I spend so much time reading the text-books I need for my classes, reading the news on the internet, reading my friend’s updates on Facebook that I never seem to find the time to read the stack of books sitting on my night stand.

I love reading books.  In my opinion there is no better feeling than sitting and reading a great book, a page turner, a plot that keeps you awake at night or on a 24-hour train journey through China.  Of course, the greatness of any book is subjective.  You like what you like.  But on a day like today, when it’s cold and gloomy outside and warm and cosy inside, there is something so romantic about being curled up with a good book.

What do you enjoy reading? Do you have a stack of books waiting to be read?  Do you still even read physical books, or unlike me have you moved over to the new ebook format?  I am too old and too much of a romantic for this new technology; I will forever remain an avid purchaser and reader of BOOKS!

We are firmly into 2013 now and I thought this was a great time to see how everyone’s New Year’s resolutions were coming along!!  What promises did you make yourself on January 1^st 2013.  After 6 weeks are you still holding strong or do you need to consider a ‘FRESH START’?

I made a number of promises at the beginning of the year;  to work hard on my new Master’s program and complete at least six classes this year, loose 30lbs  and get a job.  How am I doing? Well I have a wonderful new job – Stepping Stone Tutors – “Hello everyone!’ – and I am doing well with my Masters BUT I am yet to loose even a single pound!!!  Am I trying to achieve too much at once?  I am very happy with my success so far, but disappointed that the pounds seem hell bent on sticking to me!!!

In order to feel a real sense of success and positive about how well you have done; it is important to set achievable goals.  If you aim too high or expect too much of yourself you often get disappointed with your outcomes. LIKE ME!!!

What were your targets for the year and how do you think you are doing? Is it time for a Fresh Start?

Developing good study habits will help you succeed in class and achieve your educational goals. Knowing how to study hard and smart could result in the difference between acing a class and just passing. Those who have bad study habits or poor organizational skills could end up flunking a class or getting behind in school. If you want to turn your grades around and find new, more effective ways to study, then check out these seven bad study habits you should change immediately.

Studying at home

Studying at home might be convenient and easy, but there are way too many distractions lurking in your dorm, apartment, or house. No matter what room you study in, you’re always going to be faced with some type of distraction. Maybe it’s your talkative roommate, your TV, or the growing pile of clothes that are just asking to be washed. The smallest of things can break your concentration and make studying less effective. Instead of locking yourself in the bedroom and risking a wasted study session, go to the library and find a quiet room or desk to do your studying.

Listening to music while you study

The benefits of listening to music while studying has been argued time after time. Although classical music was once believed to increase spatial abilities and improve learning, subsequent research was not able to support this theory. Recent studies show that music may actually impair cognitive abilities and hinder memorization because of the changing words and notes in songs. Studying in silence or a little white noise will allow you to hear your thoughts and concentrate without the distraction of lyrics and changing tempos.

Studying with friends:

No matter how much you tell yourself it helps to study with friends, it’s probably not doing much good. First of all, anytime you meet up with friends to study, there’s always a delay in the actual studying or reviewing and you’re bound to take several breaks to goof off and chit chat about non-class related things. Although this kind of study session can reduce stress and increase your energy level, it may not be as effective as you’d like. Even if you’re going to study with your “serious” friends, you still need to review the material on your own.

Pulling an all-nighter:

We’re all guilty of it, but staying up all night cramming for an exam has been shown to do very little good for test preparation or performance. Not only does sleep deprivation make you look and feel like a zombie, but it also can take a serious toll on your happiness and overall well-being. The best way to avoid pulling all-nighters is to study ahead of time. It’s easier said than done, but the only way to avoid pulling an all-nighter besides not studying at all. Dedicate a few days a week (or more) to study and review the material so that you aren’t trying to cram everything into your head in one night.

Procrastination:

Procrastination is something we’ve all done in school, but just because it’s common behavior doesn’t mean it’s OK to do. When you procrastinate studying, you run the risk of doing things halfway and not retaining as much information as you need to ace the exam. If you have to pull frequent all-nighters or find yourself rushing to finish every essay or project, then you need to work on your time management skills and start studying earlier.

Not creating an outline:

If you aren’t making outlines while studying or writing a paper, then you aren’t being as efficient as you could be. There are many reasons to make an outline. It helps you keep track of large amounts of information, organize your ideas, and present your class material in a logical way. Instead of trying to reread your textbook or write an essay from scratch, make an outline to organize your thoughts and study more effectively.

Highlighting your textbook:

You might think that reading a textbook and marking the pages with a neon highlighter is the best way to study for an upcoming exam, but, in all actuality, this is one of the least effective ways for students to remember content. Instead of coloring entire pages with highlighters and trying to reread the text, you should quiz yourself over the material you just read. This will help you retain more information and score higher on exams.

Republished from http://onlineclasses.org

This article was written by one of the Stepping Stone Tutors Study Skills Tutors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in study skills tuition, please do get in contact.

Even though you may be aware of the benefits of tutoring versus self-studying, you may have still found yourself thinking, “I’ll just extend my study hours to better understand the material” or “I’ll understand the material better if I just focus harder when I study”. While you may be able to create a bit more success from these tricks, the efficiency and understanding you will gain from hiring a tutor is incomparable to self-study.  Personal attention, individualized study schedules, and an efficient work environment are just three big reasons why tutoring is beneficial.

The most common reason people tend to consider tutoring is because of the personal attention. For example, say fifth-grader, Bobby, consistently struggles with his math homework. Bobby is fairly able to follow along in class. Unfortunately there are ten other students in Bobby’s class who are struggling to understand algebra as well. With only one teacher and ten students, Bobby’s chances of having all his questions answered are pretty low. With an algebra tutor, Bobby would have the complete attention of his algebra tutor for hours at a time. As he works through his math problems he would be able to ask specific questions right when the issue arises. If Bobby were studying alone, he would have to wait until the following school day to ask his math question. At that point, Bobby might not be able to finish the rest of the math problem and possibly his subsequent problems.

Another valuable aspect of hiring a tutor is their ability to develop an individualized study plan for the student. Tutors can identify the student’s strengths and weaknesses and then create a study strategy that allows the student to develop their skills. In the case of Bobby, his algebra tutor would be able to recognize where his math troubles linger and then choose a study plan that focuses on improving those specific skills. The algebra tutor could recommend worksheets or suggest study problems that will reinforce his strengths while refining his math weaknesses. If a student chose to study by themselves, they may struggle with identifying their own weaknesses. Consequently, the student would have difficulty figuring out what and how to study.

Finally, a tutoring environment is extremely efficient compared to self-studying. As most of us probably know, when someone is observing you as you work, there is a much higher chance that you become more focused and finish the task quicker. Fortunately, tutoring is a relaxed learning environment, meaning the student doesn’t feel like they’re in class. Therefore, the tutor acts as an aide to keep the student focused. Without any distractions, the student can stay focused on the work, helping them understand more and complete their studying in a shorter time span.

Seattle has some of the most diverse and intriguing activities for the whole family. Starting with the Seattle Aquarium, you and your family can explore its five major exhibits. This aquarium is so large that it is the seventh largest aquarium in the nation. One of the coolest exhibits is the 120,000-gallon aquarium that’s filled with more than 800 fish! Watch the daily dives that occur at 10am, 11:30am, and 12:15pm. Divers wearing specialized masks are able to talk to the audience standing outside the 20×40 foot window as they interact with the fish. And of course, everyone should check out the 360-degree undersea dome that consists of a 400,000-gallon tank filled with hundreds of Puget Sound fish. Daily feedings occur at 1:30pm!

Next, the Experience Music Project Museum, founded by Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, is a newer museum focused on the history and progression of popular music, science fiction, and pop culture. The museum has mainly rock memorabilia and multimedia displays that are highly sophisticated. Some exhibits feature Bing Crosby, Heart, and Nirvana. This museum is also extremely interactive. Visit the sound labs and learn what it’s like to rehearse and play in a soundproof room. Or visit the stage and bring out your inner-rock star as you play for screaming fans.

Finally, at Seattle’s Bug Safari, families can guide themselves through a bug zoo and interact with some of the most interesting bugs on the planet. Spiders, scorpions, millipedes, and centipedes make up the fifty different species found in this bug zoo. In addition, the zoo offers plenty of educational programs. Invite your child’s Scout group and they can experience an educational guided tour that brings them even closer to the bugs. The admission rates are low and is open all year round.

If you live near San Jose, then you are fortunate to have plenty of outdoor activities available to you and your family. Alum Rock Park, one of California’s oldest parks, located in Alum Rock Canyon at the Diablo Mountain Range, has 740 acres of park available to visitors. If you’re lucky, you might get the chance to see some wild animals due to park’s rural surrounding. Activities include jogging, biking, and of course, hiking. The park has 13 miles of hiking trails and several springs and grottos that contribute to the park’s natural beauty. If you plan on staying a while, there are plenty of picnic tables and barbeques so you and your family can enjoy a nice meal.

Second, the Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, is another wonderful outdoor activity that the kids can get excited about. This zoo is known for its calming atmosphere and un-urbanized set up. While the zoo is a popular destination for San Jose families, it is rarely too busy and waiting in line hardly ever happens. There are vending machines that allow visitors to buy food pellets for goats at just twenty-five cents. The petting zoo has plenty of animals for the kids to enjoy interacting with. With the Fall season in full swing the zoo is hosting Fall-friendly activities that include a corn maze and a pumpkin patch.

Lastly, if the weather doesn’t permit your family to do any of the other activities, the Children’s Discovery Museum is always a great choice. There are plenty of interactive activities that allow parents to relax as their children take part in staff-supervised fun. One of the coolest exhibits is the Water Wonderland located on the bottom floor of the museum. Here, children can splash around in fountains for hours and make new friends!

One of the best family activities in San Francisco is found at the Ghirardelli Square. Located at Fisherman’s Wharf, next to Aquatic Park, you and your family can enjoy a wonderful trip to a former chocolate factory. You can taste a variety of chocolates and enjoy breathtaking views of San Francisco Bay. If you’re looking for a more educational experience- there are free guided walking history tours of Ghirardelli Square every Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings. If you’re planning on staying for a while, there are several restaurants and places to hang out. Beautiful views and a plethora of chocolate? This place could be perfect for the whole family.

If you get too full of chocolate, you can take the children to the Aquarium of the Bay. With plenty exhibits and a 3-D movie theater, you and your family will find it easy to spend all day here. You can start your tour in “Discover The Bay” where you can learn about the different ecosystems and wide variety of marine life. The next part, Under the Bay, allows visitors to walk through a 300-foot long crystal clear tunnel and watch animals from the San Francisco Bay swim over and around you. Finally, in Touch the Bay, you and the kids can visit the touch pools and play with sharks, stingrays, and sea stars. The Aquarium of the Bay combines education and fun in the most interactive, intriguing way.

Another family-fun day would be a trip to the California Academy of Sciences, located at Golden Gate Park. There are eight exhibits and each one is completely different from the next. There is an aquarium, planetarium, natural history museum, and more. In the aquarium you can get up close with an African penguin, in the planetarium you can learn about the properties of earthquakes, and in the natural history museum you can observe the process of evolution. The amount your children can learn in this one single facility is massive and the best part is that they’ll probably be having too much fun to notice.

San Antonio is fortunate to be home to one of the most popular SeaWorld’s in the country. SeaWorld San Antonio has five, fun exhibits such as Alligator Alley, Dolphin Cove, and Penguin Encounter. In Alligator Alley, you can watch the gators chow down during their feeding times or get the unique opportunity to pet an alligator. Or you can head over to Dolphin Cove and watch dolphins play in a huge lagoon. These Atlantic bottlenose dolphins will jump and flip for you. You might even get the chance to feed and pet them! If you’re hoping for a more educational experience for your children, SeaWorld offers plenty of opportunities. They host resident camps, sleepovers, and Discovery Tours that allow your children to get up close and personal with the animals.

You and your family can also visit the famous Witte Museum. Located on the banks of the San Antonio River, it is a museum focused on natural history, science, and South Texas heritage. There are several must-see exhibits, such as Texas Performers Under the Big Top. This exhibit features some of the oldest circus materials from the famous Hertzberg Circus. As a guest exhibit, the museum is hosting Mummies Of The World Exhibition. You can have the rare opportunity to see the largest collection of mummies and artifacts in the world. The exhibit includes interactive activities that teach visitors about the mummification process and the secrets behind every body.

Finally, you can never go wrong with bringing your children to the children’s museum. The San Antonio Children’s Museum has too many exhibits to count. One of the new exhibits, Science City, is completely interactive, and is an excellent place for children to learn about the properties of circuits, conductivity, and stability. Another new exhibit, Frost Good Cents Bank, is another interactive exhibit that teaches children all about financial responsibility. They can add their savings, donate to charities, and learn how to interact with bank representatives. The museum is open daily and has inexpensive admission costs.

Like most cities, Sacramento has an awesome children’s museum that is well worth a day visit. With eight exhibits featuring hands-on activities, your children will be exploring for hours. At Waterways, your kids can discover the properties of water by building their own boat or creating whirlpools.  You can also paint on the glass wall at the Studio of Arts! Teach your children about the characteristics of color as they express themselves by throwing a bunch of colors together. The best part is that other art materials found in the exhibit are recycled, reusable, and donated materials! Finally, Solar Car Racers teach kids the importance of solar energy by allowing users to move solar-powered cars around a raceway using four large halogen lights. They can see learn hands-on just how much energy the sun is capable of providing for us.

If anyone in your family has any interest in locomotives then the California State Railroad Museum, located in Old Sacramento, is a great place to visit. The museum has twenty-one restored trains and cars, some of which date back to 1862. Located inside the museum is a bridge, representing a 1860s construction site in Sierra Nevada, which stands twenty-four feet above ground. The museum is open daily and admission is quite inexpensive.

The coolest site for families in Sacramento has to be Fairytale Town. This real-life recreation of famous fairytales includes a Storybook Park, a petting zoo, as well as several other exhibits. This huge park allows kids to crawl on the tortoise and the hare, sit at King Arthur’s table, or explore Captain Hook’s pirate ship. The petting zoo has sheep and donkeys as well as plenty other furry friends for your kids to have fun with. In addition to all the exhibits, there are educational camps, concerts, and plays. Don’t miss Safe & Super Halloween from October 26-28!

The Portland Children’s Museum is one of the oldest museums in the country. The museum has a large collection of interactive sites for little ones to play around in. Some of the popular exhibits include Play It Again Theater, the Twilight Trail, and the Pet Hospital. At the Play It Again Theater, kids can act as their favorite character as they show off their acting skills in front of an audience. There are plenty of costumes for them to try on! Next, travel to the Twilight Trail, which teaches children about the properties of lights and shadows. The site is dark enough to be mysterious but light enough to not be scary! Finally, at the Pet Hospital, kids can do checkups on “pets” using the kid-sized clinic. The clinic comes with hospital tools and even a lab coat so the kids can feel especially professional. Also, from 4-8pm on the first Friday of every month, admission is free!

Your next day trip could also be to the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum. Just like Portland’s Children Museum, this Discovery Museum is interactive and fun for everyone. You can see the forest from a bird’s-eye view or climb under the forest to see it from below. How about taking a raft ride down some Call IV rapids (you won’t get wet! )? You can also test out your smoke jumping skills. Open from 10am-5pm daily, this day-trip is an inexpensive option for any family with little ones!

If someone in your family loves to read, then you and your family must visit Powell’s City of Books. This bookstore stretches through nine rooms, reaches up three stories, and houses more than 1.5 million books, making Powell’s City of Books the largest independent bookseller in the world. This bookstore has so many books that it covers an entire city block! Your children could spend hours upon hours here and still not be able to get through a large portion of available readings. There’s something here for everyone!

This article was written by one of the Stepping Stone Tutors Reading Tutors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in reading tuition, please do get in contact.

China’s test-focused, achievement-driven education system has spawned an educational phenomenon in the country: tutoring. Tutoring has seen an explosion of interest, with companies specializing in it bringing in record revenues, top tutors attaining rock star-like status, and students feeling peer pressure to sign up for after-school sessions. And tutoring isn’t just limited to students who are lagging behind, as even top performers are getting extra help to ace college entrance exams and stand out from their peers.

As America continues to look to other nations for ways to improve education at home and remain globally competitive, this newfound national obsession with tutoring in China brings up the question of what lessons American students and educators can learn from the situation. While most Americans won’t be jumping on the tutoring bandwagon just yet, there are some valuable lessons that the tutoring culture in China and surrounding nations can teach us about our own educational goals, beliefs, and systems that are worth considering more closely.

life needs balance.

Students who spend their evenings and weekends in tutoring sessions could be missing out, something that even parents, educators, and tutors in China are keenly aware could be a problem. There is little balance in a student’s life when schoolwork is the center of all activities, neglecting the importance of spending time with friends, playing an instrument, participating in sports, or just having time to oneself. Chinese students already spend far longer in school each day and working on homework each weekend, and the addition of more school-focused activities might not be a positive thing for students who don’t truly need the help. Many American schools are moving toward a similar model, however. Expanded school days, loads of homework, increased importance of standardized testing, and hyper-intensive charter schools are pushing kids to spend more time studying and less time being kids. While it might improve grades and help some students, it’s yet to be seen what the long-term effects of such an imbalanced way of pushing students will be.

equality should be key in education.

While tutoring in China has helped some students to excel, it’s having another, less positive effect as well by broadening the already substantial gap between rich and poor. The best tutors and the greatest amount of educational resources are available to students from wealthy families, just as it is here in the United States, leaving some students from poorer families unable to catch up. In Pakistan, where tutoring is also popular, researchers found that tutoring could worsen social inequalities, cause stress for families, and reduce the time students spent on other activities. In Singapore, parents have expressed concern that social mobility may be limited by an education system that requires tutoring to do well. In America, educators are keenly aware of the pitfalls that come with unequal access to education, with students in poor schools lacking high-quality teachers, resources, and the tools to allow them to move on to college and out of poverty. The tutoring craze in Asia is just another reminder of the importance of providing equal access to education for students from all socioeconomic backgrounds, something top-performing nations like Finland are already doing with great success.

peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing.

While there are undoubtedly some Chinese students pressuring their friends into doing things they really shouldn’t, the tutoring craze has proven that not all peer pressure is of the negative variety. After-school tutoring is trendy, and like most things trendy, there’s peer pressure to take part. A 2005 survey by the University of Hong Kong found that 70% of high school students and 50% of elementary students had hired tutors, leaving students who can’t afford or don’t want to be tutored feeling like they’re missing out. Yet this kind of peer pressure, provided that it doesn’t single out those without the resources to buy tutoring time, isn’t really a bad thing. It creates a culture where school, education, and success are cool. American educators and policymakers could learn a thing or two, as this kind of adoration of a school-related activity is almost unheard of stateside.

not everyone needs to be a top student.

China may be using its tutoring system to boost test scores and get students access to some of the best colleges and training facilities in the world, but that may not be enough. A report published this year shows that Chinese students are struggling just as much as American ones to find jobs. A quarter of recent college graduates in China are unemployed and many end up working in jobs unrelated to their undergraduate degrees. For many, attaining elite status means giving up social activities, personal interests, and the fun of just being young, yet all that hard work may not be paying off in the way that parents and students had hoped, with students faring little better in the long run than their much more lax American counterparts. A highly competitive school system has created legions of engineers, programmers, and doctors who can’t find work in their home country because there are simply too many for the available jobs. Even worse, uneducated workers often have an easier time finding work and get paid on par with college graduates. China’s drive to produce a country full of intelligent, white-collar workers doesn’t reflect the reality of its economy, something that American schools are slowly learning as well, as community colleges and vocational programs grow in popularity in the wake of high unemployment in a variety of college-related fields.

education can require sacrifice.

Parents all over the world want their children to have the best, and the Chinese are no exception. Many parents, even those with little disposable income, are spending big bucks on tutoring as a way of giving their children an edge in school and hopefully later in college. In some cases, parents are spending almost as much as the government does on education every year, a hefty investment that not every family can match. Education is a valuable resource to many in China and provides the only path out of poverty for many. Sadly, the same is true in the U.S., and for many low-income families, education is the only chance they have to beat the odds and make a better future for the next generation. To get there, however, many families will have to skimp and save, forego other necessities, and make do with less. The striking dedication of families in Asia to spend generously on education is a reminder of how important and respected education should be in our own country, regardless of income.

even world-class education systems need support.

China’s students consistently rank among the best in reading, math, and science scores on global tests, and their school system seems to have largely been successful in teaching a wide range of students the essentials they’ll need to move on to college and successful careers. Yet something must be lacking if so many students are driven to pursue additional tutoring and educational support in their off hours. The prevalence of tutoring in China is a reminder than even in world-class education systems, students may not always get the help or focused attention they need to truly succeed. Some may need more one-on-one interaction, others a little additional explanation of difficult concepts. It’s a helpful reminder that there is room for improvement and reform no matter what level of success you’re achieving.

standardized tests may not be the best educational tool.

When asked about their prospects, Chinese tutoring gurus say they feel they have little to worry about so long as there’s even one required standardized test out there. Students will be driven to excel on the test to get into the best schools and win top positions when they graduate. Yet this focus on test-taking hasn’t been shown to be the best educational tool thus far. China’s infamous gaokao test determines almost every aspect of a student’ future life, a heavy mantle for any teen to wear. Poor performance on the test can result in students not getting into college, and as a result schools have become nearly entirely focused on helping students learn things that will help them do well on these tests, to the exclusion of everything else. If it sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a more extreme version of the standardized-testing fanaticism that has become the norm in many American schools. In order to perform well and score more funding, many schools downplay the importance of creativity, problem solving, and the arts in favor of lessons centered on topics that will find their way onto state tests. If we raise our eyebrows at China’s test-taking culture, we also have to take a hard look at our own.

not everything that sounds good for education is necessary.

Chinese students and parents may be clamoring to sign up for tutoring and other after-school educational opportunities, but many have asked whether or not these kinds of programs are really necessary. Not all students who sign up for tutoring are doing so because they’re struggling to keep up with their classmates; many top students also make use of tutors. Do they really need it? Some would argue that time and money could better be spent elsewhere. The tutoring culture in China is just one example of many around the world that showcase attention on education being focused on things that may not be key to the success of students. Throwing more money at educational problems isn’t a fix all, nor is simply supplying schools with more technology, but many have lauded these as ways to fix educational shortfalls. It’s a global issue and one that’s not likely to go away anytime soon.

being the best isn’t everything.

Are top scores and achievement really all that matter when it comes to producing students who are ready to take on the working world? Some would argue that that isn’t the case. Replacing activities outside of school with more school in the form of tutoring may not necessarily be a positive thing, and could result in students who aren’t well rounded and who may not know how to interact with those outside of their success-driven culture. A drive for perfection is a double-edged sword, helping students succeed on one hand but holding them back in others. For example, in a team environment, being the best and vying to stand out may even be counterproductive to success. While top scores are great, it’s important to remember that other values, traits, and skills are necessary to be successful in the world.

creativity is also an essential part of education.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Chinese education system, however successful it may or may not be, is that it stifles independent thought and doesn’t value creativity. While Chinese students may excel at memorization and learning academic concepts, many feel they aren’t ready to enter a global marketplace that in recent years has begun to value innovation and creativity over many other attributes. Many economists caution that if China wants to remain competitive, it needs to offer more than just a strong work ethic and well-trained employees. It also needs to foster entrepreneurship and creativity, something the school system isn’t currently doing. While American education systems are freer, the same criticisms have been made. It’s something to seriously consider as we make the transition into a knowledge-based economy, as our willingness to value creativity over conformity will mark the dividing line between success and decline.

Article republished from Online Colleges

This article was written by one of the Stepping Stone Tutors SAT Tutors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in SAT tuition, please do get in contact.

We spend a lot of time and money helping students study for the SAT because since 1926 it has been their meal tickets to college and a better life.  Americans spend $2.5 billion a year to help two million students score better on the SATs and they pay companies like Stepping Stone Tutors to do it.

The question should be posed then, is the SAT still an accurate predictor of student performance in college?  According to Jennifer Karan, Executive Director of the SAT Program at the College Board, the company behind the SAT, PSAT, CLEP, and Advanced Placement Exams, the answer is “yes.”  You can read more from Jennifer’s article entitled “Having Confidence in Predictive Measures” below:

The Chicago Tribune recently reported that only one quarter of Illinois’ high school Class of 2012 had met the college-ready standards across all subjects on a college entrance exam.  While many educators were understandably distressed by these findings, Steve Cordogan, a statistician and the director of research and evaluation for Township High School District 214 in Arlington Heights, maintains in the article that certain measures or indicators are not always as predictive of student performance as they could – or should – be.  Cordogan is suggesting that the benchmark of interest is based on a methodology that may not make the most sense as there are many students who are not deemed “college ready” in the recent report that are indeed entering college without any need for remedial coursework.

SAT Test Dates and Locations

As a former teacher and dean of students responsible for keeping my charges on course for college, indicators of college readiness were essential to our collective success.  But what if I had been using information that didn’t effectively support my curriculum and instructional decisions on behalf of my students?  It reminds us all to look “underneath the hood” of these measures to be sure we understand the assumptions they are making and are familiar with what they truly indicate.  The SAT Benchmark is based on the most thoroughly researched college entrance exam in the United States.  There is a great deal of national research showing that the SAT is a valid measure for predicting important college outcomes such as GPA and retention – and the SAT is equally as predictive as high school GPA in determining college readiness; while the combined use of these measures provides the best indicator of a student’s likelihood for success at a particular institution.

Additionally, The Tribune article cites the president of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy as “troubled” by the science and math scores, fearing that students will lose out on the science and technology jobs of the future.  In a national study released in June 2011, the National Bureau of Economic Research, distinguished a science assessment as more of a test of reading comprehension than actual science knowledge.  In contrast, SAT Subject Tests allow students to demonstrate their mastery of Biology, Chemistry and Physics and are based on current, national trends in high school course work.  We also know that the SAT is highly predictive of cumulative GPA for science majors at four-year institutions.

It’s the job of every educator to ensure that students find themselves in an appropriately challenging college and armed with the tools for success.  The attention of the Illinois educators to the college readiness of their students is well-placed and admirable.  It also reminds us how important it is to utilize the most effective and reliable tools available to make critical educational decisions and inform related policies.

As it begins to cool off in Phoenix, the weather is becoming perfect for a day at the zoo. The Phoenix Zoo was voted on of the nation’s top five zoos for kids. On top of the wonderful exhibits, the zoo is constantly hosting family oriented programs, especially for the little ones.  Your children can learn what it’s like to work at a zoo for the day by assisting with feeding the animals and watching animal training sessions. Or you could take the little princess in your life on the Princess Explorer program. Have your daughter dress up in her favorite princess dress and go on this special tour of the zoo. She’ll learn about all the awesome girls who changed the world of science. If you’re just interested in shorter visit to the zoo, be sure to ride on the Safari Train or take the opportunity to feed some giraffes. If you’re feeling a bit more daring, take part in one of the zoo’s more popular activities, and ride a camel!

If the weather is a bit too warm for anything outside, the Children’s Museum of Phoenix is a great choice for an all-day activity with the family. There are many, many exhibits, one of which includes an art studio, a market, and a noodle forest! In the art studio, your kids can grab handfuls of glue and paint and go to work on a group project, such as painting an eleven-foot tall rocketship. At the market, children can play make believe in a real-life replica of a grocery store. They can practice measuring produce and learn about grocery shopping. And don’t forget about the noodle forest! Try navigating your way through oodles of noodles that hang from the ceiling. Your child will definitely come out of the noodle forest giggling.

Finally, if you live near Phoenix, you and your family should check out the LEGO Travel Adventure exhibit at the Arizona Science Center. The exhibit is open through January 2013. Every visitor gets the opportunity to actually build a vehicle using large LEGO bricks.  These vehicles are capable of flying, driving, and floating! If LEGOs aren’t really for you, there are plenty of other permanent exhibits that will interest you. The Evans Family SkyCycle exhibit allows kids to learn about the properties of physics. Suspended fifteen feet in the air, kids can ride on a ninety-foot cable and learn about the principles of gravity. Or check out The W.O.N.D.E.R. Center where kids can learn about the brain and neuroscience. Lastly, you can visit Solarville and learn about renewable energy around the world.

The Getty Center, located in Brentwood, Los Angeles is known for its architecture, gardens, and beautiful location. With 1.3 million visitors a year, the museum showcases pre-20^th-century works including paintings, sculptures, and other decorative arts. The 134,000 sq. foot Central Garden is considered one of the museum’s grandest art pieces. You could sit there for hours and enjoy the beautiful views of Los Angeles. The Getty puts on several family activities throughout the seasons. For instance, the Art Odyssey for Families, which runs through the end of November, is a thirty-minute adventure through the galleries, specifically aimed at children 5 and up. Or you can participate in a Family Art Stop, which is geared at children 5 and up who want to get a hands-on gallery experience with a single work of art. Also, on December 2, the Getty is hosting a daylong Family Festival consisting of crafts, performances, and other activities.

The Griffith Observatory is another wonderful idea for a day trip with the family. The observatory is located on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park. The location gives visitors beautiful views of the Los Angeles Basin, Hollywood, and the Pacific Ocean. The Observatory has many exhibits, sure to please everyone’s interests. The Ahmanson Hall of the Sky shows each person how they are connected to the main objects in the sky, such as the Moon and the Sun. Be sure to check out one of the largest public solar telescopes that is located at the end of this hall. The Edge of Space Mezzanine is another must-see exhibit, which features some of the most sophisticated astronomical instruments ever built. Some samples of the universe collected through space missions are also showcased. And don’t forget about the exterior of the Observatory! There are plenty of monuments and terraces to enjoy. The best part is that admission to the Observatory building and grounds is absolutely free!

Finally, if you’re looking for some outdoor fun for you and your family, the Topanga Sate Park is a great option. Covering 11,000 acres, it is the largest state park within Los Angeles. There are many, many trails available for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. The popular Backbone Trail System, a long-distance trail that runs for about seventy miles through the Santa Monica Mountains, weaves it’s way through Santa Monica Mountains as well. Some popular sites in the park include Eagle Rock, a boulder that sticks out from the trail and offers beautiful views of the park, and Hub Junction as well as Temescal Fire Road. If you and your family are feeling adventurous, this park is open to campers!

Las Vegas may not be the first destination that comes to mind when considering a family-fun destination, but wait! Don’t abandon the idea too quickly. Much to many people’s surprise, there is plenty more to do with the little ones than you may initially expect. First, you and the family could visit Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat located in the Mirage hotel. They’re open daily from 10:00am-7:00pm with low admission cost (children under 3 are free!). You can get face-to-face with a white lions, white tigers, panthers, leopards, and a family of Bottlenose Dolphins. The three exhibits include a volcano, aquarium, and atrium. The volcano erupts nightly with fireballs and big bangs; the aquarium is home to nearly 1000 specimens, and the atrium houses exotic plants under a 100-foot dome.

Second, a trip to “Bodies…The Exhibition” at the Luxor hotel is highly recommended. While this exhibit may not be ideal for the squeamish, any child who dreams of a career in the health field will love the possibility of seeing 13 whole-body specimens. At this unique exhibit, there are over 260 organs and partial body specimens for visitors to get a more detailed, 3-D view of what really is going on in our own bodies. This type of exclusive viewing of the human body is rarely seen outside of an anatomy lab and truly is a one-of-a-kind learning experience.

Finally, a visit to the “CSI: The Experience” exhibit at the MGM hotel is a great recommendation for any family with young adults who aspire to be a detective. The exhibit is recommended for children 12+. In this interactive challenge, every visitor gets the opportunity to be a crime scene investigator. The challenge includes three murders, fifteen lab stations, fifteen suspects, three killers, and it’s up to you to solve the mystery! As you move through the investigation, you will have the chance to examine bullet casings, match DNA to the potential suspects, and decipher where a single piece of hair came from. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to walk away for your very own CSI:Diploma!

Irvine offers a Pretend City Children’s Museum where children can participate in seventeen interactive exhibits and activities. Children can learn basic math, reading, and science skills all from these exhibits. The Pretend City includes exhibits featuring an art studio, a bank & ATMs, a beach, a grocery store, and much more. Learning how to handle money at the bank & ATMs exhibit is a lifelong skill that your kids will benefit from at a young age. They learn how to deposit a Pretend City paycheck, withdraw cash, and how to make wise purchases. At the Beach, the kids learn how to preserve the environment by picking up trash and properly placing it in the trash bin. And at the Grocery Store, the children learn about the threat of obesity. They’re taught good eating habits as they shop for their five fruit and vegetables of the day. There is not an easier system for children to learn basic life skills then in this fun, interactive environment.

Tanaka Farm is another wonderful, outdoor activity that offers pumpkin patch and strawberry field tours. The pumpkin tours start September 28^th and run until October 31^st. They have a beautiful produce stand open seven days a week so each customer is able to bring home the freshest produce. You can take a wagon ride through the 30-acre farm, find your way through the corn maze, or visit the petting zoo. The farm also offers educational tours!

Along the same lines as Tanaka Farms, a trip to the Irvine Park Railroad would be a great family-filled day. You can ride on the train, rent bikes, rent paddleboats, or rent horses! You can pick pumpkins or cut down your Christmas tree when the holiday season comes around. The one-third-scale train takes riders on a scenic ride though the historic Irvine Regional Park. There are so many activities offered at the park, you won’t know where to begin!

If you live near Houston or are planning on visiting soon, then you have the amazing chance to take your family to the Children’s Museum of Houston. Located in the Museum District, the museum welcomes more than 1,100,000 people per year. With over twelve exhibits, there is plenty of fun for your whole family. One of the most popular exhibits, FlowWorks, allows kids to understand the properties of water. In order to interact with the exhibit, the kids have to dip their hands into the water. As they continue to play, the 18-ft Cauldron in the middle of the site continues to fill up with water until all the water comes crashing down as a huge wave! Your children can experience the force of water through a simulated Flood Plain or an Aqueduct Maze. Another popular exhibit, PowerPlay, teaches your kids the importance of physical activity. In this three-story exhibit, kids can jump up and down from one level to the next as they discover the many ways to be active. They can test their strength at Grip It or make a superhero fly at Blast Off. They can track their progress as they go and take their results home. The museum has received a number of awards including “America’s No.1 Children’s Museum” by Parents magazine.

Do you have a child who is obsessed with space or aeronautics? The Space Center of Houston is an awesome attraction for space lovers and very interesting for all other curious learners. They have a giant-screen theater (the largest in Texas!) that plays space documentaries all year long. Or you can go on the new NASA Tram Tour that shows how astronauts train for the International Space Station. This tram tour also gives you a sneak peek at the Historic Apollo Mission Control Center. And you can’t forget about the Kids Space Place. Kids get the opportunity to experiment commanding a space shuttle or learn what it’s like to live on the space station. The whole Place is interactive to make the learning process that much better.

Another idea that you can always fall back on is the zoo. The Houston Zoo has plenty of exhibits, such as Dinosaurs! and the Kipp Aquarium. Because of popular demand, the Dinosaurs! exhibit has been extended to October 28^th. You and your kids can get face-to-face with huge dinosaur replicas that roar and even spit water. Some of these dinosaurs were even once found in Texas!  The Kipp Aquarium allows visitors to see animals from around the world, from the Pacific to the Amazon Basin, to the Rift Valley Lakes of Africa. This aquarium has 23 exhibits alone! Be sure to check out the jellyfish and huge sea turtles!

The Fort Worth Science and History museum is a fun-filled haven from any mundane or rainy day. The permanent exhibits include the Children’s Museum, DinoLabs & DinoDig, Cattle Raisers Museum, and Energy Blast. The current special exhibit is Air Park, where kids can learn how kites are designed, watch real hang gliders in action, design their own paper airplane, or create their own twirling pinwheel. The Children’s Museum welcomes children ages birth-8 years and is designed around the concept that children learn through hands-on activities and play. This exhibit will be sure to leave your children engaged for hours. One of the popular exhibits, DinoDig, is a 3,700-square-foot gallery where you and your family can discover the impact of the State Dinosaur of Texas. Walk around the outdoor, sandy exhibit and become a paleontologist. The museum does a wonderful job of including hands on activities for the children (and even you too) such as experimenting with fossils and measuring dinosaur bones. Also, the museum hosts group trips such as your child’s school class or your daughter’s Girl Scout troop.

Or you and your family can take a step back in time and travel along the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. The Cotton Belt route travels between the Grapevine and Fort Worth stockyards. Your children can take this unique opportunity to learn about trains and what it was like to travel in a Victorian-style coach during the 1920s and 1930s while the west was expanding. You’ll have the chance to ride in “Puffy”, an 1896 steam locomotive or a 1953 GP-7 diesel locomotive.

For those days when the weather is too hot and you’re just looking for some relaxing family time, Burger’s Lake is the perfect destination. Open from 9AM-7PM, with only a small admissions fee, you and your family can have some fun in the sun. The Lake has a thirty-acre park with a spring-fed lake for swimming. There are two sandy beaches for lying out. And you can feel safe with your kids in the water as you take time to relax with the plenty of lifeguards on duty. There are also six diving boards, a 20-foot water slide, and a 25-foot trapeze. With all this fun, your kids will most likely want to stay for the whole day. There are plenty of trees, tables, and grills for your family to enjoy a picnic so you can hangout as long as you like.

The Denver Library, located in Downtown Denver, could be one of the most impressive libraries in the country. With multiple floors and 540,000 square feet of space, the Denver library is known for it’s extensive collection of items. In 2010, the library had over two million items in it’s database. The library has a very large Western History collection that includes photographs, manuscript archives, and cataloged books. Besides for it’s downtown location, the library also has twenty-three branches and a bookmobile program. The library is perfect for children of all ages. There’s a section for children and teens. Also, there is a separate section including books written in Spanish as well as an African American Research Library. The resourcefulness of the library doesn’t stop at the library itself though! The library’s website also offers homework help as well as information for parents and teachers.

If you live in Denver or plan on visiting soon, a unique and fun activity to do with young children is to take a visit to the Denver Firefighters Museum. Located in downtown Denver, this nonprofit institution greets more than 20,000 visitors each year. The museum is a dream for any young child hoping to one day fight fires! In the Main Floor Gallery, kids will get to look at all the big gear firefighters have to wear everyday and learn about the history of firefighters. The boot prints on the floor will lead you to hands-on activities that include sliding down a firefighter pole, climbing in a fire truck, and touching real firefighting tools. As you venture to the Second Floor Gallery, you will learn what it’s like to actually live like a firefighter in a fire station. Finally, the Children’s Gallery, designed especially for families, is an educational experience for children as they learn how to prevent fires through performances and activities put on by the museum.

A great outdoor activity for you and the kids is a day trip to the Denver Zoo. The Denver Zoo is a 80-acre zoo in City Park of Denver. Bear Mountain, the zoo’s most historic exhibit, is home to grizzly bears, Asiatic black bears, and coati. The next exhibit, Primate Panorama is a 7 acre home to apes and other large primates. At Predator Ridge, you and your family will find a representation of an African savanna. You can watch lions, hyenas, and African wild dogs roam the exhibit. And finally, the most popular exhibit, the Toyota Elephant Passage, was once the largest elephant habitat in the world. It houses up to 12 elephants and has more than 2 miles of trails for the animals. The coolest part is that the exhibit is powered by a biomass gasification system, meaning all the animal waste and human trash in the park is converted into usable combustible gas. This has reduced the zoo’s landfill contribution by more than 90 percent! So not only will you be spending a great day with the family but you will also be helping the Earth!

The aquarium, much like the zoo, is one of the best family activities because it ends up not only being fun for the kids but for the adults as well. If you’re looking for a great day trip, The Dallas World Aquarium, located in the West End Historic District of downtown Dallas, is an excellent choice. The aquarium houses many endangered creatures in an effort to conserve Amazonian and Antillean manatees. If you travel upstairs, you can check out a reproduction of the Orinoco Rainforest. You’ll see toucans flying around or three-toed sloths hanging from trees. There are also poison dart frogs, Orinoco crocodiles, Giant river otters, and vampire bats. If you venture on the main floor, you will see aquariums filled with fish, sea anemones, coral, and jellyfish. The most exciting part of the exhibit is the 40-foot tunnel visitors can walk through. Watch fish of the continental shelf swim around you and over you too! On top of all this, the aquarium puts on daily performances.

Another great choice is the Dallas Children’s Theater, which is focused on creating theater for young children and families. The theater has nine main stage productions annually, a national touring company, and educational programs. The next upcoming play is, Pinkalicious: The Musical, which is running from September 21-October 21. Take your family to sing and dance with your favorite characters from the book Pinkalicious. And who can forget the infamous series Junie B. Jones by Barbara Parks? This holiday season, Junie B. will be taking the stage in Junie B. in Jingle Bells, Batman Smells. It’s going to be pure mayhem with this spunky first grader! Tickets start at $12.00. This couldn’t be any more perfect if you’re looking for a night on the town with the family.

If the other two options don’t appeal to you, maybe you and your family should consider a trip to the Dallas Arboretum. With 66-acres of gardens, the Arboretum is known for being one of the most beautiful outdoor attractions in Dallas. The gardens have seasonal flowers, shrubs, and trees that look beautiful on White Rock Lake. The Arboretum also has outdoor festivals, concerts, and art shows as well as indoor and outdoor dining. If you’re looking for more of an educational experience for your kids, the Arboretum offers classroom and outdoor labs that focus on nature while integrating hands-on activities. Adults can take part in the educational fun too! The Arboretum has year-round adult educational classes in horticulture, landscape design, floral design, and much more.

Colorado Springs is known for it’s enormous amount of natural beauty. One instance is the Garden of Gods. Garden of Gods is a public park that offers hiking, rock-climbing, mountain biking, and horseback riding. With 15 miles of trails there is a suitable path for any visitor. The rock formations can be steep, attracting many rock-climbers. And don’t forget about the van and jeep tours available! The van is best fit for those just wanting to observe the beautiful views while the jeep tours are for those with a more adventurous side, willing to scale the rock formations. The park is also a great location for taking the little ones. There is plenty of space to have a wonderful picnic and there are several paths appropriate for young kids. There are also a couple guided tours your child’s school could schedule with the park. For older children in grades 3-6, the geology tour of the park is the best option. The kids will get to learn about the formation of giant red rock in a two-hour walking tour. For the younger kids, in grades K-3, your children could go on a wildlife tour and “meet the park”. They can discover the different plants and wildlife found around the park. The best part is that admission to the park is free!

If you live near Colorado Springs or are thinking of visiting, then the Starsmore Discovery Center would be a great place to spend the day at. The Discovery Center welcomes visitors to the Cheyenne Canon, which is home to waterfalls, rock formations, wildflowers, and wildlife. In addition there is a bird-watching window and other hands-on exhibits. Some of the programs offered include Tipi Raising & Ute Heritage Workshop, Junior Ranger Program, and Cheyenne Canon Camp.

Lastly, every family should consider taking a day-trip to the wonderful Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. It’s a perfect activity for children of all ages and is a great family activity.  The zoo is home to over 800 animals of all different varieties and has many different exhibits. Start your day in the African Rift Valley where you can have close encounters with animals such as giraffes and meerkats. Get a chance to feed crackers to the giraffes and watch morning and evening giraffe stampedes. Next you could visit the Budgie Buddies exhibit, which houses more than 100 free-flight Australian birds. Watch your kids’ faces light up while they feed the birds with zoo grass! Finally you could take a ride on the Mountaineer Sky Ride. Take the chair-lift style Sky Ride and experience the zoo and its beautiful surroundings from the air. If you’re at the zoo late, take the Sky Ride to experience a beautiful Colorado sunset.

If you live near Bend, Oregon then you are lucky enough to have plenty of beautiful and interesting outdoor activities right outside your doorstep. The High Desert Museum offers 53,000 square feet of exhibits in the main building and a quarter-mile trail that runs along a peaceful river and through the woods. The 32,000 square feet of outdoor exhibits, featuring several animal habitats, are found along the river and are open all year-round. The Spirit of the West is a permanent indoor exhibit where visitors can see how fur traders lived, the hardships endured while traversing the Oregon Trail, and how a buckaroo enjoyed their time. Another indoor exhibit, By Hand Through Memory, shows how Plateau Native Americans are able to retain their identities while also progressing with the changes of our time. The outdoor trails give visitors the rare opportunity to get up-close with predators such as owls, hawks, and eagles. Take a stroll through the paved nature trails or enjoy the Autzen Otter Exhibit. The exhibit has both an outdoor and indoor viewing area in order for visitors to catch of a glimpse of Thomas, a Northern River Otter, playing underwater.

Second, Lava Butte, a peak located in Lava Lands, offers beautiful views of the Cascade Range and Newberry Volcano. Lava Butte rises 500 feet above the beautiful visitor center and can be reached in a quick car drive. The visitor center has hands-on exhibits for the children and informational videos for guests. The Newberry cinder cone erupted 7,000 years ago and created about nine square miles of lava. You can take a self-guided or lead-guided walk through several trails to take part in the volcanic landscape and nearby forest.

Finally, you and your family could try a Wanderlust Tour. The half-day guided tours take you to the peaceful Cascade lakes, rivers, forests, and caves located in Central Oregon. The tours run year round with summer activities including canoeing, kayaking, and volcano sightseeing. You can customize your tours for either your family or corporate outing. The best part is that all tours include a guide, transportation, and equipment. Tours leave everyday from Bend and Sunriver, Oregon. This is a perfect outing for any family with older children who love a little adventure.

On a beautiful day, the city of Austin offers plenty of educational activities available to the family. There are many opportunities to get you and your kids outside, having fun, and learning at the same time. The Wild Basin Preserve offers 227 acres of forest and trails that are open to the public. The Preserve became protected in the late 1970s as habitats were starting to decline in Austin. Now, you and your family can explore the wilderness without even having to leave Austin. The Preserve offers environmental education and helps protect eight endangered species. Since the Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset, you could easily bring a picnic and make this into a day trip.

Along the same lines as the Wild Basin Preserve, the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is also a great place to bring the family for some outdoor fun. Lady Bird Johnson was well known for her stance on sustainability.  At the Wildflower Center, visitors can use many of the online resources to learn about how to “be green” by planting native species. The Center offers an impressively large Native Plant Database that gives visitors the best information on thousands of species. There is also a wide variety of how-to articles and information on green roofs, how to “be green”, how to reduce your carbon footprint, and other different aspects of conservation. You can also take a walk around the grounds to enjoy all the lovely flowers and plants.

If an outdoor activity doesn’t agree with the weather or it just isn’t your family’s forte, there is always the Austin Children’s Museum. The museum strives to create an environment that not only inspires but also involves its visitors. There are over 12,500 square feet of exhibit space and plenty of hands-on activities. Watch your children learn about gravity, friction, and energy in the “Ready, Set, Roll” exhibit by playing with golf balls. Learn all about tools and building in the 3-level “Funstruction Zone”. Or take your children to the “Design Center” where they can design crafts using new and recycled crafts materials. If you find your children loving all the activities the Museum offers, you should look into their many camps. They offer a wide variety of summer camps as well as school sleepovers!

- This article was written by one of the Stepping Stone Algebra Tutors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in reading tuition, please do get in
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Algebra can be applied to almost every situation you encounter in life. Remember sitting in algebra class, trying to comprehend the concept of the all-mysterious “X”? This idea of finding an unknown may have seemed meaningless and maybe even cruel at some times, but these mathematical foundations are almost critical to everyday life. For instance, let’s take the basic example of someone trying to figure out how much gas they can afford when filling up their car. Say Peter only has $20.00 for gas and gas costs $3.50 per gallon, how many gallons would Peter be able to afford? Most likely without knowing, in this situation, Peter is trying to solve for an unknown variable. Peter remembers his seventh grade algebra teacher telling him to divide the total amount of money by the cost per gallon. These basic principles would tell him that he could afford approximately 5.7 gallons. Or let’s say Marie wants to take her daughter to Disney World, but she wants to know how much spending money she’ll have after purchasing airfare and lodging. By subtracting all the fixed values from her total available budget, Marie can have a general idea of how much money she will have left over. Most of the time, these algebraic equations aren’t dressed up in math books or put in your kids’ summer math workbook, they occur in the most relevant of life situations.

Beside for basic everyday life situations, algebra is essential for nearly all careers. Want to be a chef? A chef has to convert, add, and subtract measurements constantly. Or how about a painter? Well, how big do you want the area of your canvas to be? Hmm, or maybe a professional athlete? You’ll most likely need to understand how your stats are calculated in order to better your game. And besides, you’ll need to know how to add up all those huge paychecks somehow. As you can see, there’s really no career that does not involve the basics of math. From the time algebra was being researched by the Greeks to current day research, the concept of algebra has grown to new depths. What started off as figuring out how to solve linear equations has transformed into current day physicists trying to delve deeper into the concept of vectors. The topic of algebra has grown from more simplistic to abstract. In the work force today, there is great range of how algebra is used. For example, anyone who enters data into a system needs to use algebraic expressions to input data into spreadsheets on the computer. In a more advanced scenario, computer scientists are configuring algorithms to help perform programs. And in an even more advanced situation, NASA workers are using algebra to understand a shuttle’s flight trajectory. For instance, as shown in recent news, the Curiosity rover, that just landed on the planet Mars, required a tremendous amount of algebra. From the computers, transportation system, and communication system located on the rover, the amount of algorithms and programming is tremendous. The flight trajectory of the rover had to be tracked intensely for the eight months it was traveling to Mars. There is no doubt that without the basic understanding of algebra, the Mars rover could not have been built, let alone function.

With all the different outlets available for algebra, the understanding of algebra is critical to the success of one’s future. Even the most right-brain oriented jobs require the use of algebra. So the next time your child walks through the door after school exclaiming, “Why do I even need this stuff?!”, remind them how the most simple of math equations can show up anywhere. Because who knows, they might need it to figure out how much gas they can afford, or maybe even program the next rover to Mars.

- This article was written by one of the Stepping Stone Algebra Tutors. If you know of anyone who might be interested in reading tuition, please do get in
contact.

Algebra, once only studied by advanced mathematicians and scientists, is now taught to every seventh and eighth grade child across the United States. While the basics of algebra may seem, well basic, it no doubt took a great deal of intelligence to form the foundations of algebra today. These basic building blocks of algebra are being used today by students, professors, physicists, and algebra tutors around the world.

Algebra can be sourced back to the Egyptians and Babylonians. The earliest equations were linear, quadratic, or indeterminate. The Babylonians were capable of solving quadratic equations using very similar formulas that are used today, while Egyptians solved the equations using geometric solutions. Today, zero can be used as placeholder to differentiate between numbers. For instance, zero is used in 7018 to show that it is a different number than 718. The Babylonians had a similar method, except with a base of 60. It is also interesting to note that the Chinese mathematicians had a multiplicative system with a base of 10. This system was most likely contrived from the Chinese counting board, which is a checker board consisting of rows and columns.

In 3rd century AD, Diophantus, aka “The Father of Algebra”, a Greek mathematician wrote Arithmetica, a math book that provided algebra help to other mathematicians of the time by providing many more solutions to algebraic problems, such as indeterminate equations. Brahmasphutasiddhanta, created by Brahmagupta, an Indian mathematician, was another piece of mathematical literature that supplied algebra help by completely describing the arithmetic solution to quadratic equations. By medieval times, mathematicians were able to multiply, divide, and solve for the square roots of polynomials. They also had knowledge of the binomial theorem. Additional algebra help and progress came in the 13th century when Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci released an approximate solution on how to solve a cubic equation.

From that point in time, algebra began to make significant advances in Europe. By the 16th century, a few more Italian mathematicians, Scipione del Ferro, Niccolo Tartaglia, and Gerolamo Cardano, completely solved the general cubic equation. A significant progression during the 16th century was the creation of symbols representing the unknowns for algebraic operations. Consequently, René Descartes wrote La géometrie, which is written much like the texts algebra tutors or students would use today. His biggest contribution to the mathematical world was his discovery of analytic geometry. Analytic geometry is when the proofs from geometric problems can be reduced to algebraic solutions. Remember the important rule of signs? Descartes also came up with this rule, which determined the number of “true” and “false” roots of an equation.

By 1799, the German mathematician, Carl Friedrich Gauss, published the proof for the theory of equations. The solution proved that for every polynomial equation, there was at least one root in the complex plane. At this point, algebra had entered its modern phase. With algebraic foundations now in place, research topics became more abstract. These abstract ideas, such as complex numbers, are the topics most students seek algebra help for because of their theoretical nature.

Finally, more recently, the German mathematician Hermann Grassmann started researching vectors, which lead J.W. Gibbs to incorporate vector algebra and physics. The discoveries made in modern algebra since then have continued to grow. Algebra continues to be applied to various technical fields. The progression of algebra is fascinating and if our future findings are anything like the past, there is an uncountable amount of algebraic solutions waiting to be discovered.