|
We're excited about Writing Activity Cards For Early Finishers!
If you have students finishing their work before the next planned activity, keep their minds engaged with
these simple prompts. Each card is durable, colorful, and covers a range of writing genres. Take a look inside!
Check out our current specials for a discount.
|
Celebrations in
September:
First Day of School!
3rd-Labor Day
9th-Grandparent's Day
11th-Patriot Day
17th-Constitution Day
23rd-1st Day of Autumn
If you need ideas on how to celebrate any of these days come visit us. We'd be happy to help!
|
|
|
|
|
Greetings!
Wow! Where did summer go? It seems I say this every year and it is true every year. This summer a customer shared a quote she had heard "the years go by quickly while the days go by slowly." How profound this has been to me as I took Josh, my one and only child, to college this past weekend. As you are trying to teach multiplication tables, good manners or potty training, you sigh thinking, "They are never going to get this!". Yet, too quickly they are leaving your class, having a birthday or starting college. I hope each of you take time to treasure each memory.
|
|
|
Many Hands Make Light Work
 I really enjoy hearing about your trials and triumphs in education. This year I've noticed many of you have started new jobs, changed classrooms or switched grades last minute. Undoubtedly, this has brought on some excitement and a bit of stress. Know you are not alone and seeking help is not a sign of weakness! To get you started, here are my thoughts:
Pinpoint the Problem: Maybe you need to reorganize your space or plans, work with individuals, gain an extra set of eyes and hands, or just reduce stress. Once you know where you need help, you can ask for exactly what you need.
Recruit:Talk to your peers for ideas or help. Seasoned educators may have wrestled with the same issues and now have some tricks up their sleeve. If you can partner with someone else, split into groups and cover different levels. Parents, Grandparents, neighbors, anyone with a little time and patience can help keep one group on task, read to them, lead discussion, or give a presentation while you work with others. If you're a teacher, simply talking to your principal may help. Homeschoolers with older children can delegate some instruction responsibilities too. Tutors help fill in learning gaps and have a wealth of knowledge when dealing with different learning styles.
Cope: If you're just stressing out and need to relax, taking 5 minutes for yourself can do wonders. Squeeze and release a stress ball, pray, stretch, make a cup of tea, listen to music, exercise, take deep breaths, or just sit quietly with your eyes closed. Do whatever takes your mind off what you can't do to focus on the steps you can.
Please share your suggestions with everyone on our Facebook page!
|
|
September Trivia:Geometry Matters
 Take a look at the parabolic reflector nearest you. Go ahead and find one, I'll wait. Did you see one? Don't know what it is? Don't worry, I didn't either until I came across a fascinating little book at the library called "The Joy of Mathematics". It turns out, parabolic reflectors are all around us, masquerading as car headlights, photography lighting, spotlights, satellite dishes, and wildlife recorders, to name a few.
I also learned that the U.S. Capitol building contained two parabolic reflectors in the ceiling that made eavesdropping possible. If you were to sit directly under one inner dome, you would hear the conversation happening directly under the other. No matter how crowded or noisy the rest of the hall became, the reflected voice could be heard clearly. The United Kingdom used concrete versions of this shape to detect war planes miles before they could be seen. These were the precursors to radar. The Exploratorium in San Francisco has interactive listening vessels built on the same principle. It is true that geometry is used outside the classroom every day!
Now that you know what they are, I challenge you to look around today and notice how many parabolic reflectors affect your life.
Bonus: Which president discovered the eavesdropping phenomenon in the Capitol building? Email the correct answer in the next 48 hours for a chance to win a $5 Learning Tree coupon good on anything in the store! Five correct respondents will be chosen at random.
Congratulations to August's bonus question winners, Patti, Kathy, Frank, Lizbeth, and Rebecca! The answer is: The "Hollywood" sign originally spelled Hollywoodland. It has also been Hollyweed and Holywood for short periods of time.
|
|
 Our goal is to make your experience at the Learning Tree a happy one. We receive great joy in hearing how we help you and meet your educational needs. Please let us know how we can serve you better. |
|
Sincerely,
Cyndie and The Learning Tree staff
|
|
|
