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I grew up watching old classic movies - the sort now on TCM. So many of them had historical or bigraphical themes, that I am sure that I filled in holes in my historical knowledge just by watching them - Painless! Hubby just watched one on the Russian Revolution, and although they may not be 100% accurate, they are a pleasant way to get one's historical orientation. So I recommend it to you - especially if you have kids! They also have dramatizations of classic literature.
Do you believe that a recent college undergraduate was unaware that the original 13 colonies had all been on the East Coast? One or two movies would have cured them of that bit of ignorance!
By pam munro from Los Angeles, CA
Tutors can cost $20 or more per hour, but often with younger students it's the mindset of learning that can add to their educational success. At home, try to piggy-back on what information is delivered in school. It's important to create the idea that learning is continuous, and a little more practice at home can make a world of difference in understanding.
Try some at home tutor-free activities.
Even the most traditional games can be altered to include learning. When my son and I play catch in the backyard we have a game that each person must answer a question before the ball is thrown. We keep the questions simple, a reinforcement of what we did that week. If we went for a trip to the zoo, we'll test our knowledge of "zoo facts." Sometimes we review the plot and characters of the book we've read. It would work be a great study tool for upcoming tests, especially because the child also gets to ask the parent a question with each turn.
Even some regular programming can be educational. After watching Michael Phelps win his slew of gold medals, my future swim-teamer and I had a nice conversation about character. Michael thanked his teammates and showed great sportsmanship throughout the Olympics, and we used that as a teaching tool at our house.
Be creative with teaching TV and be limiting as well. Some shows are just time fillers, and others teach poor character qualities and behaviors. Be sure to tell your child why you've made the decision to ban certain shows and discuss this with him/her to alleviate tensions.
Teach a child to think about his/her world, and he/she will bring that to the classroom.