Homework. All students have it and most students at one time or another will experience problems with homework.

From the very first homework assignment, students begin to develop homework habits and attitudes that can follow them for their entire school career.

Unwittingly students can be setting themselves up for problems and falling into the most common homework pitfalls.

Some of the typical homework problems that students encounter are:

• Forgetting which problems/questions were assigned
• Forgetting to write down instructions
• Leaving homework at home
• Forgetting books at school
• Lying about not having any homework
• Putting homework off to the last minute
• Not handing the homework in

Because homework is universal, important, and inescapable it makes senses that the sooner students deal with their homework issues, the sooner that one of the biggest barriers to improved grades is removed.

We’ll take a look at what causes homework problems next time.

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Practice! Practice! Practice!

Like so many other things in life and in school spelling is a learned skill. And, like almost anything that you learn, the more practice you put in, the easier it gets. You have to practice the piano until you can play a song correctly, and you have to practice cursive handwriting until it comes naturally, so why should spelling be any exception?

The more effort that you put into something, the more that you will get out of it!

Luckily, strong spelling abilities are worth the effort as they come in handy almost every single day of your life.

While a person’s spelling abilities is not a definite measure of his or her intelligence—some of the smartest people have been poor spellers—you can’t get high marks in school if your essays are full of misspelled words.

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Reading, writing, and spelling go hand-in hand. The more you read and write the more that spelling improves; the more that spelling improves, the easier it is to read and write!

Pick up a pen and write. Write about anything or nothing at all. Look up a challenging word and write it over and over until it is ingrained in your brain. Then pick a book and read. The more that you read and write, the more that spelling will improve. After all, research has shown the interdependence of reading, writing, and spelling. It’s win-win-win!

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Is technology making higher education free for all?

New technology allows for online access to material that might otherwise be inaccessible. University tuition is continually increasing and with the current global economy, the price of higher education can be a daunting and financially improbable goal.

Video lectures abound on You Tube teaching everything from ballroom dance to trigonometry.

This article looks at some of the better sites that boast online video lectures. Check out the comments for more links.

There are hundreds of classic books—a necessity to any English degree—available online. The greatest collection of online classics is probably The Gutenberg Project.

But best of all, Universities offer open courses complete with a syllabus and a final exam to students of all ages… FOR FREE!

No registration, or tuition required! That removes one of the biggest barriers to education—the cost. However, there is a catch. There always is. There is no course credit given, so these courses do not contribute towards a diploma.

The benefit is solely personal education and development. This raises question regarding the necessity of diplomas. If you know the material, do you still need a diploma?

What do you think? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

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What: Is the student in your life a problem solver? Students aged 6-18 are invited to show their problem solving skills by participating in a Rubik’s Cube Competition at Oxford Learning in West Hamilton!

Students are invited to have fun, exercise their brain, and win prizes!

When: Sunday December 7th, 2008 from 10 am to 3 pm

Where: 875 Main St. W. Unit #3 Hamilton, ON. Call 905-52-Learn, or email westhamilton@oxfordlearning.com

Why: Be Hamilton’s Rubik’s Cube Champion! Rubik’s Cubes Puzzles help students develop spatial awareness-multi-dimensional thinking, and problem solving skills.

Who: Students aged 6-18 are invited to participate. There will be two age groups; 6-12 and 13-18. Prizes will go to a male and a female in each age group.

How: Register for the Rubik’s Cube Competition by calling 905-52-LEARN. This is a free event but registration is required!

Oxford Learning - West Hamilton
875 Main Street West
Unit #3
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4P9
Tel: 905-581-0049
Fax: 905-525-3279
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