Jeff Bibler

One of the least talked about subjects in American public education today is the importance of the student-teacher relationship. When a child has a teacher who is passionate about helping his or her students,  plans and delivers engaging lessons, goes the extra mile to reach students who have trouble understanding, and is constantly reflecting on his or her teaching pedagogy, then that child is in a prime position to have a promising academic year. Of course, that child’s attitude toward learning and the quality of parental support are also important factors, but if the child is willing to put fourth his or her best effort in cultivating a positive relationship with the teacher, then the results can be amazing and even transformative.

This is why I encourage all of my tutees and their parents to develop a strong relationship with every one of the child’s teachers, even if the child feels that a certain teacher might just be “OK.” When an excellent teacher engages with a child who wants to do well in the classroom, the teacher will often take extra steps to ensure that that child gets the help they need when they need it. Think about it: if a teen tends to be disruptive in the classroom and shows little interest in doing well in that class, is the teacher of that class going to give her precious little prep time to helping that student or the one who shows a genuine interest in doing well in the class?

I often tell my tutees to ask a teacher, “What do I need to do in order to earn an A on the next chapter test?” Or, “I see that I am not earning full credit on my homework assignments. What can I do differently in order to earn full credit?” As a teacher I always appreciated my students approaching me with these types of questions and finding out how they could do better in my classroom. It made for a fruitful dialogue where I could have a better appreciation of the students’ challenges and questions, as well as guide them in their quest for clearer understanding and improved performance on assignments.

When these students graduate from high school and (hopefully) college, they will have to possess a different mindset from previous generations for success in today’s tumultuous world. A big part of this mindset is taking charge of one’s learning. And when an excellent teacher, or one just feeling the pressures of the classroom, engages with a child who wants to do their best in the classroom, there’s no limit to what they can accomplish together.

Dr. Beasley has also put together a 15 minute video on New College Prep’s SAT, ACT, and study skills programs that I have gone through myself and stand by 100 percent. Click on this link to access the video: October NCPA update.

I greatly look forward to helping as many students as I can this fall to get excellent grades and exceed expectations on the SAT and ACT exams. My outstanding tutors and Dr. Beasley and his staff are ready as well. Many of my tutors offer excellent SAT and ACT prep tutoring by utilizing the official SAT and ACT study guides that the College Board and the American College Testing service, respectfully, put out. The tutors have students take the practice tests in the guides and then they drill down into those problems students missed to find out why they missed them, the concept behind the problems they need to know, and how they can correctly answer similar questions on the actual tests.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me by phone or email if I can answer any question you have about helping your child fulfill his or her potential at school or on these exams.

My best always,

Jeff Bibler

1. Get to know your teacher and take advantage of their time to meet with students to help them with homework and test preparation.
2. Use your school planner, the school’s online grading system, and other organizational tools to keep track of your assignments and grades.
3. Make completing AND UNDERSTANDING your homework the priority when you get home from school or team practice. If you don’t understand it, then get help from a classmate (who knows the material!), a parent, your teacher, or a tutoring service such as mine.
4. Stay organized! Have specific places in your binders for homework to be turned in, homework handed back, study guides, and so on.
5. Develop a plan for getting into college. This includes preparing for and taking the PSAT (freshman), ACT and SAT this fall. See more information below.

Parents, helpful — and diplomatic! — reminders about these 5 things to your teens can help them get the year off to a strong start, and even help them form good habits that can serve them a lifetime.

I always welcome your comments, feedback, and questions!

Best always,

Jeff

My first informational meeting about United World Academy last month was a great success with 12 people attending and all giving excellent feedback on the vision for the academy. My thanks goes to all of them.

I will be having another informational meeting at my home on Thursday, May 12 at 7 pm. United World Academy is for middle and high school students (grades 6 through 12) who want an education that will have both a spiritual component and a student-centered curriculum that will help them develop the knowledge, skills and character they need to be successful and fulfilled in today’s world. United World Academy will offer an unparalleled education in the following ways:

I will be the lead teacher and site administrator and I’m very excited about this new academy. I want to share with you the vision I have for it at a meeting taking place at my home on:

 Thursday, May 12th at 7 pm.

Address: 1837 Stonebrook Lane, Encinitas, 92024

It will last about an hour and a half. Please RSVP by May 9th so I can make the necessary arrangements:

Phone: 760-230-4572 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            760-230-4572      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Jeff@betterreportcard.com

Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions, and please use the link below to forward this email to any friends you think might be interested in joining us.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to your support and participation in this exciting venture.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bibler

I want to invite you to an informational meeting about a new private school opening in the fall of 2011 in Encinitas. United World Academy is for middle and high school students (grades 6 through 12) who want an education that will have both a spiritual component and a student-centered curriculum that will help them develop the knowledge, skills and character they need to be successful and fulfilled in today’s world. United World Academy will offer an unparalleled education in the following ways:

· A spiritual study class: Students will start the day with a period of meditation as well as read and discuss a range of spiritual classics.

· A foundation for life-long learning: Students will learn solid study and writing skills, critical thinking skills, and how to communicate effectively at all levels.

· Student-centered curriculum: Students will proceed through the core subjects at their own pace (under my supervision) from their laptop computers.

· A service component: Students will choose a service project in their communities and work together as a team to help a group or non-profit organization.

· A better understanding of the world and their place in it: A current events class will be a part of the social studies curriculum where students will discuss the events of our world and possible solutions to them.

· A strong teacher-student relationship: This is the most important – and most overlooked — factor in a child’s education and it will be a strong and caring one as the class size will be no more than 12 students, and it is my intention to guide the students at this school to academic success and complete preparation for university studies and life beyond.

I will be the lead teacher and site administrator and I’m very excited about this new school. I want to share with you the vision I have for it at a meeting taking place at my home on:

Thursday, April 21st at 7 pm.

Address: 1837 Stonebrook Lane, Encinitas, 92024

It will last about an hour and a half. Please RSVP by April 17 so I can make the necessary arrangements:

Phone: 760-230-4572 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            760-230-4572      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Jeff@betterreportcard.com

Please don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to your support and participation in this exciting venture.

Sincerely,

Jeff Bibler

I encourage all parents who wish to ease any tension with their child or even connect with them on a deeper level to go “walk and talk” with your child. Have no agenda, just take some time get some fresh air and exercise with your child. (And here in San Diego we have a such great opportunities for walks with our gorgeous beaches and numerous parks.) It really is an ideal time for you and your child to just spend some quality time together and relax. You’ll be surprised at what can come up when you’re both in this relaxing space with no agenda and nothing to do but to walk and just be together.

This Friday afternoon it’s crystal clear and about 70 degrees out (in January!). Why not take advantage and just “walk and talk” with your child? Even if your child doesn’t open up or even talk, rest assured that you’re planting seeds of connection and trust, and if you do it often enough, the chances are great that you’ll experience more connection with your child.

On a separate note, I’d like to plug a relatively new website: www.thumbtack.com. You can post your services or product on this website for free, and it automatically links to Craigs List, Google, Bing, and Yahoo. You can check out my tutoring listing on thumbtack here: Professional Tutors in North County and SanDiego

If you have a child in a local middle or high school, you probably know that the first semester ends around the end of January and your child has final exams and projects coming up. What many parents don’t know is just how crucial this 2 to 3 week period is to their child’s final grades. Many final exams (especially at the high school level) can count for a third or more of a student’s final grade, many final projects that are due during this time can also count for a big chunk of the final grade, and many teachers offer important extra credit assignments that can really help boost a final grade. The key is to have an open and honest discussion with your child about their current grades and what they can do to boost those grades during this crucial period.

A first good step would be to simply ask your child what their grades are and if they don’t know, you should be able to check them together online. Most all San Diego area school districts use a version of the online software Aries which allows parents to check on current grades and assignments. If a teacher is not keeping up with entering grades and assignments, there is usually an option to email the teacher from the same web page. And if a teacher does not respond to your email within 2 days, feel free to call the teacher and request that he or she return your call with information about your child’s current grades, missing assignments, and what your child can do to improve their current grade. Believe me, as a former teacher I always appreciated a parent who called me and expressed interest in how their child was doing.

With this information you can address with your child any missing assignments, upcoming finals, and a plan to finish the semester on a strong note. Yes, many teens will resist such a conversation with their parents, but if you approach the topic with a caring and helpful attitude, then this can go a long way in breaking down a teen’s defenses. After all, your teen might even be fearful of their current grades and not what to do to raise them. They might actually WELCOME such a conversation with you!

The important thing is having this conversation in a spirit of respect and caring where both the parent and the child share the same goal: better grades and a confident attitude on the part of the child at the end of the semester. If you can help your child understand that this is your ultimate goal for them, that you are on their side, that you are bringing up grades and missing assignments because you love them and care about them, then you’ve already won the most important battle.

Lastly, if you feel your child needs extra help in the form of a caring home tutor, please don’t hesitate to call me for a complimentary home consultation. I can usually have a tutor tutoring your child within just a day or two of your phone call. I can also offer you advice over the phone if you are having any sort of difficulty with navigating your child’s school, how to help them with study or test taking skills, or any other school-related issue. I also share the goal of helping your child finish the semester on successful note with an attitude of confidence and accomplishment.

It can also help you become aware of and monitor any concerning situation at school, become more involved in your child’s education, and help you better understand what they’re experiencing at school. It can be an easy first step in becoming proactive in your child’s education, if you’re not already. And being a proactive parent in your child’s education is one of the greatest gifts you can give them. So start today by asking three simple questions. You — and your child — will be glad you did.

I urge all parents to check their child’s assignments online like this at least once a week and thereby know for certain how their child is doing in school and in what classes they need help and/or attention. If there is a class in which the child is doing poorly, then GET PROACTIVE and address it with your child and even the teacher.

A home tutor who specializes in the subject your child is doing poorly in can be the most effective help available. Call or email me at any time to schedule your complimentary home consultation and I will do my best to match your child with the best tutor for him or her, and I will also offer on-the-spot guidance to you and your child for improving the situation.

The film does a wonderful job of telling us what it’s like in our public schools through the eyes of five students who, along with their parents, are determined to escape their dysfunctional public schools and enroll in charter schools that have track records of academic success. While it’s heartbreaking to watch the children and their families sit through the lottery proceedings (all the schools have many times more applicants than enrollment slots), it’s heartening to hear the stories of Geoffrey Canada, Michelle Rhee, and other school reform leaders who are undaunted by the challenges and are taking courageous steps to transform the schools under their charge. The children and these reformers give us hope that reform IS within reach, that our children are not destined to fall further behind other countries’ children when it comes to literacy and knowledge of math and science.

I encourage all of you to check out the film’s Take Action Checklist and take an active role in encouraging reform where it’s most important: at your local schools. If all of us could take the following simple steps to help our local schools, then a real groundswell of reform could take root at every level in the country:

1. Encourage your local school board to hire, support, and reward great teachers.

2. Get involved in your local school’s PTA, volunteer at a local school, and/or donate school supplies.

3. Demand that your governor support and implement the Common Core Standards that set world-class standards for all students.

Rather than be discouraged by the dismal statistics of standardized test scores or our high school graduation rates, let’s be encouraged by the stories of Daisy, Anthony, and the other kids in Waiting for Superman who rise above their oppressive circumstances and do their best to create a more hopeful and beautiful world for themselves. As the film shows us, there are important, effective, and simple steps that each one of us can take to help the Daisys and Anthonys of our country experience a world class education. I encourage all of us to take the first step today.