Newsletter February 2011

February 19, 2011
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We strive to bring you the most helpful and up to date information every month, and this month's newsletter is no exception.
You can scroll down through the articles below, or you can click on a headline you like to go directly to that article.

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This Month's Headlines:

Listen and Learn—Understanding Auditory Learners
Yoga for Kids: Breathing and Stretching Their Way to Relaxation
College Freshmen More Stressed Than Ever

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Listen and Learn—Understanding Auditory Learners

By now you’ve likely heard the theory that there are different types of learning styles. Understanding what kind of learner your child is can go a long way to helping them learn more efficiently and with less struggle or frustration. The three basic types of learners are visual, kinetic, and auditory. Visual learners rely on diagrams, models, maps and other imagery for understanding. Kinetic learners are those who have a hard time sitting still and prefer to learn with movement, to be shown things rather than told. Lastly, auditory learners function best by using their sense of hearing to grasp concepts.

Often, children who are unable to learn in their preferred style end up frustrated with themselves, or wrongly think they are not smart enough to comprehend the lessons they are taught. But with just a little reflection, students can find out how they learn best, and learn to adapt study and homework habits that make their learning easier and more rewarding and encouraging.

Is your child an auditory learner? Here are some characteristics that are often found in auditory learners.

• Talks out loud to themselves
• Enjoys conversations
• Likes to explain to others
• Gets distracted by background noise
• Is good with remembering names
• Can recognize changes in someone’s tone of voice
• Understands concepts by discussing them
• May have difficulty with written directions
• Reads at a slow pace
• Has a hard time staying quiet

Instead of trying to force your auditory learner to deny his or her natural instincts, there are plenty of ways you can cater to their learning style and help them retain knowledge and feel more confident in school.

It’s no surprise that one of the best ways to encourage auditory learners is to allow them to use speech and sounds for comprehension. Those who struggle with spelling or reading can benefit from using phonetic approaches to reading, like sounding out words and repeating them until they feel familiar with them. It can also help to say the word, spell it and repeat it, sort of spelling bee style. Rhyming word games can add a fun element that makes difficult words easier to remember. Repetition goes a long way toward memorization for these types of learners.

Encourage your child to read aloud, even if they are reading alone. Many auditory learners also benefit from reading reports and research papers, reciting facts or answering mock quiz questions out loud too.

There are many resources to choose from for study material for auditory learners, especially in our age of technology. Books on tape, audio and video tapes are great options, and you can even try music for a more creative approach. Some students may want to use a digital voice recorder so they can record and later play back lessons. Auditory learners may also want to discuss certain topics, so don’t be afraid to have a back and forth to help them better understand. Help them read directions out loud, or paraphrase key facts.

Knowing your own personal learning style is a great start to more confidence, better grades and enhanced performance in school. The more we know about ourselves, the more comfortable we become in the future.

Source: Hutton, Shannon, “Helping Auditory Learners Succeed,” education.com
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Yoga for Kids: Breathing and Stretching Their Way to Relaxation

Yoga has certainly become a growing trend the in last few years. But all that talk about deep breathing and stretching your way to leaner, stronger muscles isn’t just for adults. The same benefits that grown ups reap from yoga—both physical and mental—can be extended to kids as well.

Shari Vilchez-Blatt, the founder and director of New York City’s Karma Kids, explains that yoga helps all participants, young and old, to “build confidence, self-esteem, focus and concentration.” She also points to yoga’s great stress relief as a bonus point.

Yoga is a great exercise for kids because it is a practice that is non-competitive, unlike many other sports. Instead, yoga is all about each person reaching their own goals and working their way toward better strength and flexibility. Best of all, children of all body types and abilities can try it. It’s great for any level, even novices, and kids who stick with the practice gain a wonderful sense of accomplishment as they watch their abilities grow. It’s also a great exercise that you and your child can share together, which can’t always be said about other activities.

Young athletes, dancers and gymnasts are often encouraged to pursue yoga as a way to balance the strain put on their muscles, and to improve their balance and ability to focus. It teaches great posture, which is very important for developing bodies. Yoga can also be a form of meditation and relaxation, which can be particularly beneficial for students who have a hard time concentrating or staying still and focused. Repeating poses and stretches also leads to better memorization for both the mind and the body’s muscles.

There are options for all budgets for getting your child into yoga, from organized classes at yoga studios to special parent/child workshops, or even videos and books you can use to practice together at home. Vilchez-Blatt urges parents and kids to explore the fun side of yoga too; the more fun you have, the more likely you both will look forward to yoga as the relaxing, rewarding experience it is supposed to be.

So go ahead—try some yoga with your child today. And if you find they’d rather do it on their own, you can always find a place that offers multiple classes in one studio so you can get some exercise in yourself while waiting for your child.

Source: Boyd, Hannah. “Kids Stressed Out? Try Yoga!”, pop-edu.com
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College Freshmen More Stressed Than Ever

For the past 25 years, an annual survey has been collecting data on incoming college students. With the recession and economic strain such a big focus in our lives, it perhaps doesn’t come as much of a surprise that this year’s freshman college students are feeling the stress more than ever. The job market is getting tougher and many schools are responding by putting the pressures on students even earlier. Many students surveyed also reported feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities in their senior year of high school.

The survey, called “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” reports record lows in emotional health levels. Of the roughly 200,000 incoming students polled, a higher percentage of students than ever reported “below average” emotional health. Those who felt their emotional health was “above average” dropped to 52 percent, compared to 64 percent back in 1985. Women have a more negative view of emotional health than man, a gap that continues to widen.

This isn’t much of a surprise to those who work on college campuses, who feel the number of students reporting stress and depression and relying on medication for treatment is growing. The economy problems have had a double effect, as not only are students and parents worried about financial pressures, they are also concerned about being able to pay back college debts and loans once students enter the work force.

However, some experts warn to take the study’s results with a grain of salt. Although it is considered one of the most comprehensive studies due to its size and number of years in use, it is a relatively subjective poll. Dr. Mark Reed, Dartmouth College’s counseling office psychiatrist, claims students may not have an accurate sense of other people’s mental health, and may be comparing themselves to an unrealistic ideal of happiness.

The low levels in the report may also be a function of self-imposed stress and expectations. More students are also reporting an above average desire to achieve academically, reaching a high in 2010. These days, a college degree may not be enough for a high paying job, so more students are setting their sights on further education like M.B.A. and Ph.D. programs than in the past.

Add growing unemployment numbers to the mix and it’s easy to understand why both students and parents may be feeling the strain. This also extends to students, who may have a harder time securing summer jobs, which can help bring in funds for books, tuition and other school-related and general living costs.

The gender gap is of interest too, and experts like Perry C. Francis, Eastern Michigan University’s coordinator for counseling services, feel this may be due to women’s inclination to be more open and honest about their feelings than men.

Linda Sax, Professor of Education at UCLA and a former study director points to men’s likelihood to seek out activities that relieve stress as compared to women. She also feels that woman take relations with school faculty members more to heart, and may feel added stress if they feel they are not taken seriously by their professors. Women also reported higher levels of stress than men when challenging a professor’s beliefs or opinions.

While the news isn’t exactly welcome, it points to the growing importance to have an open relationship with your child. The more he or she feels able to confide in you, the less chance they will feel alone in the stresses of life. Work toward communication and support in your exchanges, and it will go a long way to helping your child feel more secure, and emotionally stable. If you think your child is struggling, talk to him or her and help find healthy ways to alleviate the stress. We all feel stress in life; it’s just a matter of how we handle it that leads to better emotional health.

Source: Lewin, Tamar. “Record Level of Stress Found in College Freshman.” January 26, 2011, nytimes.com.