One lesson I’ve learned in my long teaching career is that students benefit when teachers and parents work together. They achieve more, get better grades, and experience greater success upon graduation. Not only that, their behavior overall is better, their attendance more reliable, their self-esteem higher, and their social skills soar.

That’s a lot to take in. The Ask a Tech Teacher team breaks this down into bite sized goals:

How Teachers and Parents Can Work Together to Support Student Well-Being

Student well-being is not shaped by one person alone. It grows through daily support, small conversations, and the feeling that the adults in a child’s life are paying attention. When teachers and parents work together, students are more likely to feel understood, supported, and safe. That matters not only for emotional health, but also for learning. The CDC notes that students who feel connected at school are less likely to face certain mental health risks, and that sense of connection can have lasting effects on health and well-being.

It helps to remember that student well-being is not just about preventing crises. It is also about helping children feel steady enough to learn, ask questions, recover from setbacks, and build confidence over time. Some students show stress openly. Others do not. A student may still be getting good grades and quietly feel overwhelmed. That is why strong communication between home and school matters so much. (more…)

ADHD is often misunderstood. The Ask a Tech Teacher team has developed a quick guide for you with the following basics:

• ADHD affects how children focus, remember information, and learn.
• Memory and executive function challenges are core issues in ADHD.
• Practical interventions can improve learning outcomes for affected children.

Understanding ADHD’s Effect on Learning, Focus, and Memory in Children

Children with ADHD often experience challenges in learning environments that go beyond simple distraction or restlessness. ADHD can significantly impact a child’s ability to focus, retain information, and organize tasks, ultimately interfering with academic progress and everyday memory. These difficulties are linked to differences in brain function that affect executive skills such as attention, self-control, and working memory.

Understanding exactly how these issues surface can help parents, teachers, and caregivers support children more effectively.

To get a clearer picture and find out what can help, read how ADHD impacts learning in kids and discover effective ways to support their success.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD affects how children focus, remember information, and learn.
• Memory and executive function challenges are core issues in ADHD.
• Practical interventions can improve learning outcomes for affected children.

How ADHD Impacts Learning, Focus, and Memory in Children

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can make it difficult for children to maintain sustained attention, organize tasks, and regulate behavior, affecting their day-to-day school experience. These challenges often result in academic difficulties, problems with memory, and lower self-esteem. (more…)

In these 169 tech-centric situations, you get an overview of pedagogy—the tech topics most important to your teaching—as well as practical strategies to address most classroom tech situations, how to scaffold these to learning, and where they provide the subtext to daily tech-infused education.

Today’s tip: 

Category: Parents

Here’s a poster with five tips that will help students as they use the internet for research:

Review these with students when they’re ready for each tip. By the end of fifth grade, they should be well-versed in all five of these.

Sign up for a new tip each week or buy the entire 169 Real-world Ways to Put Tech into Your Classroom.

What’s your favorite tech tip in your classroom? Share it in the comments below.

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Tips for Teachers to Balance Work and Life During the Busy Parent-Teacher Conference Season

The parent-teacher conference season often demands your full attention since you will have to create and update records as well as give specific feedback to every parent about their child. The workload during this season is often bulky, and one may not have adequate time to focus on personal commitments. It’s one of the reasons why some teachers advancing their studies choose to use dissertation writing services. These services help them free up time for personal engagements while ensuring they graduate.

During the busy parent-teacher conference season in the school calendar, teachers usually have to multitask. Thus, there is a need to create an exclusive schedule that covers your personal and work commitments specifically for this period. Here are some ways to balance your work and life during this busy period. (more…)

Quality of education in Florida private schools for foreigners.

The quality of education inprivate schools in Florida for international students is quite diverse and offers numerous opportunities for a high-standard educational experience. Many private schools in Florida provide specialized programs that cater to the needs of international students, ensuring they receive an education that can facilitate access to global universities and professions.

Florida’s private schools offer a diverse range of educational environments and programs that cater to various needs and preferences. These schools are known for their strong academic programs, which often include Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate (IB) programs, and specialized arts and sciences curricula. Many Florida private schools also boast robust athletic programs and state-of-the-art facilities.

For example, private schools like Windermere Preparatory School offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, known for its rigorous standards and international recognition. Schools like these typically boast advanced facilities and a curriculum designed to enhance student development in various areas including STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), and often have partnerships with prestigious institutions like MIT and Juilliard to provide top-tier educational experiences​​.

Furthermore, schools such as Score Academy in Wellington focus on a family-oriented environment where students from all academic levels can thrive. These schools often adjust their curriculum to meet individual student needs and offer a variety of course levels including honors and AP courses. They aim to foster intellectual curiosity and cultural sensitivity, which are crucial for international students adapting to a new educational system​.

For instance, schools like Canterbury School in Fort Myers and Gulliver Preparatory School in Pinecrest provide comprehensive programs that support not just academic excellence but also the overall development of students including arts and sports. Both schools have received high ratings from parents and students for their nurturing environments and commitment to preparing students for college​​. (more…)

Dealing with academic and social challenges in fourth grade can be challenging for parents. There are several strategies parents can use to support their children effectively. Here are ideas from the Ask a Tech Teacher team:

Facing Fourth Grade: Tips for Parents Dealing with Academic and Social Challenges

As our kids step into fourth grade, it’s a big deal! It’s a time when they’re diving into more challenging schoolwork and facing new social situations. For us parents, it can feel like we’re navigating uncharted waters alongside them. From helping with tough math problems to supporting them through friendship ups and downs, fourth grade brings its share of hurdles. In this article, we’ll talk about the common challenges we might run into as parents in fourth grade and share some down-to-earth tips on how to tackle them, making the journey smoother for both our kids and us.

Academic Challenges in Fourth Grade

Navigating the academic terrain of fourth grade entails a substantial shift towards a more intricate curriculum and heightened expectations. As students transition into this pivotal year, they are met with a multifaceted array of challenges, each demanding a nuanced approach for successful navigation. At the forefront of these challenges lies mathematics, a subject that undergoes a profound transformation as students delve into more advanced concepts. 

With the introduction of fractions, decimals, and geometry, the mathematical landscape becomes notably complex, posing significant hurdles for students and parents alike. Concepts that were once straightforward now require a deeper level of understanding and application, leading to feelings of confusion and uncertainty among learners. This is where the importance of seeking external support becomes apparent. Enter the online math tutor for 4th graders, a beacon of guidance in the tumultuous sea of mathematical challenges. By leveraging the expertise of a qualified tutor, parents can provide their children with personalized assistance and targeted support tailored to their unique learning styles and pace. Whether it’s breaking down intricate equations, elucidating geometric principles, or fostering critical thinking skills, these tutors offer invaluable assistance that fosters not only understanding but also confidence in mathematical abilities.

Moreover, the academic challenges of fourth grade extend beyond mathematics, encompassing a diverse range of subjects such as science, language arts, and social studies. With this expanded academic landscape comes an increased workload, placing additional demands on students’ time and organizational skills. Managing this workload effectively becomes paramount, requiring students to develop strong time management strategies and study habits. Additionally, the transition to fourth grade often coincides with a heightened emphasis on independent learning and critical thinking skills, further complicating the academic landscape.

Yet, despite these challenges, there is ample opportunity for growth and success. By fostering a nurturing and supportive environment at home, parents can empower their children to overcome obstacles and thrive academically. This includes fostering open communication channels with teachers and school staff, advocating for additional support resources such as online tutoring services, and instilling a growth mindset that emphasizes resilience and perseverance in the face of challenges. Ultimately, by working together as a team and providing the necessary support and guidance, parents can help their children navigate the complexities of fourth-grade academia and emerge stronger and more confident learners. (more…)

Keyboarding for Youngers

A while ago, I participated in an online discussion about keyboarding for kids. The host thought it would be a yawner, but any tech teacher knows keyboarding is a controversial subject. In my classroom, it’s the most-asked question from parents, concerns like:

• When do students start?
• What are some of the developmental considerations about keyboarding?
• Why learn keyboarding?
• How do I know what questions parents are interested in about keyboarding?
• Why is it a ‘hot topic’ with parents?
• How do I teach keyboarding?
• Will keyboarding replace cursive?

The list goes on. On my blog, Ask a Tech Teacher, posts about keyboarding are read about thrice as often as any other topic.

So I enthusiastically answered every question the producer had with my thoughts from thirty years of teaching. One of the other guests was a children’s education expert who believed technology (and I guess, by transference, keyboarding) was the root of much of the increase in ADHD among children and this was her big opportunity to make her case. The last participant was the mom of a first grader there to share her keyboarding experiences (turns out, she was also the director of the early learning initiative at the New America Foundation, an author, and a prominent blogger). Surprisingly–or not–we agreed on many points and ended up having a good discussion where everyone learned.

Here’s a synopsis of the questions discussed: (more…)

As a working technology teacher, I get hundreds of questions from parents about their home computers, how to do stuff, how to solve problems. Each Tuesday, I’ll share one of those with you. They’re always brief and always focused. Enjoy!

You sit down to type, start in on that long project with an imminent deadline, and nothing happens. The cursor blinks… and blinks… and blinks… but goes nowhere.

What do you do?

Before you buy a new keyboard, try a few things:

• Is the keyboard’s power light on? If it is, check your screen. Is there something that’s preventing you from typing? Maybe a dialogue box that wants an answer? If the light isn’t on, continue down this list
• Check the plugs. Maybe the cord that connects the keyboard to the computer is loose or fell out.
• Reboot. Sometimes the stuff in the computer’s boot-up sequence that makes the keyboard work gets lost. Restart your computer so it can re-establish itself.
• Do you eat at your keyboard? Does anyone? I say this next solution hesitantly: Bang on the key. Sometimes keys get food between them. If that doesn’t work, turn the keyboard over and see what falls out.

If none of those work, here are some pretty good suggestions from ChatGPT:

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If parents don’t value tech, students won’t. If parents are confused by what you teach, they will pass that on to their children. Be open to parents. Answer their questions. Never EVER leave them feeling intimidated. Let them know that lots of people feel exactly as they do.

A great solution I’ve had a lot of success with: Have a parent class. I schedule this after school while parents are waiting for their children to finish enrichment classes or sports. They’re hanging around anyway–why not learn something. Cover topics that parents are asking about, should be asking about, and/or their students are asking about:

• show how to log onto and use the school website
• show how to log into the school online grade reports
• demonstrate how to use the school online library/lunch order system (or similar)
• review what is being covered in K-5 classes (depending upon who is in the parent class)
• review your philosophy. Model this philosophy as you teach parents
• provide skills parents want, i.e., making a flier for the school soccer team
• show the progression of skills from kindergarten to 5th in one program, say word processing. Start with an art program; move into Word
• answer tech questions they have from non-school problems–even if a home system

Here’s my flier inviting parents to attend (just a sample):

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I have written in the past about parent questions concerning technology in education, but always from the perspective of a teacher at the classroom. Now, I  teach grad school classes online to practicing teachers and want to see if those questions are the same.

So I asked my grad school students: What questions do parents ask you about technology and education? Here are the top issues:

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