Summer Learning

It’s difficult to believe, but we are in the final week of July! Summer is in full swing, and that means lots of things for parents: babysitters, vacations, sunscreen, and so much more. It can be hard to squeeze learning in among the many distractions that summer throws at us. How can you keep a spirit of learning in between the picnics and pool trips? How can you prepare your child for the upcoming school year? There are many simple and fun ways to keep your child learning throughout the long days of summer. Here are a few suggestions.

Try working a bit of education into your daily routine. Take thirty minutes or an hour to practice key skills like spelling and math. Use flashcards to keep minds sharp. Provide workbook pages for a quick, independent, cross-curricular opportunity. Challenge children with a daily or weekly quiz (on any subject) to keep the theme of learning going. Offer rewards to keep the experience fun.

Start a book program for your kids – it’s easier than it sounds. Compile a list of educational books and let children decide which books they want to read from your list. Assign a certain number of pages each day or week. As your child progresses through the book, discuss the content. Ask some simple questions to practice reading comprehension and response. You might consider keeping a chart that tracks the number of books read. Hang it in a public place so that children can be proud of their progress! See how many books you can get through - the number might surprise you.

Assign your children weekly or monthly “projects.” Encourage your kids to select topics that interest them. Make research resources (the library, encyclopedias, the Internet) available and let them do some independent research on their chosen topics. Instruct them to plan a short paper or presentation to be given to you, along with family and/or friends. This doesn’t need to be a formal exercise – kids (and adults) should have fun throughout the “projects!”

These are only a few ideas on keeping learning alive during the summer. How about sharing some of your own ideas? How do you fit learning into a busy summer schedule? How would you make a vacation an educational experience? Have you tried any of the ideas we shared? Let us know. We’d love to hear from you!

Differentiated Instruction: A Quick Intro

As I write this post, a gathering of great brains is underway in Las Vegas. If that sounds a little out of the ordinary, it’s because it’s a special occasion. The National Conference of Differentiated Instruction (say that five times fast) began on Sunday.

What is differentiated instruction, you ask? A short answer: it’s about the brain. More specifically, it’s about how different people learn in different ways, and how we can use that knowledge to better teach one another. Here at LEP, we’re lucky enough to have a recognized expert, Dr. Linda Karges-Bone, as one of our writers (check out her books here). In fact, Dr. Bone is presenting in Vegas this week!

It may sound complicated, but introducing the concept through daily interactions with students and children is really quite simple! These ideas aren’t a lesson plan or complete unit. They are easy-to-implement strategies that could help tap the full potential of young brains.

One way to influence brain activity is by using a variety of colors each day. The brain reacts to color in startling ways. Using colored chalk, bold colored markers, or color on an interactive whiteboard can improve attention. It’s amazing what different colors awake in our brains. For example, different shades of blue can inspire excitement, creativity, reflection, and relaxation.

The impact of sensory appeal doesn’t end there. You can also reach your students’ brains through their noses! A few examples: lemon and pine scents lead to increased alertness and attention; jasmine relaxes students and encourages reflection; and apple and cinnamon inspire creativity.

It’s no secret that a stressed out mind won’t learn as effectively as a relaxed one. Use soothing techniques to help you get the most out of your students’ brains. Use journaling to help students deal with issues at home and at school. Distribute mood-improving foods like almonds and dark chocolate to give children a boost. Start the day with physical movement. The exercise will release natural endorphins and better prepare everyone for the day ahead.

Creativity in the classroom has always been important, but did you know that it can help children learn more effectively? Creative thinking can leave students with a feeling of completion, satisfaction, and heightened connection. Be sure to encourage creativity while teaching. This can be done in many ways. You might introduce a new activity (crafts, poetry, building activities) that asks students to use their imaginations. Try playing music - it can be used to unlock otherwise dormant parts of the brain.

Enough from us – we’ve barely scratched the surface of differentiated instruction and the benefits it offers minds. Just because you’re not in Vegas doesn’t mean you can’t join in on the brain talk. Have you ever used differentiated instruction in your class or home? How do you get the most out of your students’ brains? How might you go about introducing these concepts to your daily routine? Tell us!

Hello, World!

It’s with great excitement that Lorenz Educational Press introduces itself to the blogosphere! After years of creating educational materials, we’ve decided that it’s high time to get you more involved. We’d like to start by introducing ourselves and explaining what this blog will be all about.

We publish a variety of educational products, from books and eBooks to poster papers and beyond. Every product created at LEP (we’ll call ourselves LEP from now on – it’s easier for everyone) is based on our commitment to support teachers and parents providing a positive educational experience for students and children. If you’re interested in checking out some of our products, or just want to learn more about us, head over to our website and knock yourselves out!

This blog has been created with YOU in mind – whoever you may be. Teachers, parents, administrators, students – anybody with an interest in education. We hope to provide a forum to discuss education. The industry is ever-changing, particularly in today’s fast-paced society. It can be overwhelming to keep track of trends, new developments, problems, and solutions. LEP wants to cover some of these topics. We want to share ways that we’re implementing them in our products, and how these products might help you in your classroom or home. More importantly, we want to inspire and engage in discussion with you. Everything we create at LEP is for you and your students. Your thoughts, opinions, and ideas are extremely important to us!

In the coming months, we have a LOT planned for you. We sincerely hope that you’ll check in with us often (you can follow us on Blogger, or, better yet, have updates sent directly to you by subscribing). Please don’t stop after you’re done reading our thoughts and ideas. Share some of yours! Comments will be added to each post, in the hope that thoughtful, beneficial discussions can take place. This blog can be as fun and useful as we make it. We look forward to interacting with you in the coming months. Thanks for reading!

P.S. Blogging isn’t the only way we’re introducing ourselves. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates, teacher tips, brain starters, and more!