After-School Care Essays - Mathematics Education,

After-School Care Posner and Vandell's article, "Low-Income Children's After-School Care: Are There Beneficial Effects of After-School Programs" provides valuable research to support the need for quality after-school programs for low-income children. Low-income children need after-school programs like UCLinks because "poverty affects children directly because it limits the material resources available to them and indirectly because of the psychological distress it engenders in parents, which in turn negatively influences parental behavior."(1) The time a child spends after-school is also important to their academic and social development. The quality and type of after-school care a child receives directly correlates to their performance in school and growth in academic abilities. The UCLinks program was created to offer low-income children a quality, academic after-school program. In the UCLinks program, they have children develop their academic skills in language arts, reading comprehension, off-computer activities, and mathematics. The UCLinks after-school program works on bringing the children up to grade level or furthering their development. It does not serve as a homework center for children. Instead, the UCLinks program concentrates on fostering their academic talent in an organized environment. In Posner and Vandell's article, they document research that promotes organized, academic after-school care, "Children's academic and conduct grades were positively related to time spent in one-to-one academic work, with an adult, whereas academic and conduct grades were negatively correlated with the amount of time spent in outdoor unorganized activities." (454) The children of the UCLinks program work with a mentor in 1-1 or 1-2 setting, where mentors specifically focus on academic areas they need to improve or help them develop their abilities to the fullest. 1B. The UCLinks program understands how important reading skills are to children's success in school. If children do not learn to read at grade level, they have a greater risk of falling behind in class work and eventually dropping out. The UCLinks program uses a combined approach to reading instruction with whole language and specific skills development. In each mentoring session of the UCLinks program, the mentors practice whole language instruction. Children have the opportunity to read one on one with their mentor. Bill Honig advocates this interaction with the children, "Teachers classroom routine should include reading good literature to students and discussing it with them, especially by asking questions that stretch children's minds beyond the literal meaning of the text."(3) The active participation the children engage in while reading to their mentors is productive because the children are able to practice decoding, automatic recognition of words, and improve their reading comprehension. Mentors ask their students relevant questions about the book that pertain to the plot, main points and theme of the story. The UCLinks program also practices the specific skills development with their students. Specific skills development focuses on phonemic awareness, phonics, print awareness, word structure, and word-attack and self-monitoring skills. Honig recommends specific skills development, "Students should be taught these skills in an active, problem-solving manner that offers plenty of opportunities to practice the skills in actual reading and writing situations."(13) Children work on computer software like Kid Phonics to develop these specific skills which will ultimately help them read better. The children of the UCLinks program can also spend off-computer time writing stories and poems which immerses them in print awareness and word structure. 1C. In "Children, Mathematics, and Computers" by D. H Clements, he writes "It appears the dominant focus of school mathematics instruction in the last decade has been on computational skills(which students are learning fairly well), but that the development of problem-solving skills and conceptual understanding has been inadequate."(1) The focus on computational skills rather than the problem-solving and conceptual understanding hinder the mathematical abilities of students. As math becomes more abstract, they do not have the required mind state to solve problems with higher level concepts. The UCLinks program supports the teaching of relational mathematics, according to Skewer, knowing what to do and why, over rote learning with their students. The solid mental foundation relational mathematics builds will increase the mathematical abilities of the children and help them problem-solve as math becomes more complex and abstract. The teaching of relational mathematics in the UCLinks program can be observed with the use of pencil and paper, manipulatives, and computers to help children understand mathematical concepts and problem-solving. These practices are further supported in Clements article, "National Council of Teachers in Mathematics recommends that students be actively involved in learning, experimenting with, exploring, and communicating about mathematics."(4) The development of children's mathematical abilities increases when they actually learn the concepts behind the math problems and how to solve them on their own. The interaction children have with pencil and

Cures and Strategies for Senioritis

Cures and Strategies for Senioritis You may have first experienced senioritis that strange funk and apathy you feel your senior year, where all you can think about is getting out of school in high school. Senioritis in college, however, can be just as bad, if not worse. And the consequences can be more permanent and severe. Fortunately, there are several ways you can conquer your senioritis and turn your senior year of college into one of great fun and great memories. Take a Class Just for Fun Your first year or two, you were probably taking your prereqs. Then you focused on taking classes in your major. If you have the time in your schedule, try taking a class just for fun. It can be on a topic you always wanted to learn more about (Modernist Poetry?) or something you think will help you in your post-college life (Marketing 101?). Just go for a class that appeals to you because its interesting, not because of what it can add to your already rigorous courseload. Let your mind enjoy the class for what it is, not because you have to be there. Take a Class Pass/Fail This option is often underused by many college students. If you take a class pass/fail, you can relax a bit on your grade. You can focus on other things and reduce a little bit of stress on yourself. Talk to your professor, your advisor, and/or the registrar about what your options are. Do Something in the Arts Did you always want to learn how to paint? Play the flute? Learn modern dance? Let yourself splurge a little and indulge in a desire youve kept hidden until now. After all, after you graduate, taking fun classes like these is going to be much more difficult. Letting yourself do something just for fun, and because it fulfills a creative desire, can be incredibly rewarding and a great cure for the boredom and routine that might be coming from your other classes. Do Something Off Campus Chances are youve been in a little bubble on your campus for several years. Look past the campus walls and see how you can help the surrounding community a little. Can you volunteer in a womens shelter? Help at a homeless organization? Pass out food to the hungry on Sundays? Giving back to the community can really help you gain your perspective, will help improve the community around you, and can re-energize your mind and heart. Additionally, getting off campus at least once a week can do your body good. Challenge Yourself to Try Something New Every Week Chances are, youre feeling apathetic and suffering from senioritis because your life is very routine. Fortunately, youre on a campus where new and exciting things are happening all the time. Challenge yourself and some friends, if you can to try something new every week on campus. Go to a cultural dinner for a kind of food youve never tried before. Go listen to a speaker talking about a topic you could learn a little more about. Attend a film screening for a movie you might have otherwise passed on. Make a New College Memory Every Week Look back at your time in college. Sure, the things youve learned and your in-class education has been important. But just as important can be the memories youve made with other people along the way. Aim to pack as many as you can into your senior year. Try new things, grab some friends, and see what memories you can make with each other. Take a Mini-vacations with Your Friends or Romantic Partner Youre in college now and practically (if not actually) an independent adult. You can rent a hotel room, travel on your own, and go where you want to go  when you want to go there. So book a mini-vacation with some friends or with your romantic partner. It doesnt have to be far, but it should be fun. Escape for the weekend and let yourself enjoy life away from school for a few days. Even if youre tight on money, there are tons of student travel discounts you can use along the way. Do Something Physically Active Feeling apathetic can manifest itself physically. Challenge yourself to do something physical, like take an exercise class at the campus gym or join an intramural sports team. Youll improve your physical health, be able to work your stress out and increase your energy. (Not to mention, of course, that youll tone up and feel more confident!) Mentor a First-year Student It can be easy, during your senior year, to forget all that youve learned and what it was like as a new student on campus. Additionally, it can be easy to forget how fortunate you are to make it through not everyone who starts their first year makes it all the way through to their senior year. Consider mentoring a first-year student in an on-campus mentoring program. Youll regain some perspective, realize how well-off you have it, and help someone else out along the way. Start a Freelance Business Online The news is full of tiny start-ups that start in college residence halls everywhere. Consider what skills you have, what youre good at, and what you like to do. Setting up a website that advertises your services is easy and doesnt cost much money. Youll gain energy as you focus on a new project, maybe earn some extra cash, and get some experience (if not clientele) that you can use after you graduate.