Tips for Creating a Solid Summer Schedule for Your Child
By Dennis Urban
on Saturday, May, 13th, 2017 in summer.
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By Dennis Urban
on Saturday, May, 13th, 2017 in summer.
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Tips for Creating a Solid Summer Schedule for Your Child
By Guest Blogger Frank Lawson, Edutude.net
The words “summer” and “schedule” may induce groans from your freedom-loving child, but when it comes down to it they need a little bit of structure in their lives – even during the summer. Not only does it help to make sure your child spends their summer months in a productive manner, but it also helps them to stay out of trouble. Don’t let them know this, but setting a schedule can even provide them more, not fewer, fun summer experiences. Here are some tips for creating a solid summer schedule for your child.
Let your kids be involved in the schedule making
It’s your child’s summer, after all. You want it to be filled with fun activities. If you let your child help you make their summer schedule, they’ll be much more likely to go along with it.
One trick is to create a pool of summer activities. Make your child build their schedule from this pool. Populate this pool with fun activities as well as the ones you really want on there, like reading/tutoring time and summer community projects.
Schedule one “educational” activity per day
Learning shouldn’t stop when school stops. If you keep your child’s education going throughout the summer, they’ll be less likely to fall behind when school starts back up. Make sure to schedule an educational activity every day of the summer. This can be reading, tutoring, watching a documentary, or taking a trip to a museum or national landmark. Be creative, but make sure you’re keeping your child’s brain engaged.
Don’t forget to make the schedule somewhat similar to the school year schedule
There’s nothing worse than having a child who has spent their whole summer on a weird schedule, only to be completely shellshocked when they are forced to get back into a regular routine. You can prevent this by making the summer schedule closely mimic the normal year schedule.
“[Summer] may be different than during the school year, never the less, they still need a routine. Have them wake up, shower, and go to bed around the same time every day. Maintaining a regular daily routine will keep them healthy, happy, and productive,” says one solid suggestion.
Break up the home monotony with summer camp
Everyone needs a break from the dog days of summer. Life at home can get a little boring for all parties involved. Summer camp is a good way to get a break from the monotony. Make room for it in your child’s summer schedule.
“Children need resiliency skills: self-esteem, life skills, self-reliance, and pro-social behaviors. The camp experience offers a nurturing environment away from the distractions and, in some cases, the hostile environment of the city,” notes the American Camp Association.
Social education is just as important as book learning, and sending your child to a summer camp for part of the summer with give them this opportunity. Not only that, but you’ll cherish the few weeks you’ll have to yourself (and no, it’s not bad to admit that). Talk to your child about summer camp. Ask them if they want to experience the full 24/7 camp experience or would rather come home at nights. Think about whether they are focused enough on a single activity to attend a specialty camp.
Summer is a time for fun and freedom – but it’s also an opportunity to keep your children on a well-rounded schedule that will set them up for success throughout the year. When kids have too much spare time, the risk of developing bad habits increase. Talk to your kids about the dangers of experimenting with drugs and alcohol, and make sure they know they can talk to you in a judgement-free environment. This, coupled with a strict but flexible schedule, will keep your child safe and happy this summer.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, September, 18th, 2016 in advanced placement review, ap bio, ap calc, ap macro, ap psych, apush.
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Long Island Regents Prep is excited to announce the publication of our new AP Review Books. Each book includes nearly 500 practice AP questions with detailed answer explanations. You can find them on Amazon!
Feel free to contact us with any questions you have about our AP Review Books.
Good luck with the new school year!
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, September, 11th, 2016 in ACT, SAT.
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College is expensive, and it’s not getting any cheaper. Which is why there are billions of dollars in merit-based grants and scholarships available. Doing well on your SAT and ACT can increase your eligibility for these awards from schools, states, and private companies.
Hundreds of public and private colleges and universities offer merit scholarships based on students’ standardized test scores. Higher SAT and ACT scores not only increase your chances of getting accepted, but can also increase the amount of financial aid you’re eligible for. Depending on the school, students with good test scores can earn anywhere from a few thousand dollars to a full ride.
For example, at The University of Arizona, merit-based scholarships are offered to in-state and out-of-state residents based on GPA and SAT or ACT scores. If you’re an in-state resident with a minimum GPA of 3.25 and CR&M SAT scores of 1110, or ACT scores of 24 or higher, you could get a scholarship award of $2,000 or more per year. Out-of-state residents will receive a minimum scholarship award of $8,000 per year. Keep in mind, these are the minimum requirements — if you have higher test scores, you can receive even more financial aid, exceeding $13,000 per year.
At private institutions, such as Villanova University, the average merit scholarship is around $10,000 with a minimum SAT score of 1310 or ACT score of 30. At Emory University, the average merit scholarship is about $21,000 for a minimum SAT score of 1365 or ACT score of 31. A simple Google search for your top college choices along with the search term “merit scholarships” will generate useful and money-saving results.
Many states across the country also offer scholarships based on SAT and ACT scores. Louisiana, for example, offers the TOPS Performance Award and the TOPS Honors Award for students who score at least 23 or 27 on the ACT. Missouri’s Bright Flight Program offers $3,000 to students scoring in the top 3 percent of the state on the SATs or ACTs. So definitely check out your state’s education department website to see if it offers similar merit scholarships.
One of the most famous and prestigious private scholarships is the National Merit Scholarship Program, which requires students to score in the top 1 percent nationally on the PSAT. Even though the PSAT is practice for the real SAT, it counts for a lot.
Many private merit-based scholarships are specific to students’ backgrounds or areas of interest. Search the Internet, use personalized scholarship matching tools like UNIGO’s Scholarship Match, and get yourself some private merit scholarships for college!
Invest in your future — register for LI Regents Prep’s SAT and ACT Review Classes to raise your SAT and ACT scores.
A different version of this article first appeared at Unigo.com.
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, June, 5th, 2016 in regents, Regents Review, regents schedule.
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Thanks to everyone who attended our AP, SAT, and Regents Review Classes over the past few weeks at SUNY Farmingdale! Below is a schedule of the June 2016 NYS Regents Exams. Good luck!
Students must verify with their schools the exact times that they are to report for their State examinations.
*Conversion Charts for this exam will be available no later than June 23, 2016.
English Language Arts (Common Core)
Physical Setting/Earth Science
By Dennis Urban
on Tuesday, May, 24th, 2016 in flacs exam, spanish.
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Five years ago, when the NYS Board of Regents discontinued its foreign language Regents exams, many educators worried that New York schools would drop their foreign language requirements for students. In our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world, students in the United States benefit enormously from learning languages other than English. The evidence is overwhelming: language learning supports academic growth, benefits cognitive development, and promotes positive attitudes toward cultural diversity. It’s important to note that although New York State eliminated the foreign language Regents exams, it did not scrap its curriculum standards for Languages other than English (LOTE). The foreign language requirement remains for students wishing to obtain a Regents Diploma.
To assess students in their learning of World Languages, the Foreign Language Association of Chairpersons and Supervisors (FLACS) has developed exams that include speaking, listening, reading, and writing sections. These FLACS exams, which are given in middle school and high school, integrate the requirements of students’ language curriculum (Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish) with Common Core Standards.
To meet the demand of students who are enrolled in Spanish classes throughout Long Island, we are offering 1-day review classes for the FLACS Checkpoint A (middle school) and FLACS Checkpoint B (high school) exams in Spanish. Both classes will be offered on Saturday, June 18th, from 9:00AM to 4:00PM at Farmingdale State College, and will cost $160. As with all of our classes, the FLACS Spanish Review courses are developed and taught by experienced NYS-certified teachers.
To register, call 516-847-1265 or send a check to Long Island Regents Prep, PO Box 1021, Bellmore, NY 11710. Please include student’s name, address, phone number, email address, and indicate Spanish FLACS A or Spanish FLACS B.
FLACS Spanish Exam Review Class
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, April, 24th, 2016 in ap exams, ap review classes.
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AP Exams begin right after the break on May 2nd! For AP students, this makes for a rather tricky spring break– it’s tough to relax with a big exam right around the corner.
Our advice is to make a schedule for this week off, so students can clearly separate when it’s time to study and when it’s time to unwind. And of course, we’d love to see you at the end of the break at our AP Review class!
Click here to see the AP Exam Schedule.
Long Island Regents Prep’s AP Review classes are designed to provide students extra help as they get closer to exam day. Our AP Review is scheduled for May 1st and May 7th, the weekends before the exams.
Just think of all that preparation: a year of coursework, in-class review, and our intensive, one-day, six-hour review session. Students will enter exam day with all of the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed.
Click here to learn more and register!
Long Island Regents Prep is holding AP review classes in all of the major subjects, with experienced, NY State certified teachers and effective review materials. Our courses are held at Farmingdale State College, in comfortable, state-of-the-art classrooms. All students have the opportunity to ask questions, review major course concepts, and learn high-scoring test strategies.
Now is the time to register for our spring review courses, before seats fill up!
AP Biology
AP Chemistry
AP Environmental Science
AP European History
AP Physics 1
AP Psychology
AP Statistics
AP U.S. Government
AP U.S. History
AP World History
By Dennis Urban
on Friday, March, 25th, 2016 in Long Island.
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Long Island Regents Prep sponsors NY Lizards home opener.
Long Island Regents Prep, a local tutoring and test preparation company, is proud to be the sponsor of the New York Lizards for their 2016 home opener. The Lizards return to Long Island after winning the 2015 Steinfeld Cup, the trophy for the champion of the Major League Lacrosse League. The fans will receive trading cards of their favorite Lizards players, including 2015 League MVP, Greg Gurenlian.
“Long Island Regents Prep is one of the only test prep companies to serve Long Island exclusively,” said co-owner Dennis Urban. “As full-time teachers, we are committed to helping all students succeed on their Regents, AP, SAT exams.”
Long Island Regents Prep was founded in 2009 by NYS-certified public school teachers Michael Graziosi, Brad Seidman, and Dennis Urban who, through their professional experiences, realized the need for a teacher-driven test prep program. The company has expanded from its original 8 Regents review courses to 23 different review courses for the SAT, AP, and Regents exams, and it has served more than 3,000 students. In Fall 2016, Long Island Regents Prep will offer a new test prep class for the ACT program. Their one-day review courses are conveniently located on the Farmingdale State College campus. For more information and to register for review courses, liregentsprep.com.
The New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) were founded in 2001 as one of the league’s six original teams. Formerly the Long Island Lizards, the team won the Steinfeld Cup in its inaugural season, 2001, 2003 and 2015. In 2016, the Lizards will play seven home games at Hofstra University’s James M. Shuart Stadium. For more information or to purchase tickets go to NYLizards.com. The New York Lizards are owned by majority owner Medallion Financial Corp, Vice Chairman, Richard Mack, and other investors.
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, March, 13th, 2016 in ap review classes, regents review classes, SAT review.
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Spring is almost here, so it’s time to start thinking about your Regents, APs, and SATs. Long Island Regents Prep is entering its 7th year of offering review classes at Farmingdale State College! We’ve taught over 3,000 students from New York since 2009, and we continue to expand each year. In the fall we will begin offering ACT Review Classes. For now, check out our schedule below for our Regents Review Classes, AP Review Classes, and SAT Review Classes!
Long Island Regents Prep
By Dennis Urban
on Sunday, March, 13th, 2016 in reading, test prep, testprep.
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Reading for Pleaure…and for Test Prep
When we ask ourselves what students can do to prepare for standardized testing, there is one simple answer: “Read, read, read.” Here follow four pivotal questions students should think about, attempt to answer, and make changes in their reading life to be better prepared academically.
The single most important thing you can do to prepare yourself for all standardized tests is to spend a reasonable amount of time, every day reading! Why? Reading definitely increases your vocabulary; it builds and improves all your language skills; it adds a great deal to your ability to analyze any problem in any content area. It has the ability to provide you with important background knowledge for any subject. Reading also builds your own confidence by empowering you to talk about people, places, and events. In addition, it’s great to read language as it is used by authors. Furthermore, reading the writings of others is an excellent way to help you improve your own writing! Developing a reading routine—meaning spending a reasonable amount of time reading everyday is truly the daily vitamin that will make you a stronger test-taker in every subject.
Novels can definitely be great reads. They can stimulate your imagination. They can give you insight into the human condition. They can help you understand conflicts and resolutions. And there are so many types of fiction that you can read—historical fiction, science-fiction, detective and mystery fiction, horror fiction, romance, etc. And those genres are not restricted to novels. There’s an entire universe of short stories out there on every possible theme!
But when considering becoming a better student and preparing for standardized testing the best answer to the question, “Should I just read novels?” is, “Absolutely not!” Biographies, autobiographies, and non-fiction are under-appreciated for their excellent value to us. For one thing, they are among the richest source of factual information. Biographies expand our content knowledge when we read the lives of figures in any field of life’s endeavors—figures in history, explorers, scientists in every scientific field, mathematicians, musicians, artists, athletes and so on. There is no better way to understand these fields than through those whose lives have been dedicated to them. And in biographies and non-fictions, we may come to understand how others have overcome obstacles, dealt with tragedy, faced handicaps, fought for human rights, etc. These works are loaded with extremely valuable life lessons. Through these works, you can also increase your own self-discovery; you will likely see the world in new ways; you will come to new understanding of current affairs, history, politics, and physical and mental health. Biographies, autobiographies, and non-fiction have the capacity to make you a better, more knowledgeable, and more aware individual. They are a treasure trove of knowledge which can only help you be a better student and be better prepared for standardized testing.
Whether you’re reading books electronically or in print, there is something to be said for owning your own personal library at home. It doesn’t have to be large. It just has to be yours. That’s what makes it rich! It will help you remember the great books you’ve read—and their authors. It will motivate you to pick up a book and read. It will serve as a resource for your writing and other assignments. Although there are no rules for a personal library, here are some suggestions of what it could consist of:
(If the books readily accessible, it greatly increases the likelihood of your reading them.)
(They don’t have to be masterpieces. They may be books on music, sports, animals—whatever you’re interested in.)
(A few textbooks and reference works can be very helpful in doing assignments and projects.)
Once you have your own personal library, you’ll be amazed how easy it’ll be to grow it.
There probably isn’t one answer to this question; if you can list your five favorite books as well as name your favorite author or authors, you very likely have an excellent reading background. If not, it’s a sign that you need to read more books and discover authors who speak to you! This can become an academic and intellectual goal. It won’t take long, and it will make you a more intelligent individual who is better prepared academically.
There may even be a more practical reason for knowing your favorite books and authors. For a college interview, will you be able to answer such questions as, “Who is your favorite author?” “What are you reading these days?” “What’s the most interesting book you’ve ever read?” The interviewer will learn a great deal about you from that answer!
By Dennis Urban
on Friday, February, 19th, 2016 in advanced placement, advanced placement review, ap exams, ap review classes.
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