ‘The blue train ….

o Student/both: “The blue train has less.”

• Praise hard work over smartness. Students can’t control how quickly they grasp a concept, but they can control their effort and focus. Learning requires willingness to work hard, as concepts get difficult, so praise students when they persist in the face of a challenge!

• Keep having fun! What is your student wearing for Halloween? Find out!

More Resources

• Malleable intelligence – Teaching students that their brain and intelligence can grow through practice and hard work has a positive impact, especially for students facing negative stereotypes and questioning their own capabilities. A student-friendly article is here, and a research summary is here.

• This article claims a link between Algebra I scores and Chicago’s murder rate, and it cites a tutoring program that dramatically changes the odds.

Just for Fun

• HEART Volunteer Mixer – Thursday November 21st, 6PM, Carolina Ale House (210 South College Street at 4th Street and College Street) For anyone who is free and interested, this is a chance to meet other tutors, share stories of your students, and celebrate progress. Join for some appetizers and drink specials to find out what a great group of tutors we have! Friends and family are welcome.

• YouTube of a dad when he sees his son’s good report card (watch here from 0:30 to 1:15)

• Visit HEART Tutoring’s Facebook page!