More than half of American students consistently do homework using some sort of technology such as a laptop or smartphone.  Sometimes they are using these tools to complete their work, but often times, these gadgets are merely a distraction and cause homework to take even longer.  In my last blog, I mentioned the myth of multi-tasking.  In reality, there is no such thing.  The brain is actually task switching because it cannot accurately focus on more than one thing at once.  If Facebook, surfing the internet, trying out the newest apps and texting are getting in the way of your child’s productivity, there’s help.

Studies show that when students are more aware of how they study best, they have higher GPAs.  When they are able to craft an environment that is comfortable for them, they can become much more efficient at their school work. This ideal study environment will be different for every student, but here are some questions that can help make your child more self aware and give you an idea of how much technology should be involved.  Have your kids ask themselves:

• In what environment do I get the most work done?
• Where do I tend to focus best?
• What time of the day am I most productive?
• How do I best eliminate distractions?
• What kind of music can I listen to while studying? (By the way, research has shown that music with lyrics makes it harder to focus, but if it’s a song that your student listens to all the time, their brain will be used to blocking it off and it may actually help with studying.)

Research also shows that when students take breaks from technology, they can improve their focus. There are lots of activities that can relax a student’s mind and improve cognitive processes.  These include:

• Exercising (playing a sport, taking a walk, or yoga)
• Playing a musical instrument
• Looking at beautiful art work
• Listening to music

All of these activities have been shown to relieve stress and enhance study time.

But sometimes, even the most diligent students don’t want to hear how they can use technology wisely when the ideas are coming from their parents.  As a parent of a 14 year old, I’m very well aware of this!

This summer, we’re rolling out our new educational coaching program.  It’s a ten-session, in-home tutoring program designed to help students tackle ways they work best.  We’re also incorporating other strategies for reading comprehension (how to focus and retain when the text isn’t too exciting), note-taking, organization, time management and goal setting.  In addition, we’re offering this unique study skills program to rising middle and high school students in a group setting in Vienna, VA.  Let me know if you have any questions about this blog or our summer classes.

Ann Dolin, M.Ed. ann@ectutoring.com

President ~ EC Tutoring

Today, I appeared on News Channel 8′s Let’s Talk Live discussing how technology is impacting this generation of students.  Scientists are just beginning to study brain changes by looking at MRIs to determine if constant texting, facebooking, tweeting (you name it!) is changing brains.  Don’t panic; the news is mostly good.  Take a look at this short video for some highlights.

During the segment, Melanie Hastings and I also talked about the lure of technology.  Because of so many distractions, this generation of kids is more distracted than ever, and it’s not by school work.  The class of 2011 had the lowest SAT critical reading score (497)ever recorded.  Some say it’s because of diversity with more and more kids from all backgrounds taking the test, but I wonder if it’s not more than that.  If only the reading portion dropped to it’s lowest levels ever, wouldn’t that point to the fact that our kids aren’t reading for pleasure?  Studies show that only about half read for pleasure.

More on how we can help our kids focus in my next blog post…

Ann Dolin

I was lucky enough to attend two of Dr. Rosen’s sessions at the Learning and the Brain Conference this weekend.   In addition to presenting his own research, he also summarized other recent studies.  Here are the questions, answers, and other tidbits I found interesting:

• Why are “screens” so appealing to humans? And when it comes to reading, what is the neurological reason our kids prefer to search Google than read a book? Dr. Gary Small of UCLA conducted fascinating research studying students’ fMRIs when they were asked to do two separate things: read a hard copy book and search the internet using Google. He found that kids’ brains almost fully lit up (almost all areas were stimulated) when they used Google, but that only a very small portion was activated when reading a book. The internet produces a hyperactivity of the brain; it makes people more engaged and stimulated.

• The more friends you have on Facebook, the more gray matter (associated with memory) in your brain. Also, those with a large amount of friends were more likely to have a larger amygdala (part of the brain associated with emotion). Here’s a good visual of brain maturation. Although association doesn’t mean causation, most here at the conference believe there is a causative affect.

• Children who play violent video games have less activity in their brains that regulate emotion and aggression. The effects can last for a week after last playing a game.

• Furthermore, people who are addicted to video games have disrupted brain connections in the areas of emotion, decision-making, and attention.

When it comes to attention, a recent study by Rosen looking at the habits of 279 middle, high school, and college students found the following when the students were observed studying for 15 minutes:

• All groups could only attend to the task for 3-5 minutes before losing focus. They were able to refocus at about 6 minutes, but then were highly distracted between 8-10 minutes. They became highly focused at approximately 14 minutes, probably because they realized they had just a short time left before the time was up.

• The most interesting finding was that the number of windows the student had open, the more off task they were.

• Off-task behavior was highly correlated with lower grade point average (GPA). On-task behavior was correlated with higher GPAs.

In a nutshell, Rosen found that the following factors in the study predicted good school performance:

• How much time the student spent on task.

• If the student had strategies for studying (more on this in my next post).

And the following factors predicted poor school performance:

• Switched from task to task often (multi-tasking).

• High amount of daily media consumption.

• And most amazingly, whether the student checked Facebook just ONCE during the 15 minutes. This is the factor that was most correlated with lower GPA.

The question isn’t whether technology is good or bad, it’s about how kids can use it wisely. Part of that includes something called “meta-cognition” which is a fancy way of saying “thinking about thinking”. In order for students to regulate their own online habits they must know how they learn and pay attention best. More on the latest on meta-cognition in my next post.

Questions or comments? Please post them below!

Ann Dolin, M.Ed. — President — EC Tutoring

For the last three days, I’ve been attending the Learning and the Brain Conference sponsored by Johns Hopkins University.  Almost one thousand individuals in education-related fields from all over the country have come to Crystal City to learn about the latest brain research from the world’s leading neuroscientists and psychologists.  This year’s conference title, “Web-Connected Minds: How Technology Transforms Brains, Teaching and Attention”, is of tremendous interest to me as an educator and more so as a parent.  I have questions like:

“Are our kids’ brains different because of their attachment to technology?”

“What are the long-term effects of technology on our kids?”

“Is technology causing our kids to have shorter attention spans?”

The bottom line is that neuroscientists have just begun to study the long-term effects of iPads, iPods, texting, Facebook, YouTube, video games and basically anything with a screen.  Through my next few blog postings, I hope to consolidate some of the newest research from this conference.

The first keynote I attended on Friday was given by Larry Rosen, PhD, from California State University.  Here are some of the basic take-aways from his talk:

• Although our brain only weighs two pounds, it uses 25% of our energy.  It’s a myth that we use only 10% of our brain.

• Functional MRIs (performing a task during an MRI) have found that thinking about something actually activates more (and different) parts of the brain than hearing, speaking, and seeing.

• Our kids are thinking all day long…about technology.

• There are two types of distractors during learning: internal and external.

• Thinking is an internal distraction.  Kids may be contemplating, “I wonder if anyone “liked” the photo of me water skiing.”  A common internal distractor is Facebook.  In fact, every one out of five page views on the internet is of Facebook.  More on external distractors later.

• Rosen says our kids are suffering from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).  When they don’t have their phone in hand, they are panicked that they’re missing out on something important.  Yet when we take their technology away, it actually creates more anxiety.  When kids are in FOMO mode, they are not fully available for learning.

• Solution?  Tech breaks.  Allow your child to have his or her phone during homework.  It can be on the table, just turned over (out of sight, out of mind does not apply to this generation when it comes their phones).  Students should work for 15 minutes, and then take a one-minute tech break.  This one-minute break greatly relieves anxiety and kids are better able to focus.

• There is no such thing as multi-tasking.  The brain actually quickly shifts from one task to another.  When kids are doing many things at once such as texting, looking at Facebook on their laptop, and reading a text book, they are not doing any one thing accurately.

• When they are working on many things at once, including homework, they prolong the amount of time they must spend on their assignments.

• This makes sense to us as adults, but studies show kids think they can work just as efficiently in this manner.  A good solution is a tech break.

In addition, Dr. Rosen described characteristics of the iGeneration (born 1990-1999).  They:

• Are more liberal.

• Are more idealistic.

• Are more socially connected.  Their #1 vehicle is Facebook.

• Think have a strong desire to be entrepreneurs and believe they can succeed.

• Have a strong work ethic when they can focus.  The problem is that they cannot focus well because of so many distractors inherent in their environment.

More on technology’s impact on focus and attention in my next blog from the Learning and the Brain Conference.

I’d love to hear your comments or questions!  Please post below.

Ann Dolin, M.Ed. — President — EC Tutoring

Just the other day, my fourteen year old son, Will, announced that he was going to Skype (is this word now a verb?) with his friend Kelly in order to study for an upcoming test.  I was instantly skeptical.  After all, it’s unlikely that any real studying can involve social media…right?  I was wrong.

That evening I decided to walk ever so slowly by Will’s room to see if he was really studying or merely chatting with his friend.  I was surprised to hear that they were quizzing each other for an upcoming test based on a study guide they were reviewing together.  I heard questions like, “Do you think she’s going to ask about the causes of the revolution on the test?  How did you create your venn diagram showing cause and effect?  This is how I did mine (holding up paper).”

So, in the end, I do think Skype is the way to go for many of our tech-savvy kids.  Here are some things to think about:

• Research shows that students remember far more of what they discuss than what they read or hear.   Small study groups are ideal, but when that’s not possible, consider Skype.

• Be sure your child has guidelines so that the time spent studying doesn’t turn into social hour.  Kids should establish with their peer how long the study session will last and what they need to accomplish.  All worksheets and study guides should be emailed ahead of time.

• Skype can help your child with a sense of accountability.  Some students just can’t muster enough energy to study alone, but they often can when they have an established study session with a friend.

And your tween or teen will surely be impressed when you encourage Skype as a study tool!

Ann Dolin, M.Ed.
President - Educational Connections, Inc.

Ann was recently featured in a “Parent to Parent” article by Betsy Flagler of The Buffalo News. We’ve posted the article below – let us know your thoughts!

—

Some kids expect kudos every time they turn around. But general praise for their brains, beauty or brawn can backfire. Instead, get specific about your child’s effort.

Use praise that hones in on how well your child perseveres, suggests Ann K. Dolin, a former teacher and president of a tutoring company based in Virginia. When words are too general, children discount their parents’ good intentions as insincere.

Praising children for effort rather than intelligence gives them more motivation to keep trying, says Dolin, author of “Homework Made Simple” (Advantage Books, 2010). Her suggestions include:

• Replace “great job” with, “I like the way you kept trying even when the problems became harder.”

• Replace “I’m proud of you” with, “You went back to check your work. That extra step paid off.”

• Replace “You got an A” with, “Those extra practice problems you did really made a difference.”

Studies at Columbia University have shown that kids praised for being talented don’t fare as well as kids who are praised for being hard workers. Students praised only for their intelligence and natural strengths can eventually lose confidence in their abilities.

Here are some suggestions from Mary Jo Rapini, counselor and coauthor of “Start Talking: A Girl’s Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever” (Bayou Publishing, 2008), about how to get beyond “good job.”

• Be careful praising your child for what comes naturally. If you dole out praise for high math grades that come easily, your child may be less willing to try more difficult challenges.

• Be careful praising your child for what he already loves to do. This can lead to a kid thinking he has to be passionate about something in order to be good at it.

• Using comparisons will backfire. Telling your child that she is better, stronger or more attractive than someone else fosters a competitive, win-or-lose mindset. Teaching your children to understand others and be polite is more highly correlated to their future happiness and success than promoting competition.

• Praising your child’s attractiveness should be done with caution. Encouragement and modest praise when your child is frustrated while learning a skill, for example, will help build your child’s selfesteem much more than telling her how pretty she is.

• When praising, keep in mind the child’s age and developmental level. A toddler will need encouragement more often, but a teenager may feel manipulated by your comments.

There are also pitfalls when it comes to praising children’s artwork, according to the North Carolina State University Extension Service. Well-intentioned comments such as “that’s a beautiful house” can lead to these common misunderstandings:

• Children may expect praise every time they create something.

• Children may stop forming their own opinions of their artwork and look to their teachers for feedback.

• Children may stop being creative and start creating what they think their teachers will like.

The best way to give children feedback is to praise their effort using descriptions instead of applauding the product they actually created. Help children recognize how hard they worked—at mixing colors of paint, gluing down leaves, cutting out strips of paper—and encourage them to be proud of their own accomplishments without seeking an adult nod of approval.

Ann Dolin was recently featured in the “Ask the Expert” section of Attention Magazine. Find answers to questions like: How do you help procrastinators? What if the student says studying is boring? Do video games help or hurt in the long run?

We’ve posted the article on our website here:

Ask the Expert: ADHD and Homework Struggles

Let us know what you think, we’d love to hear your feedback!

Getting any child to read can be a challenge, but trying to encourage a teenager to read is even more of an undertaking. While the benefits of reading include an increased vocabulary, better grades, and higher SAT scores, the struggle may not be worth it if the parent/child relationship is impacted. Good news – there are many things to make the environment ripe for reading without pushing your child (or yourself) over the edge.

Buy a Kindle or Nook

One of the best investments you can make is the purchase of an e-reader. Teens love electronics and are much more likely to flip the switch on their e-book than to pick up a paperback. Moreover, once they finish with one book, the next book is at the tip of their fingers in the e-reader storefront. There, kids can also order audible books which allow them to listen as they follow along with the text.

Select a Series

Even the most reluctant readers will latch on to a series that is relatable and fun to follow. Many girls enjoy the Missing Persons series by E.B. Rabb about high school sisters who run away from their New York home to escape their evil stepmother. The girls change their names, color their hair, and take up a new hobby–solving missing person’s cases. The first book, as well as the rest of the series, can be found on Amazon.com.

Loved a Movie? Read the Book

One book and movie sure to inspire is Soul Surfer, the story of teen surfer Bethany Hamilton. This memoir follows her incredible journey from the day she comes face-to-face with a 14-foot tiger shark to her awe-inspiring recovery and return to surfing. Watch the movie first or read the book; it doesn’t matter, as long as your teen is engaged in reading.

Get a Driver’s Manual

Most teenagers look forward to driving, but they have to study in order to pass the written exam. Purchase a driver’s manual for your teen to read with you or independently. Reading is reading, in any form!
Turn Off Everything Else with a Screen
Carve out time each evening for reading. Everyone should put down cell phones, turn off the television, iPod Touch, and any anything else that draws attention, except the e-reader, of course! Even 15 or 20 minutes before bedtime is enough time to instill the love of reading.

Relax and Read without Criticizing

During this time, do one of two things: either read silently on your own as a role model or read aloud with your child. Your teen is not too old to read with you. Try not to correct your child’s mistakes or ask too many questions. As soon as kids feel pressured or judged, they’re less willing to read. When your teen begins to associate reading with evening relaxation, he’ll be more likely to read independently and for pleasure later on.

______________________________________________________________

Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed., is the founder of Educational Connections Tutoring in Fairfax and Bethesda. Her award-winning book, Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework, she offers proven solutions to help make homework less of a chore for the whole family. Learn more at www.ectutoring.com.

If your child is easily distracted and struggles to stay focused and finish homework, you are probably a frustrated parent! For some students, homework that should take 45 minutes ends up consuming two hours regardless of a parent’s cajoling and handholding. The good news is there is a better way to help these students.

Recognize the Consistently Inconsistent Pattern

One frustrating aspect of parenting easily distractible children (whether they’re hyperactive, inattentive, or a bit of both) is that they are consistently inconsistent. Some days they toil like a well-oiled machine. Other days they are like an old out-of-sync grandfather clock. Chil­dren with attention difficulties really want to sustain focus, but no matter how hard they try, they can’t always maintain it. Punishing inattentive behavior doesn’t work. Through the use of positive reinforcement and a few creative ideas, you can help your distracted child improve focus and get his work done.

Make a Mountain a Molehill

Depending on the age of your child, he may only be able to focus well for 20 minutes at a time. Often, the time you spend refocusing his efforts after 20 minutes may be better spent giving him a break so he can recharge and begin again. This can be done in two ways – by task or time.

By task – Fold a worksheet in half.  Instruct your child to do the top half, show it to you, and then finish the second half. Allow him to choose the problems or questions he wants to do first. When he’s done with half of them, go on to the rest.

By length of time – Set the timer for 5, 10, or 15 minutes. Tell your child, “Work as hard as you can for this time. When the timer goes off, you can daydream or play for 5 minutes.” Another option is to set the timer for a length of time for which you absolutely know he’ll be successful. When he succeeds, lengthen the span by a minute.

Keep a Homework Log

Teachers may be unaware that homework is so problematic because they only see the final, corrected product, not the inordinate amount of effort behind it. For at least one week, jot down the date and length of homework. You may also want to document any rea­sons you see for your child’s homework struggles. Meet with the teacher and share the information you’ve re­corded. Ask for suggestions to help your child accomplish homework tasks. Remember, students should be spending about 10 minutes per grade level on homework per night.

Let Her Fidget

Various studies have shown that distractible students can actually be more attentive when they are given something to hold or touch. A few good options are the Tangle Junior (www.tangletoys.com), Wikki Stix (www.wikkistix.com), or even a simple stress ball. By simply manipulating these toys in their hands, students are better able to focus.

Insist On Exercise – The Miracle Drug

Aerobic exercise almost immediately elevates the chemicals in the brain that increase attention and focus. These chemicals act a bit like Ritalin or other medications used to treat ADHD.  With frequent aerobic exercise, a distractible student can improve his ability to learn, so be sure to encourage your child to get out and exercise regularly.

With a few of these strategies, your child will be on the road to focusing and finishing in no time at all!

_______________________________________________________________

Ann K. Dolin, M.Ed., is the founder and president of Educational Connections Tutoring and Test Prep in Fairfax, VA and Bethesda, MD. In her award-winning book, Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework, Dolin offers proven solutions to help the six key types of students who struggle with homework. Numerous examples and easy-to-implement, fun tips will help make learning less of a chore for the whole family. Learn more at anndolin.com or ectutoring.com.

Iowa, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Colorado are considering legislation that would make students repeat 3^rd grade if they can’t pass state reading exams. This has sparked a debate over whether retaining students actually boosts their achievement or simply increases the odds that they will drop out. From kindergarten through 2^nd grade, parents could still insist that their child be promoted, but at 3^rd grade the school would have the final say. Similar bills have been passed in Oklahoma, Arizona, Indiana, and Florida, but the results are hard to read.

Proponents point to Florida, which has had 3^rd grade retention in place since 2001. Reading scores have been boosted as much as 41% in some cases. The first year, 13% of Florida’s 3^rd graders were held back. Since then, the number is down to 6% and Florida has climbed back up to the national average in 4^th grade literacy. Some say there’s no way to know that retention was the reason for the boost, and that the situation is far more complicated. Arizona, for example, hasn’t seen any improvement since passing 3^rd grade retention.

Opponents of the bill draw attention to a study in Chicago schools in the 1990’s. Tens of thousands of students were held back for deficiency in math and reading. Years later, the students who were retained showed no improvement over students with the same academic problems who were promoted instead. Nationwide, our reading scores haven’t budged in 2 decades, despite gains in math, and only one third of American schoolchildren passed the most recent national reading exam.

Many see 3^rd grade as the crucial year for reading. A study by the Annie E. Casey foundation found that students who don’t read proficiently by 3^rd grade are four times as likely to drop out of school. An important question to ask is, which is more damaging to a child’s self esteem: being held back, or being illiterate? The bills are meeting stiff resistance in their state legislatures, and we will have to see what comes of it. What do you think? We’d love to hear your opinion. Be sure to leave your comments below!

For more info, check out the following articles:

Wall Street Journal

Sioux City Journal

Fox News

Ann Dolin, M.Ed. is the founder and president of Educational Connections Tutoring (www.ectutoring.com) and is the Author of Homework Made Simple: Tips, Tools and Solutions for Stress-Free Homework.