2012 SAT Group Classes Forming Now

Are you ready for the SAT*? This is not a test to take blindly. The sheer length of the exam, the points deducted for incorrect answers, and the tricks and traps of the questions and answers all demand careful preparation from students wishing to post their best scores.

The good news is that students can gain a considerable edge through solid preparation. A careful review of the academic concepts tested in math, critical reading and writing, along with the development of proper test-taking and time-management strategies can add significant points to a score. And not only do higher scores increase the chance of admission, they also increase the chance for ever more competitive scholarship dollars.

So, we invite you to participate in our SAT-preparation class! Our class includes a thorough review of the academics covered on the SAT, proven test-taking and time-management strategies, and real practice exams with grading and feedback. All taught from textbooks we write ourselves exclusively for Sylvan SAT students.

Textbooks and multiple practice exams are included in the program fee of $599.  

Please call us today to learn more about this extraordinary program and how students can improve their scores dramatically.

*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Entrance Examination Board, which makes no endorsement of this program.

Spring 2012 SAT Course for June Test

This course will take place at the Bloomington Sylvan on Sunday afternoons on the following dates and times:

Sunday, April 22	1-5pm
Sunday, April 29	1-5pm
Sunday, May 6	1-5pm
Saturday, May 12	10am-2pm Practice Exam I
Sunday, May 13	1-5pm
Sunday, May 20	1-5pm
Saturday, May 26	10am-2pm Practice Exam II
Sunday, May 27	No Class. Memorial Day Weekend.
Thursday, May 31	1-5pm

Summer 2012 SAT Prep Schedule

This special summer course includes 28 hours of instruction encompassing a full academic review in all areas of math, critical reading, and writing. Two full-length practice tests are also given, with grading and feedback provided individually. This course is designed to prepare students fully for the October SAT exam. The class schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, June 19	10am-Noon
Thursday, June 21	10am-Noon
Tuesday, June 26	10am-Noon
Thursday, June 28	10am-Noon
Tuesday, July 3	10am-Noon
Thursday, July 5	10am-Noon
Friday, July 6	9am-1pm Practice Exam I
Tuesday, July 10	10am-Noon
Thursday, July 12	10am-Noon
Tuesday, July 17	10am-Noon
Thursday, July 19	10am-Noon
Tuesday, July 24	10am-Noon
Thursday, July 26	10am-Noon
Friday, July 27	9am-1pm Practice Exam II
Tuesday, July 31	10am-Noon
Thursday, August 2	10am-Noon

Avoid Summer Learning Loss

Make Sylvan Part of Your Summer Schedule.

Sylvan Summer Programs
School is out and learning is in! Sylvan's individualized summer academic programs in reading, math, writing, study skills, and college test-prep are the perfect solutino to avoid summer learning loss. Our 36-hour programs also come with the exclusive Sylvan guarantee of learning progress. Contact our center for details.

• Math Essentials
• Algebra
• Beginning Reading
• Academic Reading
• Advanced Reading Skills
• Writing
• Study Skills
• SAT/ACT Test Preparation

Sylvan Academic Summer Camps
If you are looking for fun and academically enriching activities for your child during the summer break, enroll in a Sylvan reading math, writing or handwriting camp today.

Each camp runs for five two-hour sessions over a one week period, Monday-Friday for a total of ten hours. Camp dates are as follows:

Camp Sum Fun! Addition and Subtraction	June 4th – June 8th
Multiply and Divide! Math Facts	June 11th – June 15th
Fraction Action! Making Fractions Fun	June 18th – June 22nd
Handwriting! Printing	June 25th – June 29th
Handwriting! Cursive	July 9th – July 13th
Write On! 20-hour Camp	July 16th – July 27th
Fit4Algebra!	July 30th – Aug 3rd

Download the attached flyer for exclusive summer coupons and camp descriptions.

Sylvan Summer Programs & Camps(2.99 MB)

No More Teachers, No More Books...

For students, teachers and parents alike, the last weeks of school can be both exciting and challenging. Students are looking forward to the summer break and, as a result, their interest in schoolwork may wane. Teachers have just completed the strenuous state assessment tests and now have a classroom of students more interested in summer than science. For parents, the end of one school year signals the impending start of another one. So, how do you ensure your child is ready to tackle the next grade?

The end of the school year is really a time to prepare for transition - the transition from one grade to another, but also the transition from in-classroom learning to the continuous learning that takes place outside of school.

At this time of year, Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels, advises parents to focus on three areas - helping their child make the most of the final weeks of school, knowing what the next grade level will bring and looking for ways to create learning opportunities during the summer break.

Make the most of the final weeks of school. 

• You can help your children review by asking them to show you what they've learned or by working through homework problems together.
• Schedule a last meeting or discussion with your child’s teacher. Identify successes and challenges.
• Help your child stay motivated about school so he gains the full benefit of his final days in the classroom by putting a reward system in place. 
• Have a conversation every day about school.

Know what the next grade level will bring.

• Speak to your child's current teacher or a teacher in the next grade about the upcoming curriculum. 
• Ask about new subjects and changes in focus. For example, in 3rd grade, students usually begin to “read to learn” rather than “learn to read.” If your 2nd grade student is struggling with her reading, this summer would be a good time to focus on improving reading skills.
• If the next year will mean a change in schools - such as entering high school - take advantage of orientation sessions where you and your child can learn more about the new school.

Let your kids be kids.
Summer vacation is a great tradition. It's important to enjoy the time off. But, you can also learn as you have fun. In fact, the best learning occurs when children don't realize they're learning.

Parents can design summer vacation activities that are both fun and educational. For example:

• If you know your child will be studying history next year, visit local historical sites, or borrow historical books and/or novels from your local library.
• Continue reading throughout the summer. Visit a local library where they can help you select books appropriate for your child's age and interest. Or, go to www.BookAdventure.com. Book Adventure is a free, Sylvan-created interactive, reading motivation program. Students choose their own books from more than 7,500 titles, take short comprehension quizzes and redeem their accumulated points for small prizes. Book Adventure also offers teacher and parent resources and tips to help children develop a lifelong love of reading.
• Plan family activities that are fun, interactive and educational. To help you get started, Sylvan Learning offers a free activity booklet, Family Learning Fun. The booklet provides seven different ideas and activities that will help sustain and inspire academic discovery. It is available in the “Parent Resources” area of Sylvan’s Web site at www.SylvanLearning.com.
• Develop writing skills by writing or emailing pen pals.
• Demonstrate the value of continuous learning to your child by showing how you continually learn - such as regular reading, developing new skills for a job or learning a new hobby or sport.

Sylvan Learning Offers Summer Reading List

Summer is almost here and for most kids it means leaving behind classes and homework. But summer should not be the equivalent of a learning-free time for kids. To encourage learning in the summer months, Sylvan Learning is offering a suggested reading list for grades K-12 to help parents find the right book for their child’s summer reading fun.

Elementary School
Kindergarten:	Whose Mouse Are You? by Robert Krause
	Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Moon
Grade 1:	Click Clack Moo: Cows That Moo by Doreen Cronin
	Anansi the Spider by Gerald McDermott
Grade 2:	Mister Seahorse by Eric Carle
	How Much Is a Million by David M. Schwartz, Stephen Kellogg
Grade 3:	Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech
	Beach for the Birds by Bruce McMillan
Grade 4:	Summer Reading is Killing Me! by Jon Scieszka
	So You Want To Be President? by Judith St. George
Grade 5:	Holes by Louis Sachar
	Science Kitchen by Chris Maynard
Middle School
Grade 6:	Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket
	My Life in Dog Years by Gary Paulsen
Grade 7:	A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
	Amistad: A Long Road to Freedom by Walter Dean Myers
Grade 8:	Ender's Game (Ender Series #1) by Orson Scott Card
	Our Town by Thornton Wilder
High School
Grade 9:	Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard
	Silent Spring by Rachel L. Carson
Grade 10:	Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
	Profiles In Courage by John F. Kennedy
Grade 11:	Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
	She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
Grade 12:	Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
	Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Is Your Child Ready for Algebra?

Known as a "gateway course," algebra is the foundation for higher-level high school math and science classes and thus a critical stepping stone to student's success. Make sure your child is ready by having them take a FREE Algebra Readiness Check-Up!

Weak algebra skills can lead to:

• Lower ACT/SAT^® scores
• Limited access to colleges and universities
• Restricted careers

This 21-question Algebra Readiness Check-Up will help your student determine if they are ready for Algebra. Their personalized Algebra Fitness Breakdown will highlight their strengths, areas that require focus, and provide online resources to help them get in tip-top shape for algebra!

Register today: www.Fit4Algebra.org

Technology and Kids

The holidays are over. The New Year has started. Over the holidays, many kids may have received tech-toys for gifts. Computers, video games, cell phones, and electronic screens are ubiquitous in our lives and the lives of our kids. As the New Year is getting underway, we want to keep our kids clearly focused rather than busily distracted. Technology has played and can play a crucial role in education, but there are important rules for using any tech device.

Whether texting, surfing the web or playing video games, research shows that kids between the ages of eight and 18 spend more than seven hours a day with gadgets. * "That, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad," says Greg Moore of Sylvan Learning located in Bloomington. "Balance, as in every other aspect of life, is key. A variety of helpful resources have made technology an integral part of our lives and how we learn. While technology has introduced many portals of enhanced learning, it can also be a distraction in kids' lives – offering kids easy ways to get sidetracked, diverted and overwhelmed."

To help kick-start a successful year, Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of tutoring services to children of all ages and skill levels, offers parents and families the following tips to find the right balance for using technology efficiently and effectively.

Your rules rule. Have clear guidelines for kids to follow. Like all rules for children, the clearer and simpler, the better. If you're unsure how to start, talk to trusted teachers at school, other parents in the community, or look at good online sites.

Set time limits. A good rule of thumb for teens is two hours of screen time per day, including schoolwork. For elementary schoolers, it's less. No screen-time just before bedtime. Decide what will work best for your family.

Set place limits. Ban electronic screens at dinnertime, for example, or when the family is having a discussion or enjoying family time together. Many families find that for younger kids, it's best if the computer is in the family room – not in the kids' rooms – and used only when an adult is present, monitoring.

Schoolwork comes first. Study and chores come before socializing and games. So does anything else you decide – writing that thank you note, going to Sunday school, helping the next door neighbor.

Stress privacy. Explain to your children why you won't permit them to give out personal information about themselves or their family, to meet with strangers they've "met" online, or to spend money online. Just be realistic and firm.

Stress common sense. It is good sense not to allow downloading or uploading – music, movies, or photos for instance – without your permission. Show kids how their online words and pictures are, for all intents and purposes, permanent. Just as we watch what we say in our speech, we need to do the same thing online.

Be a role model. You're a role model in everything you do and say as a parent, including using technology. Let the kids see you using your computer, phone, and other devices to make your life easier, more efficient, more fun. Show how you're in control of it, not the other way around: i.e. if you say no gadgets at dinner time, don't pick up the phone yourself.

Technology, when used effectively, helps enable and empower our children's educational lives. The key lies in setting boundaries on kids' electronic use. For additional tips and resources, contact Greg Moore at Sylvan Learning located in Bloomington at (812) 330-0900 or bloomington@gosylvan.com, call us at 1-800-31-SUCCESS, or visit us on the web at www.sylvanlearning.com.

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* According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans between the age of 8 and 18 spend on average 7.5 hours a day using some sort of electronic device, from smart phones to MP3 players to computers.

About Sylvan Learning:
Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of tutoring to students of all ages, grades and skill levels with over 30 years of experience and more than 850 centers located throughout North America. Sylvan's trained and Sylvan-certified personal instructors provide individualized instruction in reading, writing, mathematics, study skills and test-prep for college entrance and state exams. For more information, call 1-800-31-SUCCESS or visit www.SylvanLearning.com.