Homework without Hassles Seminar at Sylvan Jan. 23

Due to the positive testimonials of parents and students who have attended our Homework without Hassles Seminars in the past, the Sylvan Learning Center ® in Gulf Breeze is offering another Free Seminar at 5668 Gulf Breeze Parkway (Across from the Zoo) on Tuesday, January 23 at 7:15 pm. Parents and students are invited to participate. Skills for students from middle school age through high school will be addressed. Please call the Sylvan Learning Center® at 934-6111 by noon Monday, January 22 to reserve a place.

The seminar is designed to equip parents and students with effective study skills tools and techniques. The following topics will be addressed:

Organization Time management Note taking Active reading strategies, and

Learning styles

Once a student has learned the components of good study skills, parents are encouraged to tie student's privileges to performance. If the student is still struggling even though he or she is putting forth a great deal of effort, you may need to consider tutoring for your child to fill in his or her skill gaps.

To pique your interest in our seminar, here is some information on one of the topics, Learning Styles:

Just as there are many different fashions, there are also many different ways a child learns. Understanding a child's learning style can help a parent and teacher personalize instruction or homework to ensure peak performance in school and build a child's self confidence.

People learn in at least eight different ways, according to the Multiple Intelligences Theory: visually, verbally, physically, mathematically, musically, naturalistically, through group activity or through quiet thinking time. Sylvan Learning Center, the leading provider of supplemental education services to students of all ages and skill levels, provides the following tips to assist parents in determining what type of learning style their child exhibits. Parents can also visit their local Sylvan Learning Center for a more detailed analysis of how their child learns.

When reading the following tips, keep in mind that a child may exhibit more than one of the following learning styles.

How does your child learn?

Visual/Spatial learners enjoy photography, visual metaphors, puzzles, illustrations and story maps. Seeing a bar graph on the cost of different cars, for instance, would be a better learning tool than hearing a list of prices read aloud.

Verbal/Linguistic learners shine in activities such as storytelling, public speaking, drama and journal writing. Give children journals to keep for one month. Encourage them to write detailed descriptions of what they see, taste, feel and hear.

Bodily/Kinesthetic learners thrive on hands-on experiments, field trips, body language, crafts and sports. Take a field trip to a local factory, then make a visual display of what was learned.

Logical/Mathematical learners tend to be better at problem-solving, coding, data collecting, money management and scientific models. Help your child create a budget sheet that itemizes every cent spent during a one-month period. Determine what category drew the biggest expenses.

Musical/Rhythmic students may play an instrument, sing, hum or tap during work or require background music while they study. Turn memorization exercises into rhythmic word play and set it to any musical style.

Intrapersonal learners work better alone, doing individual study, personal goalsetting and self-esteem activities. This type of student can write down one objective and record the steps to achieving it. Interpersonal learners work better in group activities, such as clubs, peer teaching, conflict mediation and active discussions. They would enjoy volunteering at a nursing home, women's shelter or charity and documenting the experience in a journal.

Interpersonal learners work better in group activities, such as clubs, peer teaching, conflict meditation and active discussions. They would enjoy volunteering at a nursing home, women's shelter or charity and documenting the experience in a journal.

Naturalist learners tend to better understand ideas when it is related to a natural occurrence. These learners prefer outdoor activities (e.g., camping, gardening, hiking, bird-watching, etc).

As parents prepare their child for the rest of the school year, it's important to remember that he or she will be better prepared for classes if parents and the school teacher both understand the learning styles and use this knowledge to help the child excel in school and on homework. Parents should share their observations about their child's learning style with their child's teachers.

For more educational resources for children in grades pre-K through 12, please visit www.educate.com or call 1-850-934-6111.

Penny Fendt is the Executive Director of Santa Rosa County Sylvan Learning Centers, the leading provider of in-center and live, online tutoring at home to students of all ages and skill levels. With more than 27 years of experience and nearly 1,200 centers located throughout North America, Sylvan Learning Center has positively changed the lives of over two million students and families. Sylvan's trained and certified teachers provide personalized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. At Sylvan, students develop the skills to do better in school and the confidence to do better in everything else. For more information regarding the Sylvan Advantage™, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit www.educate.com/info.