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What Parents Should Know About Dry Drowning, a Lesser-Discussed Swimming Danger by Guest Blogger:  Susan Good

6/24/2019

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Dry drowning is a scary term — one that parents have no doubt heard about but many may not know what it means. Before we get started, it’s important to note that dry drowning, and its cousin secondary drowning, are relatively rare — only accounting for about 1 to 2 percent of all drowning cases in the U.S. However, that’s still a significant number of deaths, and enough to warrant your thorough attention. Here are the facts about dry drowning.
 
What is dry drowning?
 
Dry drowning is a type of delayed drowning where a person gets a small amount of water in their nose or mouth and it causes spasms in the airway, leading them to have trouble breathing. Most symptoms of dry drowning will be visible shortly after exposure to water. Dry drowning can happen anywhere water is present — including the pool, hot tub, or even the bathtub.
 
So is secondary drowning the same thing?
 
No, but they are similar. With dry drowning, water never reaches the lungs. Secondary drowning occurs when a small amount of water does reach the lungs, but not enough to suffocate the person and cause immediate drowning. This water can cause inflammation and fluid buildup, leading to pulmonary edema. While dry drowning usually takes effect minutes after exiting the water, secondary drowning can occur up to 24 hours or so after the water exposure.
 
Are there symptoms of dry drowning?
 
Yes. Shortly after exiting the water, your child could experience any of the following symptoms: coughing, nausea or vomiting, extreme tiredness, irritability, and of course, trouble breathing. If you are worried about your child and feel like they are exhibiting symptoms of dry drowning, you should seek medical attention immediately.
 
Swimming safety tips
 
The best tool against drowning — immediate, dry, and secondary — is proper prevention. The pool is one of summer’s greatest pleasures, but also one of its greatest potential dangers. It’s vital that you know all of the swimming safety tips there are to know.
 
The number one tip for any parent is to always keep eyes on their child. This is easier said than done, but it helps to only allow kids anywhere near the pool area when you are nearby and have a full line of sight. If you go inside to grab a beverage, take your child with you. Align pool furniture to face the pool area so you’ll rarely have your back turned. Also, consider investing in a pool cover, which will help keep anyone from accidentally falling in when you’re not using it.
 
Of course, it’s nearly impossible to watch your child at all times, and children are by nature extremely curious. Your pool should always be fenced in, and that fence should be at least 4 feet tall. Install childproof latches on all gates, and make sure you remove any ladders if you have an above-ground pool.
 
LiveScience notes one smart pool safety tip, which is to always maintain a clean pool area - both in and out of the water. Toys, floats, and noodles left in the pool can attract kids and tempt them to jump in, while toys and floats left lying around the pool can pose a tripping hazard. You can’t rely on common pool safety items like floaties or even count of swimming lessons to keep your child from danger, as dry drowning doesn’t require full submersion to be deadly.
 
While recent news articles may have piqued your anxiety, dry drowning is a relatively uncommon thing - and even if your child is affected, it is not always deadly. But it’s these lesser-known dangers that must be illuminated. Know how to spot the symptoms, and don’t assume that your child is okay just because they’re fine when they get out of the water. Always make sure there are no signs of delayed drowning for at least a few hours — and up to a day — after pool time is over.
 
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
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How Learning an Instrument Can Improve Literacy and Other Skills in Children by Guest Blogger:  Charles Carpenter

9/5/2018

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Learning to play an instrument is a wonderful way for students to express their creativity. But did you know that learning an instrument can build literacy and language skills as well? Studies show that children who take at least two years of music lessons have an enhanced ability to process language, which gives them an advantage when it comes to reading and
communication. If you are a teacher or parent who would like to offer your children the benefits of learning an instrument, here are a few things to know:
There’s an Instrument for Everyone

If you’ve never played one, a musical instrument can look complicated and intimidating. But instruments are not as scary as they look. There is a good instrument for every age, ability and interest. Helping your child find an instrument that is right for them may take some time. Bring them to a music store to check out a few of their choices. They may have an instrument in mind, or you can help them make a decision as to where to start. Instrument rentals are a practical way to help kids pick an instrument, since you won’t have a long-term commitment and you can have your children try various ones. If you have children with disabilities, know that there are options for them as well. Modified instruments are fairly accessible on the market, and they offer those with physical disabilities the perfect instrumental fit to pursue their music passion.
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Kids Can Learn Music Online

Investing in a musical instrument for a younger child can be a bit scary. Even rentals can be risky when your child is too young to properly care for an instrument or if you are afraid they will lose interest. If you are not ready to invest in a musical instrument just yet, you can still give your child the benefits of learning to play music. There are tons of great online music programs and apps that allow your child to learn an instrument from a laptop without having to buy an expensive instrument they may stop playing.
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Lessons Can Improve Social Skills

Online lessons are a great tool when you are working with young children or kids who may change their mind. But live music lessons can offer a few benefits that online courses can’t.  When children take music lessons with others, they are learning to play an instrument, 
but they are also learning important social skills. For children who already have a solid base for their social development, music lessons offer negligible improvement. But if you are working with kids who are struggling socially, music lessons can make major improvements in the way they interact and behave with others. Try researching online to find lessons and music schools for your children that may help them improve their social skills.
Create a Space for Your Child to Learn

If you have room in your home, you may consider consider creating a space for your child to practice their instrument. You’ll want this space to be away from the high-traffic areas of your home so your child can concentrate. One idea is to soundproof the space to make it as quiet as
possible. According to HomeAdvisor, the national average cost to soundproof a room is $1,739.
Playing Music Has Other Benefits Too

Music has some pretty positive effects on the learning and social abilities of children, but learning an instrument can have other benefits as well. The benefits of learning an instrument are varied and encompass quite a few emotional and physical aspects. Music can work to decrease stress levels, which will have significant positive impacts on your child’s physical health. Playing an instrument teaches children the importance of perseverance, discipline, and responsibility, all of which will help your child succeed in other areas of life as well.  The benefits of playing music are boundless for your children. From improving language skills to positively impacting mental health, learning to play an instrument is one of the most effective ways to help kids learn better, feel stronger and develop into well-rounded adults. So, make music a part of your child’s life and learning experience.
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images courtesy of: Pixabay
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Get the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences: Part 2

10/8/2014

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Parent involvement is seen as one of the most important factors to student success. You can help by being co-operative and organized so as to get the most out of your parent-teacher conferences. Remember that communication need not only take place at these events, but they are a great place to start!

5 Must-ask questions


1.   What will my child learn this year?
  • Be prepared to reinforce student learning at home
  • Secure a tutor if needed
  • DO NOT assume all learning will take place within the classroom

2.   How can I help?
  • Getting involved in school life helps to create a great community atmosphere and makes the school a better place for all the students.

3.   How will my student be evaluated?
Know all upcoming assignments, tests and projects
  • Help your child create a study schedule
  • Make sure tests are administered in best way for your child

4.    What additional preparation can my child do?
  • Be more active   
  • Help them excel at sports
  • How to help them become well-rounded individuals through extramural activities, music or volunteering.

5. When can we have our next meeting?
  • Check in with each other periodically 
  • Keep communication open 
  • Reward your child when he/she achieves set goals

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Get the Most Out of Parent-Teacher Conferences: Part I

10/6/2014

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It is critical that you work closely with your child's teacher to make sure they get the most out of their education.  You both have information to add to the discussion.  It's only when you work together that you can be sure to get the best experience for your child.

Listen as well as talk.
  • Prepare for the meeting by writing down questions and comments you want to be sure to make during the meeting
  •  During the meeting, listen to the teacher and take notes.  If you don't understand something the teacher says, be sure to ask clarifying questions!  
  • Ask the teacher for things that could be improved and suggestions for ways you can help at home 
  •  Denying a problem is not in the best interest of your child  


Let's talk specifics
  • Be sure to get specific details regarding ways your child is tested and graded. 
  • Discuss ways your chiild can improve grades  
  • Include information about your child's private life.  Many things like illness, deaths, moves and family changes can impact a student's performance  


Take action
  • Set realistic goals and discuss what the teacher will do in the classroom and what you will do at home to help your student reach their new goals
  • Keep an open mind
  • Check in often with the teacher to ensure that your student is on track and to discuss any new difficulties or issues that have arisen


If you and the teacher undermine each other's authority or ideas, your student will not be getting the support they need. Of course there are going to be differences of opinion, but handle these professionally for best results.

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Now What's New?  Tutoring On-Demand!

11/29/2012

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Dole Academy is thrilled to announce that we're now offering Tutoring On-Demand.  Our main methods of delivery continue to be in-person and online, however we recognize that sometimes you can't find time for tutoring in your busy schedules and just want to study alone.  But who has the resources to know what to study?  Even if you knew the topics to study, where are you going to get the material?  Ask Dole Academy for help!

Dole Academy will work with you individually to determine exactly what you want to accomplish.  After gathering the needed information from you, we'll help you define your topics and we'll prepare your materials.  What could be simpler?

Ask Dole Academy about Tutoring On-Demand pricing!
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Choosing a Tutor...Decisions, Decisions! Part Five - Hiring Your New Tutor 

11/28/2012

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You've found the perfect tutor!  Did you ever think this day would come?

While it's impossible to prepare for every possibility, there's much you can do to prevent misunderstandings in the future.  Before  that first lesson and before you say, "You're Hired" take the time to talk about a few things.  You'll be glad you did.

Of course you'll want to talk about the location, time, and frequency of the lessons.  But here are a few very important topics that often get overlooked.

Rate:  Yes, the tutor probably has a listed rate (and if not, you might be able to negotiate the rate).  Be sure to ask about discounts.  Many tutors will offer discounts for things such as: Military, pre-payment, lessons scheduled during off-peak hours, and multiple hours at once.  Even if the discounts aren't advertised, it can't hurt to ask!

Cancellation Policy:  What happens if you need to cancel a scheduled lesson?  How much advance notice is required?  If you are charged for a lesson, can that charge be applied to future lessons?  What happens if the tutor cancels a scheduled lesson?  Does the tutor respond with a free lesson?

Payment Policy:  What methods of payment are accepted?  You might be surprised.  More tutors are now accepting methods of payment besides cash.  Some even offer PayPal.  If checks are accepted, what is the policy if a check bounces?  When is payment accepted?  Most tutors expect to be paid at the time of the lesson.  However, if you schedule frequent lessons, you might be able to arrange to make payments less often.  I have many students that pay once weekly. 

Happy Learning!

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Choosing a Tutor...Decisions, Decisions! Part Four - Interviewing Prospective Tutors

11/28/2012

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You've narrowed your field of prospective tutors down to just two or three.  It's time to meet!  A meeting will give you information about the tutor that can't be determined from e-mails alone.  Plan to meet in a public location for safety.

Things to look for:

Your tutor should dress professionally.  You want a tutor that takes this job seriously and promotes themselves as a professional.

Your tutor should be friendly as well as professional.  You don't want someone who shows no personality.  The learner will respond better to someone who is friendly and caring.  On the other hand, you don't want someone so friendly and relaxed they are like another child.  The tutor needs to demonstrate an ability to take charge when needed. 

Your tutor needs to ask questions.  Is the tutor curious about the learner?  Does the tutor want information about the learner's needs before beginning lessons?  Questions asked by the tutor will demonstrate how interested the tutor is in being prepared to teach and tutor and how well the tutor knows what information would be needed (would demonstrate application of experience and education).

On-the-spot responses.  While it's great that the tutor can answer questions in an e-mail, can this tutor answer questions on-the-go?  A good tutor needs to be able to immediately respond appropriately during lessons.  Tutoring happens now!  Not tonight, after the tutor e-mails you.

Join us tomorrow as we conclude the series Choosing A Tutor...Decisions, Decisions! when we talk about  Hiring Your New Tutor. 

 

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Choosing a Tutor...Decision, Decisions!  Part Three - E-mailing Prospective Tutors

11/28/2012

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Armed with some solid information, it's time to start contacting tutors.  WyzAnt and Craigslist both allow you to place your own ads looking for tutors as well as respond to individual tutors.  WyzAnt specializes in tutors that will meet you.  Some will come to your home, others work out of a library.

When you write your ad, include all specific information.  Give the age/grade level of the learner, the subject(s) in which you need tutoring, and details regarding your needs.  The details should include information about overall learning (such as is the learner doing well in all other areas and just struggling in this/these area(s) or does the learner struggle in all areas), how long the learner has been struggling (the learner has been doing well until this year, the learner has been struggling for a number of years), the degree of difficulty (the learner is able to keep up grades but spends four hours every night doing homework, the learner does hours of homework but can't pass any test, the learner can't understand any of the in-class work), the learner's general attitutde toward school, and any other specific information (the learner has been diagnosed with ADHD).  The more information you give at the beginning, the more information you should expect in your first dialogue with the tutor and the more time you'll be able to cut-out of your search.

A response from a prospective tutor should address everything you included in your first ad or e-mail.  Look for those tutors that took the time to fully read about your needs and tell you what they would do.  Narrow your list down to the top two or three.  These would be the tutors that responded appropriately, you felt a connection with, have teaching techniques that match the learner's style of learning, are prompt with their responses, are friendly, and match as closely as possible the list you created before you began.  Ask the tutors to meet with you (do not choose a tutor based solely on e-mails!) 
 
Our next installment of this series will help you through the interviews with tutors.  Join us tomorrow for Choosing a Tutor...Decision, Decisions!  Part Four - Interviewing Prospective Tutors. 

  
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Choosing a Tutor...Decisions, Decisions!  Part Two - The Search 

11/28/2012

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Now that you've made some important decisions about your tutor, it's time to do a little research.  The first question is:  Where should I look?  You actually have a lot of options.  Just like when you go shopping for a new car, you shouldn't limit your options just to what's available in one location.  Instead, you can begin your search by talking with your child's teacher.  They may be able to give you suggestions for a good tutor in your area.  If not, they may be able to give you some ideas of places to look and things to look for. 

Craigslist is a great resource (
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/ for the St. Louis area.  (For those of you outside the St. Louis Metro area, there are links on this page to take you to the listings for your city and state.)  Of course, the downside to using Craigslist is that everyone can hide behind anonymity.  However, you will be interviewing your prospective tutors before you hire them, so that doesn't have to be a problem.  Another great source is WyzAnt.com.  WyzAnt is a well-respected directory of tutors.  There are tens of thousands of tutors listed.  A tutor's profile can include information about the tutor's experience and education, as well as a picture of the tutor and a description of what they do.  You will see the rate the tutor charges, the subjects offered, and their location.  You can check out my WyzAnt profile at http://www.wyzant.com/Tutors/B_D_Tutoring.  There are many other, less well-used used directories of tutors.  Some of these are https://www.uniiverse.com/, https://www.care.com, https://www.sittercity.com, https://apps.facebook.com/youandischool/, and http://www.geektutors.com/ to name a few.  If you decide to go with a chain, some of the more popular and larger chains in the St. Louis area include:  TutorDoctor, Sylan Learning Center, Kumon Center, and Mathnasium.  There are many smaller companies available. 

Now that you have a few places to look, should you jump in and start contacting tutors?  NO!  Before even speaking to one tutor, you need to see what's available.  After  seeing what your options are, you need to do a little comparison shopping.  What's the going rate for tutors in your area?  What's the difference in rates between those that are certified teachers and those that aren't?  Between tutors with degrees and those without?  Between private tutors and companies?  See if you can find tutors that do most of the things you listed yesterday.  Will you be able to find what you're looking for?  How much should you expect to pay?  If you can't find tutors that are offering what you want, are all the things on your list non-negotiable?  Are you willing to accept less than you originally planned?  If you do find tutors that offer what you want in your area, you're ready to start talking!

Join us tomorrow when we talk about what you should expect when you talk with and meet your prospective tutors.
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Choosing a Tutor...Decisions, Decisions!  Part One - Before the Search

11/24/2012

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With the choices among tutors seemingly endless, the task of choosing the right one may seem overwhelming.  However, there are several things you can do to help make your decision a little easier and help you choose the RIGHT tutor for you.

One of the most important parts of the tutor search is done before you even start looking.  Before you begin looking for tutors, you need to spend time considering exactly what you want.  Determine your goals.  Specifically, what do you want the tutor to accomplish?  Common goals include homework completion, raise grades at school, shorten the homework time, and teach a skill.  Of course there are many other possibilities.  If you have multiple goals, be sure to identify them.  The answer to this question will help determine the answer to the other questions you need to ask.  Other questions to ask yourself:   Will you provide the material or do you want the tutor to provide the material?  Do you want private lessons or group lessons?  In-person or online?  Will you go to the tutor or do you want the tutor to come to you?  Do you want a tutor that is just available when scheduled, or will you want additional access?  If the tutor comes to you, where do you want to meet?  Do you want a private tutor or a chain?

You may be thinking all this is unnecessary.  All you want is some  help.  Consider the employer who needs some help at the office.  Would they send out a general request for help, or would they write a complete job description?  You are the employer.  You need to know exactly what you want.  Any warm body shouldn't be good enough to provide your (or your child's) supplemental education. 

That's a lot to think about!  But, once you have definite answer to these questions, you're still not quite ready to look for your tutor.  Now that you have this information, it's time to start your research.  Tomorrow, we'll take a look at some of the research you should do to prepare yourself to talk with tutors.  
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