Friday, January 17, 2014
Education
Raising a reader: Tips to help young children love to read (BPT) – Children are energetic learners, trying to make sense of the world around them. One of the most important activities to help a child stretch his mind, especially in the early years, is reading. From birth to age 5, development in all areas of the brain is rapid, so it is especially important during this time that parents make an intentional effort to integrate reading into a child’s daily routine. This practice helps mold your child into an active reader and establishes the foundational literacy skills he needs for future success in school and life. “The first five years of life offer a critical window for brain development and learning,” said Anne-Marie Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Reach Out and Read, an evidence-based, national nonprofit whose pediatricians promote early literacy and school readiness to 4 million children nationwide. By reading aloud and talking to their children from birth, parents can play a key role in helping their little ones develop essential foundational language skills and eventually, arrive at kindergarten ready to read, learn, and succeed. Learning does not begin on the first day of school; it begins in the home with engaged parents who take the time to share stories, words, and a love of reading with their children.” While picking up a book and reading to your child may seem like a simple act,
(BPT) – For many college-bound students, savings, family contributions, scholarships, grants and a part-time job won’t be enough to pay for college. For these students, borrowing may be the only way to make up the difference between available funds and college expenses. Borrowing to pay for college is commonplace today as the Chronicle of Higher Education reports that more than 60 percent of America’s 20 million college students rely on student loans to finance their education. A college student today graduates with an average of $24,301 in student loan debt, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, which also projects that there are approximately 37 million Americans who have outstanding loan accounts. While many students believe that loans are worth the investment in their future, a growing number of borrowers are defaulting on their student loan debt. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York estimates that about 5.4 million student loan borrowers have at least one past-due student loan account.Economists and policymakers alike worry about the long-term impact on recent graduates burdened with loan debt -
The RECORD-REVIEW/Page 5A
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many children miss this benefit. A 3-yearold child’s vocabulary should span about 600 words with 80 percent intelligibility. This means that a person who has not previously heard this child speak can understand eight out of 10 words. Providing children with a solid foundation in literacy skills not only equips them to thrive in the 21st Century, it also impacts our country’s ability to compete in the global workplace. “The future of our children and our country depend on coordinated community efforts to prepare all students in the U.S. to excel in a dynamic, global society,” says Jo Kirchner, president and CEO of
Primrose Schools, a family of more than 270 private preschools across the country. “Together we have a responsibility to step up to the challenge by pooling our knowledge, time, expertise and ideas to improve early literacy and education outcomes.” As you read aloud to your child, keep these tips in mind to maximize your reading time together: Start early. Begin reading and speaking to your child the day she is born - it is never too early to start. Practice every day. Make reading with your child a daily routine, reinforcing the development of language and literacy skills. Serve and return. A key part of language learning occurs in “conversations” with our children. After a baby listens to people around her talking for a few months, she begins to respond with her own rendition of those sounds, starting with coos, babbles, or shrieks. Dr. Jack Shonkoff of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University calls this back-andforth interaction “serve and return.” As we “serve” words, children “return” sounds. Before we realize, the child is beginning to speak intelligibly and meaningfully first with syllables and single words, then with phrases and complete sentences. Use “serve and return” when reading together
as your child starts to learn about story background and context. Play word games. Letter puzzles, rhyming games, breaking words into sounds, and other phonological play helps your child build a foundation that will later be used to decode words. Have a conversation. While you are reading a book with your child, engage in conversation about the characters, the plot, the setting, and ask your child questions. This offers him an opportunity to build his vocabulary and comprehension skills. Pick books at the appropriate reading level. When your child is reading to you, pick books that have words that your child is familiar with - repetition is one of the best ways to learn. Books at or just below your child’s reading level allow her to work on fluency and build confidence. When you are reading to your child, pick books at a higher reading level so that your child hears new words in context first, before being presented with the challenge of reading them himself. Wait before interrupting. Rather than correcting your child mid-sentence, wait until he comes to a comfortable stopping point and then go back to the trouble spot to talk it out together. Stopping your child to correct him each time he makes a mistake can erode his confidence.
many of whom may face challenges down the road in securing financing to buy a house or start a business. To help parents and students learn more about college financing, FindLaw.com, the nation’s leading website for free legal information, offers a free, downloadable miniguide on student loan debt. Here are some additional tips: Start early. Really early - From the moment your child is born, start putting away a little bit each month toward his or her education. Use a state-run 529 plan or an IRA Coverdell account to save for college education tax-free. Regardless of when you start saving for college, it’s never too late to put money aside to pay for college expenses. Apply to colleges you can afford Carefully weigh the costs and benefits of an expensive school to a less costly institution. Students who graduate with little or no debt may have more freedom to take career risks, such as moving to a new city or taking a low-paying internship that offers valuable work experience. Explore financial aid options - Research and apply for all financial aid opportunities, even if you think you may not qualify. You can apply for federal student
loans by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Compare financial aid packages As you receive acceptance packages from colleges and universities, pay close attention to the financial aid programs offered by each school to determine which offers the best option to finance your college education. Research scholarships - Continuously apply for scholarships throughout your college years to defray expenses. Keep your eyes open for opportunities. Professors, for example, are often aware of scholarship opportunities and are an excellent source for references when applying for certain scholarships or aid packages.Consider the job prospects for your major - Before declaring a major, research post-college career prospects. What types of jobs are people getting with the major you’re interested in? How much are they making in your part of the country? For example, if you need to take out $50,000 in student loans to obtain a degree that results in a job that typically pays about $35,000 per year, you may want to rethink your major. Understand your loans - Not all stu-
dent loans are the same. Some have higher interest rates. Some offer different terms to defer payment while a student is pursuing another degree. Some allow you to start 370 Underhill Avenue, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598 paying the interest immediately, while you’re still in college, to lower the loan’s (914) 962-2780 • soundviewprep.org overall cost. Before considering student loans from a private lender, seek information and apply for federal student loans such as Stafford, Perkins and PLUS loans. Also talk to your college to see if it offers an institutional student loan program. PriCome JoIn Us...Doors are open aT vate loans can come with higher interest rates and more fees, so it’s best to explore sT. mary’s sChooL In KaTonah your options. Think twice, parents - Parents who an Integrated co-sign for a child’s loan are responsible montessori Curriculum for that debt in the event that their son or daughter can’t pay it. While you may half-day programs want to help your child achieve his or her available: dreams, don’t put your retirement years in • Primary (3-5 years) jeopardy by cosigning on expensive private • K-Enrichment (AM/PM) loans with high interest rates. Instead, help (Bus service provided for your child start building a positive credit KES students.) history in his or her teenage years, and teach kids to take financial responsibility for the debt they incur. 914.977.3662 • information@thistlewaithe.org To learn more about student loans and stuSLS_RecordReview_6.8542x10.5_Cell-ebration_Layout 1 12/20/13 4:06 PM Page 1 dent loan debt, visit FindLaw.com.
Paying for College: How to finance a higher education
Families choose Soundview Prep because we offer a rigorous college preparatory program in an empowering learning community, with small class size, and a caring interaction between students and faculty. We foster a sense of belonging, self-confidence and individuality as we help our students find their road to success. To speak to our Director of Admissions, call (914) 962-2780 or visit www.soundviewprep.org Recent college acceptances include Bard, Brown, Dickinson, Duke, Hartwick, Hobart, Muhlenberg, Oberlin, RISD, Roger Williams, Sarah Lawrence, Ursinus and Williams.
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Beyond “We have a Cell-ebration unit in my class. We research and build a 3D replica of the human cell. It takes over the whole class. This visual, kinesthetic approach calls on students to manifest mental images of what a cell looks like. They come up with amazing ideas. I love to see them shine.” Dr. John Higgins St. Luke’s Biology Teacher Inquire online and watch the Cell-ebration video at www.stlukesct.org
For information on admissions, please call (203) 801-4833 info@stlukesct.org | www.stlukesct.org St. Luke’s is a college-preparatory, secular day school for grades 5-12.