Spring into Learning
March 2023
|
|
BriteMinds Discovered by Students
Recently, a few high school students came to BriteMinds because they had found it online and wanted to “check it out.” We enthusiastically enrolled them, realizing the power of being discovered!
We learned from these talented teenagers that they were aware of the challenges that had developed during the COVID-19 lockdown. They shared that while the sudden shift to online learning presented some benefits, social learning was also obstructed and delayed, causing enormous stress and performance anxiety.
Although the internet provides useful resources, teenagers can develop maladaptive habits such as finding the answers to just about all their homework, engaging in inappropriate content, or racking up their parents’ credit cards. According to one sixteen-year-old student, “Nowadays, ‘everything’ can be found on the internet, but nothing can replace a fun teacher.”
BriteMinds has been advocating for process-oriented, relational learning for 33 years. As part of the lockdown recovery, BriteMinds continues to provide meaningful, relation-based learning experiences that suit the unique individual needs of every student. Parent guidance and support are included in the tuition!
|
|
Throughout early childhood, children make essential discoveries about themselves. They integrate these experiences into social, emotional, and academic identity. It can be a wonderful learning experience when children discover their interests and passions and what makes them who they are. We strive to set students up for success. Through various creative teaching methods, BriteMinds instructors facilitate self-reliance, trust, and confidence with amazing benefits.
Art: Art is a great way to spark self-discovery. Through painting, drawing, sculpture, and other art forms, children may learn to express themselves without any restrictions or limitations. Children are free to utilize their creative energy and discover how they want to be represented in their art. At BriteMinds, we use art in connection with literature, history, and even math projects to foster self-expression.
Reading: Reading opens the door to fictional worlds of fantasy, where children can transcend reality and broaden their imagination. Children may find a world or reality that they identify with, while also discovering something new about themselves and the world around them.
Writing: Writing is a great form of expression that leads to self-discoveries. Poetry, journaling, and creative writing allow children to thoughtfully express their feelings, ideas, and dreams.
|
|
Parent Support: Problems and Solutions
|
|
Problem: "How can I get my teenage son to use a planner?"
Solution: This is a good question for your BriteMinds instructor. We have been very successful at collaborating with our students to get their homework and other projects organized. We discuss various ways students can efficiently plan and record tasks, and we work together to come up with an individual plan for each student. By creating day-to-day plans to organize and complete projects, students feel less overwhelmed and more productive.
Problem: "I'm so tired of my child's procrastination. I always hope she finishes and turns in her homework on time, but I have a hard time trusting her because of all the missing assignments."
Solution: This is a common problem we hear from parents. You are not alone! There are several creative solutions to prevent frustrating situations that arise when parents teach their children. BriteMinds instructors are glad to help you find ways to build a better working partnership.
|
|
Writing a Limerick for St. Patrick’s Day |
|
What is a limerick?
A limerick is a silly, funny poem of five lines, with the rhyming pattern AABBA. They are often written in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, with silly lines about leprechauns and four-leaf clovers.
Poetry is helpful for students to learn about rhyming, syllables, and rhythm. It also strengthens their literary and writing skills by encouraging them to use their creativity to come up with unique topics and coherent rhyming words. Not only is poetry fun, but it also serves as a creative outlet for students to release strong emotions, thoughts, and ideas in their poems.
|
|
“A wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill holds more than his belican.
He can take in his beak
Enough food for a week,
But I’m damned if I see how the helican.”
Dixon Lanier Merritt
|
|
How to write a limerick?
· Write only five lines
· Lines 1, 2, and 5 rhyme
· Lines 3 and 4 rhyme
· Make it funny!
|
|
Limerick Topic Ideas
· Leprechaun
· Rainbow
· Gold coins
· Shamrocks/clovers
· Pot of gold
|
|
Science in a Bottle
The Water Cycle ‘Condensed’
|
|
|
|
Items needed:
· Empty plastic bottle
· Water
· Blue food coloring
· Marker/pen
|
|
How to do it:
1. Have your child decorate the water bottle, drawing sun and clouds with a marker.
2. Add some blue food coloring to about ½ inch of water. Pour this into the bottle.
3. Place the bottle in a sunny location.
4. Over the next day or so, observe the bottle to see how the water moves through the water cycle.
Make sure to explain the steps of the water cycle to your child (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) as they observe each stage the water goes through. After this activity, children should be aware of the constant motion of water and describe what each stage looks like.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
