TeachAde currently offers four TeachAde/NEA MB Groups:

21st Century Skills
Do you have a focused 21st Century Skills curriculum? Is it vital for students to learn these skills in school? Our online community of teaching professionals debate whether schools should teach 21st century skills or stick to a core curriculum.

Budgeting Your Money
Recently we’ve all learned the importance of tracking where our money goes. Discover ways your peers have succeeded in budgeting their money. Coming soon … our exclusive Blog with NEA MB’s Certified Financial Advisor with regular updates on ways to save more of your hard-earned money.

Elementary Online Resources
Calling all elementary school teachers! Join this Group to share lessons and activities, as well as tips and tricks to get the most from your students.

National Board Certification
This community group is dedicated to helping teachers decide whether or not to pursue their National Board Certification, with resources on the merits of Certification as well as everything you need to know before you start the process.

Each SAT or ACT taken by a student costs her roughly $50 and half of a day of her life — a small price when compared to the potential benefits of admission into college.  Now, consider this: one of the best ways to prepare for taking the SAT (or ACT) is, well, taking the SAT (or ACT).  So, take both — as often as one can stand the effort and expense.  But that could mean taking twelve tests a year!  Surely that is too much.  So what else should one consider?

Consider the history and purpose of each test.  The SATs were created in the 1920s by and for several elite eastern colleges (i.e., the Ivy League) to supplement high school grades in the colleges’ evaluation of prospective candidates for admission.  The tests have changed over the years, but the basic testing philosophy has not.  The tests are designed primarily to measure the skills a student needs for success in college.  Despite some controversy (regarding diversity fairness and “trick” questions), the tests correlate well with students’ success as freshmen in college. Today the SATs are taken nationwide, but are most popular among colleges (and their prospective students) located in states on or near the coasts.

The ACTs were created in the late 1950s by and for midwestern colleges unhappy with some aspects of the SATs.  The ACTs are designed primarily to measure what a student has learned in high school.  They also correlate with student success in college, but less so than the SATs (according to some experts).  Today the ACTs are taken nationwide, but are most popular among colleges (and their prospective students) located in the broad middle of the country.  Many students feel more comfortable with the ACT (thinking they did better on it than on the SAT), but they are often surprised to find that their percentile rankings on the ACT are no better than those achieved on the SAT.

Nearly all college admissions officers accept either test.  I help prepare students for either or both.  If time and money are not major concerns, I say “go for both.”  If there is a limit, either test will do.  Personally, I lean toward the SAT because of its emphasis on the skills needed for success at the college level.  Getting into a college is only the beginning.  A student must be prepared to succeed in the college learning environment – which is vastly different from that in high school.

In high school, the teacher covers the material in class.  If she is conscientious, she will then assign reading and exercises.  A student, even one weak in critical reading and problem solving, should then be able to do the assignment because the material was covered in class.  In college, the professor does not cover the material.  The student is expected to come to class having already done the necessary reading and exercises.  The professor then “uncovers some of the material” and conducts a seminar with the (informed) students.

In high school a student is tested often.  Most high school quizzes and tests do not emphasize writing or the solving of problems a student has not seen before.  Most college courses test only three times: a midterm exam, a final, and a term paper.  Depending on the course, each test will demand writing, problem solving, or both.

The skills required of college students are precisely the ones tested by the SAT.  Preparing for the SAT thus helps a student develop the skills needed not only to get into college, but to stay there.  So, for most students, my answer is to take both the ACT and the SAT, but to concentrate primarily on the SAT.

About the Author: Captain Karl K. is a retired engineer, college lecturer and admissions officer, and high school teacher.  He is an active and highly successful tutor in a wide variety of subjects including ACT and SAT preparation, English grammar, reading, and writing, mathematics from geometry to calculus, and science (especially physics and chemistry).  He and his wife live in Atlantic Beach, Florida (near Jacksonville).

TeachAde will be integrated into the newly revamped NEA MB Web site to help members connect with each other, share best practices, and access invaluable resources with a click of the mouse. The collaboration is part of the Web site’s intentional focus on the most important subjects to members: Money, Everyday Living, Health and Wellness, Professional Resources and Travel and Leisure.

“Our goal is to partner with the best programs and services to engage and support our members,” said Mark Stevens, vice president of Professional & Web Solutions, NEA Member Benefits. “Partnering with TeachAde will help educators connect with one another on a personal and immediate level about important topical issues such as National Board Certification, 21st-century skills and curriculum and instruction. TeachAde provides our members with a means to easily share their expertise, resources and tools with colleagues across the county.”

TeachAde, which currently has over 17,000 educator participants, enables educators to collaborate within grades and subjects and across schools, districts and states. For example, through TeachAde, the best math teacher in California is able to connect with and help a new math teacher in central Ohio. Once a teacher specifies their subject/grade, TeachAde’s robust database regularly sends useful and customized teacher-created resources directly to the educator. The NEA MB-TeachAde partnership provides NEA members access to a vast database of proven resources overnight and will ensure courses remain rigorous and engaging.

“As a special education teacher, I have found TeachAde to be an invaluable support tool, allowing me to reach out to other teachers in my school district as well as communicating with my students’ parents to keep them updated on their child’s progress,” said Donna Meyerhoeffer, special education teacher at Staunton River High School in Moneta, VA.

“Because each feature was designed and tested by educators, TeachAde’s interface is easy to use and intuitive,” said Michael Pearce, founding partner of TeachAde. “Collaborating with NEA MB allows us to go further to reach greater numbers of educators, which will increase the services to existing and future TeachAde members and demonstrates our commitment to improving teaching and learning.”

NEA members can access TeachAde through the new NEA MB Web site.

President Barack Obama will deliver a speech about education to students tomorrow. Broadcasting live from noon onwards, Obama’s plan to speak to the students has already stirred up quite a controversy among both schools and parents. Some are calling it a valuable classroom lesson while others fear that the president may be using this as an opportunity for propaganda.

In order to quell this tide of controversy, the White House has announced it will release the transcript of the Obama school speech text on its website (http://www.whitehouse.gov) today to allow teachers and parents a chance to review it.  The hope is to allow them time to decide for themselves if it is suitable for their classes or children to listen to the Education Speech.

There are tons of benefits for both teachers and students in tutoring arrangements.  As a teacher, you can keep sharp on your teaching techniques, try out new ones, and stay up-to-date in your subject area.  You might have found that after summer break, you feel a little rusty in the classroom – summer tutoring can be a great way to stay current and avoid this.

Helping a student who finds a particular topic elusive can be an emotionally rewarding experience in itself; and tutoring also provides the opportunity to earn extra money to put towards your well-deserved vacation or further education costs.  Cash-flow can be a problem during the summer months for teachers, so tutoring is a great way to ensure you can keep paying the bills – and you’ll gain valuable experience while doing it.

Tutoring provides you with the flexibility to determine your own schedule, the amount of hours you wish to work, and where you work.  If you love to travel and are adventurous, teaching English as a second language in a foreign country can be a unique experience.  Or, stay at home and work with local kids to contribute to your community and prepare them for the upcoming fall semester (and enjoy the short commute!).  Working with parents as clients can also be a satisfying experience as you get to know more about the community and the kids you teach during the normal school year.  Many students who receive tutoring in addition to regular class time during the school year build lasting relationships with their teachers and often credit them as having a hand in their future successes.

Working over the summer as a tutor has the added benefit of allowing you to deviate from your typical subject area:  maybe you teach English during the normal school year, but you have a hidden passion for math that you miss utilizing.  Tutoring at a basic level can give you the chance to exercise some of those neglected muscles.  Teachers are also in demand for adults and children for whom English is a second language. This chance to experience variety and make an important difference in someone’s life can be greatly appealing.

To re-cap, teachers who tutor enjoy the following perks:

• Increased cash-flow/compensation for lost pay during summer months;
• Rewarding relationship with students and parents;
• Opportunity to set your own hours, work from home, work locally or even travel abroad;
• Chance to try new things; keep your skills focused, and work in areas you might otherwise not have the chance to during the school year.

Visit Tutor Match to build a tutor profile and register to be linked with a student who needs your expertise this summer.

So what is Environmental Education Week?

The goal of Environmental Education Week is to increase the number of environmental education hours that K-12th grade students receive in both formal and non-formal educational settings.  In 2008, over 1,850 schools and non-formal educational institutions across the country organized Environmental Education Week events.  Collectively these organizations served millions of students with environmentally-themed lessons and activities that positively impacted the environment and encouraged environmental stewardship among young people.

TutorMatch is proud to be a sponsor and partner of EE Week.  Why not help us out?  There’s a number of ways you can take action during EE Week:

Join with NEEF, EPA and other teens to do your part for climate change and children’s health.

Do you know a teacher who stands out among the rest? Someone who takes their passion for the environment and brings it into the classroom, inspiring students to learn and engage in environmental issues? Consider nominating the outstanding teacher for a Richard C. Bartlett Award. 

Be part of the nation’s largest single day for improving and enhancing the public lands we enjoy through our National Public Lands Day home page.

Whether you’re lost in math, need help in English, or just don’t understand a foreign language, TutorMatch.com can help you find a tutor to help. This is a free search service; there is no fee and you don’t have to give any personal information you’re not comfortable with. Just go to the Tutor Match Local Tutoring Search, type your zip code in the box provided, and you will be able to browse the list of tutors available within a specified radius of your zip code.

If you would like to become a tutor or get a job as a tutor, then TutorMatch.com is the place for you. It is free to post a tutor profile, or for a small fee, you can obtain preferred listing status and have access to more options and better exposure.  Premium TutorMatch Profiles tend to attract about 3 times more student leads on average than free profiles.

Depending on preferences, sessions are scheduled for over the phone, in person, or online. The fees for tutors vary based on experience, but are affordable. To request a tutor, simply fill out a form, which will be sent to the tutor. Once he or she receives the request, they will contact you through the preferred method you have listed.

TutorMatch.com makes finding help for yourself or your child easier than it’s ever been. No matter what subject you are struggling in, Tutor Match has someone that can help.

March Giveaway Contest!
If you’re interested in becoming a tutor on TutorMatch and would like a chance to win a free premium membership, check out the Contest Corner for the free TutorMatch profile Giveaway this month!

One of the main reasons that parents choose to enroll their children in tutoring sessions is the difficulty that comes with understanding complex problems and solutions. Many tutors develop unique methods of enabling understanding in children.

When tutoring math, it is crucial that the child learn the vocabulary associated with the methods, as this can provide understanding of the problems that are being asked. Even if the child is unable to recall the formula, the vocabulary associated with the problem can give insight to solving it.

Gauge the level of the child and where their questions lie. Do this by asking open ended questions such as “Where do you think that we should start?” and “What are the steps to working out this problem?” Asking these questions will promote the child to think on their own and formulate the process required to solve the problem in their head. Not only will this help the tutor to gauge the level of the child and determine which concepts require review, it promotes the child to think about the concept at hand and become confident with the steps required to solve the problem.

Next, listen – Although this step may sound as if it is the easiest, listening is a talent that many tutors need to work on. Listening will allow the tutor to assess the communication and skill levels of the child they are tutoring. Listening is the only way, aside from witnessing the problems being solved, to gauge the comprehension of the child.

Math is a complex subject to learn and should be approached with drawings and diagrams to promote understanding. In complex diagrams, have the child label points such as types of angles, sizes of angles and solutions to problems.

And finally, remember to reinforce the child’s main educational school program with similar concepts.  You can always provide some refreshers on the basics, but don’t get too far ahead of what they’re studying in school.

Finding a tutor is the first step.

The first place to start looking for tutoring assistance is in the educational system. Teachers and professors will often moonlight for a little extra pay and give a student the extra help he or she needs. College towns usually have no shortage of tutoring skills available. Tutors can be found in the student body of the college or university by contacting the institution’s office of student affairs or hanging a note with your phone number in places student gather to eat and study.

Checking for online tutoring services will produce good results. Tutorial services connect the student with a tutor who will work with him or her as needed. The results will be improved grades, an increased comprehension level and a better all-around attitude toward the learning process.

Another place to look for tutoring assistance is the local social services agency. Referrals to excellent tutors may be available since the need is a common one. An excellent tutor can sometimes be found this way.

A potential tutor should never be hired without at least a minimal checking of references.  It certainly would also be worthwhile to check with a site like Family Watchdog,  which contains a database of known offenders.  And just to be sure, always be present or nearby when a tutor meets with your children.

Alicia G, an english and reading tutor from Canada, writes: “Hello.  I want to thank you for receiving my first client from you. Please keep the students coming!”

Susan K, a French and Spanish tutor from Schenectady, says, “I tutored a student through your company and it worked out very well. Thank you!”

And John Z, a multi-subject tutor and the Founder of Westside Tutoring in Lakewood, Ohio, has written us several times.  “Excellent response! Thank you for the referrals. Good quality referrals unlike some other tutor referral websites, you actually send people in need of assistance. Well done TutorMatch!”

“Once again, I would like to thank you for an excellent referral. I have a client for the next two weeks at a decent wage and the promise of more work and mentoring down the road, soon. Very nice. By far, your website has returned the best results.”

” Once again, TutorMatch.com has proven to be the best of the tutor referral sites I subscribe to. Not only have you sent quality leads but they have resulted in ongoing relationships that have paid many times the fee to join. Once again, well done and thanks!”

Those are just a few of our most recent testimonials … please keep them coming, and I’d be happy to feature them here!