Kindles and other eReaders: Are They Worth the Expense?
By Meaghan Montrose | February 8, 2010
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Devices for displaying e-books are the latest craze in technology. Some of the popular options include the Amazon Kindle, Sony PRS-700, and Barnes & Noble Nook. These devices allow you to read a book electronically. The sizes of the devices vary but are generally slightly larger in length and width than a traditional paperback, but much less in thickness.
There are many obvious advantages to an eReader such as the portability and decrease in volume. (How great to be a college student with all of your textbooks available on one small device!) However, even with this in mind, is the cost of the devices really worth it?
The SavingAdvice.com blog has posted an article about the cost-effectiveness of these devices. The author of Is an eReader a Wise Purchase? weighs the pros and cons of an eReader. Check out the post for the answer!
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Topics: College Preparation and Advice, Money and Business Advice, Parenting | No Comments »
Student Success Resolution #3: Find a Work Space
By Meaghan Montrose | January 31, 2010
It is time for step 3 in your quest for academic success! The key for this resolution is to find space for yourself to study and do homework. Knowing how to study is important, but first you need a place to do it.
The goal here is to find an area in your home that can be your safe study haven. A place that is all your own. A space free of noise, free of disturbing siblings, free of clutter, and ideal for working. This doesn’t need to be an entire room in the house (very few of us have that much spare space). Instead, you just need a desk or a portion of a table that can be considered your work area. Having an established will keep you from attempting to do your schoolwork in an area full of distractions. In addition, having a designated area for work will mentally prepare you to get down to business when you sit down to work.
The main criteria for your personal work space:
1. Quiet
2. Low traffic area (not right by a door where people will constantly be walking back and forth)
3. Includes an appropriate surface to write on (a desk or table)
4. Available when you need it (maybe it is used to fold laundry during the day, but the area should be free when you want to use it after school)
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Topics: Study Skills and Learning Strategies | No Comments »
Saving Money for College in a 529 College Savings Plan
By Meaghan Montrose | January 26, 2010
College- most parents want their child to go there, but how do they afford it? The cost of college is getting higher and higher each year. In order to save enough money parents need to start considering a savings plan as soon as the child’s first birthday (or maybe even earlier!). So, what’s a parent (or Aunt or Uncle or Grandparent or Godparent) to do?
One answer, the Smarter Wallet recommends using a 529 college savings plan. According to the post, one of the main benefits to the plan is the flexibility of the investment. Check out the entire post on 529 College Savings Plan As A Child’s Gift.
Related posts you may have missed:
How to Maximize College Savings for Your Child- Read about tips to make the most of child’s college savings.
UPromise: Saving Money for Your Child’s College Education- Find out more about this college savings service. UPromise allows everyone in the family to contribute to the savings account.
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Topics: College Preparation and Advice, Money and Business Advice | 1 Comment »
Student Success Resolution #2: Less is More
By Meaghan Montrose | January 20, 2010
2010 is quickly moving along. Hopefully by now you have mastered the Student Success Resolution #1 of writing everything down. So, now you know what you HAVE to do, what do you do next?
Resolution #2: Less is More
The focus of this tip is the concept of less is more. This has to do with the amount of work you do each night and the length of time you study at once.
The first idea is to break all of your larger assignments, projects, and reports into smaller chunks. It is less daunting and more manageable to deal with small tasks rather than trying to tackle the assignment at once. When you have a large assignment, try to break it into parts that make sense. For instance, if you are writing an essay about a book you can make a list of all the things you need to do to complete the assignment such as develop a thesis statement, make an outline of your thoughts, locate supporting quotes from the text, write an introductory paragraph, write a rough draft, and revise your draft.
By doing this you have taken an overwhelming assignment and turned it into six smaller assignments instead. Based on the overall due date of the essay, you can designate times on a planner to complete each of the individual tasks. This technique will keep you on track for your due date and lessen the chances of you procrastinating and cramming in the assignment at the last minute. Consequently your final product will be of a higher quality than if you tried to do it all at once. This also gives you the opportunity to seek help from the teacher if you need before it is too late.
In addition to breaking big assignments into smaller ones, it is also a good idea to limit the overall time you spend studying and doing schoolwork. It is best to work in short, uninterrupted periods of time. Once you are prepared to study, you should work (without distractions) for about 30-40 min. After that time has passed, take a break! The break shouldn’t be too long (especially if you have a lot of work to do). A break of 10-15 min is a good idea. During this time you can check email, get a snack, go for a walk, listen to some music, etc… It doesn’t matter exactly what you do. The key is that you are taking a break and giving yourself a chance to get away. When you come back to study/work you will feel refreshed and prepared to work. These little breaks are also great rewards to look forward to after putting in a solid time period of work.
Good luck with this student success resolution. Check back soon for the next tip!
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Topics: Study Skills and Learning Strategies | 1 Comment »
Attention College Students: Signs Your College Major is Wrong
By Meaghan Montrose | January 17, 2010
The purpose of college is to gain an education to pursue a career. The problem: how do you know you have chosen the correct career to pursue? In truth, you don’t at first. Leaving high school as a 17 or 18-year-old and heading off to college involves many new experiences and adjustments. And during this time you are expected to make a decision about the rest of your life!
Declaring a major is a big task and should not be taken lightly. On the other hand, keep in mind that your decision is not set in stone. It is unfair to assume you know exactly what you want to do before you even have experience. Deciding on a major when you first enter college will help you gain a sense of direction that you can tweak as you continue your education. Perhaps you will start off as a pharmacy major because you are interested in chemistry but find out that you would much rather become a chemistry teacher.
The GoCollege.com blog has put together a post of Warning Signs You Chose the Wrong Major. The first sign discussed in the blog is that you find the classes you are taking boring. Clearly if you don’t enjoy the classes you are taking you won’t enjoy using that information for the rest of your life! The answer: change your major!
Check out the complete post for the other warning signs.
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Topics: College Preparation and Advice | 1 Comment »
Literacy Websites and Blogs for All Ages
By Meaghan Montrose | January 13, 2010
I found a great list of literacy resources put together by the Dynamite Lesson Plan blog. The post includes a list of 20 websites and blogs that are focused on reading and literacy. Many of the sites are appropriate for all ages.
These sites are an excellent way to feed your reading passion and encourage reading in your students and/or children. Many of the sites include questions and discussions about books. There were two sites that I found particularly interesting:
Kids Lit – The Kids Lit blog provides you with information on the best books for everyone from toddlers to teenagers. This site has information on audio books, authors, book reviews, chapter books, easy readers, new books, picture books, publishers, and more.
Growing Readers for Life! – Within the Growing Readers for Life! site you will find tools, ideas, and resources for encouraging reading and learning in children. Just a few of the topics found in this blog include reading comprehension, reading ideas, family reading, and more.
Go to DynamiteLessonPlan.com and check out the full list of 20 Great Literacy Sites and Blogs.
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Topics: Study Skills and Learning Strategies | 1 Comment »
Student Success Resolution #1: Write it Down
By Meaghan Montrose | January 9, 2010
This is the first in a series of posts to kick off 2010 on the right foot. For most students the new year means you are about half way through the school year. And for most students you have probably not been as successful as you would have liked during the first half of the year.
Let’s put 2009 behind us and focus on the future. Be optimistic, don’t think about it as the year is half over, think about it as there is still half a year left! It is never too late to start using effective study skills and learning strategies. Add on to your list of New Year’s resolutions and make it a goal to be academically successful.
Here is the first tip to help you on your path to success:
Resolution #1: Write it Down!
One of the most common downfalls that students have in school is a lack of organization. One piece of this is keeping track of assignments and due dates. This affects your grade because you will forget to do homework or you will leave a project to the last minute and have to cram it in. Just because you are young doesn’t mean you can remember everything, so you need to get in the habit of writing it down.
Get yourself an agenda pad, planner, or even a small notebook. For each subject, write down homework, upcoming projects/assignments, and quizzes/tests. If your teacher happens to post this information in the classroom, copy it down as soon as you get in class. Even if there is no homework for a particular subject you should still write it down. By writing “Math- none” you will know that there was no homework and won’t be wondering if you just forgot to copy it.
On a related note, it is also a good idea to get the phone number of a reliable student in each of your classes (you can write it in the front of your agenda or planner). If you forget to copy down an assignment you can call this student to ask what work you have to do.
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Topics: Study Skills and Learning Strategies | 1 Comment »
A Look Back at 2009: The Best Educational Posts of Last Year
By Meaghan Montrose | January 5, 2010
Before we move on and fully embrace the new year, I thought it would be appropriate to take a look back at some of the best educational TutorFi.com posts (as determined by me). I think these posts contain useful information for you to achieve success in your education.
1. Effective Learning Strategies and Study Skills
This is the first post in a small series of posts on tips and strategies to use for learning. This particular post focuses on how to establish the best environment for learning.
2. How to Prepare to Take the SAT Reasoning Test
Success on standardized tests depends on more than just your knowledge. If you don’t have the right environment and frame of mind you won’t be able to perform at your best ability. Check out these tips to keep you on top of your testing game!
3. 10 Tips to Improve Your Math Skills Everyday
You know what they say, “if you don’t use it, you lose it!”. Keep your mind going even when you aren’t in the classroom with these tips for incorporating math into your daily life.
4. Back-to-School Tips to be Successful in Class
Even though this post was written for going back to school, the advice is helpful all year long! These tips will help you be an excellent student all the way through to next fall.
5. 6 Tips for Solving Word Problems in Math and Science
Half of the battle in solving a problem is making sure you understand the question that is being asked. This post will give you tips to keep you focused on the answer and keep you from stuttering at the starting line!
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Topics: Study Skills and Learning Strategies | No Comments »
The Best Credit Card Choices for College Students
By Meaghan Montrose | December 30, 2009
Debt often starts during the college years. It is during this time a student is faced with many additional expenses as well as transitioning from their dependence on parents. These costs include tuition, food, clothing, books, car, housing, and much more. The problem is most students don’t have this money readily available, so they turn to loans and credit…and then comes the debt!
Having some debt is not all bad, it is natural. Many young adults (and even old adults) are forced into some form of debt in life. (How many people can buy a house without a mortgage?) The problem is when the debt spirals out of control due to misuse of credit cards and astronomical fees.
The Digerati Life has done some research on the subject of credit cards and put together a post on the Best Student Credit Cards for College Students. Though students still need to exercise caution when using a credit cards, the article gives a few good options for cards. One of the credit cards described actual offers points for earning a high GPA…that is smart all around!
Check out the post for all the details.
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Topics: College Preparation and Advice, Money and Business Advice | 1 Comment »
The Importance of Finding a Connection
By Meaghan Montrose | December 27, 2009
Recently I wrote a post about the issues of having an over-scheduled child. Having your child participating in everything from soccer to karate to piano lessons can cause unneeded stress. On the other hand, it is equally problematic (if not more so) to have your child not participating in anything!
The focus of this post is on the importance of feeling connected. Part of nurturing a well-rounded child is helping them find their place in the world. A child needs a place where they belong and feel comfortable. Family is the first and most important group that a child belongs to, but there should be other places as well that they feel at home. This can include a sports team, drama club, choir, girl scouts, church group, or dance troupe. These connections provide your child with opportunities to meet new people, improve social skills, make friends, and form a sense of community. The more connected a child feels to one of these positive groups, the less likely they are to partake in destructive behaviors like taking drugs, stealing, or committing acts of violence. Therefore, getting your child involved in SOMETHING is important.
Here are some quick tips on how to help your child feel connected and develop a sense of belonging:
1. Find an activity or group that suits your child.
This may mean trying out a few things and switching if it doesn’t work out. For instance if it is clear your child is not an athlete, steer clear of the sports teams! (Now this does not mean quitting. You don’t want to send a message that it is okay to give up and quit. If your child signs up for basketball and then doesn’t like it, as long as the activity is not causing physical or mental harm, they should finish out the season but then choose not to sign up again.)
2. Make sure the activity or group is for your child, not for you.
Just because you always wanted to be a ballerina doesn’t mean your child should be. Find something that interests your child and works with their abilities and potential.
3. Be supportive.
If your child loves playing the violin, but you can’t stand the sound of it (especially the screechy practicing) keep it to yourself. The sense of connection won’t be worth anything if you make them feel wrong, ashamed, or embarrassed for being a part of it. Clearly show your support by attending recitals or games, hosting meetings at your house, or volunteering for the group/team.
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Topics: Child Development, Parenting | No Comments »