5 Secrets: Improving Your Childs Reading Scores on Standardized Tests

Posted on January 6, 2023January 29, 2023 by sunny

5 Secrets: Improving Your Childs Reading Scores on Standardized Tests

This article is for you if:

You want to know how to help your child do better on standardized reading tests.

You want to help your kids do well on standardized tests, but you don’t know where to start.

Have a child in Elementary school.

Use these strategies with your child to help them do better on standardized reading tests:

Take a Look at Last Year’s Exam

Get hold of the reading scores from last year’s standardized tests. Pay close attention to those scores. Take note of your child’s consistent patterns and trends. When you do this, you can see which standards they are good at and which ones might need more work. Standardized test scores from the past are a good place to start when planning how to teach reading and writing. The reading goals that your kids didn’t do well on can be the focus of your guided reading mini-lessons.

Create a Plan at Home

To do well on standardized tests, you have to think that success begins at the start of the school year, not a few weeks before the test.

Since the beginning of the school year, we here at Wholesome have been preparing your kids for standardized tests through our numerous writing and reading comprehension lessons.

Most schools have a scope and sequence, which can be quite long and wordy. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, so take those goals and make them easier to understand. You can find out about the scope of learning by doing a search on Google or by asking your child’s teacher.

If you look closely at a standardized reading comprehension test, you’ll see that it usually tests a mix of the following reading skills:

Cause and Effect
Character Traits
Compare and Contrast
Context Clues
Determining Author’s Purpose (Be sure to teach author’s purpose)
Drawing Conclusions
Fact and Opinion
Fiction vs. Nonfiction
Figurative vs. Literal Language
Finding the main idea
Genre Features
Inferring
Making Connections
Making Predictions
Meta-Cognitive Strategies (e.g. Visualizing, Monitoring for Meaning, Questioning, etc.)
Multiple Meaning Words
Point of View
Retelling
Sequencing
Story elements
Summarizing

Take the reading and writing skills that will be tested and put each one in your child’s plan book on a different week. Some skills take longer than a week to learn, so keep that in mind. The scope and sequence is just a way to keep track of where you are. The goal is to talk about each goal at least once in a certain amount of time, like the first two quarters of the school year. In addition to showing students how to use the skills, teach them the learning goals in different ways.

All of the reading skills above are covered in our new English program here at Wholesome. We cover each skill as well as pose critical thinking questions to your child to help them grow with depth & understanding.

Teach Through the Books Your Child is Reading at Home

Many skills are taught in a single chapter. With a chapter book, it takes a little bit of work to plan activities and lessons around the reading skills you want to teach. However, the time and effort are well worth it. To work smarter, you could ask your child’s teacher for book suggestions, split the work and then swap activities/lessons, or sign your child up for our Wholesome Classes. Choose books that can be read in many different ways, especially ones that will be on standardized reading tests.

If you’re already a Wholesome Parent, rest easy knowing that this is the reason we read full length books in our classes. We’ve got you covered.

Read Books Aloud With Your Children from a Variety of Genres

Many kids in elementary school don’t have as much life experience as other kids their age. Books can help close those gaps. There is no way to know what the stories on standardized tests will be about, so giving students a wide range of experiences helps. Don’t live somewhere that gets snow? You can get help with that from books. A difference in culture that is only found in one part of the U.S. Books can also help with this. As teachers, we can’t control what our students do outside of school, but through books, we can show them parts of the world. These shared experiences give them more schema and background knowledge, which are important for higher-level reading comprehension.

Researchers said that the results were mixed when it came to the link between early social skills and future mental health problems, but they did find patterns in other areas, such as how people internalized and expressed their problems.

Review the Format of the Test

At some point before the test, talk to your kids about how the test will be set up. This saves time during the real test because they won’t have to waste time trying to figure out how the test is set up. This step is especially important for kids in the third grade, who are usually being tested for the first time.

Here at Wholesome, we do not only cover the content of tests, but also strategies. Test taking strategies are just as important as content because it gives your children the tools to pick the right answer when a question is confusing.

Improve Your Child’s Standardized Test Scores Now!

We are just a few short weeks away from the Wholesome Standardized Test Prep Sessions!

As your children continue to grow, school gets a lot harder. Your children may face difficulties with social & emotional learning, a growth mindset, new word problems, vocabulary words, writing strategies, challenges with reading comprehension, and their overall confidence in school.

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English & Math through developing skills around critical thinking.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English & Math Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

Do Tests and Grades Determine Your Child’s Success?

Posted on January 6, 2023January 29, 2023 by sunny

Why Your Childs Social Skills are More Important Than Their Grades

A 2015 study found that a child’s social skills in kindergarten are a better sign of how successful they will be in the future than their academic skills.

Researchers Damon E. Jones, Mark Greenberg, and Max Crowley used information from the Fast Track study, which looked at children from low-income families. The study had a group of students who weren’t at high risk and a control group of students who were at high risk. Participants came from four places, three of which were cities, and one was a small town.

In 1991, when the children were in kindergarten, the first data for the project were collected. After 19 years, when the participants were around 25 years old, the last follow-up data was collected.
Researchers looked at education, employment, public assistance, crime, mental health, and drug and alcohol use to see if kindergarten teachers’ ratings of students’ social skills were a sign of problems that could happen later.

Here’s What Researchers Found

Educational Success

Participants’ social skills in kindergarten predicted whether or not they finished high school on time, went to college, got steady work as a young adult, and worked full time as a young adult.

Public Housing

The participants’ social skills in kindergarten were linked to how likely they were to live in public housing or be on a waiting list for it. These skills also made it less likely that a person would have been involved with law enforcement before they turned 18.

Problems

Researchers said that their results were similar to those of other studies that looked at the links between self-control in early childhood and being able to function well as an adult.

Improve Your Child’s Confidence in School Now!

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English & Math through developing skills around critical thinking.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English & Math Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

10 Ways to Grow Your Childs Resilience

Posted on January 2, 2023January 29, 2023 by sunny

10 Ways to Grow Your Childs Resilience

We tend to think of childhood as a carefree time, but being young doesn’t protect kids from the emotional hurts, problems, and traumas they face. Children may have to deal with problems like getting used to a new classroom or schooling online, being picked on by other kids, or even problems at home. When you add in the uncertainty that comes with growing up in a complicated world, childhood isn’t always a carefree time. The skills of resilience give people the ability to do well in spite of these problems.

Good news, though: resilience can be learned!

Building resilience, which is the ability to deal well with problems, trauma, tragedies, threats, or even big sources of stress, can help our kids deal with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty. But being resilient doesn’t mean that kids won’t ever have problems or feel sad. Emotional pain, sadness, and worry are common after a major loss or trauma, or when we hear about the loss or trauma of someone else.

1. Make Connections

Teach your child how important it is to interact with and get to know their peers, including how to have empathy and listen to others. Find ways to help kids connect with their peers by suggesting that they talk to them in person or by phone, video chat, or text. Building a strong family network is also important. Getting to know other people gives you social support and makes you stronger.

2. Help Your Child Help Others

It is crucial to understand your child’s learning styles. This will help you better comprehend your child’s decisions and motivations. Perhaps your child struggles with self-assurance and feels defeated. By knowing your child, you can better understand their needs.

3. Stick to a Routine

Children, especially younger ones who need structure in their lives, can feel better when they stick to a routine. Work with your child to make a schedule and point out when it’s time for school work and when it’s time to play. Especially when things are hard or changing, you might need to be flexible with some of your habits. At the same time, it’s important to stick to plans and be consistent.

4. Breaks are Good!

Even though some anxiety can push us to do good things, we need to validate all of our feelings. Teach your child to pay attention to something they can control or do something about. Help them by asking them to think about how likely the worst-case scenario is and what they would say to a friend who had the same worries. Be aware of what your child sees or hears that could be scary, whether it’s in the news, online, or in conversations they overhear. Even though schools are being held accountable for how well they do or are required to teach certain things, give kids time to be creative during the school day.

5. It’s All About Self-Care

Teach your child how important it is to take care of themselves. This might give you more time to eat well, exercise, and get enough rest. Make sure your child has time to enjoy themselves and do things they like. Taking care of themselves and even having fun will help kids keep their balance and deal better with stress.

6. Goals… Goals… Baby Steps!

Teach your child to set goals that are reasonable and help them reach them step by step. Setting goals will help children focus on a specific task and give them the strength to keep going when things get hard. For younger kids, break down big school assignments into small, doable goals. For older kids, celebrate small wins along the way to bigger goals.

7. Grow a Positive Self Image

Help your child remember how they got through hard times in the past, and explain to them that these experiences give them the strength to handle hard times in the future. Help your child learn to have faith in themselves to figure out how to solve problems and make good choices. At school, help kids see how what they do helps the whole class.

8. An Outlook of Optimisim

Even if your child is going through something very painful, help them see the bigger picture and keep a long-term view. Even if your child is too young to think about the future on their own, you can help them see that there is a future beyond the present and that it can be good. A positive and hopeful attitude can help kids see the good things in life and keep going even when things are hard. Use history in the classroom to show that bad things happen, but life goes on, and even the worst things are only bad for a short time.

9. Encourage Self Discovery

During hard times, kids often learn the most about who they are. Help your child look at how what they are going through can teach them “what are they made of.” At school, you might want to lead conversations about what each student has learned from a hard situation.

10. Embrace Change

When things change a lot, it can be scary for kids and teens. Help your child understand that change is a normal part of life and that old goals can be replaced with new ones. It’s important to look at what’s going well and come up with a plan for what’s not. In school, talk about how students have changed as they’ve moved up through the grades and how those changes have affected them.

Build Resilience in Elementary Aged Children

As kids in elementary school become more independent, they may start to make new friends and try out new things. As they learn more about the world outside their homes, they look to their teachers and parents to help them feel safe and make sense of it all.

Make sure your child has a safe place, whether it’s at home or at school (ideally, both would feel safe).

Talk with your kids. When they ask you questions, give them honest, reassuring answers that let them know you’re taking steps to keep them safe and are there to look after them. When they tell you about their worries and fears, listen to them and let them know you are there for them.

When something scary is going on outside the home, limit how much news your kids watch or listen to. There is always a chance that they will misunderstand something they see or hear on the news. You don’t have to keep your kids in the dark about what’s going on in the world, but you also don’t have to tell them scary stories all the time. Check to see if they understand what they’ve seen or heard.

Know that extra stressors can make everyday stresses worse. Your kids might usually be able to handle things like failing a test or being teased, but when they’re stressed, they might react with anger or bad behavior. Assure them that you only want the best for them and that you are there for them.

Build Resilience in Middle School Aged Children

Even if there aren’t any big problems, middle school can be a hard time for many kids because they have to work harder in school and try to avoid new social problems. In addition to their parents, they look to teachers and friends to make them feel safe.

Help your child show empathy and keep things in perspective. If your child is in one of the changing social groups that form in middle school, help them understand that other kids may be feeling just as lonely and confused, and help them see beyond the current situation.

Talk to your child about how you feel when you’re under a lot of stress. Your kids may be old enough to be interested in hearing about what you think and feel and how you deal with it. Share how the ways you deal with stress help you, but also look for ways to help your child.

On Saturday, January 14th at 10am EST, we are holding a Resilience Building Workshop to teach your kids:

💪 How to Deal with Setbacks

💪 Welcome Mistakes as Opportunities to Grow

💪 The Importance of Overcoming Obstacles

There are just 50 Spots Available for this seminar. Let’s start this new year off right! Register now! The zoom link will be sent to you after you register.

Click Here to Register

Improve Your Child’s Confidence in School Now!

As your children continue to grow, school gets a lot harder. Your children may face difficulties with new word problems, vocabulary words, writing strategies, challenges with reading comprehension, and their overall confidence in school.

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English & Math through developing skills around critical thinking.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English & Math Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

Slam Dunk: The Perfect Sports Book List for Your 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders

Posted on December 14, 2022June 2, 2023 by sunny

Are you searching for the perfect summer reading books for your sports-loving middle-schooler? Look no further. We have created a list of 15 highly-rated, age-appropriate books for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who can’t get enough of the game, whether it’s on the court, the field, or the rink.

6th Grade

“Becoming Kareem: Growing Up On and Off the Court” by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (2017):

Summary:
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an all-time basketball superstar, shares his journey of becoming the legend he is today. It’s an inspiring tale about dreaming big and working hard.

“Roller Girl” by Victoria Jamieson (2015):

Summary:
A graphic novel filled with excitement, showing the thrill and challenges of roller derby. It’s all about friendship, team spirit, and courage.

“The Crossover” by Kwame Alexander (2019):

Summary:
This fast-paced, rhythmic novel tells the story of twin brothers navigating basketball, school, and family.

“The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot, and Score in This Game Called Life” by Kwame Alexander (2017):

Summary:
A unique blend of wisdom, motivational advice, and sports, this book is a slam dunk for young readers.

“Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges in Their Youth to Become Stars” by Gregory Zuckerman (2016):

Summary:
True stories of famous athletes who faced hardships in their childhood. It’s motivational and empowering.

7th Grade

“Ghost” by Jason Reynolds (2016):

Summary:
A gripping story about Ghost, a young boy who joins a citywide track team and discovers that running is not just about winning.

“Heat” by Mike Lupica (2016):

Summary:
A baseball-centric tale filled with emotion and suspense about a boy who dreams of pitching in the Little League World Series.

“The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind” by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer (2016):

Summary:
An inspiring story of a boy in Malawi who brings electricity and water to his village through wind power. This book combines science, resilience, and soccer in a unique way.

“Booked” by Kwame Alexander (2016):

Summary:
This free-verse novel mixes soccer, school, and family drama into a compelling story.

“The Fenway Foul-up” by David A. Kelly (2017):

Summary:
This baseball mystery will keep your young sports fan engaged while improving their detective skills.

8th Grade

“Refugee” by Alan Gratz (2017):

Summary:
Although not a sports book, the themes of perseverance, resilience, and teamwork in this critically acclaimed novel resonate well with sports fans.

“Gutless” by Carl Deuker (2016):

Summary:
A compelling book about friendship, courage, and football. This story addresses bullying in a way that’s meaningful to young readers.

“Losers Bracket” by Chris Crutcher (2018):

Summary:
A young girl navigates her love for basketball and her challenging family life in this gripping tale.

“After the Shot Drops” by Randy Ribay (2018):

Summary:
A story of friendship, basketball, and the cost of loyalty in the face of adversity.

“Lu” by Jason Reynolds (2018):

Summary:
The final book in Reynolds’ track series, “Lu” tells the story of a boy who must overcome his own challenges to shine on the track team.

So there you have it. Fifteen superb books for your young athlete to dive into this summer. Encourage them to get lost in these pages, exploring both the thrilling world of sports and the rewarding journey of personal growth. Remember, a good book is like a training session for the mind, so let’s get reading!

Disclaimer: Always make sure to check the content of each book to ensure it aligns with your child’s reading level and personal experiences.

Improve Your Child’s Reading Skills Now!

As your children continue to grow, reading and writing gets a lot harder. Your children may face difficulties with new vocabulary words, writing strategies, challenges with reading comprehension, and their over all confidence in English Language Arts.

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English through developing skills around critical reading & writing.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

The Best Holiday Books for Middle Schoolers

Posted on December 9, 2022January 29, 2023 by sunny

The Best Holiday Books for Middle Schoolers

The holidays are upon us and that means one thing! How are our kids going to spending their time? Yes, family time, video games, and play are all important, but let’s dive into the top holiday books for your middle schoolers!

Be sure to use THESE READING COMPREHENSION questions while your child reads to ensure their growth!

You can now purchase books directly from the Wholesome Amazon store. Just click the image of the book to be directed to Amazon for a quick and easy purchase!

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

Summary:
Eleven-year-old Nikolas, sometimes known as “Christmas,” has only ever had one toy in his life: a turnip-carved doll. Living with his father in the second-smallest cottage in all of Finland, he nevertheless makes a concerted effort to believe in happiness. Then, when his father suddenly vanishes, Nikolas is forced to journey to the North Pole in order to find him.

Arthur Christmas: The Novel by Justine Fontes

Summary:
It takes a lot of work to be Santa Claus, a role that has been handed down from father to son for decades. Everyone at the North Pole anticipates that Santa will transfer the position to his son Steve this Christmas. Unlike his bumbling brother Arthur, Steve has completely modernized Christmas and appears to be much better suited for the position. Arthur, after all, is terrified of speed, heights, and even reindeer! Everyone applauds Santa and Steve when he places the final item under the tree, but a gift-wrapping elf named Bryony discovers one lone present that wasn’t delivered. Is Christmas over yet? Or will someone assume the role of Santa Claus and succeed the big guy? includes artwork produced behind the scenes for the film!

Christmas Carols & The Defenders of Claus by Robert L. Fauch

Summary:
Carol adores the holiday season. She hopes that all of the holiday activities—decorating, shopping, wearing Christmas sweaters, and music—could last all year long. The fact that Carol’s only family is her uncle Christopher—who adopted her when she was a little child following her mother’s passing and her father’s disappearance—and that she lives in Florida, which isn’t exactly a snowy region—is the only drawback to the holiday. Rich and the owner of a toy company, her uncle is also a grump and a workaholic.

Nutcracked by Susan Adrian

Summary:
Every time Georgie performs a Nutcracker dance with the doll, she exits the ballet studio and enters a world where everything is larger than life, including the antique wooden furniture, the Christmas tree, and the meticulously wrapped gifts. Georgie is eager to visit again and again because it is so magical.

Stanley’s Christmas Adventure by Jeff Brown

Summary:
Santa Claus is not being his typically cheery self. He’s actually in a really bad mood. He thinks that kids today don’t appreciate Christmas as much. He’s made the decision not to deliver any Christmas gifts this year! Fortunately, Sarah Claus, his daughter, knows who to call for assistance. the clan of lamb chops! Can they persuade Santa that there are still good kids around? Just let Stanley handle it.

The 12 Dares of Crista by Marissa Burt

Summary:
Christa is addicted to the holidays. Why not adore it? There are ornaments! Gifts! singing carols with friends Christa’s favorite season is now marred by sadness as a result of her parents’ recent divorce. Christa knows she should be thrilled when her mother tells her they would be traveling to Europe together over the winter break. She just can’t picture the holiday season without her father.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

Summary:
The Herdmans are the worst children in human history. They strike young children and steal, swear, smoke cigars, and lie. Therefore, no one is ready when this criminal family decides to take over the annual Christmas pageant after breaking into the church one Sunday. The Herdman family had never before heard the Christmas tale. Many people are outraged by their interpretation of the story, according to which the Wise Men are a group of dishonest spies and Herod ought to be severely punished. However, it will make this year’s pageant the most unconventional and, arguably, the best one ever.

The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher

Summary:
An egg once slid away from its mother and fell into the ocean, freezing solid and living contentedly there for hundreds of years back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. The frozen egg is then found by Santa and his elves, who sit on it to see whether it will hatch. He can’t tell what’s inside, though. . . . a reptile!

The Lotterys More or Less by Emma Donoghue

Summary:
Sumac Lottery is one of seven children that live in a large home with their four parents, one grandfather, five pets, and five other siblings. She is the nine-year-old guardian of her family’s traditions, ensuring that all of the Lotterys’ celebrations go through without a hitch. Sumac’s ambitions, however, are foiled this winter when a devastating ice storm devastates the city and causes havoc. One of her dads and her favorite brother would not be able to return from India in time for the holidays due to the situation. When their Brazilian guest is hurt, the Lotterys are forced to take care of him. Then the electricity is lost. . . .

Improve Your Child’s Reading Skills Now!

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English through developing skills around critical reading & writing.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

15 Questions to Get Your Child to Think Critically

Posted on December 2, 2022January 29, 2023 by sunny

15 Questions to Get Your Child to Think Critically About Reading

One of the finest methods to encourage your child’s literacy development is to talk to them about the books they read. To discuss a book, your child must use critical thinking, a necessary ability for success in both school and life. The following advice can help you and your child start and maintain a book discussion:

Before your child reads a book, ask:

What makes you think this book is going to be interesting?
What do you think the book is going to be about?
Does this book remind you of anything else you’ve already read or seen?
What kind of characters do you think will be in the book?
What do you think is going to happen?

While your child is reading a book, try asking:

What do you think will happen next?
If you were that character, what would you have done differently in that situation?
What does the place look like in your head as you read? Would you want to visit there?
Did you learn any new words or facts so far?
If the main character in that story lived next door, would you be friends?

After your child is done reading a book, try asking:

What was the most interesting thing you learned from the book?
Did the problem of the book’s plot get solved? How?
What would you change one in the book. What would it be?
Who was your favorite character? Why?
Why do you think the author wrote this book?

Improve Your Child’s Reading Skills Now!

Here at Wholesome Learning, we strive to give your child the confidence to overcome their challenges in English through developing skills around critical reading & writing.

Click Here to Schedule a Free English Evaluation for your child and enroll into our trial that’s just $19.99 for 2 weeks of confidence boosting tutoring!

September 2024 Referral Terms & Conditions

Posted on November 30, 2022August 23, 2024 by sunny

Eligibility:

This referral program is open to current, actively enrolled members of Wholesome Learning who have been enrolled for more than one month.
Referred individuals must be new customers who have not previously paid full tuition at Wholesome Learning. Existing customers are not eligible for this referral program.
Both the referring parent and the referred individual must be actively enrolled in order to qualify for the referral benefits.

Referral Benefits:

For Referring Parents:
- Parents will receive one (1) free month of tuition for each child they refer who enrolls in Wholesome Learning’s English & Math programs after the trial period.
- The free month is only applicable to English & Math tuition and cannot be applied to other programs offered by Wholesome Learning.
- There is no limit to the number of referrals a parent can make; however, the referral must result in a paid enrollment past the trial for the free month to be granted.
For Referred Friends:
- Referred friends will receive a special two-week trial for $1. If they choose to enroll past the trial, they will receive 50% off their full tuition.
- The referral name must be listed in the evaluation form at the time of registration for the discount to be applied.

Program Duration:

The referral program begins on September 1, 2024, and ends on September 30, 2024.
For the referring parent to receive the free month discount, the referred individual must enroll in the program beyond the trial period by October 11, 2024.

Reward Redemption:

The free month reward will be applied to the referring parent’s account in the following month’s payment cycle after the referred individual has successfully enrolled past the trial.
The free month reward is applicable only to the specific English & Math tuition for the child referred and cannot be transferred or applied to any other programs or services.

Modification and Cancellation:

Wholesome Learning reserves the right to change, modify, or cancel this referral program at any time without prior notice.
Any changes to the program will be effective immediately upon posting to Wholesome Learning’s official communication channels.

Privacy:

Wholesome Learning will not share any personal information collected during this referral program with third parties.
Participants’ information will be used solely for the administration of this referral program and to fulfill any rewards.

Dispute Resolution:

Any disputes arising from this referral program will be handled internally by Wholesome Learning’s customer service team.
Decisions made by Wholesome Learning regarding the program, eligibility, and rewards are final and binding.

Why Is Project Based Learning Important?

Posted on January 14, 2022January 29, 2023 by sunny

Why Is Project Based Learning Important?

A lot of tutoring centers focus on preparing students for testing to assess their knowledge. But the real world doesn’t function on exams. It functions based on projects. Project based learning helps your child gain real-world skills they will use in college, work, and their every day lives.

When you hear ‘project based learning’ you may have flashbacks of arts and crafts full of glue sticks, paperboard, and tons of hands-on parental supervision requiring more of your time and effort. Never fear because we’re not talking about that kind of project!

When we say project based learning today we don’t just mean doing projects. We mean real-world, hands-on opportunities for children to apply their education to everyday problems. Rather than just a ‘dessert project’ that adds to in-class learning, PBL is the main course of the unit.

Let us explain what we mean by project based learning, and why it’s so important to education, at all levels.

The old way of education and learning

Odds are, when you went through school you remember memorizing facts, following the teacher’s direction, and taking paper-based exams. However, education has evolved from there. Nowadays, students can actively participate in learning by tackling real-world problems, questions, or scenarios.

Instead of the teacher imposing ideas on students, project based learning allows students to learn from their own hands-on experience. With project based learning, students can gain a deeper understanding of a topic by solving real-world challenges over a longer period of time.

What is project-based learning?

Project based learning (PBL) is a teaching method where students engage directly with the learning by pursuing real-world projects. PBL is typically a long-term project where students can manage their own time and is typically a group effort that can range from small groups to an entire class. It can take many forms, including meaningful work like water quality projects, community development, sustainability efforts, and more. The possibilities are endless but PBL is most effective when it is both personally meaningful to the students and accomplishes a learning objective.

Of course, traditional learning is still important as students will need to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world projects. And students may bring in ideas from multiple disciplines to solve the problem. Additionally, unlike in traditional education, instead of measuring a student’s success solely on exams and rote memorization, with PBL the emphasis is on how students apply learning to the real world.

In PBL, trial and error is the main teacher while the instructor is there to facilitate and help children reach their potential. Plus, it’s not just for older students. PBL can support all levels of education, including elementary school, middle school, high school, and college.

Project based learning helps students solve unstructured problems creatively while collaborating and communicating with others

PBL is a collaborative process, and students will learn to do group work that requires creativity, communication, and innovation. Students will learn to work in groups while gaining independence from the teacher.

Furthermore, students will need experience collaborating and communicating well with others for their future education and civic life, and it may even inspire a future career. For instance, students may participate in a moot court, preparing arguments for an actual case. Or they may examine their environmental footprint, build a student farm, or even design an app.

Finally, students may need to present the final product or presentation to a real audience at the completion of the project, allowing them to practice their communication and public speaking skills.

Project based learning helps students get more engaged and interested about the material

PBL encourages students to take a hands-on approach to their education, putting them in the driver’s seat. If it scares you to give that responsibility to your kid, put yourself in their shoes. They want to take ownership, and when they do, they are more likely to become independent, grow their confidence, and ultimately, find success. Furthermore, when students have ownership over their education their attitude towards learning changes, and they become more engaged with the material.

Project based learning supports success on standardized testing and advanced placement exams

Even though traditional examinations are not the focus of PBL, schools that participate in PBL have been known to raise their average test scores. Studies from Lucas Education Research have found that students in PBL classes outperform students in traditional classes when it comes to standardized exams and AP tests. Part of the reason for this is that when working on a real-world project, students have to focus on critical thinking skills; they beyond just memorizing information to critically applying it. this makes them overall better thinkers and better at answering questions, including on standardized testing.

Project based learning supports deeper learning

To solve a real-world issue, students will need to bring in learning from multiple disciplines and will need to demonstrate understanding beyond rote memorization. Therefore, they often retain skills and concepts better than when simply tested on the material. Furthermore, students can advance more quickly when working on a project because the sky is the limit. Thus, students can work on projects that appropriately challenge them to engage in deeper learning.

Try PBL education now

You may be wondering why you didn’t do more project based learning in school. Well, it’s not too late to inspire your child to get started. Especially if your child is struggling with Math or English, project based learning may be a good option to help support their deeper learning. We offer English and Math tutoring with project based learning. Schedule your child’s FREE Math & English evaluation now to learn more and see if PBL may be appropriate to advance your child’s education.

Developing a Growth Mindset in Your Child

Posted on January 12, 2022January 29, 2023 by sunny

Are some children born naturally good at math and English while others are born bad at it?? Or is being good or bad at something based on the amount of effort and practice we put into it?

How you answer those two questions is a sign of whether you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset. And, how we think about our strengths and weaknesses can have a huge impact on success, and for children, that can impact their school performance, attitudes, and potential futures.

A child with a fixed mindset will believe they cannot change and that mistakes are detrimental to their progress. However, a child with a growth mindset will believe that they can grow with some hard work and that mistakes are a learning opportunity. Developing a growth mindset in your child can help them overcome obstacles, be more prone to goal setting, and ultimately accomplish more in their education.

The Difference Between a Growth Mindset Vs. Fixed Mindset

Have you ever wondered why some children seek out challenges, while others simply avoid failure? This is a major difference between a growth mindset and a fixed mindset.

A fixed mindset looks at human traits as carved in stone, unable to evolve. So, they simply try to avoid mistakes. However, a growth mindset views human traits as evolving qualities that can constantly change. People with a growth mindset have a willingness to learn, take on challenges, and typically end up reaching higher achievements.

Fixed Mindset	Growth Mindset
I can’t do this	I can’t do this… yet
I’m not good enough	My best is good enough
Jealous of other’s success	Inspired by other’s success
Avoids challenges	Embraces challenges
Wants to prove themselves	Embraces challenges
Wants to prove themselves	Wants to improve themselves

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What Is a Growth Mindset?

A growth mindset includes the understanding that the talents we’re born with are just the beginning, and that true talents and personality develop from there.

But it’s more than just a belief in growth and improvement; a growth mindset is about viewing mistakes as learning opportunities. People with a growth mindset believe that their abilities aren’t set in stone, and thus they aren’t capped by anything other than their own willingness to learn and grow.

But our mindsets aren’t set in stone. People can shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset and vice versa. You can help your child shift towards a growth mindset and become more receptive to goal setting and tutoring.

3 Ways to Shift Your Child Towards a Growth Mindset

Shifting your child to a growth mindset can help them achieve more not only in their education but also in life.

Of course, the first step to helping your child have a growth mindset is to develop one yourself. You set the example for them, and you must first believe that your child can grow and change, no matter how ‘fixed’ they seem in certain habits.

Additionally, here are three things you can do to encourage your child to develop a growth mindset.

Encourage Journaling

Journaling is a powerful tool for growth. It can increase your child’s writing and communication skills, creativity, and encourage goal setting and accountability.

You may also want to start a journal, which will help you to not only reap the benefits of journaling yourself but also be an accountability buddy with your child. That way, you can talk with them about the ups and downs of journaling and your motivation to write.

Give praise based on the process

A lot of parents like to praise their kids, but constant praise is not helpful to developing a growth mindset. The best praise you can give your child is process praise, which is based on the hard work that led to an outcome. It’s much more sincere than ‘good job’ and your child will understand why they deserve genuine praise.

Try using one of these phrases, next time you want to give process praise:
• “You worked really hard for this and look what you accomplished.”
• “I noticed you’ve been practicing a lot lately. Look how much you’ve improved!”
• “I love that you didn’t give up until you understood.”
• “You look very happy and proud of yourself.”

The idea with giving process praise is that you are showing your child what they did to achieve a certain outcome so they can repeat it in the future.

Provide books and movies with a growth mindset

Finally, offer role models for your child through books, movies, and stories to inspire them. With your younger children, you can make story time a part of daily bedtime and use it to share stories of growth, enjoying mistakes, and perseverance. Help your children identify what the characters did to change and grow.

For older kids, graphic novels and even some TV shows can show people overcoming obstacles, making good decisions, and managing the ups and downs of relationships. Finally, for family movie night, select a movie with a theme like resilience or managing emotions. Afterward, have a family discussion about what you learned.

A Growth Mindset Works

My own story is evidence that the growth mindset works. For years, I was stuck in a fixed mindset, struggling with my education, until I met two professors in college who changed everything for me. About a decade ago I changed my mindset, and suddenly discovered better grades, more learning, and success. Now, I want to help more children find a growth mindset sooner in life because I know how it feels to be stuck in a fixed mindset, and I know how life-changing a growth mindset can be. So, I offer Math and English tutoring to help your child develop a growth mindset.

Schedule a Free Evaluation

Here at Wholesome Learning, we focus on inspiring your child with a growth mindset, so that together, we can grow our confidence to the next level! Schedule your child’s FREE Math & English evaluation now to get your child growing!