You Can Do It: Handmade Paper

You can make paper from recycled scraps of just about any paper you can find. By adding decorative items, such as flower petals or fall leaves, you can create beautiful personalized stationery. This is a fun craft that teaches about recycling while making a useful handmade product.

Types of Paper You Can Recycle 
You can use almost any type of paper product for this project, but steer clear of waxed cardboard. 

• Construction paper

• Printer paper

• Magazines

• Paper towels

• Paper bags

• Newspapers (will produce a grayish paper)

• Cardstock

• Non-waxed cardboard

• Napkins

Decorations 
There are many materials you can add to the paper for a decorative effect. You may wish to add flower or vegetable seeds to the paper, which can be planted.

• Flower petals

• Seeds

• Fine leaves or grass

• Foil

• String or yarn

• Dryer lint

• Food coloring (for dyeing your paper)

• Liquid starch (to make your paper less-absorbent so that you can write on it if you wish)

Build a Frame 
While you can pulp your paper and make a rough product just by pouring it out and allowing it to dry, you can also form your paper into a rectangular sheet if you use a frame. You can make a frame by duct-taping an old piece of window screen onto a small rectangular picture frame. You could also staple the screening onto the frame to make the mold. Another option is to bend a wire coat hanger into a shape and slip old pantyhose around it to act as a screen.

Make Your Own Paper 
You are going to pulp the old paper together with water, spread it out, and allow it to dry. It's that simple!

• Tear the paper (feel free to mix different types) into small bits and put it into a blender.

• Fill the blender about 2/3 full with warm water.

• Pulse the blender until the pulp is smooth. If you are going to write on the paper, blend in 2 teaspoons of liquid starch.

• Set your mold in a shallow basin or pan. You can use a cookie sheet or a sink. Pour the blended mixture into the mold. Sprinkle in your mix-ins (thread, flower petals, etc.). Shake the mold from side to side, keeping it in the liquid, to level out your paper pulp mixture.

• You have few different options to absorb the excess water. You could remove the mold from the liquid, let the paper dry in the mold, without absorbing the liquid. You can also flip the paper paper out onto your countertop and use a sponge to wick away excess water or you could press a cookie sheet onto the paper to squeeze out the excess liquid.

Letter from Betty for October 2019

Hello Friends,

Games involving counting, pattern recognition, and problem solving are very often quick ways to master math skills. If your young child has even a little case of math anxiety, please take a look at our feature article for October, "Math Mastery Through Math Games." Let the games begin!

For outdoor family fun, consider a trip to an apple cider mill! We are fortunate to live in an area overflowing with many amazing apple farms and cider mills. Throw on your sweaters and pack everyone in the car and head out to enjoy one—or all three—of our recommended destinations in our bonus article, "You Can Do It: Cider Mill Day Trips."

Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.

Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

October 2019 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.

Math Mastery Through Math Games

Playing games at home is a great way to help a child who is struggling with math skills. When we were children, we worked on our own math skills through rote practice with flash cards, work sheets, and memorization, but it’s now widely recognized that playing games is a fantastic addition to building those skills. Math games are a fun way to practice counting, number and pattern recognition, numerical strategies, problem solving, and decision making, while at the same time reducing math anxiety and having fun. Furthermore, players are less likely to worry about making mistakes or failing than they are in a pencil-and-paper environment.

Your child can also discover real-life and practical ways to use their growing math skills. They can learn from the other game participants by watching and absorbing the different strategies they use, they can explore math using formats they know and enjoy (like playing on video gaming systems), and they can try out new strategies and ideas without the pressure of being graded (a huge benefit when a child is struggling with math anxiety).

Playing math games together with your child also gives you the chance to learn what your child’s strengths and weaknesses are and moving forward, you’ll be able to concentrate on building skills where needed by choosing games that help to develop those particular skills. An additional benefit is that math gaming gives family members another opportunity to connect with each other, and that is always a good thing!

There are many different types to explore in the world of board games and video games. You probably already have long-time favorites like Uno and Monopoly somewhere in your home!

Go Fish and Dominoes help children with matching skills, set building, and pattern recognition.

Games like Clue and Guess Who? are fun mystery games that develop strategy by narrowing down options in order to find the correct answer.

Connect Four, Battleship, Chess, and Checkers ask players to move pieces around in order to block or capture other pieces, thus utilizing spatial strategy skills.

Uno and Mancala are both enormously fun games and require numerical strategy that involve removing, eliminating, or rearranging pieces in order to win.

Then there is the timeless Monopoly, which asks players to think about how they’re going to use their money or resources (property) in order to reach a goal that they set for themselves.

Computer games, video games, and the wide world of apps are also beneficial! Technology is a sure-fire way to grab your child’s attention, particularly your teen and tween.

Take a look here for a collection of some of the best math apps of 2019. There is something here for every age and interest:

Video games help teens and tweens build reasoning and flexible thinking skills, boost their memorization and problem-solving abilities, practice spatial manipulation and more. Try out SimCity, Portal, Minecraft, and The Legend of Zelda, all popular games that will have your child learning and developing important skills while having fun.

These suggestions should help you help your child practice important math skills. Make sure you join in on the gaming and have fun and productive family time as well!

You Can Do It: Cider Mill Day Trips

Autumn is a favorite season for many people. Cozy sweaters, hayrides, pumpkins, corn mazes, crunchy colorful leaves, fresh crisp air… are so welcome after a hot and humid summer. So let’s dive right into the season and enjoy one of autumn’s treasures: apples!

Here are three suggestions for central New Jersey farms to visit and enjoy this season’s bounty:

Alstede Farms, Chester

Pressed right at the mill using its own apples, Alstede Farms in Chester is known for its homemade apple cider which can be purchased at its farm store or at one of its farmers' markets.

If you want to watch the Alstede Farms cider-making process firsthand, the cider mill is open to the public on Fridays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for tours, which is included in its daily admission price.

1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester; 908-879-7189, alstedefarms.com.

Ralston Cider Mill, Mendham

Ralston Cider Mill offers an historical experience, offering guided tours of the mill, where you can hear about its history from grist mill to cider mill and applejack distillery. Learn about the significant importance of apples not only to colonial America, but specifically to those in New Jersey. Built in 1848, the structure maintains it’s massive stone walls and heavy timber, and is a treat to explore.

The mill often hosts special events, where visitors can taste the fresh cider made from its facilities — check their website for details on upcoming events.

336 Mendham Road W., Mendham; ralstoncidermill.org.

Hacklebarney Farms Cider Mill, Chester

This 168-year-old farm's wood-pressed cider is made fresh on the premises all day long. If you're curious about the cider-making process, you can enjoy demonstrations on most weekends through October.

The mill is located about a half a mile from Hacklebarney State Park, and if you’re adventuring there, you just might wonder if you're going in the right direction — until you see the gathering of cars lined up, patiently waiting for apple cider, cider doughnuts and other goodies from its bakery and farm store. Do not let this crowd discourage you though. It’s well worth the wait!

104 State Park Road, Chester; 908-879-6593, hacklebarneyfarm.com.

Letter from Betty for September 2019

Hello Friends,

Variety is the spice of life, and we are lucky indeed that each and every student is unique. Each adopts a particular combination of strategies and methods for learning. Learn more about this subject in our feature article for September, "The Importance of Understanding Your Child's Learning Style."

There's no time like the present to plan an autumn trip to see the fall colors. Those leaves will be turning before you know it. With that in mind, we have some destinations to recommend in our bonus article: "You Can Do It: Plan a Leaf-spotting Trip." Enjoy!

Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.

Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

September 2019 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.

The Importance of Understanding Your Child's Learning Style

We all have different strengths and preferences when it comes to how we learn, how we process information, and the techniques that we use to navigate our way through the world. Though there are seven basic styles, we all use a mixture of them, supported by one dominant style. We also tend to use different styles while in different circumstances. There is no right or wrong when it comes to how we learn.

Traditional schooling mainly uses linguistic and logical teaching methods, relying on book-based teaching with repetition to aid memorization and exams for reinforcement and ranking. Unfortunately, this may leave those students who are stronger utilizing the other learning styles struggling, placed in lower classes, and with the belief that they are not as smart as their other classmates. This can be avoided by understanding how your child learns.

Seven learning styles:

• Aural (auditory-musical): Prefers using sound and music.

• Logical (mathematical): Prefers using logic, reasoning and systems.

• Physical (kinesthetic): Prefers using body movements, hands and sense of touch.

• Social (interpersonal): Prefers to learn in groups or with other people.

• Solitary(intrapersonal): Prefers to work alone and use self-study.

• Verbal(linguistic): Prefers using words, both in speech and writing.

• Visual (spatial): Prefers using pictures, images, and spatial understanding.

Learning styles influences how students learn, but they can also determine the way the way students internalize and understand experiences, the way information is recalled, and even the words they choose when speaking.

If your child is struggling in school, it may be because his personal learning style is not in sync with his teachers teaching style. We can help to identify your child’s learning style and help him with the skills that he needs to better participate in school and become a more active and successful student. By better understanding how your child learns, and by giving him the skills to suit his needs, we can help him to improve the quality and speed of his learning. Give us a call. We’d be happy to talk with you!

You Can Do It: Plan a Fall Leaf-spotting Trip to Enjoy the Autumn Colors

It’s not too early to plan a special leaf-spotting adventure! To see breathtaking foliage this autumn, you’ll want to time your trip just right. While there are average times for color change, it depends on several variables like temperature and rainfall. Trees at higher elevations turn color before ones at lower elevations. Leaves change first along the water like lakes, ponds, and rivers.Each year the timing is a little different, but the average New Jersey peak fall color is October 19 through 29.

Check out these NJ hotspots to make the most of the crisp weather:

Bergen County: Ringwood State Park (photo above)

Hunterdon County: Round Valley Reservoir

Mercer County: Washington Crossing State Park

Morris County: Lake Hopatcong, Pyramid Mountain National Historic Area, Wharton State Forest

Passaic County: Rifle Camp Park

Sussex County: High Point State Park

Warren County: Delaware Water Gap, Jenny Jump State Forest (photo below)

Several Counties: The Pinelands

Letter from Betty for August 2019

Hello Friends,

There is one thing that can make a new school year get off to a great start, and that one thing is preparation! In fact, careful planning and focused preparation can make everything better about the transition from summer into a new school year for students and their families. With that in mind, we have a timely article for you this month, "Ready, Set, Go! Gearing Up for the New School Year."

Meanwhile, there is still time to seek out a few more precious family adventures this summer. Enjoy fun in the sun with our bonus article, "You Can Do It: Last Bit of Summer Fun." Enjoy the remainder of your summer!

Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.

Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

August 2019 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.

Ready, Set, Go! Gearing Up for the New School Year

We can hear the groans already as you read the topic of the article, but ready or not, summer is winding down and it’s time to start prepping for the start of the new school year. Yes, there’s still a bit of summer vacation to squeeze the delicious juicy fun from, but with the Back-To-School signs beginning to pop up at the local shops and on TV, this is our cue to begin early prep. In fact, if you start now, you’ll be alleviating some of the stress that inevitably comes from waiting until the last minute. So what can you do now to prepare? Here are a few ideas:

To start, it’s a good idea to get the family into a school-time routine. Set the alarm clocks and get your children used to rising at a set time each day. It doesn’t have to be “school early,” but it’s a good idea to discourage everyone from sleeping-in at this point. On a similar vein, it’s a good time to jump back into regular bedtime routines and times. Start now and your school-year transition will be that much easier.

Hopefully, your family has been enjoying great books over the summer. Keep it up! If reading hasn’t been a part of the day, now is the time to head to the library, pick up a few good books, and set aside a time for reading each day. If your children are not independent readers, use that time to settle into a comfortable chair and read aloud to them. They'll not only enjoy the extra attention they’re receiving, but will soak in great tales while hearing the letter sounds, vocabulary, and cadence of the written word, now spoken.

Now is also a good time to set up play dates! Beginning the new year with friends will help to ease the transition and you too can benefit from getting reacquainted with their parents. Help your children refresh friendships by setting up a pool party or other get-togethers with classmates they probably haven’t seen since school’s end. It’s a fun way to get everyone excited about being together again once that school bell rings.

As the first day of classes gets closer, take the opportunity to take your children to their school for a walk-through, especially if it’s new to them. Search out the cafeteria, find the library, explore the hallways, and if possible, meet new teachers and say hello to the principal. It’ll certainly go a long way towards helping to ease any jitters on that first day of school.

Though you still have a bit of time, it’s not too early to start school shopping. Check to see if your children’s school has already posted a classroom supplies list, then buy a few items each week. If the list isn’t available yet, go for the basics: pencils, paper, markers, lunchbox, backpack, etc. Spreading out the new-year shopping allows you to take advantage of sales and coupons, is easier on your budget, and you’ll beat the crowds too. The same goes for school clothes. Instead of dealing with an exhausting day trudging through the stores for new outfits, just buy a few pieces here and there as these final weeks of summer vacation wind down. Bear in mind that you don’t need to buy for whole school year, you just need a few fresh, new pieces to start the year!

Treat yourself too, and pick up a fresh, bound notebook or organizer. Use this to record important contacts, messages, plans, questions and to-do lists. You can also store any hand-outs that come home from the school during the coming year.

Towards the end of summer or at the beginning of the school year, your children’s school with host an Open House. Make sure to attend and take your organizer with you! You’ll be showing the teacher that you are an active parent, it gives you the opportunity to spend a bit of additional time with the teacher, and allows you the chance to hear about and understand classroom rules. Having these recorded in your organizer will help you to better explain the rules to your children and answer any questions that they may have.

If your child has an IEP, now is a good time to reread it, make sure that you understand it, and think about any questions that you may have for the teacher or school officials before the year begins. Understand that during these final weeks of summer vacation, teachers are very busy readying supplies, getting classrooms in order, attending administrative meetings and planning for the year. It’s fine though, to make an initial contact and request a meeting with your child’s teacher to discuss the IEP and your child’s special needs now, rather than when it gets very busy.

We know it’s tough to switch gears and move out of summer vacation mode, but taking these steps now will definitely pay off and make everyone’s transition easier.

You Can Do It: Last Bit of Summer Fun

We all want to squeeze out every last drop of summer that we can before school starts up again, right? Here are a few fun ideas for you and your family:

Backyard camping
It's an inexpensive and easy entertainment for your whole family, no need to travel, and if you forgot to bring something, then just pop back inside the house! Want to make it even more special? Ban the screens and just enjoy each other’s company without the distraction those devices bring.

Beach day
You know you want to squeeze in one more trip to the shore!

Bonfires
The nights are just beginning to get cooler, so it's a perfect time to build a glorious bonfire. Invite friends, stock up on ingredients for s’mores, and enjoy!

Living history
Head to the library and check out a biography of Annie Oakley or one of your other favorite figures in Wild West history, read it to the kids, and then head to Wild West City in Stanhope! It’s an authentic western heritage theme park which features live action shows and living history in a setting inspired by Dodge City, Kansas in the 1880’s. Check out www.wildwestcity.com for details.

Local festivals
Harvest festivals, blueberry festivals, apple festivals, film festivals and local fairs abound this time of year. Check out www.visitnj.org/nj/events/festivals to find out more.

Water park
Never been? They can be loads of fun! Try out Crystal Springs Family Waterpark in East Brunswick, or Runaway Rapids Waterpark in Keansburg, but don’t forget the sunscreen because you’ll want to spend the day!

Letter from Betty for July 2019

Hello Friends,

Many parents of college freshmen are surprised to find themselves included in the orientation process, and further surprised to have it gently pointed out that their relationship with their child is about to enter a new chapter, requiring parent as well as child to adapt and adjust in profound ways to new circumstances. We have a helpful perspective to offer in our feature article this month, "From Helicopter Parent to Lighthouse: Sending Your Teen Off To College."

Happy July! What could be better than lemonade on a hot July day? How about 4 different kinds of lemonade. As you prepare for parades and cookouts and fireworks, stir up some thirst-quenching beverages for the whole family with our bonus article, "You Can Do It: Fabulous Lemonade Recipes."

Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.

Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

July 2019 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.

From Helicopter Parent To Lighthouse: Sending Your Teen Off To College

Helicopter parents are the moms and dads that hover, swoop in and solve every problem for their child. They intervene when it’s not appropriate to do so. If you’re sending your teen off to college, now is the time to back off. Helicopter parenting has become such a phenomenon that many colleges and universities are adding that very session topic to their freshman parent orientation programming.

You’ve spent your entire lives teaching, guiding, and protecting, but what your child needs now is to learn to become an autonomous, independent thinker, who does for himself, and takes responsibility for the choices he makes. He needs the space to learn to be a young adult, to grow, and even to make mistakes. He needs the space to decide on a major, to keep up with his own class schedule and assignments, his bank accounts and budgets, sleep schedules and eating patterns, and his new social world. And even though technology has erased many lines, what with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and the many apps that are available to keep up with what’s going on, you have to learn to respect important boundaries, even if you get anxious about what is going on. It’s reasonable to check in from time to time, but moderation is the key.

More and more university students are seeking help from their school’s counseling centers, from their advisors, and from trusted professors. Parental meddling results in consequences that are completely unintentional but also very damaging. College students are experiencing more anxiety, depression, and dissatisfaction than ever before and part of the reason is the inadvertent message that helicopter parents have been saying to them: that they can’t be trusted to take responsibility and govern their own lives. According to a study in the Journal of Child and Family Studies, led by an associate professor of psychology at the University of Mary Washington, through their words and their actions, parents are sending unintentional messages to their college-aged children that they are not competent. The effect of this is exactly the opposite of their good intentions, but this is the result, none-the-less.

Learn all you need to about the college or university your child is attending. You’ll probably find that it is well set up to attend to you child's many needs. From personal advisors, career planning departments, financial aid services, resident life, social life, dining services, and more, there are many people and programs in place that do nothing but focus on the well-being of your teen. They just need to ask.

Go to freshman orientation, ask questions that will alleviate some of your concerns, and then trust and let go. For the sake of your young adult, resist the urge to be a helicopter parent. Be a lighthouse instead, standing strong, being available for navigation purposes, firmly planted on the shores at home.

You Can Do It: Fabulous Lemonade Recipes

July 4th and icy cold lemonade are a natural pair, but wouldn’t it be wonderful to have lemonade on hand throughout the season? Here are 4 delicious takes on our beloved summertime drink for you to try and enjoy!

Very Citrusy Lemonade

Ingredients

• 5 lemons

• 5 limes

• 5 oranges

• 3 quarts water

• 1-1/2 to 2 cups sugar

Directions

• Squeeze the juice from 4 each of the lemons, limes and oranges; pour into a gallon container.

• Thinly slice the remaining fruit and set aside for garnish. Add water and sugar to the juices; mix well. Store in the refrigerator. Serve over ice with fruit slices.

Berry Lemonade Slushy

Ingredients

• 2 cups lemon juice

• 1-1/2 cups fresh raspberries

• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries

• 1 to 1-1/4 cups sugar

• 3 cups cold water

Directions

• In batches, place lemon juice, raspberries, blueberries and sugar in a blender; cover and process until blended. Strain and discard seeds.

• Transfer to a 2-1/2-qt. freezer container; stir in water. Freeze for 8 hours or overnight.

• Just before serving, remove from freezer and let stand 45 minutes or until slushy.

Lemony Minty Spritzer

Ingredients

• 2 medium lemons

• 2 cans (12 ounces each) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

• 2 bottles (1 liter each) carbonated water, chilled

• Ice cubes

Directions

• Cut lemons into wedges and squeeze the juice into a large pitcher. Stir in the lemonade concentrate, confectioners' sugar and mint; add lemon wedges. Chill until serving.

• Just before serving, stir in carbonated water. Serve over ice.

Lemonade Iced Tea

Ingredients

• 3 quarts water

• 9 tea bags

• 3/4 to 1-1/4 cups sugar

• 1 can (12 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

• Lemon slices, optional

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Remove from the heat; add tea bags. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.

• Stir in sugar and lemonade concentrate. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

• Serve over ice. If desired, garnish with lemon slices.

Letter from Betty for June 2019

Hello Friends,

As teenagers push towards independence, a parent's role changes too, from caregiver and supervisor to guide and advisor. It is difficult to adjust on both sides. Typically, teens will resist the guidance and advice a parent wants to give. If you are in this situation, you'll find strategies to cope in this month's feature article, "Is Your Teen Resisting Your Help?"

June is here and the first day of summer with it. Get ready for warm weather fun with our bonus article, "You Can Do It: Watermelon Pizza." Enjoy!

Whatever your educational needs, Foundation for Learning is ready to assist you with caring, one-on-one, individualized tutoring, and ISEE/SSAT test prep.

Don't hesitate to give us a call at 973-425-1774 or send an email to betty.foundationforlearning@gmail.com for a free consultation.


Best regards,

Betty

June 2019 Test Schedule

Mark your calendar for the latest test dates.

Is Your Teen Resisting Your Help? What’s a Parent To Do?

Independence 

This word is important to the development and growth of teens and tweens as they move closer to becoming independent adults. It’s likely that they’re feeling conflicted between being an independent young adult and still needing, although reluctant to admit it, to rely on others. They may be feeling powerless and may use anger to push away the people they need the most, in order to gain power over a difficult or frustrating circumstance.

As parents, realize that the more energy you spend arguing with them, the stronger their resistance will grow. Change the focus. Take a step back and ask your teens what they think about the particular situation. They may have good thoughts and ideas to share with you. After they do, avoid the impulse to correct or argue. Instead, be encouraging and urge them to take action. This will give them the independence they crave and may motivate them to move ahead.

If your teens want to do well but are strongly resisting asking for help, reassure them that doing so is a sign of maturity and self-advocacy, an important skill they need to learn before setting off into the world on their own.  They should practice this skill while still at home, in a warm and nurturing environment and you, as their parents, need to give them the space to do so.

This can be a trying time for both you and your teens, The best thing to do as a parent is to help boost their confidence, show respect, support their ideas, point them in the direction of appropriate community resources, and be there when they reach out to you…and even when they don't.