Education

Question of the Day: I’m really stressed with online middle school. I get way too much homework, teachers don’t teach us, and it’s above my ability. How can I deal with it and get my work done in time?

January 21, 2022

I receive questions like this from middle and high schoolers, as well as college students. Frankly it has come up too many times in my practice the last year. These students are not alone, yet they think they are. Why is performance waining? I can speak to this myself. I was able to make it

Questions About Reading Comprehension

January 20, 2022

Question of the Day! Questions About Reading Comprehension I have received the following questions many times over my 50 years in teaching gifted children: “Why does my child do so well on math testing and perform so poorly on math word problems?” “My son reads at a fourth grade reading level, but performs terribly on

Words Can Destroy and Words Can Empower

November 29, 2021

It’s hard for students to get their needs met from their teachers if they don’t know how to ask for help. Those who have the courage to ask for help may ask it in a way that can be frustrating to their teachers. “I don’t get it!” are words that send shivers up the spines

Unlock Beliefs to Help Children Overcome Obstacles

November 25, 2021

“Why does my daughter beat herself up because her twin’s talent is in math and he can do it easily while she struggles. He constantly corrects her?” asked a mother of gifted children. To answer this questions we need to do the following: Examine the power of beliefs formed at an early age. Examine our

What’s A Penny? A Valuable Tool to Change Behavior & Teach Economics at the Same Time

November 11, 2021

I was at a book fair and overheard a kindergartner ask the librarian, “What’s that?” She replied, “That’s a penny.” Then he asked, “What’s a penny.” The question was shocking at first, but made sense because this child never handled a penny. He only knew that the dollar bills in his hand were what he

ADD is a Misused Label

October 19, 2021

Labeling children can often be more destructive than helpful, and can prevent us from discovering the real reason behind the behaviors being manifested. I have heard a fourth grader I am homeschooling in math and language referred to as being ADD. His supervising teacher said, “I’m sure you already have noticed signs of ADD.” I

A Procrastinator’s Secret

October 17, 2021

Working with procrastinators for over 48 years has been very telling. Some procrastinators are simply over scheduled and lack time-management strategies. A good number of procrastinators put off hard things. They will avoid those tasks that take more mental energy, while others hold deeply rooted secrets that interfere with the ability to complete tasks on

Math Placement: Can You Really Get Them Ahead?

October 11, 2021

I recently met with a fifth grader. HIs mother thought I would be the best person to catch her son up so he could be in the top math group. Her son was very disturbed because he was not placed in the highest math class. When asked why that was important to him, he replied,

Children’s Mistakes Bring Big Rewards: Engagement

October 10, 2021

Kids say the darnedest things. My friend’s granddaughter was excited about her first day in first grade. We’ll call her Suzy for story telling purposes. The teacher was sweet and Suzy loved her immediately. That’s a good thing for a parent who is leaving her child in the care of someone for the first time.

The Aftermath of Covid on Line Learning: RELIEVE YOURSELF OF THE NIGHTLY DRAMA ASSOCIATED WITH HOMEWORK!

October 7, 2021

Working with children who have been on-line for a year and watching them transition into the regular classroom, I have witnessed some new challenges for parents. During Covid on-line instruction, parents were pulled into the learning environment more than ever before. Children who were somewhat independent prior to on-line are now demonstrating increased dependence on

Victoria Olivadoti

The Homework Doc