Determine the child's learning style. It can be visual, tactile or auditory. Jan Van Blarcum, founder of Dallas-based Creative Tutors, believes understanding how a child learns is essential to helping her retain information. She advises using a learning styles chart as the determining factor.

True, it is a growing concern that our nations children are becoming obese. With high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol becoming part of the their health concerns how do we help children practice habits that will help them live longer and healthier lives?

Richard Simmons knows personally how it feels to be a child with a weight issue. Cutting public schools funding for PE and Extra Curricular Activities are not acceptable options! To cut PE as well as reduce or limit recess prevents a child from learning good habits about health and weight loss. Additionally, children need physical exercise and good eating habits to preform better in their daily subjects. Keeping focused and energized for Math and Reading helps the child preform better on their daily work and to be a good student. Ultimately, helping the school achieve higher marks on their standardize testing requirements under No Child Left Behind (NCLB.)

State testing will become more difficult in the coming years as the new testing requirements begin to be implemented. (TAKS, STARS, EOG'S)

A healthy life style includes; eating right and including exercise in your life. From an early age, our children need to learn both habits as they move through different ages and stages of their lives.

Healthy children have happier lives keeping depression rates lower for our nations children. Parents, pay attention to this issue. It will help your child live a healthier, happier and stronger life!

Learn more about this important issue by listening to some of the radio interviews by Richard Simmons.

Worrying. Pacing. Nail-biting. Sweating. Completely blanking out. Gasping for air. Tick-Tock. Ahhhhhhhh!

Nothing causes more stress than a test. No one knows that better than Creative Tutors, an in-home educational tutoring service. Creative Tutors help students sort through and understand tough material that will eventually be covered on a test. Often, it just takes a new approach or strategy to help a child master — and recall that information — at test time.

Whether it’s a pop quiz, six-week assessment, TAKS, EOGS or the SAT/ACT, here are some ways to help students prepare and do their best:

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David Pulsipher graduated from California State University Northridge with a BA in mathematics with an emphasis in secondary education. Following his dream inspired by a high school coach, he began his career in California teaching math and coaching basketball. After migrating to Texas, David began at Creative Tutors as a tutor and now is area manager of McKinney. He loves seeing the successes achieved by the students with their hard work and determination to succeed. He is a proud father of five children who keep him very busy. In his spare time he enjoys playing basketball and cheering for his favorite teams.

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From Andy Cody:  To join in on the discussion locate Andy Cody on FaceBook:  Teachers' Letters to Obama

There continue to be strong indications that our voices are being heard and there is genuine power in our movement. We are now 946 strong, and that is a HUGE number when we actually mobilize to act together. And that is the reason we joined this group, right? So we can act and have our actions make a difference.

We have a big opportunity to have an impact this week. First of all, the Congressional Education and Labor Committee, chaired by George Miller, is beginning the process of rewriting No Child Left Behind. Committee members released a statement that said:

“Today, we’re announcing a bipartisan, open and transparent effort to rewrite No Child Left Behind – a law that we all agree is in need of major reform. It will start with a series of hearings in the coming weeks to explore the challenges and opportunities ahead as we work to ensure an excellent education is available to every student in America. With a real commitment to innovation, we invite all stakeholders who share our serious interest in building a world-class education system to email us their suggestions.”

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I have a gifted daughter who is now 6 years old and in the first grade. We knew something was different about her by the age of 2 because of the profound statements that she would say as well as her ability to read by the age of 3. If you are a parent of a gifted child, you will understand our panic with what to do with her! We were very worried about how we should proceed...challenging her enough but not putting pressure on her...giving her the information she wanted to devour but not expecting too much...helping her be well-rounded and socially adept but not holding her back. Should we do private school or public school? Were we and her preschool teachers crazy or was she really seriously gifted?

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Do you want to help your child achieve their goals without the delay from personal road blocks? Today I met the author, Arlene Johnson and her book is titled: Success Mapping; Achieve What You Want ... Right Now!

If you are the parent of a high school junior or senior this is the book to buy for them this holiday season or for graduation! A must read before starting college!

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