Tutor Talk (My Blog) – Mrs. Audrey Tutors

Read More to Be More

January 11, 2024

You’re reading this right now. Why did you click on this article and why are you continuing to read it? The reasons- reading is relevant, stimulating, and vital for having an enriched life. Not everything you read will draw you in, but encounters with the written word have numerous perks. Such is the case for your children!

Exposure to books offers mental stimulation unlike anything else. It boosts their imagination and has the ability to enhance their creativity. When reading is performed as a solitary act, it not only silences all the noise around a child, but halts their inner dialogue. This gives them pause to concentrate on something outside of themselves. When they put the book down, they will have better focus and be able to think more clearly.

Reading to or with your youngster connects you in a way unparalleled to any other experience. You are both immersed in an altered world and are on that journey together. It’s a shared involvement that even time cannot unravel.

Engaging with books is a journey that spans a lifetime. Conversing with very young children is crucial, but providing them experiences with written material allows them to hear different voices and expands their escalating vocabulary. It’s never too early to introduce a baby or toddler to books. The joyous bond created between the enthusiastic reader and the engaged listener sets in motion a wonderful and productive path towards literacy.

Most of us have heard the dictum that kids should read for at least 15 minutes per day. Regular reading makes for more adept readers. Children can get lost in a character’s foibles or transport themselves to a distant place or era. As a seasoned tutor, I believe early and ongoing interactions with books are the key to achieving academically. It creates better writers, thinkers, and communicators.

You’re still reading this article. Maybe something resonated with you. Perhaps it makes you want to put down this newspaper and head to the library with your son or daughter. If that’s the case, GO! Reading will ignite your senses!

Read and Follow me on Medium: https://medium.com/@mrs.audreysacademicachievement/read-more-to-be-more-a3a6e73a9230

If Your Child is Struggling in School

September 19, 2023

If Your Child is Struggling in School- Mrs. Audrey gives advice

Raising Arizona Kids Magazine Fall 2023 Page 38

Fall 2023 Digital Edition

page 38

High School Literacy: The Key to Academic Achievement

May 5, 2023

A vast number of high school students are limited by low levels of literacy. This problematic situation impacts learning in all subjects because literacy is key to unlocking content knowledge across the curriculum. As reading ability (both fluency and comprehension) improves, so do the chances that a student will master more rigorous coursework, and be better prepared to attend college, or meet today’s challenges in their chosen occupation.

Much of the curriculum students are required to read is met with contention. I’m neither going to validate nor dispute assigning works such as The Scarlet Letter and The Odyssey. In my tutoring practice, the young opposition bitterly complains that there is nothing in these types of books that is relatable. One valid argument is that they are not mature enough to fully comprehend the contents. However, just because young people might not totally grasp the inferences and nuances of a subject, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expose them to it.

I feel the more important issue is to be sure high schoolers are reading. Since there is the potential to be turned off to school literature, be sure your teen is engaging in literary pursuits. Give them a plethora of material to choose from. If they feel it is relevant and gripping, they will indeed read! In my opinion, students who have the ability to read but choose not to, miss out on just as much as those who cannot read at all.

Is your high schooler college bound? Independent reading is crucial during the college preparation process. Some universities have sections on their application that ask students to list what they’ve been reading outside of class. Most institutions of higher education require essays on their applications. Students who read a variety of well-written texts are more likely to excel in writing by having an enhanced vocabulary and a more clear writing style.

Need more reasons to have your high schooler read? Reading can ignite a wellspring of inspiration. Unlock the key and guide them down the wonderful path of high level literacy.

https://medium.com/@mrs.audreysacademicachievement/tutor-talk-258a9002ae78

In Middle School Reading Rules

August 18, 2022

In Middle Schools…. Reading Rules

I know. Middle School is a challenging transition for both your student and you, the parent. Your youngster is growing up and you have about 1,000 new things to be concerned with: the cost of braces, “middle school girl drama”, boys’ raging hormones, 6 teachers to communicate with instead of one, mounting homework, and a plethora of extracurricular activities to taxi your children to. And now I am going to add one more responsibility to the mix- reading.

Being a reluctant reader is an early warning sign that a student may be veering off the path leading to high school graduation. This is a fact. However, equally important is that learning to read is a rather wasted endeavor if it is not employed beyond schoolwork. I know from my experience as a tutor that many children never suspect that reading can be a pleasant activity. They are bogged down with language arts assignments which they are tested on and have to read on a predetermined time schedule. Although this is necessary for literary mastery, it should by no means be the only reading they are engaged in.

Foster being engrossed in reading in your tween by setting up an environment that is bursting with books. Middle schoolers frequently feel connected to characters and themes in texts that provide insight and help them make sense of these often chaotic years.

You might think that your adolescent is too old to be read aloud to. Not so! Shared words have power. Reading to your older child has multiple benefits. You can tackle literature that they might struggle to decode, but can now comprehend when they hear it. The material opens the door for many discussions which might not transpire without the book as a catalyst. Loving links are formed over books.

One sure-fire way to turn your young teen into an avid reader is to allow them to choose books that spark their interests. Moving beyond required reading and allowing them the opportunity to choose freely turns written material into a magnificent journey they will be on for a lifetime.

Read on Medium: https://medium.com/@mrs.audreysacademicachievement/in-middle-school-reading-rules-529dde6b18c9

Tutor Talk with Mrs. Audrey-Reading-It’s Elementary

August 18, 2022

Take a moment and conjure up memories of your elementary school days. Did your mind race back to yellow buses transporting you on field trips to museums, crafting tri-fold poster boards for the science fair, nervously presenting an oral report, and the excitement as the lights dimmed for the school theatrical performance? What do all of these things have in common? In order to be involved in any of these, you had to know how to read. At no other time is mastering the art of reading as critical as during the elementary school years.

Academic success in every arena is dependent upon grasping the fundamental skill of reading. As your child progresses through the grades, he is expected to move from reading a simplistic primer, to understanding and assimilating facts and complex information. In my tutoring sessions, I see that children who haven’t made the leap to fast fluent reading, begin at this juncture to fall behind and for most of them, the gap will continue to grow unless academic support is pursued.

You can ensure that your child is an adept reader. Surround your child with opportunities to read and discuss books. Dedicate a specific time each day for family reading. Take turns in which you read a page and then your youngster reads a page. This engages the reluctant reader and makes comprehension more attainable. Build on your child’s interests by providing books and magazines that focus on their interests and hobbies.

Just as reading with and to your child is crucial, so is encouraging independent reading. The amount of autonomous reading students do significantly influences their reading ability. As their aptitude increases, so will their enjoyment. When they love being immersed in written material, they no doubt will want to do it more often…. a wonderful cycle to reinforce!

Create a wonderfully memorable elementary school experience for your child by making certain that your child is a proficient reader. Not only will he or she get more out of elementary school, but having a literary-infused life will open up a world of joy and opportunities for years to come.

see our Medium article here: https://medium.com/@mrs.audreysacademicachievement/tutor-talk-with-mrs-audrey-reading-its-elementary-d6917aad4c96

Read, Set….. Read!

May 11, 2022

Ready to Read

Parents often ask me, “Is my child too young to read?” Of course not! Exposure to books in all forms is a gift your child is never too young to receive. Even if they are not phonetically sounding out the words yet, they are being introduced to the joy of books.

Let’s start at the beginning: Your infant won’t comprehend everything you’re saying when you read aloud, but you wouldn’t wait until your child could understand what you were saying before you started talking to him or her. Waiting to read is doing your baby a disservice and depriving you both of the fabulously warm bond that is created while sharing a book as your baby coos to the sounds of your voice.

Reading readiness takes many forms. You, as the parent have the lion’s share of the responsibility of acquainting your child with words. This is not an obligation; it’s an experience to savor!

Audrey Sher

Mrs. Audrey’s Academic Achievement Tutoring Service

Read On Medium.com

Learning shouldn't stop when the bell rings.