Parenting and Learning Issues

A recent survey shows that as many as 11% of children aged 4 to 17 years old have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. This is a condition defined by an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that can interfere with the child’s development and daily function. Some of the most common signs of ADHD like hyperactivity and impulsivity are easy to identify, but there is another category of symptoms that is often less clear – inattention.

Inattention is more than just having trouble staying on task, however, it has lately been defined more broadly as a pattern of difficulties known as executive function disorder (EFD). Keep reading to learn more about executive functioning issues and how to manage them.

This video explains how to bolster executive functioning in middle and high school-age students.

What is Executive Functioning Disorder?

If you think of the human brain as a big company, the executive function of the brain is the CEO. Around the time your child hits puberty, the frontal part in the cortex of his brain matures enough to allow him to perform higher-level tasks – things that the chief executive officer of a company might do. This includes actions like:

• Analyzing a particular task
• Planning the steps to complete the task
• Organizing those steps as needed
• Developing timeline to complete the task
• Adjusting or changing the steps as needed to complete the task
• Completing the task in a

Making the switch from middle school to high school is a nerve-wracking change for many students. For some reason, the idea of changing to a new school full of new teachers and new students can be very overwhelming. If your child is nervous about going to high school next year, talking to him about the change may be beneficial. It may also help your child to take some advice from graduating seniors as well as high school teachers. Keep reading to learn more.

Challenges in Transitioning from Middle to High School

Switching to a new school is always a difficult thing to do but it is something that most students go through several times throughout their academic careers. One of the biggest transitions is the one from middle school to high school because it also coincides with puberty for many students. Not only will students find themselves facing a new school with unfamiliar classes, new teachers, and a new schedule, but they also have to navigate the challenges of making new friends and finding their niche within the student body. These things are compounded by additional challenges like resisting peer pressure to drink or do drugs and entering into the world of sexual exploration.

This video offers some tips for preparing for high school.

Before you make the transition from middle to high school, there are some practical things you can do to make the

The quality of your child’s early education will significantly impact his future. Unfortunately, some schools do not have the money it takes to give each child the degree of quality education they deserve. Schools all over the country are led by teachers who are burned out from classrooms that are too full and budgets that are too small. But how important is the student-teacher ratio? Is there a way you can offset the damage of an overcrowded classroom by supplementing your child’s education at home? Keep reading to find out.

What is the Student-Teacher Ratio?

According to the glossary of education reform, the student-teacher ratio “expresses the relationship between the number of students enrolled in a school… and the number of full-time equivalent teachers employed by the school. For example, a school with a 10:1 student-teacher ratio would have ten times as many students as full-time teachers. The student-teacher ratio is important for several reasons. For one thing, it can be used as a tool to measure teacher workload as well as the allocation of resources, particularly in public schools. More importantly, however, it can indicate the amount of individual attention any single child is likely to receive, keeping in mind that not all class sizes will be the same.

The student-teacher ratio of any given school or school district is frequently used to judge the quality of education. However, it is important to note that the “ideal” student-teacher ratio will vary depending on a few different factors.

Every child learns in his own way and at his own pace. Unfortunately, children who learn differently often fall behind in school because the entire class cannot be adjusted to suit the needs of one child. If you are worried about your child’s needs not being met, you may want to consider getting him some extra help outside of school.

There are many different options available for tutoring, but many parents prefer private tutoring. Before you decide, take the time to learn about the different options as well as the pros and cons of private tutoring. You should also learn about the best way to choose a tutor and how to walk the line between giving your child enough support and interfering with his in-school learning.

Types of Tutoring Available for Kids

Just because your child is not doing as well as he could in school doesn’t mean he is stupid. There are many factors that need to be considered when it comes to a child’s academic performance. For example, some children are visual learners while others can learn simply by reading a book. Some children also take a little more time to understand concepts which can make them fall behind in class if the teacher moves too quickly. No matter what your child’s individual struggles may be, getting him some help outside of school might be a good option. Here is an overview of the different types of tutoring and educational service providers you might consider:

• Private

You have undoubtedly heard the saying, “Kids will be kids”. This saying is based on the reality that sometimes children exhibit bad behaviors and it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are bad kids. But some children take this saying to an entirely different level – their behavioral problems become so bad that they are becoming disruptive in school, unresponsive in social situations, or even dangerous to other kids. If your child is exhibiting problem behaviors at school, you may want to talk to his teacher about creating a behavioral intervention plan.

What is a Behavior Intervention Plan?

A behavior intervention plan (BIP) is simply a plan that is designed to reward and reinforce positive behaviors. Behavior intervention plans look different in every instance because they are customized to a specific student and toward specific behaviors. Some of the problem behaviors that a BIP can be used to address may include the following:

• Inappropriate language at school
• Being disruptive in class
• Aggressive behavior toward students and/or teachers
• Becoming withdrawn or unresponsive
• Refusal to do classwork and/or homework

There are several important steps that must be taken in order to develop a behavior intervention plan. For one thing, you need to identify the target behavior(s) that you want to address. Does your child throw things in the classroom? Does he refuse to remain quiet while the teacher is speaking? Does he refuse to do any of his homework or classwork? Once you’ve identified the problem behavior you want to address, you then need to