Category Archives: Education / Enrichment

Berklee & New England Conservatory graduate with 30 years teaching experience has several openings in studio. Beginners Welcome. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading from a patient, upbeat, and caring teacher. Gloria Jasinski, phone: 617.566.9704, email: piano566@comcast.net

Registration OPEN for 2012-2013 school year!

At Top Banana, your child will LOVE MATH!

• Build confidence and self-esteem
• Have fun learning and enjoy our interactive environment (no rote fact memorization drills)
• Calculate mentally without pencil and paper (how cool is that?)
• Perform better at school and improve MCAS and other standardized tests’ scores
• Become more observant, organized, analytical and independent with homework
• Learn multiple strategies to solve the same problem
• Apply core math principals in everyday life
• Study in small groups led by highly-qualified teachers

Call for FREE Trial Class

Offer is valid for one free trial class per child.
Expires 04/16/2012

If you have a student who will be entering grade 6 or above in the fall, we are planning on some new and exciting offerings during the summer.  These include learning to use Excel spreadsheets, basic programming and competitive math. For more details please call 617-795-1557

visit us at http://www.topbananaeducation.org

Read what parents say about us:
http://www.topbananaeducation.org/after-school-math-program-newton/testimonials

3 Healthy Habits to Teach, and Re-Teach Your Kids

Eating Breakfast
The saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” still rings true. Eating a healthy breakfast is associated with improved cognitive function (especially memory), reduced absenteeism, and improved mood. Children often end up in the health room at school with a stomachache because they skipped breakfast. A healthy breakfast includes high-fiber foods such as fruit and whole grains. Try hard-boiled eggs, 100 percent fruit juice and high-fiber (low sugar) cereal with berries.

Frequent Hand Washing
Washing hands often and thoroughly is one of the most effective ways to prevent disease. Reinforce hand washing skills learned at school by encouraging your children to wash well. Here’s the procedure:

• Wet hands with clean, running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
• Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of hands, between fingers, and under nails.
• Continue rubbing at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse hands well under running water.
• Dry hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Sharing, or Not!
While we want children to learn to share most toys and books, sharing germs is not something we want them to do. Teach children not to share combs/brushes, toothbrushes, hats, toys used by mouth such as whistles, eating utensils and beverages. Sharing these things helps transmit diseases and lice. This particular habit is great to reinforce with older children and teenagers as they become more independent and often share food and drinks with their friends.
For more information on any of these topics, talk to the School Nurse or visit www.cdc.gov

The Oak Hill/Brown Speech Team Night
Tuesday, April 10^th from 6pm – 8pm
Oak Hill Middle School Auditorium

This special event will showcase our talented students’ performances in several categories, including prose, poetry, children’s literature, duo/multiple interpretation, original oratory, declamation, demonstration and impromptu.

We look forward to sharing the results of the team’s hard work and dedication, earning accolades and honors in both practice sessions and tournaments throughout Massachusetts.

Speech Team provides students with skills that last a lifetime – the ability to present oneself in small and large groups, overcoming the fear of speaking in public, being a part of a competitive yet supportive team environment and experiencing the excitement of major tournament competition. The Oak Hill/Brown Speech Team is a proud member of the Massachusetts Middle School Forensics League (MMSFL) and competes in MMSFL Tournaments throughout the state during the school year.

Come see why our students earn top honors in state-wide competitions!

Questions? Email Coach Robyn Steinberg at robyn@massallergy.net.

The ASC A+ Program is a year-round youth academics program for students in grades 1 through 12, with a special focus on improving and refining study skills in composition, reading, mathematics, and test-taking skills for the SAT, ISEE, and MCAS.  A+ offers a unique summer program for academic enrichment that gives students a “head start,” advancing their writing and math skills to excel in the following school year.

Please visit our website for more information: www.aplusyouthprogram.com

Berklee & New England Conservatory graduate with 30 years teaching experience has several openings in studio. Beginners Welcome. Learn Jazz/Blues/Classical, theory, sightreading from a patient, upbeat, and caring teacher. Gloria Jasinski, phone: 617.566.9704, email: piano566@comcast.net

Tuesday, April 3 at 7:30 PM
Managing The Work of Homework: How parents can develop and nurture their children’s executive functioning skills
Presentation by Linda Broderick, M.Ed. and Carla Brady, M.S., CCC, of Architects For Learning.

The Education Center, 100 Walnut Street, Newton, Room 210.

After a long day at school, even the most organized and capable students may find themselves challenged to initiate, organize, and self-regulate the homework process. Parents face the daunting task of providing just right supports, while attempting to determine which supports and strategies will actually help their children succeed.

Students can become successful Homework Project Managers by developing and using consistent, self-guided processes that allow them to complete homework independently and efficiently. During this presentation Linda Broderick and Carla Brady, of Architects For Learning, will review one effective model useful for students of all ages. They will also discuss specific strategies embedded in the model and explore how parents can develop and nurture their children’s executive functioning skills.

Networking and light refreshments beginning at 7:15 pm.  Please RSVP to info@newtonpac.org to ensure enough handouts.  All Newton Parent Advisory Council for Special Education meetings are free and open to the public.

For more information http://newtonpac.org/meetings-and-events/  Questions: email info@newtonpac.org.

Pen & Ink Technique Drawing Workshop for all ages and levels at the New Art Center in Newton on Wednesday night, April 11, 5:00-6:30pm! With David Mazure, artist and curator of the NEW exhibition M(i)(A)cro: A Contemporary Drawing Exhibition. $5.00 admission fee, materials included. Please register online here http://newartcenter.org/calendar/event.aspx?id=95.

FREE Family Connections Visit on Saturday, April 28 at 3pm! Join us for a free Drop-In educational and art activity based visit for families during M(i)(A)cro: A Contemporary Drawing Exhibition, an exciting exhibition where science and art collide! It if offered through the New Art Center’s gallery education and community outreach program Connections.