Tammy Williams

About Tammy Williams

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TIPS ON HOMESCHOOLING

While there are many philosophies and approaches to home schooling, all parents want to see their children reach their full potential. Here are some tips from SFK Media Specially for Kids Corp., the company that developed the ReadEnt at-home learning program.
* Learn about your local regulations governing home schooling. Education laws vary by state and town.
* Involve your child in the curriculum. Let your child choose some of the workbooks for each subject, but steer him or her to the appropriate grade level. The more your child is involved in the process, the more excited he or she will be about the subject matter.
* Designate a separate area of your home to serve as the “classroom.” It should be someplace that is comfortable and free of distractions.
* Connect with other home-schooling families through community groups or online. Such groups often organize field trips, discuss approaches to home schooling and share stories and advice.
* Keep your child active. It is important that home-schooled children socialize with others. Encourage your child to become active in sports, music or clubs, just as any child attending school.
* Look for “teaching moments.” For example, if you bake cookies at home, ask your child how many you baked. If you take a walk to the park, turn it into a lesson in science and nature.
* Use unique learning tools to keep your student interested. SFK’s Reading Movies, for example, improve reading, comprehension and vocabulary skills and are entertaining at the same time.
These interactive movies use a patented technology called Action Captions in which each spoken word appears on the screen in real time, without interfering with the flow or entertainment of the movie. As a result, reading and spoken language skills develop naturally. The movies are available in a set of three DVDs featuring such classics as “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” “Gulliver’s Travels” and “The Trojan Horse.”

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LEARNING THROUGH HEROES

Heroes inspire. Everyone wants to be associated with ordinary people who accomplish extraordinary feats. Recently, educators have recognized the importance of using heroes to teach children and adolescents various subject matters ranging from values to science.

Tony R. Sanchez, Assistant Professor of Social Studies Education at Purdue University recognizes that using role models and heroes can be quite effective when teaching values education. He claims that by examining the spirit of heroism, it serves as an invitation for the students to adopt the heroic spirit for themselves.

 

Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American in space, created the Jemison Group, which aims to bring the technological advancements to people across the globe and hopefully nourish students love for science. This explorer hero is very active in her undertakings. Schools on the other hand are actively using her as an example when teaching science. A few years ago, West Clayton Elementary School invited the astronaut to give a talk about space travel. After the visit, a significant number of students became more engaged in the subject matter. Children are inspired to learn of the countless possibilities that await them if they try hard enough to pursue their dreams.

 

The use of heroes as a teaching mechanism is becoming more and more popular. However, careful thought should be put in the curriculum design if educators want to ensure the effectiveness of the method.

 

Here are a few tips:

The instructor needs to find a suitable hero to use. There is not generic hero that can be used across all subject matter, although heroes by and large have universal attributes. For instance, it may be more appropriate to use Michael Jordan as a role model when teaching sports rather than using Oprah.

 

It is important that the instructor does not take away the human-element in heroes. They are not super humans, and it is important for children and young adults to understand this. They need to know that they can be admired; they can be the heroes who always put things into perspective, who makes sound decisions based on careful reasoning and who thinks of the greater good more than self-interest. Students need to be able to see the hero potential in each of them.

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Teaching Kids Early Organizational Skills

Understanding the organizational skills used by children has become increasingly complex and important-and organizational differences among students play a large role in determining which children get the most out of their educational experience.

 

“Many second and third graders have difficulty with organization. It simply doesn’t come naturally to them,” says Judy McAlear, a special education teacher in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Many seasoned teachers seem to prefer the use of folders to help teach organizational skills. For example, Nancy Boudon, who teaches first grade at Prospect Elementary School in Elyria, Ohio, has students carry a “Blue Dot Folder” in which they keep important papers and worksheets and a “Take Home Folder” with two pockets.

 

Another organizational tool used by teachers is Seat Sack™, a bright blue fabric storage bag that fits over the back of a student’s classroom chair and holds folders, papers and other items. By adding another storage area to a child’s desk area, teachers help eliminate “desk stuffing,” a sloppy practice that inevitably leads to confusion and lost time.

 

Tips For Parents

 

-> Teach your child how to store and transport papers and other items to and from school or from one area to another if homeschooling;

-> Consider using “To Do” lists and “Chore Charts”;

-> Assign your child a specific time to study and do homework each day;

-> Create a place for your child to complete homework. Be sure that location is stocked with appropriate supplies; and

-> Offer plenty of praise when your child exhibits good organizational skills.

 

In addition, many teachers also agree that continual communication with parents is vital in teaching these and other skills. Face-to-face conferences, notes sent home with the students and, in Boudon’s case, a personal Web site allow parents to keep current with classroom activities.

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5 Lessons Your Kids Will Learn By Starting A Business

Kids need to be kids and enjoy their time as children. But, at the same time, as they get older, they also need to learn to make money and function in our society as responsible adults.
Oftentimes, they get a job at a Burger Joint, where they learn how to listen to a boss, and how to work with others, but then they may also have to give up some extracurricular activities, study time and time with family. Not terrible things, but enough of a challenge that many families are helping their kids start their own businesses.
Why? Lets compare the lessons your kid is learning working at a burger joint verses starting a business.

1. Responsibility.
Burger Joint: Yes, it teaches responsibility. You need to show up for work and do a good job or your boss and co-workers will get mad at you.
Entrepreneur: Teaches you responsibility as well. You need to work hard or you wont get paid.

2. The Value of a Dollar
Burger Joint: You learn that time is money.
Entrepreneur: You learn that creativity, ownership of responsibility and hard work is money.

3. How to Market Yourself
Burger Joint: Teaches you how to fill out an application and go on an interview to market yourself. You do this once and then youre done.
Entrepreneur: You have to market yourself and your business on an ongoing basis if you want to make any money.

4. Customer Service
Burger Joint: Service with a smile or your boss may reprimand you.
Entrepreneur: Service with a smile or you dont get repeat business and your income drops.

5. Banking Skills
Burger Joint: You learn how to collect a paycheck and how to deposit it into the bank.
Entrepreneur: You learn how to budget for advertising costs, taxes, and expenses and weigh them against your profits. You learn to deposit your income into the bank and write checks to cover expenses. You learn how business works.

As you can see, both options have benefits. As for which option you’ll choose? Thats up to you and your child.

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My Destiny Place Takes on Bullying

My Destiny Place partners with Barack H. Obama Elementary School to create "Don't Be a Bully" PSAs.

Tammy’Dele Films, introduces Tammy’Dele NEXT, a private film/tv/digital bootcamp for elementary, middle and high school students in the Atlanta Metro and surrounding areas. The program provides hands – on training and exposes students to various careers in the film and television industry.

Barack H. Obama Elementary Magnet School of Technology was selected as  the recipient of the one day camp.

Watch the videos below!

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Destiny Camp

My Destiny Place and Tammy'Dele Films partners with the Dryades YMCA to create Destiny Camp!

My Destiny Place and the Dryades YMCA team up for Destiny Camp 2020! Destiny Camp is a 10 Day Interactive Camp. From music, art, dance, drama, science, reading, cooking to safety around water tips from the Y’s Wellness Team. Destiny Camp is 10 episodes of fun learning! Destiny Camp is presented by Dryades YMCA and Tammy’Dele Films.