This Week with Sara Fitts is all about connections - from a personal standpoint. Several years ago I joined LinkedIn and made some connections with a few people. And then allowed work and life to take over and drop me out and away from those connections. In June I re-connected with my LinkedIn connections and grew my network considerably. I also joined Facebook this past summer - primarily (or so I thought) for the re-launch of SLF Consulting. Little did I realize then that Facebook would transform my connections with friends and family - even re-connecting with college friends from 30+ years ago!
While working in DCPS (District of Columbia Public Schools) I learned the power of connections in new ways. And I'm pleased to have stayed connected with some of the finest educators with whom I've had the privilege and pleasure to work and know. Connections are important. These connections helped tremendously when I began working in MPCS. And my connections from MPCS continue to grow.
Connections were important last night as well. SLF Consulting held the first (of many planned!) Open Office (since it is an office and not a house) events with the entire reason being connections. Connections are powerful. Connections are important. Connections matter.
Throughout my educational career I taught students to make connections from topic to topic and concept to concept. In my coaching career it has always been about connecting one concept with another to build businesses, relationships, teams, schools and yes, even dots. Connections are powerful. Connections are important. Connections matter.
And over the course of a 30+ year work life, I've explained to hundreds of clients/students/teachers/parents that the connection is simply the connection. Success is the by-product. There is no magic wand for success - it is only a by-product of connecting with people. Connections are powerful. Connections are important. Connections matter.
Success can be measured in many ways - some say it is money, others say it is power or prestige. But my definition of success is being at peace with myself, being at peace with all others, doing what I love and loving what I'm doing, and treasuring the connections that I've made in all the different places I've been. I treasure the connections of family and friends - even those I haven't seen in 30+ years - or those I've only been able to see a few times over the years. Connections are powerful. They empower me. Connections are important. The people in my life are important to me. Connections mater. All with whom I have ever connected matter to me.
Connections are powerful. Connections are important. Connections matter.
Sara L Fitts owns SLF Consulting. She is an academic and instructional coach who helps her clients make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. SLF Consulting specializes in math tutorials and test prep. For more information, please visit our website
This Week with Sara Fitts looks at infographics as teaching tools to boost teaching and learning. Several sites are available for free to create better presentations, posters, and any graphic to be used in your lessons. Infographics make data come alive. Infographics make learning simpler and easier. Difficult concepts can be broken down into interesting shapes, colors, and designs that really stay with students and increase learning.
Some infographics are simple while others can be more involved. Students can also create these as part of digital portfolios in any content area. These are great tools for teachers and students - not to mention excellent tools in business, marketing, medicine, entertainment. There is really no arena where infographics could not be used.
There are several sites where you can easily get started. Among them are infogr.am , canva , visual.ly , easel.ly , and piktochart. For a few minutes of work, you can create a visual that will increase learning in your classroom.
In this digital age we all need to be utilizing any tools that improve teaching and learning. Inforgraphincs can simply be used to send important messages as well as subject-area content.
Please let me know how you use these tools in your classroom.
This Week with Sara Fitts asks why hire a tutor. Here are some good reasons:
- To improve grades
- To improve understanding of the concept/topic
- To reduce stress and struggle
- To gain confidence and self-esteem
- To focus on one-on-one teaching and learning
- To set the stage for the next level
- To challenge the student
- To improve standardized test scores
- To provide different approaches to learning
- To provide transition to the next level of learning
Sara Fitts is a retired educator with 24 years in public education as a math teacher, administrator, and instructional coach. Since 2000 she has owned SLF Consulting and has assisted numerous clients in being admitted to many major colleges and universities - including UMass, Brown, UCLA, University of Tennessee, and Virginia Tech, to name a few. She was named Manassas Park High School's Educator of the Year in 2014. SLF Consulting provides academic and instructional coaching, math tutorials, and SAT prep. Contact us today.
This Week with Sara Fitts looks at the differences between tutorials and simply providing extra help to students. In some ways the differences are small while in many ways the differences are incredible - and mean the difference in passing and failing - as well as in making an A or making a B.
Tutorials provide extra help - but also provide a framework of support that extends well beyond the 60 minutes of direct work with the student. Tutorials utilize academic coaching in all areas: review, current support, extension of the topic, and setting the stage for all topics that follow. Tutorials are structured with the intent of bringing out the very best the student has to offer. While the structure of a tutorial session may be less like a classroom filled with 25 or 30 other students, there is a platform for inquiry, for growth, for moving forward toward the next lesson and beyond.
Tutorials provide motivation. Students are freer to express their fears - and with academic coaching, conquer them. Success breeds more success. Once a student tastes success in a subject that has been so difficult for them, all things are then possible in the mind of the student. Once the student has a mindset of motivation and success, success is much more easily attained.
Extra help is wonderful and can bridge many gaps - but it is usually not sustainable.
Tutorials combined with academic coaching are sustainable.
If you are a student who is struggling - or you are the parent of a struggling student - please consider hiring an academic coach to provide one-on-one tutorials. It can be the huge difference that is needed.
Sara L. Fitts is an academic and instructional coach and consultant who works with students to improve their abilities in mathematics. For more information, please visit www.SLFConsulting.com today.
