Homework, Homework, Homework: 10 Sites to Help Your Teens

Homework headaches – HELP!

Is the stress of homework getting you down? Do you need some help studying for that final exam but don’t know where to turn? If so, you will find this list of 10 online homework helper sites is just what you need to get the learning-ball rolling again.

The best part of these sites is that they are all available to you FREE of charge!

1. Cliff Notes.com This site is basic and probably one of the easiest to navigate, but don’t let that fool you; there are informational study aides for all high school subjects. Cliff notes: they’re not just for literature anymore.
2. Infoplease has several interactive tools that will ease your learning. There are calculators for distances, a conversion chart, a place to find latitudes and longitudes, a thesaurus and atlas and dictionary, quizzes and timelines! When it comes to needing homework help and information, this is the place to go!
3. At Discovery Education you will find multimedia resources to help you complete and excel with those tough assignments. This site also includes a huge assortment of parent and teacher resources, so everyone can find something to do and learn.
4. Scholastic is not just for book orders. This site has a “homework hub” of activities that reinforce learning, while at the same time allows you to have some fun.
5. Fact Monster: is a site of lists and lists of facts, but that’s not all; it is brimming with information, quizzes, reference materials, encyclopedia, almanac, and links to other sites. You need it? It’s here!
6. Even the well known site, Yahoo, can help you with your homework. This site gives you the opportunity to post your question and get a specific answer. The nice thing is that all the other posted questions from the past are archived, so you can go through those questions and answers to find even more information.
7. The Homework Spot is your homework connection place, with links to hundreds of other sites for information on every subject. Because it is organized by grade level, the homework help you need is easy to find. Help for all ages and subjects are just a click away.
8. One of the pages that homeworkspot.com links to is Ed helper . This is a great site where you will find actual worksheets for practicing skills in all areas from pre-k to high school level.
9. Let’s focus on one subject this time: Math. This site is math, math and more math; everything you’ve always needed to know about math, from practice sets to games, tools and links to online tutors.  This site has it all.
10. Jiskha.com is another one of those sites that allows you to post questions about all subject areas. This site is quite similar to the Yahoo site with one added feature: if you are in a hurry or really don’t “get –it” you can chat “real time” with a tutor who will help.  There is a cost of $.99/minute for this service, which may be well worth the cost!

When looking for help with your homework you might also want to consider contacting your local library. Many libraries have online tutoring/Q and A sessions, all for free.  Also, if you prefer a more one-on-one instructional format for homework help, there are several other sites that will connect you with a tutor for a fee.

Source:  Internet Provider

Most libraries offer free tutoring services.  The Broward County Library offers free tutoring programs.  Click here for more information.

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Spying on your teens online?

October is National Cyber Safety Awareness Month (NCSAM).

Does your teen know more about technology than you do?

It is time to catch up and be proactive in keeping your kids safe both online and off.

When safety trumps privacy – be a parent in the know!

Teens have access to unprecedented amounts of technology, and the problem is, they usually know how to use it better than their parents. With sexting, cyberstalking, cyberbullying and internet predators in abundance, parents need to closely monitor what their teens are doing on the internet and beyond. The best way to do this is to use the newest technology available to spy on their teens. Kids may not appreciate it, but it’s important for parents to know what their teens are up to at this impressionable age when they don’t always make good decisions.

Here are 10 ways to use technology to spy on your teen.

1. Nanny cam – Originally used to monitor in-home caregivers, nanny cams can be used to spy on your teens as well. These hidden cameras can be installed in common household objects and placed strategically throughout your home. Parents of teens may consider putting one in their teen’s bedroom to make sure their child is not engaging in inappropriate behavior when they’re not home.
2. Facebook – Friend your teens on facebook to monitor what they’re posting on their facebook page. If you suspect they are blocking you from some of their postings, you could get sneaky and pose as someone else, such as another teen, to find out what they’re really up to.
3. Twitter – It’s also a good idea to follow your kids on Twitter to see what they’re tweeting about. Your teen will be more likely to be careful about what they tweet if they know you’re watching. This can help prevent inappropriate pictures being sent into cyberspace where they will live on forever.
4. Internet search history – Periodically check your teen’s internet search history on their computer to see what they looking at when they surf the web. Are they doing research for homework or just watching You Tube? Make sure you block any porn sights and check to see if the blocks are still in place. Teens will find ways to get around your parental controls, so hold them accountable if they do.
5. Email – While you’re at it, check on their email history too. Teens won’t like the fact that you’re doing this and will accuse you of invading their privacy. This is a legitimate concern, but so is your concern for their safety. Unless you know that they’re using the computer responsibly, they shouldn’t be allowed to use it unsupervised.
6. Computer monitor – If you want to know what your teen is doing on their computer and are concerned they will delete any information they don’t want you to see, you can install a monitor to keep track of their computer activity. These monitors can record every keystroke, websites visited, take screen snapshots and give you detailed reports. This is the best way to monitor chat rooms, email and any social networking your teen is engaging in.
7. Remote monitoring – The technology is also available to have these monitoring reports sent to your email so you can stay informed of your teen’s activities while you’re away from home. This is a great feature if you travel a lot for business. It’s also a good way for your child to let you know instantly if they’re in trouble.
8. Cell phone monitor – You can get a similar monitoring system to track your child’s cell phone activity. These devices will send you reports on their calls, texting, location, web history and any pictures taken. Teens with mobile phone technology are more likely to use it than their home computers. This is also a great way to deter teen abductions and know instantly if anything goes wrong.
9. Car monitor – Teens don’t always use good judgment when they get behind the wheel, so a car monitor is another way to use technology to spy on them. These GPS devices not only track where your kids are going, but what speed they’re driving and if they’re out past their curfew. They can even be set to give your teen an audible warning if they’re driving recklessly and emit an ear piercing sound if they’re driving too fast or staying out too late.
10. Home security – Many people have security systems installed in their homes that can be used to spy on their teens. Security cameras can be reviewed plus checking the alarm history can let you know the exact time your child enters and leaves the house.

Of course your teen is not going to like all this spying, especially if you are doing it on the sly, so be sure to let them know what you’re doing and why. Be careful not to overreact over every little piece of information you get or your teen will find ways to get around your monitoring. There’s a delicate balance between ensuring your child’s safety and just plain being snoopy. Give them as much privacy as you can, but be ready to broach their boundaries if you think they’re in real danger.

Source:  My ISP Finder

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PEERx: Who Are Your Teens Choosing as Friends?

Get the facts!

What path will your teen choose?

National Drug Facts Week is Monday, October 31st through Sunday, November 6th, 2011.

Sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Drug Facts Week is an annual official health observance designed to shatter the myths and spread the facts about drug abuse and addiction.

National Drug Facts Week (NDFW) is a health observance week for teens that aims to shatter the myths about drugs and drug abuse. Through community-‐based events and activities on the Web, on TV, and through contests, NIDA is working to encourage teens to get factual answers from scientific experts about drugs and drug abuse. Download the NDFW Info Sheet!

PeerX: RX abuse is drug abuse.

Over and over again parents will say that it isn’t their kid, it is the peer group they are hanging with.

Really?

Isn’t it your teen making the choice to be with them?

Until parents move out of denial, it is almost impossible to get your teen help.  Not only is it the teen that has to admit they have a problem, the parents have to face the fact that their child is making some very poor choices.  As with many parents, they are afraid of the stigma – afraid of what family or friends will think, but what about your teens future?  Doesn’t that take priority?

Are you ignoring teen drug use signs?

Check out 10 quick tips to help prevent teen drug use: Click here.

Do you have a teen that you suspect is using drugs? Have you exhausted all your local resources? Take the time to learn about residential therapy, visit www.HelpYourTeens.com. Each teen and family are unique, there are many teen help programs, knowing how to locate the one best for you can be a challenge, however Parents’ Universal Resource Experts in Broward County, can help, starting with a free consultation.

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Be an educated parent, you will have healthier teens.

It’s that time again: Parent-Teacher Conferences – Tips to make the most of your time with your teen’s teacher

It was only a short time ago parents were scrambling to get school supplies and their kids ready for a new school year.

Now the time is nearing for parents.

Parent teacher conferences are usually set for October. 

Are you ready?

Here are some tips to help you get the most from your time with your child’s teachers.

Before the conference:

• Check grades and teacher expectations. Many schools post student’s grades on their Student Information System. So review your child’s past work. There’s no reason to get caught off guard.
• Jot questions and prioritize concerns. Take a few minutes to jot down questions for the teacher. Take those with you so you won’t forget to ask. Also, don’t forget to ask your kid if there is anything the teacher might tell you that you don’t know. (It’s always best to not be surprised.)
• Meet your needs. If you need extra set of “ears” to be with you, you feel intimidated, or worry the teacher may use jargon you don’t understand, bring a friend (a neighbor, relative, older child). If you need a translator (language or sign), call the school to arrange one. Let the teacher know before the conference if you are in a contentious divorce or if your partner requests to come to the conference separately.
• Block time. The teacher has scheduled only a set amount of time, so you will want to use every second wisely and not be distracted. Arrange a baby sitter for a younger child and allow ample time to get there.

Here are the four areas of learning to discuss during the conference:

• Academic: Find out what your child’s strongest and weakest subjects are, how he compares to the other students and if he is keeping up with the workload. You might ask: “If you were to evaluate my child now, what would his grade and average test score be in each subject? “If the teacher uses educational terms that you’re not familiar with, ask for a simpler explanation. Ask to see specific examples of any academic problem so you know how to help or if a tutor might be helpful.
• Social: Find out how your childgets along with others. Let the teacher know of any bullying or repeated peer rejection and create a safety plan. Ask for recommendations for a new friend if there are social problems.
  
• Behavior: Find out how your child behaves around peers and adults and if he is showing up on time and prepared to learn. If there are behavior issues, get specifics: what the behavior looks like, the teacher’s discipline approach, any triggers or patterns (when and where the behavior usually happens), and how it is being resolved.
• Emotional/health: Find out how your child is coping. Explain any home issues that could affect your child’s learning performance (a divorce, deployment, illness of a relative) and any serious allergies, sleep problems, medication, counseling or other health-related issues that the teacher should know about.

If your child is having any kind of problem in one or more of those four learning areas, then discuss strategies you and the teacher can do to help your child by creating common goals. Discuss how you will you know if things are improving or declining and if there’s no improvement, ask what our “next step” will be and how the teacher would like to be contacted.

After your conference:

Go home, share what you learned with your child and parenting partner, and then commit to doing what you discussed. If you see that your child continues to struggle or you do not see improvement in a few weeks, or things get worse, call for another conference. If you still don’t get help, then it’s time to seek the help of the principal, vice-principal or counselor.

Parents, what are your parent- teacher conference experiences? Do you have any tips of your own to share?  Please leave them in the comments.

Special contributor: Michele Borba, Parenting Expert and author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions.

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Teens and Cigarette Smoking: The Changing Tides and the Controversy

During the ’40s and ’50s, cigarettes were synonymous with sex appeal and sophistication. Smokers could light up just about anywhere, from airplanes to doctors’ offices to their college dorm rooms. It wasn’t until the early 1960s when health officials began warning against the dangers, with The Surgeon General releasing the first report linking cigarettes to cancer, heart disease and emphysema in 1964.

Since then, we’ve come a long way in our understanding of smoking’s health effects. It’s now common knowledge that tobacco use can play a role in many other serious illnesses and health problems — not to mention how it directly or indirectly causes the death of hundreds of thousands each year. As a result, greater regulations have been placed on cigarettes, limiting their marketing, sale and use in a variety of ways.

Over the past decade, as the negative health effects become increasingly clear, smoking has been banned in many public places, restaurants and bars throughout 27 states — though sporting varying levels of flexibility. Colleges, many of which sit on public and state property, haven’t been exempt from these. In addition to following state regulations, many schools have issued an outright ban of using products on campus. Many others hold strict rules about where and when tobacco products are allowed.

It’s safe to say that lot has changed since those innocent days in the ’50s, when students puffed away blissfully unaware of the health dangers their habit posed. Here, we take a look at how a number of colleges across the nation are dealing with smoking today, and the ways in which students and faculty are responding to the growing number of relevant campus bans.

The facts:

Why are smoking bans such a big deal on college campuses? These numbers demonstrate that there still exists a surprisingly large number of students who smoke — many are daily users.

• In 1981, 8% of college students smoked. By 1998, the number jumped to 28%. It might seem counterintuitive that the number of college students who smoke actually rose during the ’80s and ’90s, but the statistics don’t lie.
• Today, about 20% of college students smoke. This figure is surprisingly high, given the readily available information on cigarettes’ health effects. Not to mention well above U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ goals.
• College students are less likely to smoke than their peers who are not enrolled. Among 18- to 22-year-olds who are not in college, 35.7% smoke.
• Among the major reasons college students smoke – stress, peer pressure, low self-esteem and a desire to not gain weight. These reasons have changed little for young smokers over the past few decades.
• A 2008 survey found that 66% of college students had never smoked. Surprising, especially when compared to alcohol use on campus, as only 23% have never had a drink.
• College smokers are equally male and female. While males are more likely try cigarettes in their lifetime (68% versus 61% of females), there is little difference in daily smoking rates.
• At colleges that provide prevention-oriented education, students are 23% less likely to smoke. It seems that education may play a major role in discouraging young people from cigarettes. Students exposed to preventive classes are much less likely to smoke than those who aren’t.
• Only 11% of adults with a college degree smoke. There are some striking correlations between education and tobacco use. About 49% of adults with a GED smoke, versus 5.6% of adults with a graduate degree.
• White college students are more likely to smoke than any other racial group. White college students smoke much more often than those who identify as African-American, Hispanic or Asian.
• Smoking is more common in freshman, sophomores and juniors. Wisdom may just come with age, as college seniors and fifth-year students are much less likely to smoke than their underclassmen peers.
• Over half of college smokers have tried to quit within the last year. Whether it’s over a health issue or the cost, 54% of college smokers have tried to quit. Sadly, by graduation, only 13% of them will be successful.

The Changing Tide

Currently, there are over 530 colleges that are totally or partially smoke free. Many ban the practice everywhere on campus, including residential housing facilities. They’re part of a growing number of places where cigarette smoke simply isn’t welcome. Though each school takes its own approach to how it regulates tobacco use, here are just a few of the most common methods.

• Many schools disallow smoking as part of a larger, statewide clean air act. There are more than a few states that ban smoking in public places, and many colleges and universities are included. For example, New York’s Clean Indoor Air Act was revamped in 2008 to include any dormitories, residence halls or other group housing facilities — as well as university buildings, whether at a public or private school. Iowa also bans smoking in all public and private colleges, in accordance with its 2008 Smokefree Air Act.
• Other states have specific bans on smoking at colleges and universities. One state leading the way is Arkansas, which passed the Arkansas Clean Air on Campus Act in 2009. The act prohibits smoking at all public institutions of higher education. Fines can be quite steep for violating that law — currently sitting between $100 and $500.
• A growing number of schools are going entirely smoke-free. This means no smoking, no sale of tobacco products and the establishment of cessation programs. Schools that have opted to go this route include Illinois State University, Salem State University, all Pennsylvania state university campuses and, as of this fall, the University of Kentucky. There are more than 460 smoke-free campuses in all.
• Others are taking it one step further and banning all tobacco.The University of Washington prohibits the sale, advertising, and promotion of tobacco products of all kinds, as does Colorado Mountain College. These schools are following health guidelines laid out by the CDC, with the aim of helping students become healthier and better educated on tobacco use’s negative effects.
• Some states have very strict laws about smoking in student housing. In 2006, New Jersey passed the strongest residential housing law in the country, which requires both public and private colleges to prohibit smoking in such facilities. Other states, like Illinois and Wisconsin, have similar bans in effect – all designed to protect students and staff from the effects of secondhand smoke.
• Because the tobacco industry often targets college students, some campuses are restricting marketing. Schools such as the University of Arizona and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh don’t allow the marketing of any tobacco product anywhere.
• Many schools are offering smoking cessation programs. Seventy percent of U.S. colleges and universities offer some form of smoking cessation program through student health insurance. Temple University is one such example, with comprehensive help including counseling, a quit plan, nicotine replacement and ongoing support. A similar program is available to students at Cornell, which hopes to reduce the number of undergraduate students who smoke.

The controversy:

While generally favored, smoking bans haven’t gone without controversy. Many feel the bans are a violation of personal freedoms, as cigarettes are legal and the vast majority of college kids meet the minimum age requirement. These students feel that schools put undue burden on them by making them trek quite far out of their way just to light up. Others have gone so far as to call the bans “a petty crusade against bad habits.” Some restrictions, like those at Salem State, have caused outright protest, with students piling butts on campus to show their dislike.

Students who smoke aren’t the only ones who have problems with smoking bans and regulations, however. Some schools are so lax about enforcing the regulations, many feel there isn’t much point to them at all. Schools such as Ohio State University and The University of Iowa are finding out that mandating smoking bans (and the fines that go with them) is pretty hard, especially on a large campus with budgets that are already stretched paper thin.

Yet as fewer people in America are smoking and attitudes change, it’s clear that colleges and universities banning or limiting the practice on campus are only responding to a growing trend and public demand for more cigarette-free spaces.

Source:  Online College

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