Summer School Keeps the Momentum Going

Summer will be here soon, and the educational momentum your child has been gaining doesn’t need to slow down for summer. We think you should use the summer break to give your child a head start, with one-on-one instruction and tutoring in your own home.

Imagine you have a steady regimen of jogging three miles a day, five days a week. You are in amazing shape. You eat well and have plenty of energy when the weekend comes along. Then you decide to take three months off jogging. Three months later, your legs and arms have lost their tone. You are out of breath at the top of the stairs and you have gained some fat around your midsection.

This is what happens to your child’s brain in the summer months. By the time they are back in school in September, it takes until October to get to the same fitness level as before the break. Then the holidays come and some more brain workouts are sacrificed, and your child really doesn’t get back into the momentum again until January.

Merit Academy has always recommended summer school. The reason for the three month summer “break” is outdated and extremely difficult, especially for the typical two-income working parents who need to occupy their children all summer. The American school calendar was originally designed to accommodate our agricultural society back in the 1700's. At that time, farming families depended on the summer harvest and consequently needed their children to participate in the crop and livestock workload.

Nowadays most children are not helping with the farm. Twelve weeks off from school has become a financial burden as parents scramble to find all-day camps and summer programs that act as babysitters for their young ones.

As well as being outdated, public summer school programs are mostly fluff instead of individual. Some parents with the option of “staying home” opt out of summer school completely, choosing to take small trips to the grandparents, vacations and pool days.

While taking a break and relaxing after 180 days of school can be rejuvenating, any more than four weeks off begins to have a negative effect on memory and retention.

According to education.com, children lose ground in math and reading, which unfortunately means that upon returning to school in the Fall, the teacher spends the first four to six weeks reviewing last year’s material. Students also fall out of sync with other aspects of learning such as time management and studying. Most students admit that they get bored during the summer if they don't have plans to participate in programs or work.

Students who spend their summers doing constructive activities start school in the fall ready to learn. This is why we highly recommend it.

Merit is not your typical summer school program. The Merit Summer Enrichment Program works to pinpointing what your child needs to know for the upcoming school year, and matching him or her with a tutor to fill in the educational gaps. We need to be sure your child loves reading and understand math facts before going on to the next grade. We start lessons on day one. Your child can prepare for school and college with one-on-one skill building classes.

We offer:

1. Math Skill Building
2. Reading Comprehension
3. Literature Appreciation
4. Professional Internship Program
5. Writer’s Intensive Guidance
6. Research Paper Workshop
7. College Application Essay Workshop
8. SAT I Prep
9. SAT II Intensive Workshop
10. College Advisory
11. The Personal Project

The program is something to look into if you are serious about keeping the educational momentum going. In the long run, your child will be better for it. Have a look at our Summer Enrichment Program. www.meritworld.com

***Fully Accredited by the Schools Commission of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges

***Call 831-462-5655 for more information/ Ask about our custom courses!

Let's Not Blame the World...Let's tap into one of our best resources: TEENS

"We bet on American ingenuity," Obama said when he addressed the nation in the State of the Union Address last month. "We bet on American workers."

He was talking about decreasing unemployment by creating more jobs in American manufacturing and getting people trained in areas like science and technology (in which, Obama said, there are twice as many openings as positions) so that people can go directly into jobs. Unemployment magically solved? I really wish.

Obama is betting on select groups of Americans already in the work force to be trained quickly so they can be innovative and resourceful in areas like cancer research and clean energy, but I wonder if we can start younger. We need to prep our teens in advocacy.

Every day I work with young people as a college advisor and director of Merit Academy, an alternative high school, that serves as a "think tank" for emerging minds. I know well the next generation of workers Obama is betting on. This group is a force to be reckoned with. We have a line of young thinkers ready to take on their communities and the world at large. Not every teen is wired to design a car engine that runs on hydrogen, but I have teens who have drafted artful petitions for peace and created their own community-minded businesses and donation drives for causes that matter to them. Every young person has a gift to offer this world.

Can you imagine if every teen was required to come up with their own project before graduation from high school? In the State of the Union Address, Obama was talking about making it a state requirement that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18. Grad students must complete a thesis. Medical students must complete a rotation. How about giving high school students something bigger to do?

While they are tapping their pencils in their desks for four years, shouldn't these students be making the most of their time? The teen years are a ripe and passionate time. There is no need for our youth to sit on the couch and play video games all day. I encourage all my college-bound students to start a project by the end of 8th grade, just before they enter high school, to continue until the end of high school. I show them a list of community projects that they can choose from. They may also come up with their own vision. I find out what they are all about- what interests them- what concerns them about the world.

They are asked to answer some questions such as:

What political issues upset you?

What social issues would you like to change?

What research needs to be conducted for public education?

Then there are timelines, tasks, and mentors set up to help them develop their project.

In the meantime, a teenager becomes a citizen. A young person becomes a caring community member. A kid on the couch becomes a "doer."

The kids at Merit are required to "Do a Project." But we need more of these young people. We need to change the way high schools educate our promising youth.

My students have started non-profits and businesses, published articles and books on subjects they believe in, produced films, conducted experiments. I have one student who spend her high school project creating Kids for Hydrogen, demanding an environmentally-friendly fuel. These are not students who sit around and blame the world for our problems. The reason for this is because they were given the responsibility to think for themselves and the right tools to keep good study habits. With the right mentorship, our youth will be the advocates for change.

Obama said:

...with only 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves, oil isn’t enough. This country needs an all-out, all-of-the-above strategy that develops every available source of American energy. A strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper, and full of new jobs.

I have a student who is upset about Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, who is spreading lies and disregarding advisors in his own department who say hydrogen fuel stations are ready to be marketed, and has cut almost half the federal funding for hydrogen-powered cars.

A major car manufacturer is calling me to tell me they want one of my students to get out there and rally for the hydrogen car. If my student keeps going on her promise to make the world a better place, her efforts will be the kind of resourcefulness Obama is calling for.

In my book, Beat the College Admissions Game: Do a Project! I outline viable ideas for projects with time lines and budgets. Most importantly, I give advice on how to empower your teen to do this project himself.

The echo of John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural Address seems to be the soundtrack of my train of thought. JFK is said to be one of Obama's presidential influences. Remember JFK's famous words:

And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your Country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizen of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

What if JFK were to be addressing your teenager sitting on the couch? Yes, the teen over there- texting his friends about how annoying it is that he has a paper to turn in tomorrow but wants to go see a movie with his friends.

I am involved in a movement that gives no power to the "Blame Game." It rallies the two million teens entering high school as the "American Ingenuity" that our president is hoping to dredge up. They are the untapped resource Obama and the Congress has been hoping for. These young people are at the very age when they have developed a take on the world. Do they like the laws in place? Do they agree with the money spent on war and their peers going to fight and die in other countries? Do they see our attitudes as just and fair? Do they wish things were different? Do they feel a part of the community?

I believe in your teen's potential to change the world. Now is the time to get him going on something. He may be just entering high school or perhaps a sophomore or junior, and he is going to need something to make his college application stand out from the 80 percent of high school students applying for colleges. It is the classic win-win. This is precisely the kind of motivation our young people need and they will prove to be great- if we only give them a chance.

Faulty Infrastructure: How education can help rebuild our economy

The era of the Great Depression is one of the most memorable within our nation’s young history. Very few were immune to its wrath. American citizens faced inconceivable job loss, homelessness, and hunger while the government frantically worked to solve the issues that created the downward spiral. The same could be said about today’s economy. As parents and educators, there are certain things we can do to help our children survive and thrive during these difficult times.

This week, President Obama gave a speech that focused on one solution to the unemployment epidemic: rebuilding faulty infrastructure across the U.S. that would not only beautify and repair our nation, but would also provide jobs for those out of work. Sound familiar? It should. In 1934 President Roosevelt created the Civil Works Administration, part of the New Deal, which provided jobs to over four million men and women across the nation. The newly employed wholeheartedly embraced their jobs as they fixed damaged roads, faulty bridges, parks, playgrounds and city buildings. Roosevelt’s goal was to rebuild the nation, lift broken spirits, and employ the unemployed. The parallel between Obama’s speech this week, and Roosevelt’s CWA is clear.

Of course, there are skeptics who claim that Obama is simply utilizing scare tactics to help his platform, but regardless of what side of the political fence you stand on, we can all agree on one thing: we need to decrease the unemployment rate and fast. So, what can we do to solve the unemployment problem?

Obama is on the right track with this idea. The CWA provided over four million jobs in the 1930’s, and a similar plan could very well work in today’s failing economy. Can you imagine creating four million jobs to our unemployed, virtually overnight? I will concede that while more jobs would be fantastic, it would only solve this problem temporarily. What if we could employ our youth in drumming up long-term solutions? What if we could empower them and entrust them with the ability to contribute to a flourishing economy? We most certainly can! Not only will we provide our youth with the confidence they are going to need in their adult lives, but our teens will be replacing our government officials faster than we can say “recession;” so why not educate them on the crises and allow them to contribute their ideas and solutions?

As a parent, educator, and founder of one of the most successful private schools in the nation, each of my students are required to “Do a Project” as a prerequisite to graduation. Each student chooses a project that is near and dear to them. Their projects revolve around an idea they are passionate about, and they work on it for the entirety of their high school career. Just to provide you with a few examples of the amazing projects completed by my students, some of the projects included creating the hydrogen fuel cell, the Pharmaceutical Disposal Proposal, CPR for Life, and the creation of the Progressive Brake Light System; only to name a few. These programs have reached countless people and changed society for the better, all while getting them into their top-choice colleges. The Project has the potential to change the world, and students reap the benefits when they receive letters of acceptance into the top colleges they applied for, (not to mention the satisfaction they receive knowing they have positively contributed to the society, and the knowledge that one person really does have the ability to make a difference).

In today’s economic climate, the population seems to glare at our elected politicians with a scrutinizing eye. We wonder why they have failed us, and what they will do to fix it. Sure, they should take the reins and help to solve problems like unemployment and the budget deficit; but by the same token, we should remember that old adage: if you want something done right, do it yourself. So, what are you doing to help solve our nation’s problems, because surely badmouthing our politicians isn’t going to fix a darn thing.

Talk with your family. Include your children in the conversation. If you could describe your perfect world, what would it be like, and how would you achieve it? Choose one of your ideas and put it into action. We can all make a difference, and getting our teens to do a project is a smart way to make it happen.

Need a required course to graduate? Don’t worry: there are many alternatives.

It can be challenging to enroll in all of the classes you need each semester, especially with the recent budget cuts. With fewer courses available and rising enrollment rates, completing the classes you need for your major can be a challenge. Not only do you run the risk of having to take classes you don’t want or even need, but more importantly, you may not graduate in time. For you, this means an extra year at school (and surely you’d rather be traveling or beginning your career instead). For your parents, that extra year could cost them an extra $10,000 to $50,000 depending on where you attend school. After sitting on wait lists and standing behind long lines of students trying to get into the same class, you realize you just aren’t getting in-- so now what? You have a couple of options.

First, make an appointment with your college advisor. In some cases, they may find a class you have already completed, and use it to fulfill two requirements. They can also help you select courses for the future that will fulfill multiple requirements. I once worked with a student that took an upper-division class as a freshman—not only did she pass it, but she got an A. The advisor worked with her to make that class count for two graduation requirements rather than one. Your advisor wants you to succeed just as much as you do.

Second, layout your course plan for the entire four years. By understanding what general-ed classes you need to take and selecting your major and elective courses ahead of time, you'll be able to take full advantage of your college's opportunities. When it comes time to enroll in classes, you won't be frantically combing through the Schedule of Classes to decide what classes you need and what your schedule will look like.

Third, if you know that one of the classes on your list is going to be difficult to get into, meet with the professor ahead of time to discuss why you need and want to take their class. By making a connection with the professors, they will be more inclined to select you off the wait list when the time comes for registration. If a professor wants to add you to their course, they can and will.


Another option, if all else fails, is to take the class at a different college. Oftentimes a nearby community college will offer a course that satisfies your requirements. Most universities allow up to sixty community college units towards your degree. You can also take an online course, if your college accepts them. More colleges are accepting the fact that their students may need to take additional courses off campus in order to graduate on time. And don’t worry, there is no mention of it on your diploma.

Getting into the classes you need can be extremely stressful. Waiting an extra day, or even an extra hour past your enrollment time could mean the difference between a timely graduation and another year. Courses fill up in a matter of minutes, so be sure you know your enrollment time and set your alarm so you don't miss it!. If you are on top of it all, and you still can’t get in, don’t fear--there are usually other options out there. Last, and most importantly: don’t forget to carefully layout your entire four-year plan so selecting courses at your enrollment time slot is easy and not burdened with choosing classes.

Let them have their cake and eat it too!

Your children don't need to sacrifice their joyful youth in order to have an exceptional academic career. . . this is the story of how my girls pursued their passions and interests, and still graduated from Stanford and Claremont McKenna College.

I am an American Tiger Mom. What kind of parent are you? Have you wondered if your friends parent the same way in the privacy of their own homes as they do in front of others? Perhaps you appear calm, collect and in control while others are watching, but behind closed doors, your kids rule the roost. Speaking for myself, an American Tiger Mom’s parenting style is unwavering whether there is an audience or not. So again I ask: what kind of parent are you… and why? Is your method of parenting going to result in your children’s success or demise?

New parents don’t receive a how-to book on the proper way to raise our children; so we utilize every resource we can to help us raise our children into happy, healthy, and independent adults. We reference our own childhoods, examining what our parents did that worked and what didn’t. We look to other parents to admire and emulate their successes, while scrutinizing other’s blatant failures. Much of parenting is trial and error, but it all comes down to one thing: we don’t want to lose our kids. As parents leave the hospital with their precious newborns in tow, and without that ever-desired parenting manual, they can find solace in knowing that there are some tried and true ways of successful childrearing. Having raised two daughters who are well-rounded, happy and extraordinarily successful, I want to share with others what has worked for me as an American Tiger Mom.

I know that my children are intelligent, skillful leaders. I made it a priority to provide them with a strong academic foundation so that they would be able to choose the best-fit college and career, enabling them to lead happy and fulfilled lives. An American Tiger Mom exposes her children to music, dance and the arts so they may lead enriched lives, complete with a strong academic foundation. While some may scrutinize my way of parenting as overly-strict, I am quick to remind them that I never deprived my children of their social lives or striped them of their personal identities. They are confident young ladies with their own interests; I am only here to support and reassure them that they are fully capable of accomplishing anything.

In the parenting world, we are labeled and categorized based on our parenting styles. The most widely used titles include the Tiger Mom, the Helicopter Mom, and more recently, the American Tiger Mom. Each subcategory of mother is quite different, although we do have something in common: we all think we are doing what is in our child’s best interest. I can assure you however, that each of these parenting styles is very different.

The Tiger Mom has been called the dictator of all mothers. You may recall Amy Chua’s book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” where she boasted that her children were never allowed to attend a sleepover, have a play date, watch television, play video games, or choose their own extracurricular activities. They were forced to master the piano and violin, and were strictly forbidden to explore other musical interests. She proudly admits to calling one of her daughters “garbage.” Convinced that her kids are successful because of her authoritarian parenting style, she is eager to claim that all Tiger Mom’s are superior. Where then do we see the individuality and leadership in these children? The Tiger Mom is afraid that her children are incapable of finding the correct passion, so she makes executive decisions and drills them relentlessly until they have become the people she wants them to be. While this may work in some societies, it denies the children the opportunity to explore their interests and to experience their youth like their peers in our American culture.

Another infamous type of parent is the Helicopter Mom. Simply put, she hovers. She is always one step ahead of her children so that she can fight their battles. She prevents any possible failures, and will even boast that her child got an A on their last science project…. Because she did it herself! The Helicopter Mom often does her child’s homework so that they are not inconvenienced by doing “busy work.” By doing their schoolwork for them, Helicopter Moms are sending a message to their children that they don’t believe they can succeed on their own. There was an incisive article published by CNN recently titled “What teachers really want to tell parents.” The article aptly discussed the many ways that helicopter parents are helping their children fail in school (and in life for that matter) because of their parenting style. In addition to doing everything for their child short of eating their meals for them, the Helicopter Mom is adamant that her kids are signed up for as many activities as possible. Keeping up with the Jones’ is extremely important to her, and she gets an immense amount of satisfaction from being able to say that she spent her entire day driving her kids to every paid activity that her community offers. Even if their actions are genuinely well-intended, Helicopter parents are setting their kids up for a lifetime of failure.

Surely if you are reading this article, parenting is an important aspect of your life. As an American Tiger Mom, an educator, and the founder of one of the nation’s most elite private schools, I can honestly say that as I reflect on the way my daughters were raised, I am proud! My girls have made inspiring contributions to society, have graduated from Stanford University and Claremont McKenna College; and they did not have to sacrifice their childhoods to do so.

Sending kids off to college during a recession

I read an article at Today.com that explored the correlation between home values and college attendance; and once again, I began to think about families who are struggling in this recession and how they will provide their children with a higher education.

The article, "Want to go to college, kid? Check the home value," took into account statistics from the 2000's when the housing market was thriving, compared to the deteriorating housing market of our current decade. The article suggests that when home values are up, so are college attendance rates; but I am not convinced this is accurate. I would suggest rather, that parents encourage their children to complete their general education requirements at the local community college prior to receiving their diploma at a four-year college. Tuition, fees and living expenses for a California junior college students are currently estimated to be around half of what it costs to attend a University in California. Those costs can be cut even more substantially if the student lives at home during their time at community college. The numbers speak for themselves: California Community College per year is $5,650, whereas the yearly cost of sending your child to a UC is $28,600. Quite a difference! The best part about this option...once your child transfers to a four-year school and graduates, there is no mention of the junior college on their diploma. So, even if home values are plummeting, parents still want to see their kids get their education, and this is a reasonable avenue that many people are taking advantage of.

With that said, I have seen the junior college option both succeed and fail. The deciding factor: whether the student plans out their four year college plan. Merit offers four-year plan to help the student understand their options before before they head off to college. With the parents' support, the student is more likely to stay on course and complete their degree in 4 years than if they just start taking classes and make course decisions based on availability and personal whims. The student is also more inclined to sign up for classes at the first opportunity because they won't have to scramble to see which classes they need to take. What many students don't realize is that every minute they delay registration puts them at risk for falling behind-- if they wait to sign up for a class, they need it may become unavailable, thereby postponing their transfer. Due to recent budget cuts, many of the coveted classes are more difficult to get into; and if they can't take the classes they need according to the plan that was laid out, this could add a year to their college stay. What does that mean for the person footing the bill? Anywhere between $10,000 and $55,000 per year! If they cannot get into a class, I suggest taking an online course, or even attending a nearby community college to be sure they stay on schedule. For the critical courses, the student should contact the professor directly to ensure enrollment.

Lastly, it is important to acknowledge that sending your child off to college can be a risky investment. There are some kids who don't plan on taking college seriously. They aren't ready for the real world and look at college as a great opportunity to party with friends for four years, and this will most certainly put your finances at risk. Rob and I safeguarded our pocketbooks, while simultaneously encouraging our daughters' academic success by creating "contracts" that showed them that we would happily support them if they got good grades, but that they were on their own if their grades dropped.

The fact is, we are all living in a recession right now; to what degree depends on the individual family. Even if the value of your home has fallen, there are realistic options when it comes to sending your child off to college. Their education doesn't have to break the bank, and your financial woes don't have to affect their future.

Are your children empowered with the necessary study and time-management skills needed for academic success?

As a new academic year begins, it is crucial that students possess the ever-important skills of studying and time management. These two skills are inseparable from each other, and once mastered, they are the key to educational achievement.

The same poor excuses for bad grades have been used for generations: “I am a bad test taker,” “My teacher didn't give us a study guide,” “I have a bad short-term memory.” Surely you have heard someone use at least one, if not all of these explanations for bad performance in school; and maybe you’ve even used them yourself. These excuses are nothing more than that -- excuses. Many students claim that they learn best by reviewing their notes the night before the test and that when they study earlier in the week, they just forget everything by the time they take their tests. These students will also tell you that they can't remember the information that they aced for the test the following week, which means that it was not commited to long-term memory. Without learning the material well enough to understand it, they will inevitably do poorly on the final exam or any tests that build on concepts learned the previous week. With the right study skills, however, anyone can excel in each of their classes, even if they do prefer English over math.

Let’s say for instance that you know your high-school student has a test coming up at the end of the week. You ask them if they are studying each day, and they reply with an honest “yes.” To them, looking through their notes or completing a homework study guide is studying. When they get C's on their tests, they blame the grade on "difficult tests" but they don't realize that what really happened was that they didn't understand the material on the test because they weren't prepared. Simply flipping through flashcards and reviewing a study guide doesn’t cut it. Your student needs to understand all of the material. It's not just memorizing facts but having a comprehensive understanding. If your son or daughter is able to have a discussion on the subject and capable of arguing how they came to their conclusion, they are on the right track. As an educator, I have heard every excuse in the book when a student does poorly; and alternatively, I have seen students ace their tests when they prepare by studying the way I advise them to.

First and foremost, effective study skills revolve around proper time management. The only way for your child to finish all of their tasks and to get good grades is to prioritize and manage their time, this way, nothing important is forgotten. My students use their planners to abide by a “four-day plan” when preparing for a test. If your child has a vocabulary test on Friday, then beginning on Monday, the student makes flash cards that will help them study throughout the week. Writing the information down is an act of effective studying in and of itself. On Tuesday, they use their flashcards to write out sentences for each word. Again, reading and re-writing help to cement the information into long-term memory. Wednesday they take a practice test. When they are done, they will see what areas need extra work prior to test date. By Thursday, they should have the majority of their practice tests mastered. If they are still having difficulty in any specific area, they still have a day to meet with their teacher. Not only will this help the student to conceptualize all of the information, but it will also show the teacher that your child is dedicated to learning and has the desire to succeed. This is something that will not be forgotten as they are grading tests! Having a planner is crucial to this process because they block off chunks of time to study each day, and your student can see how this time fits into their daily schedule. Accounting for studying, socializing, eating and even a nap will ensure that everything gets done in a timely manner.

The four-day plan is not limited to test taking. These study skills can be utilized for learning concepts, writing papers, or doing projects throughout the year, and not just in crunch time. The four-day plan should be repeated weekly, and when done so properly, test time is much easier because your student already knows, understands, and owns the information they will be tested on. Students at Merit abide by the following weekly schedule: Monday includes reading, highlighting and outlining materials. The student re-writes the information in a way that makes sense to them. On Tuesday, they are encouraged to seek out multiple perspectives on the subject. For instance, if they have been studying the hydrogen fuel cell in class, they should go online and/or to the library and read additional materials. This allows them to get a more complete understanding on the subject, and not just a one-dimensional perspective. On Wednesday the student re-writes all of the information they have collected through reading, lectures, secondary sources, etc. Compiling all of the information will help them to put all of the pieces of the puzzle together- it will all start clicking. By Thursday, the student should be able to have a discussion on the subject. If they were to be challenged on the information they are presenting, they should be able to argue their point; understanding that there are no black and white answers. If they are able to do this, they have a full conceptual understanding of the material, and not just what is required for answering specific questions. Finally, on Friday, I have them do their “All’s.” “All’s” combine all of the information they have studied this week, with all of the information they have learned from the beginning of the school year. By doing their “All’s” they truly understand what they are learning, while simultaneously preparing for comprehensive final exams at the end of the semester.

If this seems like a rigorous study process, that’s because it is. I can assure you though, that it is through this method alone that I have seen my students succeed. Like everything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. If you do the work now, you will undoubtedly see the returns later. These study skills will be invaluable when your child enters college, because they will truly have the “right” kind of study skills they need for a more challenging and rigorous education.