Hello Friends,
“Words can be like X-rays if you use them properly – they’ll go through anything. You read and you’re pierced.” These inspiring words were written by Aldous Huxley in Brave New World, just one of the 14 fascinating books we are highlighting this month in our feature article for June, "Summer Reading List for High School and College Students."
While reading engrossing novels and other books are an important part of any student's summer, it's also vital to stay physically active as well as engaged in the community. Get inspired to join in and give back by checking out our bonus article for June, "You Can Do It! The Benefits of Volunteering."
Catch up on my own latest favorite book in our special feature for June: "What Is Betty Reading? Atomic Habits by James Clear." Enjoy!
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, as well as assistance in overcoming or coping with Executive Function Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Specific Learning Disability.
Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Summer Reading List for High School and College Students
It’s time again for our summer reading list, and thanks to the editors of Goodreads, we have some choice options for your high-school and college aged students to enjoy. Happy reading!
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression, a book that galvanized—and sometimes outraged—millions of readers.
First published in 1939, Steinbeck’s Pulitzer Prize-winning epic of the Great Depression chronicles the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s and tells the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads—driven from their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. Out of their trials and their repeated collisions against the hard realities of an America divided into Haves and Have-Nots evolves a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, elemental yet plainspoken, tragic but ultimately stirring in its human dignity. A portrait of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless, of one man’s fierce reaction to injustice, and of one woman’s stoical strength, the novel captures the horrors of the Great Depression and probes into the very nature of equality and justice in America. At once a naturalistic epic, captivity narrative, road novel, and transcendental gospel, Steinbeck’s powerful landmark novel is perhaps the most American of American Classics.
Saving Monticello: The Levy Family’s Epic Quest to Rescue the House that Jefferson Built by Marc Leepson
When Thomas Jefferson died on the Fourth of July 1826 -- the nation's fiftieth birthday -- he was more than $100,000 in debt. Forced to sell thousands of acres of his lands and nearly all of his furniture and artwork, in 1831 his heirs bid a final goodbye to Monticello itself. The house their illustrious patriarch had lovingly designed in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, his beloved "essay in architecture," was sold to the highest bidder. Saving Monticello offers the first complete post-Jefferson history of this American icon and reveals the amazing story of how one Jewish family saved the house that became a family home to them for 89 years -- longer than it ever was to the Jeffersons. With a dramatic narrative sweep across generations, Marc Leepson vividly recounts the turbulent saga of this fabled estate. Twice the house came to the brink of ruin, and twice it was saved, by two different generations of the Levy family. United by a fierce love of country, they venerated the Founding Fathers for establishing a religiously tolerant and democratic nation where their family had thrived since the founding of the Georgia colony in 1733, largely free of the persecutions and prejudices of the Old World.
Rich with memorable, larger-than-life characters, beginning with Thomas Jefferson himself, the story is cast with such figures as James Turner Barclay, a messianic visionary who owned the house from 1831 to 1834; the fiery Uriah Levy, he of the six courts-martial and teenage wife; the colorful Confederate Colonel Benjamin Franklin Ficklin, who controlled Monticello during the Civil War; and the eccentric, high-living, deal-making egoist Jefferson Monroe Levy. Pulling back the veil of history to reveal a story we thought we knew, Saving Monticello establishes this most American of houses as more truly reflective of the American experience than has ever been fully appreciated.
Crash by Jerry Spinelli
Meet Crash Coogan. Crash seems to be all brawn and no brains, but he will need more than mere muscles to face the upcoming challenges in his life. Award-winner Jerry Spinelli has created a hilarious, poignant story of a cocky seventh-grade super-jock.
The Once and Future King by TH White
T.H White′s masterful retelling of the Arthurian legend is an abiding classic. Exquisite comedy offsets the tragedy of Arthur′s personal doom as White brings to life the major British epic of all time with brilliance, grandeur, warmth and charm.
Animal Farm by George Orwell
A farm is taken over by its overworked, mistreated animals. With flaming idealism and stirring slogans, they set out to create a paradise of progress, justice, and equality. Thus, the stage is set for one of the most telling satiric fables ever penned –a razor-edged fairy tale for grown-ups that records the evolution from revolution against tyranny to a totalitarianism just as terrible.
When Animal Farm was first published, Stalinist Russia was seen as its target. Today it is devastatingly clear that wherever and whenever freedom is attacked, under whatever banner, the cutting clarity and savage comedy of George Orwell’s masterpiece has a meaning and message still ferociously fresh.
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Fifty years after its original publication, Catch-22 remains a cornerstone of American literature and one of the funniest—and most celebrated—books of all time. In recent years it has been named to “best novels” lists by Time, Newsweek, the Modern Library, and the London Observer.
Set in Italy during World War II, this is the story of the incomparable, malingering bombardier, Yossarian, a hero who is furious because thousands of people he has never met are trying to kill him. But his real problem is not the enemy—it is his own army, which keeps increasing the number of missions the men must fly to complete their service. Yet if Yossarian makes any attempt to excuse himself from the perilous missions he’s assigned, he’ll be in violation of Catch-22, a hilariously sinister bureaucratic rule: a man is considered insane if he willingly continues to fly dangerous combat missions, but if he makes a formal request to be removed from duty, he is proven sane and therefore ineligible to be relieved.
1984 by George Orwell
Critics have hailed 1984 as Orwells "most solid, most brilliant" work. Though the story of Nineteen Eighty-Four takes place thirty-five years hence, it is in every sense timely. The scene is London, where there has been no new housing since 1950 and where the city-wide slums are called Victory Mansions. Science has abandoned Man for the State. As every citizen knows only too well, war is peace.
To Winston Smith, a young man who works in the Ministry of Truth (Minitru for short), come two people who transform this life completely. One is Julia, whom he meets after she hands him a slip reading, "I love you." The other is O'Brien, who tells him, "We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness." The way in which Winston is betrayed by the one and, against his own desires and instincts, ultimately betrays the other, makes a story of mounting drama and suspense.
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
The astonishing novel Brave New World, originally published in 1932, presents Aldous Huxley's vision of the future--of a world utterly transformed. Through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering, people are genetically designed to be passive and therefore consistently useful to the ruling class. This powerful work of speculative fiction sheds a blazing critical light on the present and is considered to be Aldous Huxley's most enduring masterpiece.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray is a 1891 gothic and philosophical novel by Irish writer and playwright Oscar Wilde. First published as a serial story in the July 1890 issue of Lippincott's Monthly Magazine, the editors feared the story was indecent, and without Wilde's knowledge, deleted five hundred words before publication.
Despite that censorship, The Picture of Dorian Gray offended the moral sensibilities of British book reviewers, some of whom said that Oscar Wilde merited prosecution for violating the laws guarding the public morality. In response, Wilde aggressively defended his novel and art in correspondence with the British press.
Wilde revised and expanded the magazine edition of The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) for publication as a novel; the book edition (1891) featured an aphoristic preface — an apologia about the art of the novel and the reader. The content, style and presentation of the preface made it famous in its own literary right, as social and cultural criticism. In April 1891, the editorial house Ward, Lock and Company published the revised version of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
The strange and wonderful tale of man’s experiences on Mars, filled with intense images and astonishing visions. Now part of the Voyager Classics collection.
The Martian Chronicles tells the story of humanity’s repeated attempts to colonize the red planet. The first men were few. Most succumbed to a disease they called the Great Loneliness when they saw their home planet dwindle to the size of a fist. They felt they had never been born. Those few that survived found no welcome on Mars. The shape-changing Martians thought they were native lunatics and duly locked them up.
But more rockets arrived from Earth, and more, piercing the hallucinations projected by the Martians. People brought their old prejudices with them – and their desires and fantasies, tainted dreams. These were soon inhabited by the strange native beings, with their caged flowers and birds of flame.
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
Orphaned at birth, Eliza Sommers is raised in the British colony of Valparaíso, Chile, by the well-intentioned Victorian spinster Miss Rose and her more rigid brother Jeremy. Just as she meets and falls in love with the wildly inappropriate Joaquín Andieta, a lowly clerk who works for Jeremy, gold is discovered in the hills of northern California. By 1849, Chileans of every stripe have fallen prey to feverish dreams of wealth. Joaquín takes off for San Francisco to seek his fortune, and Eliza, pregnant with his child, decides to follow him.
As we follow her spirited heroine on a perilous journey north in the hold of a ship to the rough-and-tumble world of San Francisco and northern California, we enter a world whose newly arrived inhabitants are driven mad by gold fever. A society of single men and prostitutes among whom Eliza moves--with the help of her good friend and savior, the Chinese doctor Tao Chien--California opens the door to a new life of freedom and independence for the young Chilean. Her search for the elusive Joaquín gradually turns into another kind of journey that transforms her over time, and what began as a search for love ends up as the conquest of personal freedom.
1776 by David McCullough
In this masterful book, David McCullough tells the intensely human story of those who marched with General George Washington in the year of the Declaration of Independence - when the whole American cause was riding on their success, without which all hope for independence would have been dashed and the noble ideals of the Declaration would have amounted to little more than words on paper.
At the center of the drama, with Washington, are two young American patriots, who, at first, knew no more of war than what they had read in books - Nathaniel Green, a Quaker who was made a general at thirty-three, and Henry Knox, a twenty-five-year-old bookseller who had the preposterous idea of hauling the guns of Fort Ticonderoga overland to Boston in the dead of Winter.
But it is the American commander-in-chief who stands foremost - Washington, who had never before led an army in battle. Written as a companion work to his celebrated biography of John Adams, David McCullough's 1776 is another landmark in the literature of American history.
Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
With precisely 35 canvases to his credit, the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer represents one of the great enigmas of 17th-century art. The meager facts of his biography have been gleaned from a handful of legal documents. Yet Vermeer's extraordinary paintings of domestic life, with their subtle play of light and texture, have come to define the Dutch golden age. His portrait of the anonymous Girl with a Pearl Earring has exerted a particular fascination for centuries—and it is this magnetic painting that lies at the heart of Tracy Chevalier's second novel of the same title.
Girl with a Pearl Earring centers on Vermeer's prosperous Delft household during the 1660s. When Griet, the novel's quietly perceptive heroine, is hired as a servant, turmoil follows. First, the 16-year-old narrator becomes increasingly intimate with her master. Then Vermeer employs her as his assistant—and ultimately has Griet sit for him as a model.
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
1970s Afghanistan: Twelve-year-old Amir is desperate to win the local kite-fighting tournament and his loyal friend Hassan promises to help him. But neither of the boys can foresee what would happen to Hassan that afternoon, an event that is to shatter their lives. After the Russians invade and the family is forced to flee to America, Amir realises that one day he must return to an Afghanistan under Taliban rule to find the one thing that his new world cannot grant him: redemption.
You Can Do It! The Benefits of Volunteering
Besides using summer break as a great time to catch up on good reading, it’s also a great time to do some volunteering. It’s a great way to give back to the community, and volunteering also offers personal benefits as well.
Here are a few reasons why you should volunteer during your high school and college years:
Volunteering is a great way to connect with other people, to learn more about your community and society at large, and to help others around you.
It’s a great way to come into contact with people of all ages and all walks of life, a way to connect with people outside of your social circle who may think differently than you do and live very different lives, helping you to gain new perspective.
Volunteering helps to build social skills, can give you the opportunity to interact in professional settings, and to practice good communications skills.
When volunteering for a cause or an organization you are interested in, you are going to meet people with interests similar to your own, an easy way to find new friends.
Volunteering has several mental health benefits, such as decreasing risk of depression, decreasing loneliness, anxiety, and stress. It can also improve self-confidence, provide a sense of purpose, and improve interpersonal skills.
Volunteering can also improve physical health, including lowering blood pressure, providing opportunities for increased physical activity.
Volunteering can improve future career prospects by expanding your professional network, helping develop transferable skills, and giving you the opportunity to showcase leadership potential and an interest in helping your community.
Volunteering can help you develop new skill sets, whether it’s canvassing people, planting trees or working in a community garden, working with kids or the elderly, doing administrative work, fundraising, caring for animals, or any of the other myriad volunteer opportunities in your area.
Volunteering may help you find a new personal passion by opening you up to new experiences and allowing you to engage in activities that you might not have done otherwise.
And aside from the benefits you are offering to your community, volunteering is fun! If you are feeling a little hesitant about striking out on your own, why not enlist a friend to join you. It’ll benefit them too!
What Is Betty Reading? Atomic Habits by James Clear
To help my high school and college students develop good sustainable habits, I have recently completed Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Whether students are looking to improve personally, academically or athletically – or in all three areas – this book talks them through the steps needed to make such changes. Clear uses solid real life examples of others who have realized that making small changes can have a significant impact – even a 1% change! Clear points the reader to his website where worksheets can be downloaded and used to start making new habits! He also includes an additional chapter: How To Apply These Ideas [Atomic Habits] to Parenting. I am looking forward to helping my students start new habits!
Letter from Betty for May 2023
Hello Friends,
Mark Twain quipped, "Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well." Ellen DeGeneres joked, "Procrastinate now, don't put it off." But serious thinkers give better advice. Benjamin Franklin, in his usual brisk way, said, "You may delay, but time will not." Abraham Lincoln wisely observed, "You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today." We have some useful advice for students on this subject in this month's feature article, "Procrastination - Why We Do It and How to Get Over It." So don't delay, read it now!
May 14th is Mother's Day, which is a holiday with a fascinating history that begins in Ancient Greece and picks up again in the U.S. Civil War era. Read about it in our bonus article for May, "Did You Know? Mother's Day Facts." Enjoy!
In in our special feature for May: "What Is Betty Reading? Flowers for Algernon," my student and I ponder the ethics of doctors performing an operation that would turn a person into a genius.
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, as well as assistance in overcoming or coping with Executive Function Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Specific Learning Disability.
Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Procrastination - Why We Do It, and How to Get Over It
Procrastination: putting things off, not tackling a job that needs to get done, particularly when it’s a task that has a deadline or has some degree of importance, i.e., getting your taxes done, or working on a school assignment that is due by a certain date.
Frankly, everyone puts things off sometimes and that’s completely normal, but chronic procrastination can lead to both emotional and physical problems.
There are many reasons why people procrastinate.
Some are perfectionists, putting off work they need to do because it’s easier to never face the job than face the possibility that they won’t do it well because they are concerned about what others think of them.
Some people procrastinate because they simply think that they won’t enjoy the task, so they will deliberately look for distractions.
For some, it’s confusion because of the complexity of the task (again, think taxes), because of fatigue, low self-confidence, or a lack of a well-structured daily or work/study routine.
Understanding why we procrastinate can be important, especially if it’s become a habit. Are we avoiding the work because we are protecting ourselves against the fear of failure, the fear of being judged by others, from unpleasant work? Or perhaps we enjoy the rush of euphoria when we conquer the task, completing it at the very last acceptable moment.
There are very real, negative side effects though. Procrastination can lead to emotional stress, fatigue, and restlessness. Self-esteem can take a big hit when tasks are not completed, leading to critical self-thoughts, particularly when in a classroom or group situation where others have gotten the assignment done and in comparison, the procrastinator has not. There is less opportunity for creativity in your work in the rush to meet a deadline. Additionally, chronic procrastination and the downsides that result, can lead to lower ambition over-all, because completing tasks and doing them well actually fuels ambition and a passion for doing well, but the opposite can result in a loss of those aspirations.
For teens, the act of procrastinating may find it’s roots in a different reason. It is developmentally appropriate for teens to procrastinate as the conscious or unconscious passive resistance is a way to pull away from a parent’s authority. No doubt, as parents you’ve seen a variety of ways your teen has begun to pull away. It’s a natural and necessary process that we see, particularly as our high-schoolers near their college years. Procrastination is just another way teens express their independence. There is a downside though because the decreased adult supervision can also lead to less study structure and routine, and a greater opportunity for distraction. Putting off the work that needs to be done may also relieve the in-the-moment pressure to get the work done, however, it’s been shown that students who routinely put off their assignments until the last minute tend to get lower grades and produce lower-quality work.
There’s a physical down-side as well. Chronic procrastinators may have a lower sense of well-being, suffer from some level of insomnia, experience anxiety, and develop stress related symptoms such as headaches and gastrointestinal issues.
How can a procrastinator change this habit of avoidance?
Set goals and make it a personal challenge to meet these goals.
Break large or complex jobs into achievable bits and celebrate the completion of each level as it is met.
Intentionally limit the amount of time spent online, particularly on social media.
Embrace imperfection and give yourself the freedom to work, create, and explore without the very stringent goal of perfection.
Read biographies, as many tell the stories of notable and successful people who have experienced rejection, criticism, and failure, and have overcome obstacles on their way to success.
Did You Know? Mother's Day Facts
Mother’s Day is on May 14th so mark your calendar! Here are some fun Mother’s Day facts collected by Town and Country magazine:
Mother's Day isn't always on the same date each year.
The holiday is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of the month of May.
The moniker 'Mom' comes from babies.
The first thing most babies can vocalize is the 'ma' sound, which is why in almost every language the word for mother begins with the letter 'M' or is some iteration of the 'ma' sound.
More calls are made on Mother's Day than any other day of the year.
Reportedly there are approximately 122 million calls made on the second Sunday of May.
Mother's Day is the third highest selling holiday for flowers and plants.
After Christmas and Hanukkah, more people buy flowers and plants for their moms on Mother's Day than any other holiday. Approximately one quarter of all the flowers purchased throughout the year are bought for Mother's Day.
41% of Americans plan to buy their mom jewelry.
However, flowers remain the most popular gift option, with about 72% of Americans opting for a floral present.
Normally, Mother's Day is the busiest day of the year for restaurants.
According to a survey by the National Restaurant Association, 48% of people make plans to go to a restaurant for Mother's Day.
Beauty salons and spas also get a Mother's Day boost.
According to the National Retail Federation, on Mother's Day, people will spend $2 billion on personal services (like spa treatments) for their mothers.
In 2022, over $31 Billion was spent on Mother's Day.
On average, shoppers spend $245 on gifts for their mothers according to the National Retail Federation.
The most popular gift for Mother's Day is the greeting card.
Every Mother's Day there are approximately 152 million Mother's Day cards sent.
One of the earliest Mother's Day celebrations was in Ancient Greece.
The Greeks would have spring celebrations in honor of Rhea, the goddess of fertility, motherhood, and generation.
The history of American Mother's Day starts with peacemaker Ann Jarvis.
During and following the Civil War, Ann Jarvis made a concerted effort to foster friendship and community between the mothers on both sides of the war. She started a committee in 1868 which established the first glimmer of today's holiday: "Mother's Friendship Day."
Ann's daughter Anna continued her legacy by creating the official holiday.
Anna Reeves Jarvis sought to honor her own mother by establishing a day of observance. The very first Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1908.
Woodrow Wilson signed Mother's Day into law in 1914.
After Anna Jarvis created the Mother's Day International Association in order to streamline the day of observance to the second Sunday in May, Woodrow Wilson legitimized the celebration as a nationwide holiday.
Anna Jarvis would later try to stop what Mother's Day became.
The holiday quickly became a commercialized opportunity for producers to sell flowers, candies, and cards. Anna Reeves Jarvis felt this was detracting from the personal and intimate aspects of the holiday and defied this by starting boycotts, walkouts, and even condemned first lady Eleanor Roosevelt for using the day as a means of fundraising. Jarvis would eventually use all her money in this fight, and died at the age of 84 in a sanatorium.
Carnations have a special meaning on Mother's Day.
Anna Reeves Jarvis used the carnation on Mother's Day to symbolize whether your mother was living. A red carnation meant she was, and a white meant she had passed.
Mother's Day is celebrated all over the world, albeit on different days.
In addition to the U.S., Great Britain, Canada, Costa Rica, Samoa, Georgia, Australia, and Thailand all have designated celebrations to honor their country's mothers.
Some countries still observe ancient festivals honoring mothers.
In India, people celebrate Durga-puja, a festival that pays homage to the mother goddess, Durga. The festival is a ten-day event that takes place around September or October.
Moms aren't the only ones getting Mother's Day love.
The average American buys 2.8 Mother’s Day cards, so most people are buying more than just one for their mom. Many people opt to buy Mother's Day cards for grandmothers, sisters, and their mother-in-law as well.
What Is Betty Reading? Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
I recently completed Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Throughout the reading of the novel, the eighth grader I am working with asked many questions regarding whether or not the protagonist should have been operated on to increase his intelligence. As readers, we see the increase and eventual decline of intelligence through journal writing. We also see growth and decline of friendships as Charlie goes through his changes. If you have not read this book or even if you have, consider reading it again and then consider the same ethical question my student did.
Letter from Betty for April 2023
Hello Friends,
Whenever I watch young children at play I find myself saying one thing to myself over and over: "Kids have to run!" It is almost as if their natural state is swift movement, and it seems universal. As children get older they gain inhibitions and shyness, and need to be coaxed into returning to their natural instinct for energetic movement, but it is so important they do so. Find out more about this vital topic in our feature article for April, "The Positive Impact of Team Sports on Mind and Body."
As Easter approaches, who doesn't love swirling colors on curved surfaces? We have a really fun and timely project for you in our bonus article for April, "You Can Do It! Shaving Cream Dyed Easter Eggs." Have a hoppy time!
“Mr. Knightley, if I have not spoken, it is because I am afraid I will awaken myself from this dream.” So says Emma, the title character of the Jane Austen novel of the same name. Read my quick take on this classic English novel from 1815 in our special feature for April: "What Is Betty Reading?"
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, as well as assistance in overcoming or coping with Executive Function Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Specific Learning Disability.
Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
The Positive Impact of Team Sports on Mind and Body
Did you know that physical exercise is not only good for the body, but has benefits for the mind and spirit, and has an impact on school success as well? With this in mind, we need to encourage participation in team sports and other regular physical activity.
Yes, playing sports takes up a lot of time and energy, and you may think that this would be a distraction from important schoolwork, but participation in sports has a profound impact on school success. Sports requires memorization, repetition, determination, goal-setting, and learning, all skillsets that are directly relevant to schoolwork and learning. Thus, many athletes do better academically.
Participating in team sports enhances problem-solving skills and the benefits of teamwork. Effective communication within the group is needed to work together, to develop a plan, and to see that plan out in order to reach for success.
Organized, well-structured sports programs help to teach accountability, dedication, leadership, and commitment to the group.
There are many mental health benefits as well.
Participating in team sports helps to reduce pressure and stress, and is a great way to build up a supportive social network of friends and peers. It can also provide an important boost to self-esteem as goals are achieved and self-confidence builds. Additionally, when working as a team, there is the benefit of focusing on the success of the team rather than the success of a single player, allowing for broader opportunity for achievement.
Physical activity can boost your mood by stimulating neurotransmitters in the brain, releasing endorphins that make you feel happier and more relaxed.
Participating in a team sport also allows for the opportunity to unwind and forget the stresses of the day when you hang out with friends. Depression and anxiety also decreases as your mind is occupied with the activity of the moment, you are physically engaged, and there is a reduction of stress hormones being released in the body.
Concentration and focus improve, as thinking, analyzing, and judgement skills are put into play, sometimes very quickly, keeping the brain alert.
Then of course there are the physical benefits.
Participating in sports can help to maintain a good weight, encourages healthful decision-making (such as not smoking), and even can lower the chances of developing health issues later in life.
Physical activity is important in the healthy growth of bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, improves coordination and balance, and has cardiovascular benefits too. It also gives you the opportunity and ability to physically relax, thus avoiding complications of chronic muscular tension such as headaches and back aches.
Participating in sports improves sleep. The physical activity tires you out so your body needs to rest and recover from the exertion. In addition, getting better sleep helps to ensure that you’ll greet the next day well rested, with more energy, feeling better, and in a much better mood.
The take-away is: participating in sports does indeed positively impact the mind and the body, and can have roll-over benefits in school as well.
You Can Do It! Shaving Cream Dyed Easter Eggs
From Crafty Morning, here's a quick and easy way to dye your Easter eggs this year using shaving cream and food coloring. You can also use cool whip as a substitute. Either way, the results are fantastic!
Materials Needed:
Neon or regular tint food coloring
Eggs
Cookie sheet
Shaving cream or cool whip
A straw
Gloves (optional)
Start by squirting white shaving cream onto a cookie sheet and spreading it evenly. Drip different colored food coloring onto the shaving cream, randomly in spots, leaving plenty of white cream. Take a straw and swirl the colors until you get a tie-dye look.
Roll an egg through the colors on one side and flip it over to do the other side. Let it sit for 10 minutes or so and then rinse clean. Easy!
What Is Betty Reading? Emma, by Jane Austen
I have just finished Emma by Jane Austen. This is the completion of my second Austen book in the past few months. I found it to be a humorous novel that follows Emma, the protagonist, through time as she tries to set up a close friend for marriage and encounters several blunders along the way. I am becoming a fan of Austen’s; I greatly appreciate her use of words and wit, her sentence structure, and her ability to “paint the picture” of the beautiful England countryside.
Letter from Betty for March 2023
Hello Friends,
Many times in our lives we get the uncomfortable feeling that we don't really fit in or that we are engaged in some sort of deception of others regarding our true abilities. This happens to just about everyone. But how could we all be imposters? Find out more about this under-discussed aspect of our lives, how it impacts students, and how to cope with it by reading our feature article for March, "Feeling Like a Fraud? Let's Talk About Imposter Syndrome."
March is here, and with it the arrival of spring. On the 20th of this month, the vernal equinox will bring an exact balancing of the day and night hours. Or will it? All is not quite so tidy for those of us keeping a very careful track of things. Find out why in our bonus article for this month, "Did You Know? The Length of The First Day of Spring Is Not What You Think."
Finally, check out my review of a book that takes the reader into an uncharted realm of new insights in this month's special feature, "What Is Betty Reading? Predictably Irrational."
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, as well as assistance in overcoming or coping with Executive Function Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Specific Learning Disability.
Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Feeling Like a Fraud? Let's Talk About Imposter Syndrome
Imposter syndrome is an often hidden, rarely spoken about phenomenon that can impact performance in college and on into our adult lives. It’s that little voice inside our heads that tells us that we’re not good enough, that we don’t belong, that we don’t know what we’re doing, and we may wonder why this school, this company, this record label or gallery even chose us at all. We feel like…a fraud. We may have persistent feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy, even despite our successes and other evidence to the contrary. We may feel like we don’t actually deserve our accomplishments and positive recognitions and that they really should go to the other students, artists, co-workers. We worry that we’ll be “found out.”
That feeling of being a fake, not deserving, not belonging, hits many people, but because we don’t talk about it, we tend to feel like it’s just us that feels like an imposter. In fact, a study by the National Institute of Health reported that up to 82% of people will face the syndrome at some point in their lives, and a study by Brigham Young University found that 20% of college students experience this phenomenon.
How college students may be affected by imposter syndrome:
With the now higher expectations, those students who found high school easy can find themselves floundering during their college years, or at least have the impression that they are doing so.
In response to the stress associated with imposter syndrome, college students might avoid taking risks for fear of failing, or avoid speaking up in class. They may procrastinate, or over prepare, ignore positive feedback with the assumption that it’s just a fluke and not meant for them. They may withdraw from social activities, fail to make connections with other students or group members. And because this feeling can so rattle a person’s self-confidence, it can contribute to anxiety and even depression. All of these things can end up hurting their sense of well-being, their academic performance, and enjoyment of their college experience as well.
So how does a person manage these invasive thoughts of being a fraud?
The re-wiring and challenging of this negative thought process is very doable with some time and attention.
It’s time to lose the perfectionist goal and give yourself some slack. Let go of the need to be or appear to be perfect. Allow yourself to make mistakes or express weakness. If you don’t know how to do something or have the answer, try anyway. You might not get it right, but this is how learning happens and this is what college is for.
Understand that a person needs to accept both their strengths and their weaknesses. This is key to having a healthy sense of self-esteem and self-worth.
Challenge those negative thoughts, and swap out negative thoughts for positive ones.
If imposter syndrome is causing general anxiety, test anxiety, troublesome procrastination, or feelings of isolation, then reaching out to the campus counseling department can be a real help. Every campus has this resource and talking about feelings with another person can be extremely helpful.
Adopt a “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality. Make it a daily mantra! Nearly everyone gets nervous, including college professors, the Deans, and other professionals at the school. Even our idols in the music, art, stage and screen fields have to deal with imposter syndrome and work to overcome these thoughts. No one is perfect.
Recognize and accept these feelings. Sit with them, talk about them, let them pass. Taking the power away is a good thing.
Focus on the learning process rather than the result. Embrace challenges and understand that just because something is hard now doesn’t mean it will always be.
Again, talk about it. Opening up about your feelings of being a fraud can help to normalize them, and know that your parents, professors, mentors, and peers have likely dealt with these issues too and can help.
Celebrate your successes! It’s too easy to ignore what is going right in your daily life and to only focus on the negative. If it helps, keep a diary and track those events that went well and the positive feedback that you’ve received from others – and look back on this list often.
Surround yourself with people who will encourage you, who will cheer you on, and that you enjoy spending time with.
Stop comparing yourself to others. The truth is that other people’s achievements have no bearing at all on your worth or your talent. Most everyone is just trying to figure this out and again, no one is perfect.
Remember, many people experience imposter syndrome, people of all ages, and it’s a very common human experience. We just don’t talk enough about it. It may come on a bit during later high school years, stronger at college or grad school level, and continue on into your professional life, but perceptions are not always a reflection of reality. And to quote Dr Seuss: “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and twice as beautiful as you’ve ever imagined.”
Did You Know? The Length of The First Day of Spring Is Not What You Think
In 2023, the first day of Spring is on March 20. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, one question revolving around the vernal equinox concerns the length of day versus night. We have been taught that on the first days of spring and autumn, the day and night are equal to exactly 12 hours all over the world. Yet, if you check the calendar pages in the Almanac, you will find that this is not so. In fact, the tables tell you that on the days of the spring and fall equinox, the length of daylight is actually longer than the darkness by several minutes.
The reason this happens can be attributed to the atmosphere. If Earth was a planet that did not have an atmosphere, then yes, on the equinox days the length of the day and night would be exactly even.
However, our atmosphere acts like a lens and refracts (bends) its light above the edge of the horizon. Put in another way, when you watch the Sun either coming up above the horizon at sunrise, or going down below the horizon at sunset, you are looking at an illusion – the Sun is not really there, but already below the horizon.
As a result, we actually end up seeing the Sun for a few minutes before its disc actually rises and for a few minutes after it has actually set. Thus, thanks to atmospheric refraction, the length of daylight on any given day is increased by approximately six or seven minutes.
What Is Betty Reading? Predictably Irrational
I am currently reading Predictably Irrational – The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions by Dan Ariely with one of my college students. It is an entertaining book that provides descriptions and results of interesting experiments done throughout the world that help us to better understand who we are, why we do what we do and how we can make better contributions to society.
I particularly enjoyed reading about the brain stimulation that occurs when people drink Coke and Pepsi in an MRI tube! The brain actually was stimulated more when participants drank one of the beverages. Can you guess which one?
Letter from Betty for February 2023
Hello Friends,
It is hard to describe the satisfaction that comes with list-writing, but it is real. One of the surest ways to achieve anything in life is to write it down, to see the goal written out clearly. This is true for all of us at any age. Parents can introduce their middle school children to the wide world of organizational methods, as detailed in our feature article for February, "Helping Your Middle Schooler Develop Better Organizational Skills."
One way a parent can teach organizational skills outside of school studies is a family baking session. Show your children how to buy and set out ingredients and follow directions, as well as make some timely Valentine's Day gifts by reading our bonus article for this month, "You Can Do It: Rocky Road Cookie Cups." Plus, delicious!
Finally, check out my review of a classic work of fiction that ignited the Nigerian literary renaissance of the 1960s, China Achebe's Things Fall Apart, in this month's "What Is Betty Reading?"
Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, as well as assistance in overcoming or coping with Executive Function Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, and Specific Learning Disability.
Please call 610-207-7811 or email betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.
Best regards,
Betty
Helping Your Middle Schooler Develop Better Organizational Skills
We know that being organized will help your child be more successful and learning these skills now will not only help your him this year, but throughout middle school, high school, during his college years, and beyond. Why are we talking about this when the school-year is half-way over? Because these are skills that need to be revisited from time to time, and even if the year started out with A1 organizational skills, by this time some attention may have slipped, some areas where organization may be lacking have likely surfaced, and a refresher is needed.
Here are a few reasons why this is an important focus and an important key to success:
Your child is less likely to “forget” about assignments.
Your child is less likely to be unprepared for tests and quizzes.
Your child will be able to easily locate supplies and school-work when they are needed because everything will have it’s place and will be easily found.
Your child will have fewer late assignments and more assignments turned in.
Your child’s self-esteem will rise as they are able to turn in work that they’ve spent time and effort on, without the penalty for tardiness or missed assignments.
Your child’s increased self-esteem will lead to continued success in the classroom, knowing that his work is a job well done and credit is received.
Tips and tricks for getting and staying organized:
Make sure that your child has a good book bag/backpack. It’s likely that the one he started the year off with is in need of replacing or could use a re-thinking. Get one that is sturdy, has enough zippers and compartments so that there is a place for everything, but not so many that he’s constantly looking for his stuff. Having a tote bag for in-school use might be a good idea as well, if the school allows it. That way he’s not having to lug around a huge load of books throughout the day. Remember that the recommendation is to not carry around more than 10% of his total body weight in those backpacks in order to avoid pain in shoulders and back.
It's time to take another look at the supplies on-hand. Re-visit the teacher’s supply list and restock as needed. Your child will need fresh notebooks, paper, pencils, folders, highlighters and binders too, one for each class. Make sure that every notebook, file, and binder is labeled for each class and if you can, color coordinate for each class.
Make sure that your child is using a pencil case to collect his writing implements, erasers, sticky notes, paper clips, markers, etc. rather than just throwing them blindly into his bookbag where they’ll be too hard to find when needed.
Have a hole-punch for the binder so that any classroom hand-outs can be instantly added to the correct binder.
Organize loose papers: Reiterate for your child: do not just shove all papers into the backpack or they’ll never be able to be found quickly and may become damaged or lost completely. Everything in its place!
Make the locker more useful: Consider buying a small whiteboard with magnetic pencil holder to hold markers. Attach the board to the inside of the locker door for quick notes. A locker organizer is useful also and can be used for dividing books into sections such as morning classes/afternoon classes.
Update the planner with after-school activities, class schedule, meetings, project due dates and other assignments.
Make sure that everything has a place and everything is in it’s assigned place. For example, history papers do not belong in the math notebook and nothing should be tossed into the dark maze of the book bag willy-nilly.
Re-visit the daily routine/schedule. Is your child waking up in the morning to eat a good breakfast and get ready for school? Is he routinely getting to school on time? After school, is he sticking to a set time to get homework done?
Homework list: Another tip: if your cidl has a lot of homework and/or homework in many different subjects, before starting, take a sheet of paper and write down each of the subjects and the assignment for each. That way nothing will be forgotten and being able to cross each subject off the list as he goes along will serve as positive reinforcement. A white board will work for this tip as well.
Down time: You also want to make sure that your child is getting plenty of down-time built into the day, and getting to bed with enough time to get a good amount of sleep each night.
This may sound time-consuming, but taking the time to get re-organized will pay off and help your child to finish off the year with success!
You Can Do It: Rocky Road Cookie Cups
Here’s a lovely Valentine’s Day treat that is super easy and super delicious. Whether you make them for your loved ones, or with them, these yummy bites are sure to be a hit. Enjoy!
Rocky Road Cookie Cups
Prep: 20 min. Bake: 15 min. + cooling
Yield: 2 dozen
Ingredients
1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Shape dough into 1-1/4-in. balls; press evenly onto bottom and up sides of 24 greased mini-muffin cups. Bake until edges are golden, 10-12 minutes. Using the back of a measuring teaspoon, make an indentation in each cup. Immediately place 3 marshmallows and 1/4 teaspoon chocolate chips in each cup; sprinkle with almonds. Return to oven; bake 1 minute longer. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.
What Is Betty Reading? Things Fall Apart
I recently finished rereading Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe with a high school sophomore. The novel chronicles the life of the protagonist, Okonkwo, during pre-colonial life in Nigeria and the invasion of Europeans towards the end of the19th century. Okonkow's mistakes lead to his eventual downfall within his tribe. Some of the characters' names can be challenging to read and the occasional use of Nigerian words can cause a reader to pause, but a quick look at the glossary at the end of the book is helpful. Things Fall Apart has been compared to Greek tragedies and I can certainly see why! The plot is engaging and the writing style has an even flow to it.