According to licensed professional counselor Elliott Connie, going into business with a family member can actually be a good idea as long as you do your part to make it a good idea. What does this mean? Under the right circumstances, a business venture with a family member can be successful both financially and emotionally. However, in order for this to happen, people need to choose their business partners wisely. If you’ve got a brother who has never managed to stay at a job for more than a couple of months at a time, then chances are, he’s not going to make a good business partner. At the same time, if you’ve got a sister who is sharp, reliable, and notably hardworking, then a business relationship with her might work out well in the long run.

If a family member approaches you with the idea of starting a company together, then it’s important that you really think about the prospect of going into business with the relative in question before reaching a decision. Think about this family member’s personality and track record, and ask yourself if you really think that a business relationship is going to work. Chances are, you’re intelligent enough to recognize the flaws inherent in your potential business partner that might prevent a financial venture from being a good idea. So it mostly becomes a matter of facing the person in question and being honest about how you feel. You should never feel obligated to agree to something with which you aren’t comfortable simply to avoid hurting a family member’s feelings. Instead, you should communicate openly with the family member and explain why you don’t think the situation is likely to work. The family member might initially be hurt, but hopefully he will come to appreciate your honesty and accept your decision.

On the other hand, it can be a great idea to go into business with a family member if you truly believe that the person in question would make a good business partner. One key component of a successful business relationship is trust, and if trust is something that already exists between you and a certain relative, then you’re already one step ahead of the game. However, Elliott Connie does warn that a good business partnership also involves the ability to take criticism from one another and not allow emotions to cloud your joint decision-making skills. Therefore, when evaluating the idea of a business partnership with a particular family member, you should also ask yourself whether or not you think that person has the ability to be objective about business decisions without allowing feelings to get in the way. At the same time, you should also question your own capacity to do so in terms of your potential partner. If, at the end of the day, you’re confident that you’ll both be able to achieve that perfect separation of business and emotion, then there’s no reason why business-wise, you and a family member wouldn’t be a perfect match.

After all is said and done, the key to making a wise decision about a family-based business venture is logic coupled with honesty. By trusting your instincts about your potential business partner and allowing logic to help dictate your decision, you’ll be doing your part to ensure that business doesn’t get in the way of family, or vice versa.

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What is the Mathnasium Method?

Find out more about the Mathnasium Method.

What You Need to Know About Mathnasium

Get the scoop on life at Mathnasium.

Why Mathansium Works

How Mathnasium is different than other tutoring or learning centers.

Parents and the Mathnasium Methdod

Rimokh says that while a parent’s help in their children’s education is always invaluable, the Mathnasium method is instruction-driven, rather than parent-dependent. Read below to find out more.

Benefits of Math Success

Find why you want your child to make strides in mathmatics.

Helping Your Child Succeed at Math

Everyday, Rimokh sees children grasping math concepts that they previously didn’t understand – and gaining confidence. Find out more here.

Math Help For Struggling Students

Whether you’ve hated math since kindergarten or suddenly have found yourself at war with Algebra, have no fear! Math concepts aren’t mysterious and elusive gems of knowledge that can only be attained by those with a natural built-in calculator. All math concepts up to precalculus-  including algebra, multiplication, fractions, and much more – can be taught and mastered.

What is Number Sense?

Rimokh explains Mathnasium’s approach to providing each child with the “Number Sense” they need to achieve in Math.

How to Support Your Child’s Math Progress

Rimokh gives some some helpful advice on providing support for your child, and on how to identify and reward progress.

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Get Your Child an Academic Check-up

The end of the school year is a great time to meet with your child’s teachers and guidance counselor to talk about the passing school year and preparing for the upcoming year. Here are the 5 questions every guardian should ask.

How to Make the Most of Parent Teacher Conferences

The questions every parent should be asking teachers and guidance counselor to track a child’s strengths and progress in the classroom.

How to Build Spelling Skills

Spelling is a vital factor in how your child presents what she or he has learned. Here are some easy-to-follow suggestions that will help boost spelling skills.

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Five steps to help eliminate distractions and homework hassles.

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Any student can take positive steps to improving test scores with the preparation and test-taking guidelines.

How to Get Kids Ready for the Second Semester

Tips to help your child get motivated and back on track for the second half of the school year.

How to Prepare for Next School Year

A list of important indicators to let you know if and how your child should spend the summer months preparing for the next school year.

Raise the Bar for Summertime Learning

Keeping your child engaged outside of the classroom.

Dealing with Middle Schoolers and Academics

As your child enters middle school social status becomes more important and their academic workload increases as well. These suggestions will help prepare for the changes in your child’s mood and attitude as they enter their middle school years.

How to Find the Right College

Making sure you child ends up at the college that best fits his or her needs and aptitudes is just as important as good grades and SAT/ACT scores.

How to Keep Your Child on the College Track

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When the brain is sharpened for math, it is sharpened for other subjects as well.

When a child comes into Mathnasium, his math capabilities are analyzed in order to create a specialized curriculum that will work with his strengths and weaknesses. Based on that analysis, we create a curriculum that will go back and fill in any educational gaps and also repair any problematic learning or thinking patterns that will hinder future math success.

During the program, and certainly after the completion of it, this student will have enhanced comprehension and learning skills, particularly in relation to math. However, these learned skills will certainly prove useful in other disciplines as well as in everyday life. Reducing confusion in any area provides the opportunity for clearer thinking.

A student who exclaims, “I hate math!” most likely does not hate math (after all, who could hate math?!) but instead is just voicing her frustration or embarrassment with not being able to excel in math. Math is one of the easiest subjects to fall behind in, which can result in too many students “falling through the cracks.” A student may never truly grasp a concept but still be able to move onto the next topic unnoticed. The misunderstood concept will surely come back to make life difficult, as almost all math concepts are interconnected and in order to advance a mastery of all fundamental concepts is necessary. Struggling with math can cause discouragement that will not only affect math scores but also overall school performance.

By re-teaching these misunderstood concepts effectively and building a sturdy foundation in math ideas, Mathnasium provides each student with the knowledge that he really can “get it.” Parents whose children have completed the Mathnasium program will see not only an improvement in report card grades and test scores, but also in behavior and attitude. The confidence gained through being able to master math concepts they previously felt somewhat hopeless about gives students an attitude boost that is likely to help in all areas of life, academic and otherwise.

Independence and Initiative

A student who achieves in Mathnasium not only learns to master fundamental math skills; she also learns a valuable lesson about education…and even about life.

At one point, a student was sitting in math class, dreading being called on by her teacher and hating the fact that she simply didn’t understand her homework or the quizzes. Then she participated in the Mathnasium program, learned to analyze her thinking and boosted her math skill set and knowledge. Now she can return to math class with the confidence and skill to get an A.

The experience has taught her how to deal with overcoming obstacles by taking initiative, which is an important lesson that will surely help in other subjects and areas of life. Next time she is falling behind in a class or feeling overwhelmed while studying for a test, she will have the experience and knowledge to ask for help to make the situation better.

The experience will also give her a sense of independence. Her time at Mathnasium will have taught her to analyze her own thinking and learning, and perhaps see where she needs help. Rather than getting lost in frustration, she will have the maturity to approach the situation head-on, and she will know that through hard work and effort, it can get better.

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What is “Number Sense”? It’s the way a student thinks about numbers and understand math problems. At Mathanasium, we first try to analyze a student’s initial Number Sense, and then we work with that to create a stronger math foundation in order to allow for future great math success. The Mathnasium Method uses a unique combination of mental, verbal, visual, tactile, and written techniques to help children learn math.

Mental

Students are taught when to put down the pen and paper and use some mental math techniques. Some students have become too dependent on writing everything down and this can make problems seem more complicated than they are. At Mathnasium, students learn when and how to apply mental math techniques- techniques like taking a problem that seems big, and breaking it down into smaller parts in order to make it more easily understood and doable.

For example, 49 + 49 + 49

Instead of seeing this as a vertical problem or even 49 x 3, students are taught to mentally make it as easy as possible…50 + 50 + 50 – 3 = 147

Verbal

An important part of the Mathnasium method. Students are taught to truly understand the meaning of mathematic terms, as well as to explain their math reasoning and math thought process. This helps Mathnasium teachers help them and also helps them understand their own approach to math.

Visual

Fundamental math concepts and ideas are explained to students using compelling pictures, charts, and graphs. The Mathnasium workbooks contain many picture-based math problems. Visual aids can often provide learning breakthroughs to students who are struggling to understand a concept, transcending written word or a verbal explanation.

Tactile

Tactile or tangible aids can be effective in helping students understand a concept, and they can be very fun as well. Often using a tactile object that the student is familiar with can be especially helpful.

For example, using an incomplete pizza pie to explain fractions, or a pair of dice to explain probability.

Written

Students enrolled in the Mathnasium program get ample practice in written practice through computation (also called a “drill”), which will prove useful throughout their math education. Our workbooks help each student develop orderly mathematics thought and written skill.

For example, our printed workbooks provide comprehensive training in problem solving.

Attitude and Self-Esteem

Mathnasium teachers help to eliminate the “I Hate Math” mentality and restore each student’s confidence and love of learning. The only way to overcome frustration and feelings of low self-esteem is through success. We build each child’s confidence and self–esteem through successful encounters and interactions with carefully selected math materials. By the end of the program, each child is equipped with the skills, knowledge, and attitude necessary for success.

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We have a uniquely effective curriculum.

The Mathnasium curriculum has been developed over 30 years. We don’t just teach our students using the regular linear method that is being taught to them in the classroom. Instead, we analyze their strengths and weaknesses in order to go back and rebuild their foundation, preparing them with the skills and confidence they will need to succeed in the future.

We are instructor-driven.

When students come in to learn and “work out” at Mathnasium, they are taught by specially trained teachers using our specialized curriculum. We don’t send them home with more work to do, or ask that parents go over the material with them. Because our curriculum is so planned out and focused, we know that we can cover everything that needs to be covered during each child’s time at the Mathnasium. Students “work out” with teachers at the Mathnasium so they can be independent later, in school and at home.

We do help with schoolwork, in addition to Mathnasium method work.

While most tutors will simply go over their students homework and what material is being taught to them in the classroom, Mathnasium gets to the heart of the matter by addressing education “gaps” that are stopping our students from achieving. However, we also do assist with homework, which is a huge help for students and parents. Students who come in for their “Mathnasium Hour” will spend around half their time on Mathnasium foundation work and then will be assisted with their homework.

We don’t teach from memorization or repetition of math facts.

Rather than depending heavily upon memorization and math factoids, we focus on the understanding and mastery of concepts. For example, a student may learn from memorization that one half is equal to .50, but if he doesn’t understand the basic math principles and formula that make it so, it will not help him in figuring out what one-third is equal to.

We are exclusively math-focused.

How many times have you heard a kid (or adult) say, “I just hate math”? Too many kids fall through the cracks in math class. They miss a concept somewhere along the line, lose confidence, start dreading math class, and never really regain their math confidence. Mathnasium is here to help kids love math again, and achieve in math class. While a lot of the programs out there cover all disciplines, we remain focused and committed to math success for every child.

We are affordable and convenient.

We charge monthly rates instead of hourly rates, and our monthly charges are affordable.

At the end of the program, our students are helped permanently.

At Mathnasium, we have over a 99% success rate, and there is a reason. Our kids just don’t learn to get through their homework night by night; they learn to truly understand and master the fundamental math concepts that they will need throughout their educational career, up to pre-calculus. They also regain confidence in themselves and learn to enjoy math again. By repairing their math foundation and self-esteem, Mathnasium gives every one of its students a new opportunity for success and achievement.

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While this is certainly true, this is also a good time to take a close look at the individual factors that have collectively impacted your son or daughter’s academic achievement during the year. A realistic assessment can help you determine if the summer months should include extra work, and help you prepare for the challenges your child will face in the coming year. Here are some of the most important indicators to review, the people at Huntington Learning Center, a test preparation center located in Cave Creek, Arizona.

1. Grades: Good grades over the past year are usually a reliable indicator that your child has mastered subject matter and is performing at grade level. Poor grades could be an indicator that your child needs extra work and support in basic academic skills, such as reading and mathematics, or in skills that directly enhance learning, such as listening, following directions, and completing classwork and homework neatly and on time. Parent-teacher conferences in May and June are a good way to sum up your child’s progress during the year, and determine where extra help might be needed.
2. Homework: Looking back over the most difficult homework assignments of the year, was your child able to concentrate well enough, and for long enough, to complete the assignments successfully? Were there particular challenges – such as reading retention or computation – that held your child back? If so, you may want to create some summer learning activities that will help your child build better study skills. Special reading assignments, reports and independent projects can help strengthen these skills – especially if they are tied to subjects that your child really enjoys. Your child’s teacher should be able to offer suggestions, and you can also check the Web sites for your state’s department of education for ideas.
3. Standardized Test Results: While it’s only natural to look at test results as a simple indicator of whether or not your child is learning what’s expected, many of these tests are also a valuable resource for diagnosing particular learning needs. Look closely at the standardized tests that were given to your son or daughter in the fall and again in the spring. Review areas in which he or she excelled, or showed room for improvement. This type of information will also help you determine what types of summer learning activities will be most beneficial for filling in skill gaps and preparing your child for the coming year.
4. Portfolios and Projects: If your child has amassed a portfolio of writing assignments and projects during the year, the end of the school year is a good time to review the work as a whole. Written projects in the portfolio can be a good indicator of a child’s reasoning and organizational skills, creativity, and ability to follow through on assignments. Hands-on projects can reveal children’s success in applying what they’ve learned in a tangible, individual way. Strong performance in either of these areas can be a good indicator of your child’s ability to think through classroom lessons and demonstrate mastery of the subject matter. Poor performance could indicate difficulties in concentrating, ineffective study habits or weak time management skills.
5. Motivation and Enthusiasm for Learning: Finally, it’s a good idea to look back at your child’s enthusiasm for learning over the past year. Regardless of how intelligent or academically skilled a child is, positive motivation is one of the most important indicators of success. Ask your child’s teacher for insight about your child’s happiness in school. Does your child seem to believe he or she can succeed? Does he or she seem to enjoy exploring new subjects, and new challenges? Are there particular talents and interests that can be nurtured to enhance your child’s self-esteem and desire to achieve?

If so, think about turning down-time into learning time, and keep in mind that – while all summer learning activities should be challenging – they don’t have to make your child feel like he or she is missing out on vacation fun. All you need to do is strike a balance so that a few hours of every day or week are dedicated to shoring up the skills that will get your child off on the right foot this fall.

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After nine months of surmounting academic hurdles, your son or daughter may be hoping to sprint past the end-of-the school-year finish line without looking back. If so, you’re both missing an opportunity to meet with teachers and guidance counselors to gauge progress during the past semester and ramp up for the challenges ahead. To make the most of these meetings, ask five key questions, say the people at Huntington Learning Center, a test preparation center located in Cave Creek, Arizona.

1. Looking at the subjects that gave my child the most trouble, what particular learning skills need work? For most students, the first sign of trouble may be less-than-satisfactory grades. Sometimes a lack of effort is to blame. But problems with basic skills may also play a role. If your child never quite mastered the multiplication tables, higher-level mathematics would be especially difficult. Unexamined problems in reading may have led to significant challenges with spelling, comprehension, and retention of lessons in courses across the academic spectrum. Asking teachers for insight on the skills your child is lacking can provide useful guidance on the most productive type of remedial work over the summer.
2. Are there hidden talents that can be tapped and nurtured? Most young people also have special aptitudes and interests that can lead to higher achievement and opportunities. Teachers who have spent a lot of time with your child can have significant insight into his or her academic gifts and potential to excel with additional support.
3. What learning habits should we work on over the summer? Listening skills, time management, the ability to stay on task and respect for teachers and peers are just a few habits that have an impact on a student’s ability to complete classwork and homework and master subject matter. Teachers who have spent an entire school year with your child are usually well aware of any chronic problems your child may be facing. During the summer, you and your child can work together to address these problems in preparation for the year to come.
4. What summertime learning opportunities are offered at the school or in the community? With the implementation of the No Child Left Behind education act, many school leaders are feeling increasing pressure to ensure that all students meet rigorous standards for learning and achievement. In many districts, this concern has led to broader and more intensive summer school offerings.
   
5. What can we do as a family to foster achievement in the coming year? Learning is a year-long process that takes place both in and out of the classroom. In addition to encouraging visits to the library, museums and historical destinations, many teachers can also recommend good summertime reading lists, summer learning camps and clubs geared to students with like-minded academic interests.

It is best to schedule these meetings with your child’s teacher or counselor, so he/she has at least 20 minutes to talk with you. If schedules are too hectic, these conversations can also take place by phone or email. What’s most important is that you take the time to make contact. These meetings also offer a good opportunity to say thanks to teachers and others in the school community who have dedicated so much time and energy to your child’s success.

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Guidance Counselors and College Fairs. In a perfect world, you and your son or daughter have already spent a bit of time talking with guidance counselors about college choices by his or her sophomore or junior year. But if you haven’t, you should. These professionals are generally well-equipped to respond to questions about everything from the college application process to academic requirements to which institutions may be best-suited to your child’s needs. Make sure you also take advantage of college fairs, which usually take place in secondary schools.

Web sites and View books. Today’s higher education “marketplace” is extremely competitive, and many colleges go to great lengths to promote their offerings. For this reason, most have Web sites with virtual tours and other resources that give online visitors a detailed view of everything from academic offerings to extracurricular activities to campus life. Most also offer glossy “View books” which also describe their offerings and are available via special request.

Ranking Guides. Most school libraries also have magazines and books that spotlight institutional offerings and rank colleges and universities according to several factors. U.S. News & World Report publishes a well-known America’s Best Colleges Guide every year. The guide offers information on affordability, academic offerings, graduation rates and much more. The magazine also presents a rich array of informational offerings on its Web site.

Other Online Resources. The Internet can be a gold mine of information as long as students stay with Web sites created by reputable organizations with their best interests at heart. One of the most effective is the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). Visitors can obtain information about financial aid packages, college fairs, insight about “early admissions” policies, a college prep and admissions calendar and help in avoiding the numerous “scholarship scams” at play on the Internet. Another excellent resource is the Web site for the College Board. Created by the organization that administers the SAT, the site includes a college search engine, a great deal of information on how to determine which colleges and universities are best suited to different types of students, and plenty of information on the admissions process.

While all of these resources are excellent sources of information, they should never take the place of a campus visit. Experiencing the offerings of a school firsthand will give students the best sense of how they will fit in – and generate even more excitement for this important new phase of your son or daughter’s life.

Tags: ACTS, college, regents, SATs, test centers, testing, tests

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While most children – and their parents – look forward to long summer days, leisure time can still be a learning time. Here are some tips for keeping your child active and engaged outside of school, courtesy of the people at Huntington Learning Center, a test preparation center located in Cave Creek, Arizona.

Encourage precocious readers to reach for more challenging material. For parents of struggling or reluctant readers, goal number one may be simply finding books that are interesting enough to read from start to finish. But if your child is a strong reader, think about identifying a handful of classics that present a bit of a challenge. The American Library Association and the Young Adult Library Services Association offer a Web site featuring recommended books for young adults. Many parents may also remember and the recommend classics such as The Call of the Wild, Wuthering Heights, Treasure Island, Little Women, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and many more.

Bring other big readers into the mix. Book clubs have enriched the reading experience for many adults, but they can be enjoyable for children too. If your child and others in your neighborhood are avid readers, creating a forum where books can be shared and discussed can be a good way to strengthen comprehension and analytical skills.

Encourage ambitious independent learning projects. During the school year, students with an affinity for math and science can only spend so much time on their favorite subjects, but the summer months can offer many additional hours for learning and discovery and freedom to pursue special interests and challenges. Scientifically-minded students can find many exciting “science fair” type projects through books at their local library and through Web sites that specialize in sharing this type of information. One of the most comprehensive is the Science Fair Central site offered by The Discovery Channel at. Another great offering comes from the American Federation of Teachers, which publishes a Summer Learning Calendar.

Students who enjoy mathematics can test and strengthen their skills through Figure This!. Created by The National Science Foundation in partnership with the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, this initiative features engaging mathematics challenges that are designed to be completed by children and families together. Using colorful animated characters and extensive “real-world” applications of mathematics, the Figure This! challenges reinforce standards-based learning in algebra, geometry, measurement, data analysis and probability. While they tend to be “fun,” they’re also an effective primer for the rigorous mathematics that most students will be required to master in school.

Turn to teachers and guidance counselors for imaginative, demanding projects. After spending many months with your child, teachers and guidance counselors can also be good sources of information on summer learning activities that tie into your child’s interests and aptitudes. Talking with these educators can also give you great ideas for summertime learning opportunities that strengthen your child’s grounding in “the basics” and expand horizons and expectations for the year to come.

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