All Categories

The Importance of Educational Planning

8/25/2017

“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success.” - Henry Ford

Being prepared is an essential component for success, not just in academics, but in all areas of life. For the modern student, a solid educational plan can serve as a road map that helps him or her navigate the various choices and possible stumbling blocks on their path to where they want to be.

A strong plan for your child’s education helps both of you to narrow down choices and focus on the most important goals, make informed decisions about course and school selection, and connect to resources and support services that help you to capitalize on the opportunities that come your way. Furthermore, when students are able to identify their goals and create an action plan, they become more motivated, more focused, and more likely to succeed.

That’s why Inspiration Learning Center created our VIP Educational Planning Program. Our consultants work with you and your child to create a unique plan that clarifies the most important things in his or her academic journey, and helps him or her to reach their full potential.

Our program includes:

Interests, values, and learning style assessments
Concrete educational action plans for long-term and short-term
Follow-up educational planning with monthly progress checks
Recommendations for schools, programs, and extracurricular activities
Access to our network of mentors, consultants, and educational experts

We can help you with:

Establishing realistic educational goals
Course selection and school selection to suit your goals
Understanding the education system
Assessing your skills, interests, and abilities
Connecting to mentors, apprenticeships, and other supports/resources
Finding and applying to scholarships, volunteering and leadership programs
Choosing a career direction
Accessing information on higher education, post-secondary programs, universities and colleges

An educational plan is all about helping a student get the most out of his or her education, and with September approaching, now is a great time to sit down with your child and have a discussion about where he or she wants to be in the future. Inspiration’s educational planning packages can help you get started!

Back to School Tips for Parents

8/18/2017

With September approaching, it’s time for both parents and children to start preparing for the upcoming school year. Here are our tips for you and your child to start the school year off right!

1. Set goals and expectations.
You have them as a parent, and your child should have them as a student. A discussion with your child about what’s important to them will help both of you determine how to approach the new school year. It will also help to identify areas of potential problems and work on preventing or mitigating them before they become major issues. Was there a subject your child struggled with last year, and how can you help him or her with it this year? Perhaps the two of you can decide to set up a study routine, weekly homework check-ins, or some tutoring classes.

2. Focus on the long-term.
Getting a good education is about more than just academics. What are your child’s aspirations for him- or herself? Set up a good foundation for a well-rounded educational journey by looking into extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other opportunities. This will allow your child to explore his or her interests, get involved in the community and help them later on when they are looking into post-secondary programs. Inspiration’s educational planning packages can help you out if you don’t know where to start.

3. Establish a good routine.
A solid routine with certain tasks done at particular times of the day will help your child stay organized with confidence. Begin each day on the right foot by providing them a nutritious breakfast and ample time to get ready for school. A good evening routine that includes set times for homework will help them stay on top of school work. Children also need the right amount of sleep in order to be alert and ready to learn all day, so an appropriate curfew will ensure they are well-rested.

4. Meet the teachers.
Establishing a good relationship with your child’s teachers will help you stay informed about your child’s progress. Teachers often have email addresses which can be used to check in with them throughout the school year, and identify issues long before report cards come out. Is English not your first language? No problem! Inspiration offers translation and interpretation services for parents who need a bit of help communicating with teachers. Contact us to find out more.

5. Get a calendar.
Write down all the important dates, deadlines, and events throughout the school year so that you can be well prepared ahead of time for things like parent-teacher interviews, talent shows, university fairs, application deadlines, and more. Put your calendar somewhere where both you and your child can easily see it everyday. This way, your child will be encouraged to not only stay organized but to manage his or her own responsibilities and develop more independence.

Challenge Math: The Asian Math Methodology

8/11/2017

Asian mathematics have a high reputation, with Asian students consistently coming out on top in international surveys of math education. Inspiration Learning Center’s new Challenge Math program for grades K-8 uses Asian math teaching methods to help your child reach math excellence.

Why are Asians so good at math?

Asian teaching methods emphasize conceptual and procedural knowledge, meaning math concepts are taught in a very clear and logical manner. The learning process involves repeated practice of core concepts, so that students build a strong foundation for further learning. Students are taught to see math as logical relationships between numbers, rather than simply memorizing steps and formulas, thus learning it in a more meaningful way. Teachers don’t move on to more difficult topics until the previous one has been mastered.

In addition, there is the Confucian belief in Asian culture that doing well at something is a matter of practice and effort. Ask an Asian parent and they will likely tell you that a child not doing well in math is due to lack of practice, not an inherent lack of ability. This is very different from the Western notion that some kids just aren’t good at math.

Due to this, repetition and practice are a big part of Asian teaching methods. It is thought that repeated exposure and effort in math concepts through things like daily homework and frequent tests, students become more proficient at problem-solving, critical thinking, and develop an overall stronger understanding of numerical relationships.

Challenge Math: Bringing Asian math to the west

Inspiration’s Challenge Math program adopts the Asian teaching method with a three-step learning process: concrete, pictorial, and abstract. Students first use small objects such as dice or paperclips to model math concepts in a hands-on way, before moving on to using pictorial representations. Finally, students solve math problems in an abstract way using numbers and symbols. This three-step process is highly logical and sequential, with an emphasis on mental math. The goal is for students to develop a deep understanding of the logical and numerical relationships in mathematics. Students understand not just how something works, but why.

Students also learn fewer concepts but in far more depth. The topics are practiced and reviewed with a variety of word problems and real-life applications, which build critical thinking skills and allow students to get in the necessary amount of practice.. This way, students master each concept before going onto the next, and ensures that there is no need for re-learning the skills after advancing to the next grade.

You might recognize this method from Singapore math, which has gained popularity on the international stage. Actually, Singapore math is taught the same way as mathematics in other East Asian countries, but it is better known simply because Singaporeans use the English language. It is due to Singapore math’s distinguished record and English-language content that Inspiration Learning Center chooses to use their materials in our program.

Is Challenge Math right for your child?

Our Challenge Math program is designed for students in grades K-8 who already have a good math foundation, want to challenge themselves, or want to improve their math grades from B’s to A’s. This program is also perfect for students who enjoy doing math and want to explore the subject as a possible field of study in higher education.

Check your child’s report card. The Ontario elementary and middle school report card splits mathematics into 5 categories: Number Sense and Numeration, Measurement, Geometry and Spatial Sense, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability. If your child has B+ or higher in at least 3 of the 5 areas, they are at the right level for Challenge Math.

Enrolment has already begun!

We are now accepting students for the Challenge Math program, beginning in mid-September. Challenge Math is offered for grades K-8, with two 12-week programs at each grade level. Tuition is $400 per 12 weeks, covering 12 classes. Contact your local Inspiration Learning Center or email us at info@inspirationteaching.com for more information.

Jump Math: Core Skills for a Strong Foundation

8/8/2017

Jump Math is one of Inspiration Learning Center’s newest math programs, aimed at students in grades K-8. After looking at the state of mathematics in Ontario, we at Inspiration decided to introduce this program as our answer to the following frequently asked question:

Why do some students struggle in high school math while others don’t?

Even with the help of the best tutors, there are students who find mathematics in high school incredibly challenging. There are a few reasons for this.

High school math classes tend to move quickly. Many new concepts are introduced at the secondary school level, and are at a much higher complexity than students have encountered before. In a high school math class, teachers often spend most of the time explaining these new concepts, assuming that students have the appropriate prerequisite knowledge from previous math instruction already, and spend very little time going over the core skills.

In this way, math programs in schools typically favour students who already have a strong background in mathematics, with solid fundamentals. That’s why some students excel, because they had started off their high school math learning with all of the prerequisite knowledge. On the other hand, students who are less prepared will find that the usual school math program moves quickly beyond their reach. There are gaps in their core skills and foundational knowledge, so as the school year goes on, they will find it harder and harder to keep up.

Mathematics is like building a house; it happens step by step starting with a strong foundation. Without the core skills and concepts, no matter how fancy the rest of the house is, it will still collapse. This is where Inspiration’s new Jump Math program comes in.

What is Jump Math?

Jump Math is an award-winning math program for grades K-8 developed right here in Ontario. The program was founded on the philosophy that all children can be led to think mathematically, dispelling the myth that some were born with math “talent” while others just don’t have it.

Jump Math does this by using a scaffolding method: new concepts are introduced at a simple level, using small “micro-steps” that gradually and incrementally increase in complexity. This ensures students master each step before moving on to something more complex, thus avoiding gaps in learning. Just like climbing a ladder, each step must be taken one at a time in order to keep advancing upwards. If you miss a step, you may not be able to keep going.

One important key to Jump Math is the use of pictures and mental strategies. When children learn math concepts at an early age, teachers often like to use small manipulable items like dice, paper clips, or building blocks. However, for true understanding to occur, students need to internalize math concepts and comprehend them in an abstract way, rather than relying on manipulatives. Jump Math does this by foregoing the objects; instead the focus is on developing mental strategies with the help of pictures.

Does Jump Math work?

Jump Math was created in 2002 by John Mighton, who based it on a tutoring program he had taught. He found that with this program, children who struggled to keep up at the beginning of the program had, by the end of the program, caught up and even worked faster than the fastest student did at the beginning. This shows that the idea that “some kids are just better at math” was largely a self-fulfilling prophecy, and that with the right program, anyone had the potential to excel at math.

The results are clear. Jump Math has had huge success in Canada and is spreading to the US and around the globe. It has gained many awards and recognition from various groups, including the Government of Ontario and the UK Department for Education and Skills, which included it in a publication called “What Works with Children with Mathematical Difficulties”. The increasing popularity of the Jump Math program in both schools and tutoring centers prove that the program is truly effective.

Enrol today!

Inspiration Learning Center is pleased to present the Jump Math program. We aim to not only better aid students in succeeding in math but to cultivate the idea that all kids can do math.

Jump Math will be offered to students in grade K-8 who are looking to strengthen their math foundation. Check your child’s most recent report card. Mathematics is broken down into 5 areas on Ontario elementary and middle school reports: Number Sense and Numeration, Measurement, Geometry and Spatial Sense, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability. Jump Math is perfect for students with B+ or higher in 2 or less of these areas.

Jump Math begins in the second week of September. Enrolment has already begun so grab a spot for your child today! Contact us at info@inspirationteaching.com or go to your local Inspiration Learning Center to sign up.

Introducing Jump Math and Challenge Math - NEW Programs!!

7/28/2017

Math is an essential part of any academic program, but finding the right program to suit your child can be tricky. That’s why Inspiration Learning Center is introducing Jump Math and Challenge Math -- two brand new math programs designed to build math fundamentals and problem-solving skills. Which one is right for your child? Read on and find out!

What is Jump Math?

Based on the Ontario curriculum, Jump Math was created with the philosophy that all kids can be led to think mathematically and succeed in math. Aimed at students with math grades of up to B+, who typically have a weaker foundation in math, Jump Math is all about building up from the fundamentals.

Students in the Jump Math program learn a variety of foundational math concepts, starting from a simple level. The material increases in difficulty in small steps, ensuring the student grasps each step before moving onto the next. This way, we avoid gaps in learning, and the student is well prepared to advance to the next grade. Jump Math has had extensive success in Canada and is now spreading to the United States and around the world. Read more about Jump Math here.

What is Challenge Math?

Based on Singapore’s mathematics curriculum, Challenge Math is perfect for students whose math grade is higher than B+. These students already have a solid math foundation, so they can handle the more complex questions in the Challenge Math program.

The program emphasizes mental math and building critical skills through challenging word problems and real-life applications. Students learn fewer concepts but in far more detail, with the aim of developing a deeper understanding of mathematics. Students who excel at math, have a high interest in the subject, and are thinking of exploring the field when they are older will find Challenge Math an exciting program that pushes them to their full potential. Read more about Challenge Math here.

Which program is best for your child?

Take a look at your child’s most recent report card. On the Ontario report card for elementary and middle school, mathematics is broken down into 5 areas: Number Sense and Numeration, Measurement, Geometry and Spatial Sense, Patterning and Algebra, and Data Management and Probability. If your child has B+ or higher in at least 3 of the 5 areas, then they should enrol in Challenge Math. If your child has B+ or higher in 2 areas or less, then they need Jump Math to build their math foundation.

Get enrolled!

Inspiration Learning Center will be offering both Jump Math and Challenge Math to students in grades K-8 starting on Monday, September 11, 2017. Classes are once a week for 1.5 hours each, with a total of 12 classes per level (two levels per grade). Class sizes will be limited to a maximum of 8 people to ensure that each student will receive individual attention. Tuition fees are $400 per level (12 classes). Enrolment is ongoing, meaning students may join the class even after the classes have begun. They will have the option of doing make up classes for the sessions they missed.

For more information or to enrol, contact your local Inspiration Learning Center or email us at info@inspirationteaching.com.

<<Previous

The Importance of Educational Planning

Back to School Tips for Parents

Challenge Math: The Asian Math Methodology

Jump Math: Core Skills for a Strong Foundation

Introducing Jump Math and Challenge Math - NEW Programs!!

About

Archives

Categories