Author: Pearl Melvin

a word game

How Word Puzzles Can Help Your Kid to Learn

Puzzles are a challenging and popular activity for both young children and adults. They offer an opportunity to work towards a goal to piece together a narrative or story. The bright colors and fun shapes are a favorite among young children and provide developmental benefits to help them gain new skills when playing. Usually, children start with simple puzzles that outline simple shapes in corresponding board cutouts and go to complex silhouettes of objects in the real world and jigsaw puzzles.

Below are ways in which word puzzles can help your kids to learn:

They Foster Persistence

Word puzzles can be challenging and need more than one attempt to get the answer. Often it would help if you had persistence, which is a good lesson to children since they will experience similar challenges many times in life where they fail and need to try again. The lesson is that the child should try to overcome disheartening difficulties in life and never give up.

They Teach Children to Work Faster

help kids learn to work fasterWord puzzles help improve your child’s processing speed since they need to arrive at an answer quickly. At times, even bright children might struggle with processing speed, finding it challenging to work. Luckily, they can improve with practice. Moreover, they transfer the skill to areas that need quick thinking, like mental maths. With this, word puzzles have a positive effect on achievement and learning in different schools subjects.

World Puzzles Help With Concentration and Focus

enhnce concentrationTo complete any puzzle, you need to concentrate. Therefore, it trains your brain to remain focused and teach persistence as it can be challenging and need many attempts. You can get your child involved by assisting them in creating their word search from favorite books. To encourage focus, you can press the child to pick specific words like nouns or adjectives. 

Besides, when children take hours texting friends, scrolling social media, or playing games, their mental development takes a break during the hours. By providing the word searches, you open their minds and offer the opportunity to learn while having fun.

They Help Improve Test Taking Skills

Through word puzzles, the kids develop their skills during school, including vocabulary, verbal reasoning, spelling, memory, and grammar. The more proactive the skills, the better they access and use them. In turn, they process the factors to impact their performance positively. When mastered, it makes a significant difference when the child writes a test.

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students in a class

Benefits of SAT Prep Courses

It is yet another season when students have to prepare for the SAT. Getting excellent SAT scores is essential for scholarship and admissions eligibility. It is necessary to do a thorough preparation to make this dream a reality. Every student has the potential to obtain the highest possible scores when they take SAT prep courses, and you can easily get online assistance from the Best SAT Prep experts. Never take chances with your SAT scores because they reflect the long journey you have had in your academics. You can get the following benefits by taking SAT prep courses.

Getting the Framework for the Material

get the framework for the materialPreparing for the SAT is a daunting experience because you have to read large volumes of study materials and understand then. SAT preps are meant to give you an outline that highlights the things that have a high chance of being tested. The student can familiarize themselves with the final test by taking frequent dummy tests, and this explains the excellent results obtained by students who enroll for the SAT prep course. The student builds knowledge in critical thinking skills and crucial concepts.

Learning Strategies and Test-Taking Skills

learn strategy and test-taking skillsThe experts know how you can maximize your chances of passing the test even when you meet challenging questions. Most of the students rely on the elimination process to tackle multiple-choice questions. However, in mathematics, it is impossible to depend on the elimination method, and you should be prepared to use other strategies to get correct answers. You can combine different techniques to ensure you are getting the highest possible scores regardless of the challenge you may meet during the test. The SAT is not easily predictable, but you can be confident of getting acceptance letters at the end of it when you prepare well.  

Improving Efficiency

Any test comes with a certain amount of pressure, and the SAT could double this experience. However, you can work comfortably according to your schedule by getting professional help from experts ready to work with your schedule. It helps maximizes your productive time, and you will also be trained in handling questions using the available time during the test to increase your chances of getting high scores. You have to train on working out the problems quickly, and still, accurately. Get a personal tutor who will work with you to ensure you work on your weak points as you improve your strengths during the study and during test time. 

sleeping baby

Ways of Getting Your Child to Sleep on Their Own

It takes a lot of effort to get your child to sleep on their own. In most cases, young children refuse to sleep alone, and it is up to you to make sure they get used to sleeping alone at an early age. If that is not done, it won’t be easy to convince them to move out of your bed once they get used to sleeping with you.

If you have a baby that does not sleep well and instead tosses and turns the entire night, you might want to adjust their sleep routine. You can easily reverse any bad sleeping habits shown by your baby.

Here are some of the tips you can use to get your child to sleep on their own:

Begin Slowly

Getting your child to his room should not be done suddenly. Instead, do it gradually setting aside a day or two within a week when the child will be sleeping alone. Make sure you monitor how they behave when sleeping alone to ensure that the child is not frightened. You can then increase the number of days the child sleeps alone as he gets used to the idea of sleeping alone. Do not be surprised when the child starts to prefer sleeping alone after a few weeks.

Stay by Their Bed Until They Sleep

be by their bedSometimes it is difficult for your kid to sleep, especially when they are alone. This might be because they might be frightened until they doze off and have nothing to worry about. You can create the habit of staying with them until they fall asleep.

Experts say that children tend to sleep faster in their parents’ presence than when they are alone. To get them to sleep even more quickly, you can read them a story. You may  also sing them some lulling songs as you touch them gently .The child will be at peace and fall asleep seeing the person they trust around.

Show Them That You Are Around

show them you are aroundAll children get this attachment to their parents and also tend to feel safe when the parents are closer. If you want your child to get used to sleeping on their alone, they have to feel that you are around so that they feel secure. Your voice, blanket, or pillow will do the trick. If your toddler holds one of your pillows while in bed, they can doze off easily.

Stay Firm

Your child might start sleeping on their own, but sometimes they might show up in your bedroom, crying and wanting to sleep with you again in your bedroom or their room. It would be best not to encourage the child by giving in to their demands. Instead, you can stand at their bedroom door until they sleep.…

a person playing the guitar

Practical Ways on how to Balance Academics & Music

Happiness and success in life come about when you learn how to balance and manage your time. At times, its worth to give up somethings in life as you pursue what is important to you. If you have a talent in music and you’re still a student, it can be overwhelming to balance these two aspects since both demand considerable attention. At this point, if you’ll be successful in life, you will have to know how to balance academics and music. Consider the following tips as a way to make your life easier and enjoyable as you pursue both academics and music goals.

Make Sure To Work On Your Priorities

You must have written priorities. Are you a student or a musician? What comes first? If you have spare hours, will you dedicate the time for academics or will you use this time for music? Can you pursue music without hurting your studies? You should be ready to make tough decisions on what matters in life. Though you can pursue both goals at the same time, it’s essential to decide what comes first.

high school students

For example, if you have to travel for a gig out of town, can you sacrifice missing a class or two? Alternatively, can you miss your typical weekend music practice sessions to attend to your academic workload? Setting the right priorities will make your life enjoyable and stress-free.

Make Good Use Of Your Weekends

If you desire to succeed in both academics and music, you must make sure your weekends aren’t lazy days but time to pursue your goals. If possible, make sure you’ve adequate time during the weekdays for your academic stuff. You should dedicate the weekends to your music career.

Set enough time for music practice, gigs, writing music, recording, and rehearsals. If you handle most of your music activities during the weekend, you’ll have fewer worries during the week. Your music aspiration will not affect your studies.

Avoid Procrastination

Both academics and music are competing for your limited time. If you want to succeed in both, you must make sure you stick your plans. Any time you’ve dedicated for music practice, gigs or recordings must be utilized to the fullest; same applies to tie your set for your revisions and personal study. Procrastinating leads to stress and underachievement. If you’re handling a huge project, break it into smaller manageable units. Review your achievements weekly or biweekly to see the changes you need to make.

Set Goals

Planning is critical for success. If you want to be good in both academics and music, planning is inevitable. You need to put the little time you have into good use. You must plan for your week. Besides, keep a record and track how you use your time. If you have exams around the corner, or you have impending recordings, make sure you have set sufficient time for these events to avoid conflicts.

Striking a balance between academics and music can be tasking. On one hand, your parent s and teacher what you shine in your academics while on the other hand, your music coaches expect extraordinary results. Setting the right goals and planning your time are critical steps in achieving success in both fields.…

student writing on board

How to Apply For Private Student Loans

Education has become a costly affair, but they say if you think education is expensive, then try ignorance. The private student loans or private education loans should be first considered before you plan using the retirement funds of your family to pay for college. They helps students finance for their education.

Facts

Private education loans

These loans are credit based, so your creditworthiness will be reviewed by your lender before the loan is granted. student field trip
Your rate of interest depends on various factors, like how you have managed credit in the past, what are the loan terms, and which option you have chosen.
You do get some options. Certain private loans offer various payment options that can reduce your rate of interest or/and the total overall loan cost. The following are some of the tips when looking for a loan.

Shop around

You should first learn about the various loans available so that you can find the one that meets your individual requirements best. You can begin by visiting the financial aid office of your college, which might have a list of lenders. Carefully go through the list and compare what different lenders are offering regarding interest rates, fees, and repayment options.

Go through the disclosures carefully

The fine print that you get while applying for a loan is known as the disclosure, and it will help you properly understand the terms and conditions of the loan. Using the disclosure, you can compare the different loans offered by different lenders.

Do not borrow more than is required

Certain lenders will require your school to approve your loan amount so that you do not end up borrowing more than is actually needed. This certainly is a great idea. You should borrow only for your tuition fees and related expenses, so that once you finish school, you can repay easily. Remember, a new smartphone, or mountain bike does not fall within the category – “related expenses”.

Try to find a cosigner

man sittingIf you are not a graduate or a student with no credit history or steady income, then a cosigner can prove beneficial for you. Even if you do have a proper credit history, a cosigner can still increase your chances of getting approved, speed up the credit approval process, and help you enjoy lower interest rates.

Before you sign the form to accept your private student loan, remember, whether you successfully graduate from your school or no, you will need to pay back the loan. If you default on a student loan, it can affect your financial future largely. It may lower your credit score, and make it difficult for you to get a credit card, a mortgage, a car loan, or even a job.…

welcoming board

College Rankings

The ranking of institutions of higher learning in the United States is usually done annually. The ranking is done so as to help the students, guardians and parents to compare the academic quality offered in the different institutions.

The 2016 college rankings saw an improvement in various categories used.

Features

Rankings

The Princeton University emerged as the top in the National Universities category while the Williams College emerged top in the National Liberal Arts ABC on a grasscollege list. The University of Berkeley – California emerged as the top public institution among the National Universities.

The United States Naval Academy entered the top 10 of the National Liberal Colleges Arts list for the first time in history. The number nine spot was taken by two institutions the Davidson College and the Claremont McKenna College.

The John Hopkins University had lost a place in the top 10 in the National Universities category for 16 years. The institution made a comeback to the top 10, having tied with the California Institute of Technology at position ten.

Criteria for the ranking

Different bodies use different ranking parameters to rank the best performing colleges. The United States New ranking system focuses purely on the academic excellence of the institution.

The ranking also emphasizes on the various outcomes and considers graduation and the retention rate. All the top schools had high six-year graduation rates. The retention rates among the freshmen were also high.

Freshman to graduation

The ranking took into account how well the learning institutions supported the students from the first year all the way to their graduation. For students to fit properly in the system, some factors were considered as well.

These factors were the majors, the campus size, the campus location, and the financial aid offerings. The procedure of compiling all these parameters are usually challenging. These rankings provide an excellent opportunity and platform to evaluate the education system in the United States.

The most innovative institutions

learningThe most innovative schools list that featured institution that had made inventive improvements regarding technology, students, faculty, facilities, curriculum, and campus life.

The purpose of such rankings was to enable the students to broaden or narrow their search to the preferred or the specific needs. The other reason was to act as an eye opener and challenge the institutions to work harder to gain better ratings.…

red shoes

Reasons Why the Cost of College Education is Rising

The cost of college education has been increasing over the past decades. It is not difficult for any person to analyze the past, present, and future of rising tuition costs. This creates the question, “why is the cost of college education increasing?” If you have a look at the tuition and fees from 1975 – 2016 you will notice that cost of education is on steady rise.

Many things have led to the constant increase in the cost of college education. There is no doubt that college education will be higher in the future than it is now. Here are some of the reasons why the cost of education has been increasing with each passing year;

Reasons why

1. Inflation

Inflation is the main reason why the cost of college education has increased significantly over the past few years. The cost of books and other supplies man's shoulder with a bagthat are needed in a college have forced the growth of money that students pay as tuition fees every year.

As long as the rate of inflation is increasing, the amount of money that students will be paying in the universities will always increase as well. Most things that colleges provide to their students are more expensive today than they used to be a few years ago.

2. Need to increase the earnings of college staff

The people working in universities demand an increase in salaries and allowances every year. This includes both the teaching and the non-teaching staff. Most of these people draw their salaries from the money that is paid by students.

Therefore, the only way that the colleges will be able to increase their wages and allowances is by asking parents to pay more for their children. Therefore, you should expect to pay more in the future as long as there is a need for the college employees to earn more.

3. Increasing cost of accommodation

man walking in libraryThe cost of housing for college students has been increasing over the years. This value increases the overall cost of college educations. The number of students going to college today is higher than the number of students that joined college ten years ago.

This has led to an increase in demand for accommodation facilities. Inflation also plays a role in the growth of the cost accommodation. When the cost of the things that students need while in the housing facilities increase, they will have to pay more to be accommodated.

Many other things have lead to the increase in the cost of college education. Considering the trends, you should expect to pay more in the future.…

woman typing on laptop

What Does Tuition Fees Cover?

If you are going to college, you have apparently realized that you are going to pay a significant amount of money as tuition fees every year. This may make you wonder what the money that you pay as tuition fees cover. The stakeholders are required to look into the past, present, and future of rising education costs.

If you take a look at tuition and fees from 1975 – 2016, you will realize that the amount that students pay has been on the increase year after year. The trend indicates that you will have to pay more in the second and subsequent years in college. Tuition fees cover a lot of things. Here are some of the thing that are covered by tuition fees;

Basic facts

1. Lectures, seminar, and tutorials

The amount of contact that you are going to have with lecturers and tutor depends on the type of course that you have enrolled in. Some course such smiling boys in the classas engineering and medicine involve intensive all day teaching. When you take up such courses, you will naturally have more contact with lecturers and tutors.

The more contact that you have with these people, the higher the amount of money that you are going to pay tuition fees. A part of your tuition fees will also go into seminar and tutorials. All these things are meant to help you progress academically.

2. Access to the library

When in college, you will spend a lot of time studying in the library. There are many facilities in a university library other than books that will help you to study well.

A part of your tuition fees is used to ensure that these establishments are always available to you when you go to the library to study. You should be able to get all the facilities that should be in a library when you go to your college’s library. Your education will be swift when you can find everything that you need in the library.

3. Access to computer and college support services

learningYou are likely to conduct research online most of the time and to submit your assignments through your college’s intranet. A part of the money that you pay as tuition fees helps to ensure that you have access to computers, the internet and other faculty support services.

Support service includes things like professional career guidance, finding suitable accommodation, etc. While in college, you should ensure that you are taking full advantage of the facilities available to you. Your college tuition fees many also cover the administrative paperwork that most students think is given for free.…