Free tutorials about internet and World Wide Web

Internet has become a source of information and if we want our children to use the internet for constructive purposes then we have to guide them and let them learn about "internet". This article offers you useful links and resources to learn about 'Internt' and 'World Wide Web.


1- From "Infomat": What is 'Internet'?


The Internet is a huge collection of computers around the world. These computers (there are millions of them) are all linked together, and they communicate with each other, sharing information. If your computer is connected to the Internet, it can connect to millions of other computers, in many different parts of the world.

How to help your child with 'Home Work'- Tips for parents

Parent's involvement in child education can bring positive results in child's grades. And starting point to guide or taking interest is to look how you can help your child in 'home work'. These few tips would help you guide your child in home work, letting him/her get ready for future success at school and in life. It is a fact that 'family involvement is crucial if we want our children to succeed in education and throughout life'.

Tips for Parents

Homework is the ideal opportunity for students to learn and for parents to become involved closer in their child’s education. A parent’s interest can spark enthusiasm in a child and teach one of the most important lessons of all – that learning can be fun, is important and is well worth the effort.

Children do need to know that their parents think homework is important. If they know their parents care, children have a good reason to complete their homework and hand them in on time. It is important that parents show they value education and this can be done in a number of ways.

* Set a Regular Time
Finding a regular time for your child to complete their homework is very important. The best schedule is the one that works for your child and your family. What works well in one home may not apply in another – every home and child is different. It may well be that your child works well immediately on returning home from school or alternatively; it may be that your child needs to play for an hour and then complete their homework assignment.

aOutside activities, such as sports or music lessons may mean that you need to adopt a flexible schedule throughout the week. If there is not enough time for your child to finish his/ her homework then you will need to discuss dropping some after school activities. You must show your child that homework is a priority.

* Pick a Study Place
Ideally, a dedicated homework area is the best way for your child to focus. However this may not always be possible. It is more important that the study area has the right components;

- good light

- study supplies at hand

- be fairly quiet

* Remove any Distractions
A study area should not be next to a television set (obvious we know). Mobile phones should be switched off and social calls banned during homework.

However a phone call to a friend regarding homework will be beneficial.

Some children do work well with soft background music (not a blaring stereo barking out the latest hits).

* Provide Supplies and Identify Resources
A good starting point for this is all the obvious supplies that your child will need to complete his/ her homework – pencils, pens, paper, glue, stapler, scissors etc..

Although please be aware that there may be specific assignments where other supplies are required.

For information resources, break them down into the different types:

- books, available at home, school or the library?

- Internet – available at home, school, or the library?

- A phone call to the local library is very much worthwhile – they may have a dedicated homework area and have computers that can be used by pupils.

It is also worth speaking to the school about any ground rules they may have regarding Internet access to students.

* Set a Good Example
Children will be more responsive to homework and studying if they see their parents undertaking tasks that require effort, reading and writing. Talk with your child about what you are doing even if is something relatively minor and simple. Encourage activities that have an educational application – for example going to the zoo, watching educational programmes on TV, museums etc and so on.

* Show an Interest
Discuss your child’s education at the dinner table, what did they do at school today? Did they have a lot of homework? Was it hard/ easy?

These are all relatively simple points but they do instil a sense of support and interest.

Always attend parent- teacher nights to discuss your child’s work and it is a great support if you are able to attend school fairs, sports day etc…


Other Ways in Which Parents Can Help
Here are just some other points that will help in your child’s education and particularly their homework assignments:

1. Ask about the School Homework Policy (Be aware what the school expects from homework.)

2. Be available: Be available to your child should they have any questions regarding their homework assignment.

3. Look over completed homework: Read the homework assignments before and after the teacher has seen them.

4. Monitor Television Viewing: If the figures are added up children spend more time watching TV than doing homework. It is no surprise that if they are watching TV then they are not studying.

5. Study your Child’s Study Habits
See what works best to get the best out of your child.

6. Help your Child Get Organised
Help them organise a schedule and homework area.

7. Encourage Good Study Habits
Show your child how to break down tasks, understand them and what they are supposed to achieve.

8. Discuss Assignments
Talk about the homework that has been given.

9. Give Praise
Praise your child when they get good marks and work well. Everyone responds to praise - it is a great motivational tool.

10. Share any concerns with the School
Go and talk to the teacher in question about any concerns you may have. It is a good idea to speak to the teacher involved before going to the head teacher.

11. Work with the School: If there are problems with homework then work with the school for a solution.

12. Share Feedback to the School:Communication with your child’s school is only a good thing.

Source:




Useful links and resources where you can get home work help on the net:

* Homework Help on the Web

My blogging journey with "A Learner's Diary"

It's been a year ago, I was suggesting some links (internet safety sites) to a teacher, when I realized that my son would become teen within few years and I also need to save those links for me.

After few weeks, at holidays from school I planned to create a blog for parents and teachers with useful information and resources. It was October 2007 when I started writing for this blog.

As a teacher I had to search hard disk of my computer for any relevant information, because from the very start of internet access, I loved to search for teaching or learning stuff and saved most of the stuff.

Mainly the purpost behind creating this blog was to collect the stuff about:

- Learning

- Online safety

- Safe sites for kids and teens

- Useful sites for teachers

- Informative stuff for parents

- Learning strategies

- Awareness about health, skill development etc.

- Tips and useful site links for kids, children and students

- Free resources, useful links

While searching the net, there are millions of sites with lot of information. But I selected the sites which were offering FREE stuff and reliable information.

May be I have missed many topics, but as the journey is continued, I have plan to add more stuff which would be equally beneficial for all. Initially I didn't try to submit my site to blog directories or search engines to bring traffic, because I wanted to keep this blog as a reference for myself or fellow teachers. But after some time I realized that this site can offer a lot to parents and teachers and increasing number of visitores and their comments were an encouragement for me.

So come back often to this blog and leave your comments. I appreciate your suggestions in this regard.

Teach your children to be money wise

Today's economical situation is making money manangement harder for every common person. Many of us didn't learn about finances, making plan or budget and saving for the future and at the time of needs, we are in critical situation. It is now time to teach ourselves and our new generation about money management.

In today's economic environment, it is critical to understand how money works and, more important, how to make it work for you. It's unfortunate that young adults are now entering a world where they don't have time to learn financial skills gradually. Often they become victims of poor credit and debt practices before they realize how it even happened.

Even if your children are very young, remember that the sooner you start teaching these skills, the better off your child will be when they need them. One of the most difficult issues parents have to face is Step One. This first and most important step is to examine your own attitudes about money. This is extremely important because your children learn more from what they see you do than from what you tell them. You can preach to your kids every day that ?A penny saved is a penny earned,? or that ?A fool and his money are soon parted,? but it won't do any good if they see that you waste your own money consistently.

- It is very important to communicate openly with young kids about money, in simple terms that they can comprehend. Too often, young adults have to learn about credit and debt the hard way: by fending for themselves. It's better that they learn about personal finances under your guidance.

Some tips that will help your younger children get off on the right foot include involving them in financial planning. While a young child won't understand investing at the complex level of an adult, a savings account in his or her name will help them understand the basic benefits of saving money and watching it grow.

Tips

* If you give the child an allowance, let him or her be in charge of spending it. This is a great way to teach the relationship between their actions and the positive or negative consequences that follow.

* Provide extra income opportunities. Help them learn that money is something you earn, not something you are entitled to. This is also a great way to get the child involved in extra family chores.

* Take your child shopping with you. Explain to them why you make the decisions you make while shopping. By showing them the details you take into consideration, you'll be teaching them how to be a wise consumer.

Taking these steps will go a long way in setting a foundation for younger kids.

Source: Teaching Children

*** Another article: Teaching teens

A message to everyone - "Be Thankful"

God has blessed us so many things but we humans are not thankful at all. I have learned from my own life that if you want peace of mind and happiness in your life, learn to say "Thanks" to God.

During search at some personal sites, I found this web site, with collection of many quotes, poems. As I love to read quotations, wise words, parables, moral stories I selected "one" for this blog readers. I hope that this message would be inspiring for everyone.

Be Thankful

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something.
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations.
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge.
Because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary.
Because it means you've made a difference.

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those
who are also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles
and they can become your blessings.

Source for more beautiful words and verses: Be thankful

Interactive and infromative sites for students -Part 1

These sites are interactive and informative, so students can learn a lot for their class room or project works, parents can encourage their children, and kids to enjoy and browse these edutainment sites. And remember that these all sites are free to browse.

1- Site about insects "BugBios"

BugBios site aims to help you really see insects for the miniature marvels they represent and to understand how intertwined our cultures have become with these alien creatures. At the home page you can start your search with the link, “entophiles, cedigest, class: insecta.

Click here to enter your search query in the field provided to search the site.

More links to find a collection of insect-related Web sites
Photos used are : by Dexter Sear

2- "The Living Desert"

"Living Desert" tour through The Living Desert and the deserts of the world you are about to embark on will show you how language has misled everyone into thinking of the desert as a surly, outlaw landscape instead of a fragile, interesting ecosystem.

What you can find at the site?

You’ll see remarkable plants, animals, places and natural phenomena associated with deserts and learn how The Living Desert is helping to interpret and protect them.

You will also find out about one of the most unusual institutions in the United States. There isn’t a single word to describe all that The Living Desert is and does. We must string words together, like beads: zoo and endangered species conservation center – botanical gardens – natural history museum – wilderness park – nature preserve – education center. The thread that holds all the beads together is the word “desert.”

More site to come -----------------------------

Food Allergy Website for kids "Fan Kid"

Do you know that "Over 12 million Americans have food allergies; more than 3 million of them are children (that's almost 1 out of every 25 kids)"

This hard fact requires not only parents but kid's attention to learn about "food allergy".

Kids should know what food can cause allergy, what happens inside the body when a reaction occurs? etc.

Fan Kids.org is an interactive site from "The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network -FAAN" which provides information and educational resources about food allergy.
I have collected some information from the site. Kids can get more knowledge at this site and enjoy to learn about food allergies.

More facts:

The most common allergy-causing foods are peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews, etc.), milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. Recent studies showed that 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, and 6.9 million are allergic to seafood.

What are some of the symptoms of food allergy?

The most common symptom of a food-allergy reaction is hives. Other symptoms can include one or more of the following:

- tingling in the mouth
- swelling of the tongue and throat
- difficulty breathing
- stomach cramps
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- eczema

How can you treat these symptoms?
Your doctor will tell you what kind of medicine you need to take.

How can you prevent a reaction from happening?
Strictly avoiding the food that triggers your allergy is the only way to prevent a reaction.

Tips section if you have food allergy.

Parent Involvement in Education Plays An Important Role To Student Success

Being an educator and a parent I believe that parent's involvement in education, plays an important role in child development or success.

A recent review of the research literature by Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory found that,

"clearly, parent involvement is effective in fostering achievement and affective gains at all levels, and schools are encouraged to engage and maintain this involvement throughout the elementary, middle school and secondary years".

Parents need to be involved throughout the school year reading to their children, helping with assignments, participating in parent events at the school and establishing a working relationship with teachers."

Child Development Institute was founded by Robert Myers, Ph.D. Dr. Myers is a Clinical Child Psychologist with 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, families and parents.

You can get information on child development, parenting, family life, teenagers, learning, health & safety, child psychology and mental health including ADHD.

What you can get at the site?

* Parents resouces

* Child Development : Information on child development including prenatal, physical, intellectual, language and social development.

* Parenting Parenting information on child development, discipline, family life, teenagers, learning, health & safety and child psychology plus news for parents.

* Psychology page provides information, research & practical guides for parents on various mental disorders found in children and adolescents. Also provides information on promoting health psychosocial development in kids and teens.

* Improving Your Child's Learning Ability: Information related to assisting parents in helping their children and teenagers to improve their learning and study skills. Techniques on how to develop motivation, attention, comprehension, organization and creativity are provided.

* Child & Teen Health and Safety Issues:
Providing information on health & issues for children and adolescents from leading experts and professional organizations.

More links:
- East Renfrewshire council

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