Commutative Property

a. Addition. When two numbers are added, the sum is the same regardless of the order in which the numbers are added.

3 + 5 = 8       or       5 + 3 = 8

b. Multiplication. When two numbers are multiplied together, the product is the same regardless of the order in which the numbers are multiplied.

3 x 5 = 15       or       5 x 3 = 15

Associative Property

a. Addition. When three or more numbers are added, the sum is the same regardless of the way in which the numbers are grouped.

6 + (4 + 3) = 13   or   (6 + 4) + 3 = 13

b. Multiplication. When three or more numbers are multiplied, the product is the same regardless of the way in which the numbers are grouped.

6 x (4 x 3) = 72   or   (6 x 4) x 3 = 72

Distributive Property

The sum of two numbers times a third number is equal to the sum of each addend times the third number.

5 x (7 + 2) = 45   or   5 x 7 + 5 x 2 = 45

Identity Property

a. Addition. The sum of any number and zero is that number.

12 + 0 = 12

b. Multiplication, The product of any number and one is that number.

18 x 1 = 18

Knowing these properties of numbers will improve your understanding and mastery of math.

Today many school children not only do not read very often, some don’t know how. An unfortunate number graduate high school with a third grade reading level or less. It’s not uncommon to hear a first-year college student boast, “I’ve never read a complete book in my life.”

That’s a far cry from the previous generation, with precarious implications for the future leadership of our country. If you are concerned about getting your kids to read more, and enjoy it, here are a few tips:

1. Keep good books at home. Stock shelves, coffee tables, and bedrooms with classic tales or modern novels by authors who are worth reading. Subscribe to a book club or read publishers’ lists to find out about new books that are coming out and which ones are recommended especially for young readers.

2. Reward family readers. From verbal praise like “I’m so impressed that you finished that book so quickly” to a penny per page incentive, parental support of a reading habit goes a long way toward encouraging kids to start and stay with a book. Establish a family reading time after supper or before bedtime. Take turns reading aloud or have everyone read their own book separately, sharing highlights over dinner.

3. Reinforce good stories. Rent or borrow films for books that family members have read, like Lord of the Rings or The Scarlet Letter. Discuss the film afterward, comparing characters, scenes, and plot development to the original book. Watch television documentaries about favorite authors or literary periods, such as Melville’s writing of Moby Dick.

4. Sponsor a contest. Talk to your child’s teacher about sponsoring a reading contest for the class. Students who read five or more books per month will receive special privileges, such as 10 minutes of extra playground time or free cafeteria lunches for a week. If the school has no budget for incentives like these, ask parents to donate or contact local businesses in the community to see if they will contribute to a reading program.

5. Hold a book fair. Ask the school to arrange one day to have a children’s author visit to talk about his or her books, which will be on display. Children can also write and bind their own stories, exhibiting these for parents to view and admire. Biographies of famous writers and their work can be posted for discussion groups of parents with their children. Serving refreshments will add a special touch to the day.

6. Visit a book sale, convention, or trade show to expose your children to a wider world of stories and publishing. They will be amazed by the number and type of books on display. If some are for sale, try to get one for each child as a souvenir, which is so much more meaningful than an amusement part troll doll or stuffed animal.

Books are an important part of life. They teach us new ideas and introduce us to other people and cultures. Help your children understand their special role by following steps like these to celebrate quality literature.

Preparing for School • Things to Consider Before the First Day of School • Going to a New School • Homework • Reading with Your Child • Safe Internet Use • Avoiding Conflict • Helping Your Child Prepare for High School • Helping Your Child Plan for the Future

Preparing for School

• Ease Your Child into a New Routine. Have him or her go to bed at school-night bedtime a few nights before the first day. Set an alarm clock for the correct school wake-up time.
• Try a School Bus Run. Go over your child’s school bus route with him or her if it’s going to be a first-time bus ride. Find out how long the ride is, and talk about things like bus safety.
• Get Ready the Night Before. Establish a routine that requires your child to pick an outfit for the next school day, and to pack a book bag every night before bed. This will help eliminate any last minute rushing in the morning.

Things to Consider Before the First Day of School

About the School

• Is your child registered?
• Do you know when the first day of school is and what time it starts?
• Have you completed emergency contact forms and sent them back to the school?

Getting to and from School

• Have you reviewed safety precautions with your child regarding traffic and strangers?
• If your child is riding a bike, does he or she know the school’s rules for bicycles?
• If your child is taking a bus, does your child know the bus route? Does your child know what to do if he or she gets lost?
• Does your child know whether to come home or go to a babysitter after school?
• If you’re not home after school, does your child know who will be responsible for him or her, what the rules are, and how to get help in an emergency?
• If your child is going to a babysitter, does he or she know how to get to there?

Going to a New School

• Talk About It. Encourage your child to share his or her feelings. Talk about the excitement of starting at a new school, and discuss any concerns your child might have.
• Take a School Tour. Call the school and arrange to tour the school with your child. Help your child find their way around the school and the location of their classroom and the bathroom. If possible, meet the teacher and principal.
• Make a New Friend. If possible, introduce your child to a classmate before the first day of school.

Homework

Helping Your Child Study

• Establish a Routine. Setting a regular time and sticking to it helps children complete their homework assignments.
• Set the Mood. Ensure the room your child studies in is quiet, has plenty of light, and has school supplies close at hand. Remove distractions by turning off the television and discouraging social phone calls during homework time.
• Show an Interest. Ask your child about school activities and talk about what was discussed in school that day. Take your child to the library to check out materials for homework, and make time to read with your child as often as you can.

Monitoring Homework Assignments

• Be Informed. Find out about the school’s policy on homework at the beginning of the school year. Ask your child’s teachers about the kind of assignments that will be given and what kind of time frame the children have to complete them.
• Be Involved. Ask the teacher how you can help with homework. Be available to answer your child’s questions, look over completed assignments, and encourage your child to share returned assignments so you can read the teacher’s comments.

Providing Guidance to Homework Assignments

• Learn How Your Child Learns. Understand your child’s learning style and develop routines that best support how he or she learns best.
• Encourage Good Study Habits. Help your child get organized. Ensure your child has scheduled enough time to complete assignments.
• Talk. Discuss homework with your child. Talking about an assignment can help your child think it through and break it down into small, workable parts.
• Provide Encouragement. Find ways to support your child’s efforts in completing assignments.

Reading with Your Child

• Make Reading a Priority. Let your child know how important it is to read regularly. Establish a regular time and place for reading.
• Read to Your Child. Make time to read to your child on a regular basis. It is a great way to help develop a love of learning.
• Ask Your Child to Read to You. Have your child read aloud to you.
• Keep Reading Material Close By. Make sure children’s books and magazines are easily accessible. Keep a basket of books in the family room, kitchen, or your child’s bedroom to encourage him or her to read more often.
• Visit the Library. Make visits to the library a regular activity and let your children select their own books.
• Be a Reading Role Model. Read a lot. Let your child see you read and hear you talk about your books.

Safe Internet Use

• Do Your Research. Find safe and relevant sites and child-friendly search engines for your child to use. Bookmark them for easy access.
• Make an Agreement. Create an agreement with your child that outlines which site he or she is allowed to visit, and which areas and activities are off-limits. Involve your child in this activity.
• Stay Aware. Keep lines of communication open so you know what Web sites your child is visiting. Pay attention to his or her surfing habits. Let your child know that he or she can come to you in case of trouble.
• Report Suspicious Activity. If you or your child encounter suspicious or dangerous situations online, report them to your Internet Service Provider and local police.

More Tips for Safe Internet Use

Be Web Aware – a national public education program on Internet safety for young Canadians

Avoiding Conflict

• Listen. Encourage your child to talk about school, social events, other kids in class, the walk or ride to and from school so you can identify any issues he or she may be having.
• Look. Watch for symptoms that your child may be a bullying victim. Be aware of signs such as withdrawal, a drop in grades, physical signs, or needing extra money or supplies.
• Work with Others. Tell the school immediately if you think your child is being bullied. Work with other parents to ensure that the children in your neighborhood are supervised closely on their way to and from school. Talk to the teacher or school’s guidance counsellor for some professional advice.

Helping Your Child Prepare for High School

• Educate Yourself. Find out the requirements, choices, and processes involved in planning your teen’s senior high school program with your child’s teacher. Your teen will need your assistance and advice.
• Plan Carefully. Some Grade 10 courses are prerequisites for more advanced high school courses. As well, certain programs enable students to meet entry requirements for post-secondary programs or acquire the knowledge and skills to enter directly into a career. Keep future goals in mind when planning grade 10 programs.
• Prepare for Post-Secondary. If your teen intends to enter a post-secondary institution after high school, check the calendars of these institutions for admission requirements to plan his or her senior high school program accordingly.

Helping Your Child Plan for the Future

• Even as an adult, career decisions can be overwhelming. Encourage your child and give them the time and space to make their own decisions.
• Ask your teen about the kinds of careers they are considering and do not worry if it is accounting one day and nursing the next. They’re thinking things over and imagining themselves in different roles. Encourage them to take this exploration a bit further. Help them learn more about these choices. Find out why these careers are attractive to them and look at other careers they may not have considered that could offer similar rewards.
• Encourage your teen to think about the educational path they will need to follow to pursue the careers they’re considering. Will they need to take certain subjects in high school to keep these options open? What kind of post-secondary education will they need? Where is the program offered and how long does it take to complete?
• Know where you and your teen can go to explore options or get more information. A great place to start is Alberta Learning Information Service (ALIS) This Web site offers up-to-date career profiles, links to post-secondary institutions, complete information on students finance and links to a variety of interactive career planning tools.

How to Round a Number

To the nearest ten

If the ones digit is 5 or more, round to the next highest ten (68 rounds to 70).
If the ones digit is less than 5, round to the next lowest ten (33 rounds to 30).

To the nearest hundred

If the tens digit is 5 or more, round to the next highest hundred (384 rounds to 400).
If the tens digit is less than 5, round to the next lowest hundred (427 rounds to 400).

To the nearest thousand

If the hundreds digit is 5 or more, round to the next highest thousand (7,602 rounds to 8,000).
If the hundreds digit is less than 5, round to the next lowest thousand (7,268 rounds to 7,000).

How to Find an Average

To find the average of several numbers, add the numbers together and then divide the sum by the number of numbers.

The average of 17, 30, 6, and 7 = 60 ÷ 4 = 15

How to Tell if Two Fractions are Equivalent

Cross multiply the fractions.  If both products are the same, the fractions are equivalent.

3 and 9 3 x 24 = 72               3 and  9< p>

When preparing to write a definition paper, keep in mind the following guidelines:

1. A definition paper stays on track in developing a single idea. Stay focused on the main meaning outlined in the introduction of your paper. For example, if you’re writing a speech on the meaning of patriotism, don’t get sidetracked by related concepts like loyalty or nationalism. Be sure that each sub-point refers to or helps to define the main idea. It may help to restate the key term periodically throughout the document.

2. Link each topic idea to the main concept. You can do this through repetition or exploring offshoot ideas that help to define the key point in a significant way. One paragraph may explain the literal meaning of “patriotism,” for example, while another paragraph discusses the cultural meaning, along with differences for the many groups of people that live in that culture. A third paragraph can outline some unusual or competing meanings of the concept.

3. Begin on common ground that your audience can appreciate. Use a dictionary meaning that the audience will readily grasp. From there you can move into more abstract or complex territory by considering related definitions, like those found in a numbered list in a typical dictionary. But be sure to define each new term or variation on the original definition in a basic way that your audience can follow and appreciate. Pause for questions or clarifications as you move from one point to another.

4. Keeping your audience in mind, explore related meanings of the word. Some of these may already be held by members of your audience, or the entire group may be aware of, but not familiar with, other terms or meanings. For example, militant terrorists may consider themselves highly patriotic to their country or their culture when performing violent acts, but people from other cultures hold a negative view of such behavior. Contrasts like these offer great opportunities for discussion and reflection.

5. Invite the audience to ask questions or share their understanding of the term. It may be some of the people who read your paper or listen to your speech will have another view of the idea outlined in your presentation. Be willing to accommodate alternative views by mentioning these in passing or in explaining the differences between these and the view expounded in your paper. Show respect even when you disagree with other interpretations.

A definition paper offers both a denotation, or literal meaning, and a connotation, or cultural (or associative) meaning of an idea. Be prepared to share both in your document to give the audience a well-rounded view. Use examples to explain a word’s unusual meaning or application.

What should you do? Drop everything and run to her aid? Calmly tell her to do the work herself? Call a tutor?

A parent can play a healthy role in helping kids to successfully complete their homework assignments. But parents must draw clear boundaries that protect them from offering too much help and their kids from expecting it.

Encourage your child to do as much as possible alone:

“Try the first set of verbs. See what you can do.”

“Read the directions again.”

But if your son or daughter persists in claiming they are unable to understand or complete the assignment, you may need to step in:

“What specific problem are you having?”

“Read it aloud to me, slowly.”

Kids may not appreciate this type of response, preferring, instead, a hands-on approach from Mom or Dad. But it is more helpful when parents gently insist that kids apply critical thinking skills to solve problems themselves.

However, if it becomes apparent that the child truly is lost and doesn’t understand the homework concept, the parent may be able to help. Suggest that your child re-read the section that was assigned for homework practice. After he or she has done that, ask if there are any questions. Answer them to the best of your ability. Those you cannot answer, suggest your child write them on paper for the teacher.

Then ask your child to read the first problem aloud, breaking it into parts if necessary. When you get a quizzical look afterward, calmly nudge the problem back to your child:

“What do you think that means?”

“How does the problem relate to what you just read?”

Little by little, help your child deconstruct the overwhelming assignment by looking at each part individually before responding to the whole unit.

Sometimes, though, a homework question is poorly worded or the parent doesn’t know the answer. Suggest that your child skip to the next question or even the next subject. It’s important that he or she continue on a productive path in completing as much homework as possible rather than giving up on one topic and neglecting the rest.

Parents should avoid taking a hands-on approach. A bit of advice or a probing questions can be helpful instead. Obviously, a parent should never do the work for the child. That would be cheating, as would recommending plagiarism or unethical shortcuts of any kind.

Parents have a great opportunity to model problem-solving skills when their kids struggle with homework uncertainties. But when it becomes clear that a child is feeling overwhelmed by an assignment, the parent should make an appointment to talk with the teacher and clarify the situation. No child can master a skill that he or she cannot comprehend, so be sure that learning takes place first, followed by practice later.

What kind of job you are really looking for and will it suit you perfectly? The job you may opt to do should be such that you will love to do it and derive utmost satisfaction out of it. It is also to be based on your strengths and weaknesses. For this constantly look for some good openings. It should provide enough opportunities to show of your strengths and ample scope for your progress.

Sources of Information:

Gather information regarding job openings from news papers, magazines web sites etc. Even your friends and relatives may be a source of information. Register your name in Employment Exchange. You may contact private consultants and recruiting agencies also. Get counseling from those people who have already achieved the goals which you too have set for yourself. Once you have some ideas about a possible career, identify the sort of role and type of organization to go for. It is worth spending some time to plan your strategy. Find out what is required for these jobs. If needed, try to get some extra work experience or qualifications. Investing in acquiring them will definitely bring fruits in the long run.

Your Bio-data / Resume

Due attention must be given in either filling the standard application form received from the respective organization or the format in which you may try to present your bio-data. Your bio-data is a very important document and keep in mind that its sole purpose is to get you an invitation for an interview. Hence attach utmost importance in the preparation and presentation of the same. It is not just what you say, but how you say it too. Try to understand clearly from the advertisement that what the employer is looking for and present them in the best way to show that you have all these qualities. While furnishing your personal details be clear, concise and relevant to the job. Stress the positive aspects which drew your attention for applying to this position. With regards to your education and work experience (if any), mention about the most recent things first. Always type the letter, unless otherwise it is specified as handwritten.. Prepare a rough draft first. Read it thoroughly to make sure that you have presented everything precisely, correctly and in the way it is expected. Type or write on one side of the unlined A4 sized white paper. Use black color ink only. Mention the full date, your full address contact, telephone number and e-mail address. Write/ type your full name underneath your signature. Invitation for attending an interview is not a passport for an employment.

Preparation for attending an interview:

For attending an interview you need to prepare, so that you can convince the concerned people that you’re the right person for the job. Try  to collect as much information as possible about the company like the  company’s ethos and culture, services or products of the company, number of employees working there, the reputation of the company, company’s financial position, turn over , profitability , their future expansion projects,  about their competitors and their performance etc., Make sure that you know the correct location of the interview avenue and how to reach there well in time. Even you can have a glimpse of the premises of the company to get some idea of the scale of the company. Also keep ready all the relevant things which you are supposed to take for the interview. You should try to anticipate the general questions which they will ask and also prepare some questions to ask them.  The interview gives you the opportunity to prove yourself. It is for you to impress and convince the interviewer that you are suitable in all respects for the particular post.

Gestures & Postures:

Your manners and your dress sense certainly say a lot about you, but your gestures and postures may let you down. Your overall impression and personality is bound to appear more impressive, if you are able to control and make the desired modification in your body language. Your body

language clearly depicts your mental attitude. An experienced interviewer would be able to read your mind very clearly through your gestures and postures and the decision is likely to be influenced by it. Hence,  Be open and honest, in mind and body while you are interviewed At the time of entering the interview venue , walk with a straight head, erect shoulders, fast steps and straight posture. That will give an impression that you are a confident and warm person.  Remember that hand shake too conveys a lot about the personality of your attitude towards the other person. A well gripped strong and vertical handshake creates a positive impression and tells upon your ardour, friendliness and enthusiasm. The way you sit itself conveys a lot of subtle information to the people who are going to interview you. Hence, sit erect on the chair offered to you with hands resting in lap or on the arms of the chair. Relax and make yourself comfortable.. But, relaxing does not mean that you will sit in a way in which you sit on the sofa in the home. Let your knees point at the interviewer. It shows you are focused right in on them. If you are unable to sit still then channel it into hand gestures that back up what you are saying. It shows a certain confidence in the matter you’re saying. Folding your arms across your chest will convey that you are nervous and negative. Slapping of the head indicates forgetfulness. Touching the nose brushing the cheek, looking somewhere else may invite suspicion on the part of your interviewer. Avoid covering too much of space on the interviewer’s table with your arms, papers, folder etc. Eyes speak more than the words. Maintain your eyes contact true and steady, but remember to blink. Make sure that your gaze doesn’t drop below eye level. Shutting eyes for a brief period or blinking it more than the normal pace, rapid glancing to and fro, and making short eye contacts may indicate your shortcomings and weakness. In general avoid all unpleasant activities during the interview. At the interview be bold and positive. But ,do not bluff.

Probable questions that may be asked during an interview:

Give a brief sketch of your family background. What do you know about this company and its products/services? How long have you been looking for a job? What qualities do you think will be required for this job? Anything special which you would like to mention about you and your achievement? Are you a member of any professional institutions or social organizations? Are you self-motivated or need any outside stimulation? How many hours are you prepared to work? What are your career goals? Are you willing to travel? What interests do you have apart from studies/work? What will your referees say about you?

Questions which you may ask when you are given a chance:

Where will I be based? Where will I fit into the overall organizational structure? To whom will I report to? What will be my responsibilities? Whether any frequent traveling is involved in the job? Is there any chance of relocation now or at a later date? What will be the salary and other perks? What training will be I undergoing? What opportunities are there within the company? When will I hear the results of the interview?

Lastly thank the company or organization for having given you an opportunity.

A Happy Child

Not all the motivation in the universe will help a student who is otherwise not happy in their daily surroundings. This is not a directive to give your child anything and everything they ask for…actually, quite the opposite. Children treated with respect and love, usually give respect and love in return. Children raised with values and given guidance on a daily basis, again, learn to use their values wisely. A spoiled child, one who is given ‘things’ without any reason other than they asked for it, or more likely, demanded it, do not gain any common sense of how life works; people work for rewards. Making clear here, rewards do not necessarily mean ‘things’! Ask your child what they consider a good outcome of different situations, so you, as the parent, can define in your mind, what your child considers motivational to completing tasks, including homework assignments, special projects, etc. You may be surprised to learn that your child has no clear definition of why they should put effort into their studies.

Example

For instance, many parents’ associate ‘motivation’ with money, if their child passes a test, they will hand over cash as motivation for the next test. What the child learns in reality, is that if they ‘pass’ they are instantly given gratification. Sounds like a workable motivational tool, right. What is wrong with this scenario is simple. That is not how life works. There will not always be someone there throughout your child’s life to hand over cash every time ‘they’ get it right.

Defining Rewards

Children need to understand that when grownups talk about rewards, they are not necessarily talking about the newest video game or a trip to an amusement park. Reward can simply be the satisfaction of completing a task. If a child has been motivated through physical rewards all through his school life and even before, they need to learn that this is not how life works. You can change how you give motivation, and how your child receives it, it just takes some ‘motivation’ and sensibility on your part! Teaching a child that gratification comes from the result of the task done ‘is’ the best motivational tool you can use.

Discussion

As stated earlier, talking to your children to understand how they view rewards as motivation will give you a clear picture of where to start your discussion with them on how you can help them become more motivated in their studies. Talk with them on how an ‘A’ that is achievable through study, is motivational by itself over a ‘C’ that can simply be achieved from what the student has learned in class. Discuss what they are hoping to become when they reach adulthood. This may sound like common sense, but you may be surprised at how many parents never ask their children this most basic of questions. Once you have asked them this, ask them it again in a few months time. There answer may or may not have changed, but you will be showing your child that you not only are interested, but by asking them this simple question, you are stimulating their thoughts, to keep their goals in mind.

The Reward Breaker

Physical rewards ‘can’ be used as motivation, but use them sparingly. If a child has struggled, but has clearly shown effort, a physical ‘unsuspected’ reward can be given with positive results. A surprise dinner out to show your child that you appreciate all the hard work they put into passing a class they truly struggled in will show them that you noticed. This works in two ways; a physical reward is given, but it also demonstrates the best motivation any child can receive, their parent’s approval.

Come Prepared

Since you will only have a certain amount of time for the exam, you must come prepared. You will need a watch to keep track of the time. If this is an exam that will require calculations, bring an adequate amount of scratch paper. You don’t want to be searching through your backpack in the middle of an exam for some extra paper to write on. Bring several sharp pencils. You don’t want to have to get up and sharpen your pencil and lose precious time. You will not want to use a pen, especially during an essay exam, since it will be much more difficult to scratch out part of an answer than it will be to simply erase it.

Peruse the Exam

Before you actually begin taking the examination, take two minutes to peruse the entire exam. Most exams are a combination of short essay, multiple choice, true and false and long essay questions. In your mind, plot out the exam into different sections, allotting a chunk of time to each section. For example, if you have one hour to complete the exam, allot 15 minutes for the multiple choice questions, 10 minutes for the true and false questions and 35 minutes for the essay questions. Keep track of the time on your watch. If you are not finished with the multiple choice questions or true and false questions in the allotted time, you can come back to them later.

Answer Easy Questions First

We look at one of the first questions that reads, “If Train X is moving towards the center of town at 65 miles per hour and Train Y…” and, suddenly, it looks as if the question is written in another language. What does it mean? If you look at a question and it looks difficult, skip it. Move on to an easier question. This will not only build your confidence, but it will let you get all of the easy questions out of the way and let you move on to the harder questions. If you let yourself get stuck on the hard questions at the beginning, you may lose time and not get to answer some of those easier questions (thus gaining some easy points) before the exam ends.

Be Careful With Essay Questions

When you reach essay questions, carefully read the question and immediately write down whatever thoughts pop into your mind. Sometimes you will think of something brilliant and moments later, forget what it was you had in mind. After brainstorming some quick notes, jot out a short outline of what you wish to write before you actually begin writing. As ideas pop into your head, jot them down immediately. This will eliminate any time you might spend erasing and revising later on.

While you will want to finish the exam within the time limits and answer each question to the best of your knowledge, you will also not want to finish an exam before time is up. If you find that you have sped quickly through an exam, use that extra time to proofread your answers and go over some of those more difficult questions.

If you are thinking about enrolling your child in public school, here are some things to consider:

1. Do a thorough search of local private institutions. Some of the smaller or more elite schools are not widely advertised. In addition to checking the phone book, public school system, and board of education, you also may want to make personal inquiries of neighbors, friends, and coworkers. Try a Web search for private schools in your area.

2. When you’ve compiled a list, start making phone calls or check the Web to eliminate those that won’t work for your family. Reasons may include transportation distance, school hours that conflict with job schedules, tuition fees, curriculum concerns, and personal values.

3. After whittling your list to those that meet your initial criteria as indicated in Number 2 above, make a telephone inquiry to ask more detailed questions like the following:

-Which curriculum is followed?

-How does student performance compare to public school student performance?

-What are the grading criteria?

-How many children are enrolled?

-What is the teacher to student ratio?

-Are there volunteers or teacher aides that help?

-Which extracurricular activities are provided or are available for individual students? (Music, art, foreign languages, creative writing, etc.)

-What is the school’s discipline policy?

-Are parents required to volunteer a certain amount of time each month?

-What happens if tuition payments fall behind?

-Are uniforms required?

4. Reviewing your list of responses with spouse and child (if applicable), schedule visits to the top three or four schools for a tour and to meet with the administrator. Try to go when school is in session. As you go through the school tour, consider these points:

-Is the facility functional, neat, and attractive?

-Are students respectful and well behaved?

-Do teachers appear to be confident and in control?

-Is the setting conducive to learning?

-Is student work posted for display?

-Are honors, awards, and trophies in evidence?

5. During your meeting with the administrator, be prepared with focused and open-ended questions:

-What is the drop-out rate?

-What is the average grade point accumulation of a graduating student?

-What percentage of students go on to college after graduation and successfully complete a degree or commence a career training program at the vocational school level or as an apprentice?

-What is the communication network between teachers and parents or the school and families like? Is there a monthly newsletter or Website in addition to take-home handouts?

-Are there field trips or other off campus outings?

-Are values taught or practiced? If so, what are they?

-What advantages does this school offer to public school or other private institutions?

5. Follow your instincts. Try to observe students at lunch, on break, and in the classrooms. Get a sense of how well this system seems to work. If you have doubts, visit other schools until you find one that you feel good about. If possible, bring your child for a visit before making the decision to enroll.

Private school can offer an attractive alternative to public school these days. But take time to find one that meshes with your family’s academic goals.