Tips Menghadapi Anak Nakal

Terkadang anda merasa dalam posisi yang sulit, jika melihat anak sendiri melakukan perbuatan nakal, mencuri, suka memukul teman teman disekolah. Entah itu nakal karena terpengaruh oleh teman-temannya di sekolah atau memang dia tergolong anak yang hiperaktif.

Nah apa yang sebaiknya anda perbuat untuk menghadapi anak yang demikian ? Baiklah, kali ini saya akan menyampaikan tips dalam menghadapi anak yang nakal.

• Lakukan instopeksi pada diri Anda dan suami/istri Anda, apakah kenakalan anak tersebut merupakan cara dia menarik perhatian Anda yang di sebabkan karena kurangnya perhatian atau yang lain.

• Habiskan waktu lebih banyak bersama anak Anda bisa menjadi satu cara untuk dekat dan anak akan terbuka pada Anda sehingga anak di harapkan bisa mengungkapkan kegundahan hatinya.

• Jika Anda mendengar atau mengetahui dengan apa yang dia lakukan, tetaplah tenang dan jangan marah-marah atau memukul anak. Berilah pengarahan, bahwa apa yang dia lakukan itu tidak boleh dilakukan.

• Meskipun itu adalah anak Anda sendiri, sebaiknya jangan terlalu melindungi. Tetaplah obyektif.

• Jika memang anak berbuat salah, jangan ragu untuk menyuruhnya meminta maaf kepada temannya dan jangan pula ragu untuk memberikan hukuman padanya.

• Komunikasilah dengan anak dengan penuh kasih sayang. Beri waktu pada anak untuk berjalan berdua dengan anda, ajak atau pancing mereka untuk membuka diri dan mengutarakan apa masalahnya atau keinginan dia. Beri pengertian mengenai perbuatannya selama ini.

• Anda juga harus memperhatikan anak anda. Jangan biarkan anak lain mengganggu anak anda.

• Jangan ragu untuk bekerjasama dengan pihak sekolah, jangan takut kalau anak anda mendapat sangsi, justru jika tidak ada kerjasama, anak bisa tambah nakal atau sulit dikendalikan misalnya jadi melakukan perbuatan nakal lain seperti drug atau narkoba karena terpengaruh dengan temen sekolahnya.
  Berikan kesibukan lain, seperti baca majalah, bacaan buku, menulis cerita, blog, olah raga. Anda juga dapat meminta pendapat anak, apa yang menjadi hobinya, tentu saja kegiatan yang positif.

• Jika memang anak tetap nakal dan dilakukan secara berulang ulang, janganlah ragu untuk melibatkan pihak ketiga, psikolog, guru BP turut serta membimbing anak.

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Parental Involvement Enriches College Experience

Overprotective parents have often been accused of ruining the whole college experience. But according to a new education survey, college students today have closer contact with their parents than ever before and are more satisfied with college because of it.

Parents with a tendency to hover and get too involved in their child's life are frequently referred to as 'helicopter parents'. The term is rarely used in a complimentary context.

ABC News, Wall Street Journal, and several other news publications have produced features on helicopter parents and the dangers they pose to their children's ability to be self-reliant.

Much of the coverage has been mere speculation. There has been no hard research done to determine what kind of effect parental involvement has on a student's college experience. Until now.

2007 National Survey of Student Engagement

The annual National Survey of Student Engagement collected data from students at 24 colleges and universities in 2007. According to the survey, parents are more involved in their college student's life than ever before. More than 80 percent of parents report being more involved than their own parents were.

Percentage of Students Who Had Frequent Contact with Parents

Support Network	In-Person Contact	Electronic Contact
Mother	62%	86%
Father	54%	71%
Guardian	55%	71%

Source: 2007 National Survey of Student Engagement: First-Year Students

Interestingly, the survey found that parental involvement may actually be an enriching experience. Students who are in frequent contact with their parents were found to have a more satisfying college experience. The same was true of students whose parents frequently contact college officials on their behalf.

'Compared with their counterparts, children of helicopter parents were more satisfied with every aspect of their college experience, gained more in such areas as writing and critical thinking, and were more likely to talk with faculty and peers about substantive topics,' said George Kuh, survey director.

There can be such a thing as too much contact, though. The survey also found that students with 'hyper-involved' parents had substantially lower grades, implying that overboard involvement has the potential to inhibit academic performance.

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Making Math Relevant

Math education needs to adapt to the needs of future biologists, says Claudia Neuhauser, an HHMI professor at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. According to Neuhauser, biology students are often fed math designed for engineers—with little relevance to to their field of study. Now, she's one of a number of faculty members around the country teaching her students quantitative skills within the context of biology.

HHMI: WHAT'S DRIVING THE MOVEMENT TO REVAMP MATH EDUCATION FOR UNDERGRADUATES?

CMN: The math we teach biology students is not the math they need. First, the quantitative education we give them is often restricted to calculus, but the calculus we teach them is usually geared more toward engineering than biology. Second, biologists need to be able to sift through large data sets, but right now, we don't teach undergraduates data analysis. Today, we can sequence entire genomes, and we're developing networks of sensors that can continuously record things like temperature and moisture from the environment. These systems produce huge amounts of data, and to work with them students need a good grounding in statistical analysis and computer science tools like data mining.

However, I don't think we can just send them out to take a semester of computer science or a semester of statistics. We need to integrate these tools into the biology curriculum, because when you learn something in context, you can see its relevance immediately, and it sticks a lot better.

HHMI: WHEN DID IT HIT YOU THAT STUDENTS WEREN'T GETTING WHAT THEY NEEDED?

CMN: When I first came to Twin Cities, I taught the first-year calculus course. The students just hated it; there was this sense of hostility in the classroom. So I asked, “Who am I teaching here?” It turned out the class was full of biology majors. We used examples like calculating the amount of material you need to build a corrugated metal roof, and the students had no idea why we were teaching them this stuff. So I designed a calculus course based on biological scenarios they may encounter later in school or once they graduate. The students got much more interested. After I did that, I started working with other faculty members to make math—especially data analysis—part of their own courses.

HHMI: CAN YOU GIVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF MAKING MATH RELEVANT?

CMN: Fishing is big in Minnesota, and there is a differential equation that describes fish growth, used by some states' departments of natural resources to determine minimum catchable sizes. I used this sort of real-world system to teach differential equations in the calculus course.

HHMI: ARE OTHER SCHOOLS MAKING SIMILAR CHANGES IN THEIR COURSES?

CMN: There's been a shift at many schools toward focused calculus courses for biology students. Lou Gross at the University of Tennessee integrates data analysis and statistics into the first-year calculus course. He's been one of the driving forces behind the push for more statistics. In general, though, there has been much less done with data analysis than with calculus. I think part of the reason is that calculus is the traditional bedrock in the curriculum, and it's very hard to make the dramatic changes necessary to shift the focus to data analysis. Especially at large universities, courses are taught in different departments, and the faculty may or may not know each other. It's sort of a silo structure. You have to have a biology person and a math person or a computer science person sit down and decide they want to break out of the silos. It's a slow process.

HHMI: IS THERE A QUICKER WAY TO MAKE IT HAPPEN?

CMN: The best way is to create an integrated curriculum from the ground up. The big project I'm working on now is the health sciences major at our new campus in Rochester. Many of these students will go on to become doctors, dentists, nurses, and veterinarians. We're going to build a module-based curriculum, where the quantitative, life, and physical sciences and the humanities are taught in modules, and then students will have to combine what they learn in integrative lab courses. Biological information is increasingly stored in big, minable databases. It's going to be important for these students to be able to analyze those databases and do experiments based on the data.

Our goal is to give students the quantitative tools they'll need in 10 to 15 years, when they finish their schooling and take jobs. We know it's going to be a data-intensive world, and we know that the standard tools we currently teach them are not good enough.

Claudia Neuhauser, author of the textbook, Calculus for Biology and Medicine (Second edition; Prentice Hall), studies theoretical population biology.

Interview by Benjamin Lester

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Super Moms Secrets for Raising a Child With ADD

Cases of Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, have been on the rise in recent years. Doctors are finally realizing that a true physical disability can be present in both children and adults in order to cause them to have a reduced attention span and increased hyperactivity. If you're raising a child with ADD, what are some things you can do to help him cope with this condition, to still get a proper education, to learn boundaries, and to keep you from pulling out your own hair? There are some things you can remember when raising a child with ADD that will help with all these issues.

First, it's important to have a proper diagnosis when raising a child with ADD. Just because your child is inattentive or has a tremendous amount of energy doesn't mean he necessarily has ADD. If your child can sit and play video games for half an hour, chances are he doesn't have true ADD. Make sure you get a diagnosis from a doctor rather than just assuming you know what your child has.

Setting boundaries is still important when raising a child with ADD. It's tempting to think that since your child has an illness then he should just be allowed to run amok, but this is a mistake. Everyone needs to learn self-discipline and control regardless of how difficult it might be, and this is true when raising a child with ADD. While those boundaries may be more lax than with other children - you have them sit and do homework for five minutes instead of 30, for instance - you still need boundaries nonetheless. Talk to your child openly and honestly about these expectations. Tell him he needs to sit still for another few minutes before he can go play or do anything else. Set boundaries on their free time as well; this too is vitally important when raising a child with ADD. They may resist some structured activities or having to sit still but they need to understand that despite how difficult it is, they need to sometimes buckle down and show some self-control.

Every parent wants their child to be properly educated and this is true when raising a child with ADD, even though this presents some special considerations. It helps to break up lessons in shorter bursts of time rather than expect your child to sit still through hours of the same lesson. Schooling also needs to be more absorbing for a child with ADD as he will have a hard time allowing himself to be caught up in the lessons. Using visual aids and hands-on materials is always helpful for any child but even more so when raising a child with ADD. Getting out of the classroom and taking field trips helps to keep them involved with the lessons and attentive.

And as for yourself, remember that your child has a situation that is difficult. It's never easy raising a child with ADD but you need to show that much more patience every single day. Resist the urge to blame him for his lack of attention and remind yourself of how difficult it must be for him as well. Give yourself frequent breaks; walk away and do something else for a few minutes if you feel yourself getting irritated or impatient. It might also be beneficial to ask for some help; remember that you can't do everything by yourself. Let your child have some free time to himself where he can learn and explore on his own rather than thinking you need to structure every minute of every day. And don't hesitate to ask your doctor for help when raising a child with ADD. While you might hesitate to use medication, he or she can offer some further suggestions as to dietary changes and changes to your schedule that can help. Since they are always learning new information about children with ADD every single day, you may find that you can get some additional help for raising a child with ADD that you never expected.

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Ten Tips To Make Your Kids Read

Teaching kids to read opens the world to them. They can go anywhere and do anything through books. But in today's age of high-tech gizmos and video games often the last thing our kids want to do is read. But there are some easy and fun ways you can share your love of reading with your kids. Implement these few simple ideas and your kids will be engrossed in a good bok before you know it.

Read to Them
Kids love being read aloud to. Cuddling up on the couch with a good book is a wonderful way to spend time with your child. Even older children like to be read to, especially while they are involved in other hands-on type activities.

Have a Hide Away
Make a reading corner in your house. Fix up a cozy corner with beanbag chairs, or a large overstuffed pillow, a small bookcase. You won't have to look far when they get quiet to find them.

Scatter Books Around the House
Leave books lying around. Place books in the bathroom, on their nightstands, in the living room and even in the kitchen. When they are bored they will pick them up out of curiosity.

Get a Library Card
Get them their own library card. Children love having their own library cards and checking out books they choose, on their own.

Got to the Library Often
Visit the library often. Schedule a regular library day, and just let them sit and read for a while in the library. Take advantage of your local library's programs, such as story times, to help capture a child's interest in books.

Throw Out Book Teasers
Drop tantalizing hints about a book. Start reading one yourself that your children might like and "share" some tempting tidbits. When they want to know what happens - say , "Oh you will have to read it for yourself, you won't believe it!"

Add Some Fun Extras
Extend the book. Add fun activities that go beyond a book. When reading Heidi, look for the countries on a map, eat Swiss cheese for lunch or make some soft rolls for grandmother.

Pull Out the VCR
Watch a video about a book. Then say, "I wonder how close that was to the book? Maybe we should read that."

Make Your Own Books
Let them make their own books. Younger children especially love this. Something as simple as plain paper stapled together becomes a timeless treasure when they write their own stories. Let younger children tell you the story and you write it out and they illustrate it.

Set An Example
You cannot expect your children to love somethin you don't. If you want your kids to be readers you have to be too. It can be books, magazines, or even lovely coffee table books full of pictures. Just let them see you reading and read often together.

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First Lesson of the School Year: Just Be You

Each year, as we enter August, our thoughts turn away from suntans and beach balls and toward backpacks and book covers. With another school year, just around the corner, many children will soon face an interesting (and sometimes, scary) challenge --- fitting into a new situation.
A recent U.S. Census Bureau poll, regarding the 2008-2009 school year, estimated that 56 million students will be enrolled in grades kindergarten through twelve, this school year. Many of these children will be attending school for the first time or will be in a new school, for the upcoming school year. The question that the parents of these students must ask is: How do I better prepare my child for this transition? The answer can be as simple as a simple heart-to-heart talk.
When I was a child and preparing for my first day of kindergarten, I remember wondering whether the other children would accept me. I was concerned about whether I would make friends and in the back of my toddler-aged mind pondered how I would cope, if I was not accepted. Then, my parents told me something that has helped me through many difficult transitions: “Be you.”
On my first day of kindergarten and, thanks to a childhood of moving, my first day in many different schools, I walked onto the playground, saw the other childhood talking among themselves, and boldly worked my way into the discussion. On that first school day, and especially in kindergarten, I realized that I was not alone. My new status as a student, my teacher, and my school was just as scary for every child in attendance, that day. I was no different that anyone else and by quickly realizing this, I was better able to adapt.
The situation differs somewhat for children who are transitioning from one school to another, but the main philosophy remains the same. The key to preparing our children for a successful adaptation into a new school or life situation is to recognize the unique qualities, residing in each individual child, and then, help the child to use those qualities to his or her advantage. If the child is a good listener, then maybe he or she can become a buddy for another child who is feeling the same fears. If the child is creative, maybe he or she could create a “friendship badge” or something along those lines to give to the children of his or her classroom.
The most important lesson we can teach our children at the beginning of the school year is a lesson that will aid them in all facets of life. If we ask our children what they believe is their most redeeming quality, we help them to understand themselves better. Then, if we teach them that it is okay to be scared, sad, nervous, anxious, or bashful about a new situation and show them that long as they remain true to themselves and the qualities that make them special, their fears will fade away, our children will always have a gift more precious than gold. Not to mention, they will be better prepared to face each obstacle in life.
Good luck to your children and good luck to you, as their parents. Some of the most important lessons our children learn are those that we, parents, teach them. Do not delay, help your children today and have a wonderful school year!

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Guide for Parents: Preparing Your Child Early for College

This article describes different strategies to help prepare your child early for college. Early preparation may make the admissions process much easier and can increase the chances of your child being accepted into a desirable school.

Early College Preparation Tips
Ideally, preparing for college should begin before your child is in high school. Planning early may help eliminate some of the stress you and your child may feel as the end of high school nears.

Saving for College
You may want to begin a college fund as soon as possible, because college is expensive and becoming more so each year. The type of college plan you decide on may depend on your income level and expenses. By preparing early, you may be able to save your child from relying on loans, which can put him or her at an economic disadvantage after graduation.

Showing the Importance of Education
Another way you can help your child prepare for college doesn't need to involve money at all. Demonstrating the value of education, learning and curiosity is the necessary first step to helping your child succeed, both in higher education and in life. You might try reading books together, going to the bookstore, playing educational games or surfing through educational websites together. By demonstrating your own enthusiasm for education, you can ignite a lifelong love of learning in your son or daughter.

Cultivating Confidence and Responsibility
A sense of confidence and responsibility not only helps ease the transition from high school to college, but it's also vital for success in later life. Self-confidence can help your teenager approach professors with questions or problems and will make socializing with other students much easier. Helping your child to set difficult goals and encouraging him or her to follow through on them is one method of developing confidence and a sense of responsibility. In general, it's important to set boundaries and show that you expect your son or daughter to make mature decisions -- while also learning from the occasional mistake.

The Nuts and Bolts
Helping your son or daughter study for the SAT or ACT exam is a great way to show your support during the college preparation process. Practice tests for both exams are available, as are extensive preparation guides. Filling out college applications correctly and sending them out on time is also essential for the college preparation process, while visiting different campuses may help your student get a better idea of which college best fits his or her needs.

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Preparing Students for the Inclusional Classroom

To ensure maximum success for the student who will be place in the inclusional classroom/mainstreamed, here is a handy checklist to ensure that sucess is maximized for both teacher and student.

No surprises please! The child needs to know what to expect. This means making sure they fully understand the rules and routines expected. The child should be well prepared and fully understand what consequences are when the rules are broken.
The regular classroom teacher has been fully informed of the child's strengths, weaknesses and how to maximize success for the child. The teacher needs to know how long the child can focus for and what the preferred learning style is. The regular teachers needs to know the child's level of functioning and how to use any specialized equipment the child may have. The teacher needs to be committed to maximizing success for the student.
The regular classroom students need to be prepared for the incoming student. It helps to have a few peers support the child and become the child's special friend(s). The teacher will need to make sure the rest of the class understand why it is important to fully include the the child.
The regular classroom teacher will need to know what type of support is in place once the child is in the mainstream/regular class.
The child's parents should be involved in the process. They will need to meet with the regular teacher and have confidence that their child's interests are a priority, good relationships are essential.
The parents should be given information on what to expect and how they can help and home in a supportive role.
The child's IEP should be well known by the regular teacher and the parents should be able to have confidence that the IEP will be fully implemented and revised as necessary based on the child's needs and strengths and to maximize the learning opportunities.
The classroom environment must be maximized to support the child which will vary depending upon the nature of the special needs. The special education teacher will work with the regular classroom teacher to ensure that the classroom environment supports the child.
There are huge social, emotional and academic benefits to mainstreaming, however, everyone needs to be on the same page and committed to success on behalf of the student. It is also important to note that change takes time, there will be a period of adjustment and during this period, patience and ongoing commitment will be required.

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Steps to Success in Your Freshman Year

The transition between high school and college can be a challenging time even for the most academically-prepared student. College is a lot different than high school and first-year students who are ready for the challenge are more likely to succeed. In college, you'll encounter different teaching styles, a new environment, and the responsibility of balancing multiple tasks with time management. Here are some tips to help make your freshman year a great success:

You are responsible for your academic success. Keep up with your deadlines, exams, etc. It's your responsibility to plan your time and schedule so you can complete your assignments and papers on time and study for exams. At the beginning of the semester, your professors will hand out a class syllabus that includes test dates, deadlines for papers and projects, and the reading schedule. During the first week of classes, take a few minutes to mark the important dates in your planner or calendar.

Don't be shy about visiting your professors. No matter if your class is small or large, stop by or make an appointment to see your professor if you have questions or need guidance. The location and office hours should be included in the syllabus you get at the beginning of the semester.

Get the most out of your classes. Pay attention, sit up front and take notes. Get to know other students in your classes with whom you can study and share notes.

It's perfectly normal to feel homesick. For most students, freshman year is the first time they've been away from home for an extended period of time. It's natural to miss your family and friends, home-cooked meals, and pets. You'll find that as you get involved at college and make new friends, these feelings will fade. And if you get really lonely, home is just a phone call away.

Take advantage of the academic resources your school has to offer. Many schools teach classes and workshops on study skills, test-taking, writing, tutoring and academic orientation. Familiarize yourself with the library. If you're having trouble adjusting or if you have personal issues, set up an appointment with your school's counseling service. And don't forget to use the recreational facilities – exercise is a great way to reduce stress.

Good advising is essential. Your academic advisor helps you select the proper courses for your program when you register each semester. Your advisor is also a good source for academic information and policies. If you don't know who your academic advisor is, contact your college or department and set up an appointment.

Get involved! College is about more than books and grades. It's a time for exploring, meeting new people and gaining experience. Join an academic or social club, check out Greek life, attend cultural events such as films, concerts and plays, participate in intramural athletics. The best way to get tuned in to campus life is to live on campus your freshman year. Take advantage of events and programming in your residence hall. The more you connect to all aspects of student life, the more likely you are to succeed academically and make the transition to college.

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Graduating from High School? Now what?

Maybe four more years of school does not sound appealing to you, maybe the hefty price tag colleges and universities carry is a big turn off, or maybe you just don't think college is right for you; don't worry, you have plenty of options.

Associates Degrees
Two-year programs can be a great compromise — earn an Associate's Degree in Dental Hygiene, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Computer Science — the list is endless. Some of the most popular jobs for Associate's Degree holders include: Computer Specialists, Nuclear Technicians, Dental Hygienists, Fashion Designers, and Nuclear Medicine Technologists.

Apprenticeships
Looking to combine work and school? Apprenticeships offer great opportunities for students to become skilled in a wide range of trades. Apprenticeships are paid positions in which you study and learn a trade from a master of the trade. Local labor unions are the best resource to find apprenticeships in your area.

Full-time jobs
Use local staffing agencies, Internet job banks, newspaper classifieds, and people you know. There are many different ways to find a job – the method you choose will be impacted by the type of job you are interested in finding. Always tap your resources: does your best friend's mom work for a company you think is really great? Talk to her; she may have a lot of information that will be really helpful to you. Ask your parents, neighbors, aunts and uncles. Maybe they are doing something now or have done something in the past that really interests you — learn from their mistakes and successes. Also look into service fields. Call, visit, or look at the web pages of your local fire company or ambulance service. Check out the requirements and make some phone calls to set up appointments with representatives to get more information.

Internships
Not ready to commit to a full time job? Look into internship opportunities. Many companies offer internships in a variety of areas. As an intern, you will be able to learn about many aspects of a business. The short-term commitment means you could do two to three internships in a year to get a look at a few different positions and companies. To find an internship, hit the web. Many large companies list internships online along with full-time opportunities. General Internet searches are a good starting point too — you never know what your area has to offer. Even large job search databases sometimes list internships — it can't hurt to check it out! The military offers many options: with seven service branch opportunities, it is all about finding the right fit for you. There are about 152 different careers to choose from and a number of benefits both during and post service. You will get specialized, high-tech training in a field of your choice and tuition help after service. Keep in mind the reality of being in the military and the prospect of active duty: Research carefully.

Take some time for yourself – travel!
Many organizations offer study abroad programs for high school and post-high school students. Do a lot of research and find a program that fits you. Spending a few months or even a full year in another country will not only help you pick up a new language, but you will be introduced to a new culture and ways of thinking. Most of these programs include setting you up with a host family and some sort of schooling. You could also make your own plans to travel or perhaps work abroad. Make sure you do TONS of research and have concrete plans. To work abroad, you will need special clearances — so research early! You may also look into programs that are specific to working abroad. These may be service oriented such as teaching English as a Second Language or more varied. Check out the study abroad office at a local college or university: they have all kinds of literature on programs for study, working, and traveling. They also have great connections for student travel discounts and safety measures. If you think you may want to go abroad, get your passport now – it may take some time, so don't wait until the last minute.

Get involved in your community!
Community service is an increasingly popular option for students after high school. With a little searching, you will find a number of national service organizations that offer a wide range of opportunities to serve. Also research local service or community organizations, in many cases these organizations will have national contacts or offer programs that would be perfect for you. If you want to combine travel and service, look for international service opportunities. You can find programs that work with youth, or senior citizens, literacy or community development, the environment or teaching, and many other areas of focus. This is a great opportunity to get some of that "real world experience" everyone is always talking about. Knowing that the possibilities are endless is so important before you start your search — if you don't find exactly what you are looking for at first, keep digging because chances are it is there.

Remember to talk to your parents, friends, or a mentor; often people that know you well will be able to come up with great ideas for options that never even crossed your mind. Make sure you do your research; know what you are signing up for and all of the requirements, all the benefits too. Make a list of options and look at them carefully; find what is right for you. Most importantly, don't rule anything out; there is a first time for everything, and you may find exactly what you are looking for in a place you would never have thought to look. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

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How to Win at College

Graduating from high school is one of the most satisfying and simultaneously scary times of your life. For the first time, you are faced with the task of navigating yourself to a successful future. Advice floods in from everybody in all directions and eventually you have acquired so much information about how to do well in college that it starts to become confusing and maybe even contradictory. Counselors and teachers try to generalize college life on a single sheet of paper, but the fact is that college is as unique as the individuals enrolled in it.

Many people say the best way to get through college with the best grades possible is to study most of the time and relax the rest of the time. While this is a terrific strategy, the whole social aspect of the college life is completely ignored. Social life plays a large role in overall well-being. College offers the best chance you will ever have to surround yourself with great people for the rest of your life. Once you build a solid foundation of friends, you will be able to assist each other in achieving the ultimate goal-graduating with good grades.

You will need to create schedules for yourself to manage your time. It is sometimes difficult for students to separate having fun and studying. If you want to make it through college, you must go to class. Oftentimes students fail out because they completely neglect going to class and doing required assignments. And then there's the complete opposite side, the students who graduate with a 4.0 grade point average but have never been to a social event in their college career. The key to success is balance. What is the point of spending approximately four years in the same place if you build no supportive relationships, good memories or funny stories?

Obviously, college is no cake-walk. You will sometimes need to lock yourself in your room and turn off your cell phone for a few hours to crack down on loaded projects and abandon all contact from the outside world. But after you are finished with the project and you know you nailed it, you should reward yourself by relaxing and having a good time. As long as there is good balance of work and play, you should have few problems. And as long as you have your work-time designated in a time slot before your down-time, you should be able to juggle the two effortlessly and, best of all, happily. To be successful, you need to create your own unique schedule; if one thing doesn't work, shift your schedule around until it does. When you and your best friends finally graduate, you can reminisce about all the great times you've had together, and talk about how college wasn't as difficult as you once thought it was going to be.

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The Influence of Parent In College Experience

Overprotective parents have often been accused of ruining the whole college experience. But according to a new education survey, college students today have closer contact with their parents than ever before and are more satisfied with college because of it.  Parents with a tendency to hover and get too involved in their child's life are frequently referred to as 'helicopter parents'. The term is rarely used in a complimentary context.

ABC News, Wall Street Journal, and some additional news publications have produced features on helicopter parents and the risks they pose to their kids ability to be self-reliant.
Much of the coverage has been mere speculation. There's been no hard research done to determine what kind of effect parental involvement has on a student's college experience. Until now.

The yearly National resume of Student Engagement accumulated data from pupils at 24 colleges and universities in 2007. According to the analyze, parents are more involved in their college student's life than ever before. More than 80 percent of parents report being more involved than their own parents were.
Interestingly, the survey found that parental involvement may actually be an enriching experience. Students who are in frequent contact with their parents were found to have a more satisfying college experience. The same was true of students whose parents frequently contact college officials on their behalf.

'Compared with their counterparts, children of helicopter parents were more satisfied with every aspect of their college experience, gained more in such areas as writing and critical thinking, and were more likely to talk with faculty and peers about substantive topics,' said George Kuh, survey director.
There can be such a thing as too much contact, though. The survey also found that students with 'hyper-involved' parents had substantially lower grades, implying that overboard involvement has the potential to inhibit academic performance.

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How To Survive During Exam Season

These are some plans to ease the pain of this testing time :

1. View your mind as a carpet
The annoying thing about knowledge is that it's all tightly rolled up inside your head; you can't just spread it out on the floor, like a Persian rug, and see where the gaps and threadbare bits are. In terms of revision, however, your job is to try to achieve this overall panoramic picture, to identify not just what you do know, but what you don't.

2. Buy large sheets of paper
Preferably A3 size. First, write out your entire exam timetable on one page and stick it on your wall (oh yes, better get some Blu-tack, too). Second, create an at-a-glance overview of any given topic; if you're revising Jane Austen's Emma, for example, make one column for the heroine's good points (kind-heartedness, etc) and one for her bad points (bossy, overactive imagination). Or if it's history, devote one column to the Social Advances brought about by the French Revolution and another to the Human Costs.

3. Memorise with your hands
When you're revising, don't just read, make notes as well. Sitting there, passively flicking through pages, is a bit like self-hypnosis; after a while, you just tune out. Making notes is a positive act of fact-selection, like picking fruit. Especially if you use your own shorthand language (eg Gladstone was a weirdo, Disraeli was flash, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was a stitch-up).

4. Rediscover crayons (or rehydrate your felt tips)
Colour coding is a huge help when it comes to marshalling your thoughts and your revision notes. The great thing about colours is that they work as a visual mnemonic; so underline Oliver Cromwell and the Roundheads in drab brown, while allocating a flamboyant purple to Charles I and the Cavaliers, and highlight the dates of military encounters (Battle of Naseby, 1645) in blood-red. It helps to make boring facts just that little bit easier to remember.

5. Give yourself a break
Of at least 10 minutes every hour. And don't do more than three hours at a time; the brain can't take it. Best to make a plan of how many hours' revision you intend to do - say six hours a day for 10 days - and then allocate how many of those 60 hours you're going to give each subject (allow more for the ones you find hard).

6. Ask George Turnbull
Who's he? The super-sensible, online "exams doctor", to be found on the website run by exams ombudsbody Ofqual (www.ofqual.gov.uk). You can either watch a video of the professor answering anxious pupils' questions, or, if you have revision to get on with, you can read the transcript in a tenth of the time.


7. Work your parents
Preparing for an exam is a bit like being pregnant, in that you're perceived as being in a delicate condition. You can take considerable advantage of this attitude to ask your parents for all your favourite meals and edible treats, but make sure to stress that these requests are revision-related - ie, to keep you going in between Coastal Erosion and French Vocabulary. That way, you might just avoid getting a side order of nagging with your food.

8. Go to sleep
Not over your books (dribble smudges the ink), but at your normal bedtime, maybe drifting off as you listen to your favourite soothing music on an iPod or the radio. Definitely no late-night, eve-of exam cramming, though. Rather than adding reinforcements to the massed ranks of facts at your command, knowledge recruited after 10pm will, by next morning, spread wooziness and you'll fight your exam battle in a thick mist.

9. Tell them nothing
Your classmates, that is. Before the exam begins, try to keep your mind focused on the six things you've got to remember about the conductivity of metals or the Treaty of Versailles, rather than chatting to your friends about what happened over the weekend. And after the exam's over, don't stand around comparing notes about how you all did. It will only depress you to realise that you've written three pages about Pitt the Elder when the question was on Pitt the Younger.

10. Remember to breathe
Most of us manage to stay alive by snatching gulps of air through our mouths. But to ensure maximum levels of oxygen to the brain, thereby allowing access to the most hard-to-reach irregular verbs, it is essential for the exam candidate to sit down and take six deep breaths in through the nose (both nostrils) and out through the mouth. Imagine you're inhaling knowledge and expelling doubt. Then pick up your pen and make your parents proud.

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Teaching English language: a bit more action and a little more conversation

What's it like teaching English language to the Chinese? For Gary Toner, Beijing is anything but a forbidding city.

Gary Toner is not an ordinary English teacher. He had taught English abroad. He started teaching English when he was 22, soon after he graduated from university.
he's taught in Russia, Argentina, Spain and Slovakia and stayed an average of two years in each country. That said, he'd been in China for five years. (he’s married now - her wife Sinead also works in Beijing and they have a little daughter called Niamh.)

His apartment is in the Sanlitun area, not far from the main football arena, and he work at various schools in the city. The demand for English language teachers is staggering. Basically, if a Chinese person wants a job with an international company such as Hewlett Packard, then English is a must.

Teaching English language in a nation like Italia is another story. Everyone wants to work in Florence and there are bound to be lots of you chasing one job. In Beijing there aren't enough teachers to go round. Both the Chinese government and the business world are investing heavily in getting people to speak English, not least because of this year's Olympics.

In China there's no shortage of work, though the pay can vary. If you teach English as a second language at an international school, you can earn 22,000 yuan a month, which works out at €2,200 or £1,500. At the same time, some teachers at the university earn only 4,000 yuan a month (£300), although their employers often provide them with an apartment and at least one flight home per year.


If you are short of cash, you can always do a bit of extra private tuition, which pays really well - about £30 an hour - although you can only pick that up when you're already out here. In his experience, going for a pint in the Irish bar in Sanlitun is the easiest way to tap into the job grapevine.

If you want to get English-teaching work in Beijing, come out here and start knocking on doors. Failing that, you could take a six-month post at a university, just to get a foot in the door, or apply from home via an ESL website (I'd recommend www.eslcafe.com).

As for qualifications, he'd advise anyone to get the full CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults) qualification. It's a 100-hour course that takes in all aspects of the work, including real teaching practice. There are other, more intensive courses that take only 20 hours (over one weekend), but they are not going to be as widely recognised as the CELTA, which you can upgrade to degree status (DELTA) if you want to.

It's a bit of a shock the first time to find yourself in a foreign country, totally on your own in front of a class. The training can only prepare you up to a certain point. That said, in all the years I've been doing this, there have been very few times that I've been completely lost for an answer. You learn to get by!

People often ask how it's possible to teach English in a country where you don't speak the local language, but these days there's no such thing as someone who speaks no English. In China, for example, everyone knows words such as "dollar" or "I love you", and it's usually possible for a teacher to be understood.

Many schools will provide tapes, CDs or English language textbooks for the pupils to work from, in which case the techniques of teaching English are pretty much the same whatever country you're in. Others just want you to conduct English conversation classes, without books.

The best thing about Beijing is that you are not going to be lonely. There's a huge expat community here, mostly based in Sanlitun and growing all the time.
Gary Toner's tips for teachers:

Don't refer to TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language); the correct acronyms are TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

Acquire the right qualification. A 100-hour class such as the CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults), administered by the Cambridge University ESOL department and taught at 286 centres in 54 countries, will give you more job potential than a 20-hour course.

To find an ESL job in China (or anywhere in the world) visit www.eslcafe.com, also known as Dave's ESL Café.

Take the social temperature of your destination by visiting a Time Out-type website such as www.thebeijinger.com. Be sure to check the cost of living, particularly accommodation.

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How to set and achieve Goals

The first step to achieve success in life and business is to set your goals wisely and to work your level best in order to accomplish them. Before we get into planning our goals, we must first understand the difference between goal and desire. In a life time, desires grow out every now and then; some we manage to fulfill, while some remain unfulfilled and we forget over time. Hence, goals should be more realistic, and must be set out carefully, with every bit of intention to achieve it.

Here are five things you should always keep in mind if you are keen to set and achieve your goals in life:

1. Set your own goals and make sure they are meaningful. Remember it is not your spouse or employees who are going to set your goals. It is you who is responsible for making your own goals, and only then you can proudly be the catalyst of your own success. Make sure the goals you are investing your time and money in are fruitful at the end. You should be very passionate about achieving your goals.

2. Make sure your goals are specific and measurable. If the goals you set for your business or daily life are measurable in terms of quantity or performance, you can easily determine your progress in achieving each goal, and its effectiveness.

3. Your goals should always be realistic. Do not aim high at one go, therefore carefully size your prospected goal, the time within which you want to achieve it. Focus on a few achievable goals at one time, and take up more as you move along. Set deadlines, and always think about your probable gains through achieving your goals.

4. Write down your goals. Writing down your goals is very essential when you are set out to accomplish something. It is most likely that we get deviated away from our leading goals, and may even lose site of them. Setting effective goals and writing them down immediately will help you to stay on track and accountable. It is a smart practice to write down every day goals on the refrigerator, the bulletin board at work, or even your personal planner, so that you are reminded of them on a daily basis.

5. Review your set goals. You should review your goals every now and then. If you are on your way to achieving a certain goal, it is sensible to measure the effectiveness of your toil, and the return that you are entitled to receive. Reviewing your goals constantly also gives you an insight on how efficient you are when achieving goals, your lacings, and what you must do in order to achieve your goals for resourcefully.

Achieving certain goals in life can go a long way. However, planning your goals efficiently and in accordance of you capability is sure to get you more positive results at the end of the day. Remember, if you try hard enough, and set goals sensibly, you can make yourself worthy to achieve virtually everything that your heart desires.


Article Source: Serverforever.com
About the Author: Sarah Lethbridge is author of this article on Achieve Goal Setting Success.
Find more information about life planning here.
 

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Enrich Vocabulary Through Reading

Vocabulary is one of the important aspect in speaking. By knowing a lot of it, children can be very fluent in comunicating with their social life. One of the best ways to expand your child’s vocabulary is to read and talk to him. This is very true especially with special needs children. When you always talk to the child, you are helping him to expand his vocabulary and ignite his curiosity. Vocabulary and the need for knowledge and information are two crucial things in learning.

When a child wants to know about something and you can suggest him/her to get information through reading, it can raise his/her motivation to read. In the same manner, if the child reads more, he will have more chances of getting more words into his vocabulary bank.

The “learning readiness” factor is different from one child to another because we have the so-called individual differences. It applies to learning and reading readiness as well. So how can you help your special needs child get ready to read and develop his vocabulary?

How To Develop Vocabulary Through Reading
Reading allows children to encounter new words. There are actually more words used in written language compared to spoken language. Because of this, a child will learn more new words through reading. The more you read to a child, the more he will be able to develop his vocabulary.

It is important that a child develops his vocabulary. In the same manner, it is equally important that a child learns to read to further improve his vocabulary. Parents and teachers should help the child understand the importance of reading.

They should also introduce reading as an interesting aspect of learning. This can be done by using attractive, easy to understand and educational reading materials – one like POPS resources. And proper guidance and support should also be part and parcel of any reading and vocabulary activities.

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How To Make Children Read Faster

Who doesn’t want to have children that have ability to read in the young age ? Actually, children ability in reading can be introduced since he was three month. On that age, preparation of reading can be started with build ability of differ and memorize various shape visually. One of the example is introduce shape of alphabet. By knowing this, potential of mastering alphabet tend to be higher.
To give motivation, you can also read them interesting story which has many pictures on it. Children like story like that better than story which doesn’t have any picture at all. Beside that, children will aware that read story is really fun activity. This is basic fundamental that we must share to them.
When your children come to the age 2 – 4, reading preparation can be done by giving pressure on pronunciation so that they can understand the differentiate vocal alphabet and not. Showing picture with the word below can also help them to identify each alphabet.
The most important thing is, do all that activities with playing because all children like this kind of activity better than other.
If your children feel bored with your way, don’t force them. Let them take a break for a while and you will know when the exact time to get it on again.

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KESULITAN BELAJAR SISWA DAN BIMBINGAN BELAJAR

A. Kesulitan Belajar.

Dalam kegiatan pembelajaran di sekolah, kita dihadapkan dengan sejumlah karakterisktik siswa yang beraneka ragam. Ada siswa yang dapat menempuh kegiatan belajarnya secara lancar dan berhasil tanpa mengalami kesulitan, namun di sisi lain tidak sedikit pula siswa yang justru dalam belajarnya mengalami berbagai kesulitan. Kesulitan belajar siswa ditunjukkan oleh adanya hambatan-hambatan tertentu untuk mencapai hasil belajar, dan dapat bersifat psikologis, sosiologis, maupun fisiologis, sehingga pada akhirnya dapat menyebabkan prestasi belajar yang dicapainya berada di bawah semestinya.

Kesulitan belajar siswa mencakup pengetian yang luas, diantaranya : (a) learning disorder; (b) learning disfunction; (c) underachiever; (d) slow learner, dan (e) learning diasbilities. Di bawah ini akan diuraikan dari masing-masing pengertian tersebut.

Learning Disorder atau kekacauan belajar adalah keadaan dimana proses belajar seseorang terganggu karena timbulnya respons yang bertentangan. Pada dasarnya, yang mengalami kekacauan belajar, potensi dasarnya tidak dirugikan, akan tetapi belajarnya terganggu atau terhambat oleh adanya respons-respons yang bertentangan, sehingga hasil belajar yang dicapainya lebih rendah dari potensi yang dimilikinya. Contoh : siswa yang sudah terbiasa dengan olah raga keras seperti karate, tinju dan sejenisnya, mungkin akan mengalami kesulitan dalam belajar menari yang menuntut gerakan lemah-gemulai.
Learning Disfunction merupakan gejala dimana proses belajar yang dilakukan siswa tidak berfungsi dengan baik, meskipun sebenarnya siswa tersebut tidak menunjukkan adanya subnormalitas mental, gangguan alat dria, atau gangguan psikologis lainnya. Contoh : siswa yang yang memiliki postur tubuh yang tinggi atletis dan sangat cocok menjadi atlet bola volley, namun karena tidak pernah dilatih bermain bola volley, maka dia tidak dapat menguasai permainan volley dengan baik.
Under Achiever mengacu kepada siswa yang sesungguhnya memiliki tingkat potensi intelektual yang tergolong di atas normal, tetapi prestasi belajarnya tergolong rendah. Contoh : siswa yang telah dites kecerdasannya dan menunjukkan tingkat kecerdasan tergolong sangat unggul (IQ = 130 – 140), namun prestasi belajarnya biasa-biasa saja atau malah sangat rendah.
Slow Learner atau lambat belajar adalah siswa yang lambat dalam proses belajar, sehingga ia membutuhkan waktu yang lebih lama dibandingkan sekelompok siswa lain yang memiliki taraf potensi intelektual yang sama.
Learning Disabilities atau ketidakmampuan belajar mengacu pada gejala dimana siswa tidak mampu belajar atau menghindari belajar, sehingga hasil belajar di bawah potensi intelektualnya.

Siswa yang mengalami kesulitan belajar seperti tergolong dalam pengertian di atas akan tampak dari berbagai gejala yang dimanifestasikan dalam perilakunya, baik aspek psikomotorik, kognitif, konatif maupun afektif . Beberapa perilaku yang merupakan manifestasi gejala kesulitan belajar, antara lain :
Menunjukkan hasil belajar yang rendah di bawah rata-rata nilai yang dicapai oleh kelompoknya atau di bawah potensi yang dimilikinya.
Hasil yang dicapai tidak seimbang dengan usaha yang telah dilakukan. Mungkin ada siswa yang sudah berusaha giat belajar, tapi nilai yang diperolehnya selalu rendah
Lambat dalam melakukan tugas-tugas kegiatan belajarnya dan selalu tertinggal dari kawan-kawannya dari waktu yang disediakan.
Menunjukkan sikap-sikap yang tidak wajar, seperti: acuh tak acuh, menentang, berpura-pura, dusta dan sebagainya.
Menunjukkan perilaku yang berkelainan, seperti membolos, datang terlambat, tidak mengerjakan pekerjaan rumah, mengganggu di dalam atau pun di luar kelas, tidak mau mencatat pelajaran, tidak teratur dalam kegiatan belajar, dan sebagainya.
Menunjukkan gejala emosional yang kurang wajar, seperti : pemurung, mudah tersinggung, pemarah, tidak atau kurang gembira dalam menghadapi situasi tertentu. Misalnya dalam menghadapi nilai rendah, tidak menunjukkan perasaan sedih atau menyesal, dan sebagainya.

Sementara itu, Burton (Abin Syamsuddin. 2003) mengidentifikasi siswa yang diduga mengalami kesulitan belajar, yang ditunjukkan oleh adanya kegagalan siswa dalam mencapai tujuan-tujuan belajar. Menurut dia bahwa siswa dikatakan gagal dalam belajar apabila :
Dalam batas waktu tertentu yang bersangkutan tidak mencapai ukuran tingkat keberhasilan atau tingkat penguasaan materi (mastery level) minimal dalam pelajaran tertentu yang telah ditetapkan oleh guru (criterion reference).
Tidak dapat mengerjakan atau mencapai prestasi semestinya, dilihat berdasarkan ukuran tingkat kemampuan, bakat, atau kecerdasan yang dimilikinya. Siswa ini dapat digolongkan ke dalam under achiever.
Tidak berhasil tingkat penguasaan materi (mastery level) yang diperlukan sebagai prasyarat bagi kelanjutan tingkat pelajaran berikutnya. Siswa ini dapat digolongkan ke dalam slow learner atau belum matang (immature), sehingga harus menjadi pengulang (repeater)

Untuk dapat menetapkan gejala kesulitan belajar dan menandai siswa yang mengalami kesulitan belajar, maka diperlukan kriteria sebagai batas atau patokan, sehingga dengan kriteria ini dapat ditetapkan batas dimana siswa dapat diperkirakan mengalami kesulitan belajar. Terdapat empat ukuran dapat menentukan kegagalan atau kemajuan belajar siswa : (1) tujuan pendidikan; (2) kedudukan dalam kelompok; (3) tingkat pencapaian hasil belajar dibandinngkan dengan potensi; dan (4) kepribadian.

1. Tujuan pendidikan

Dalam keseluruhan sistem pendidikan, tujuan pendidikan merupakan salah satu komponen pendidikan yang penting, karena akan memberikan arah proses kegiatan pendidikan. Segenap kegiatan pendidikan atau kegiatan pembelajaran diarahkan guna mencapai tujuan pembelajaran. Siswa yang dapat mencapai target tujuan-tujuan tersebut dapat dianggap sebagai siswa yang berhasil. Sedangkan, apabila siswa tidak mampu mencapai tujuan-tujuan tersebut dapat dikatakan mengalami kesulitan belajar. Untuk menandai mereka yang mendapat hambatan pencapaian tujuan pembelajaran, maka sebelum proses belajar dimulai, tujuan harus dirumuskan secara jelas dan operasional. Selanjutnya, hasil belajar yang dicapai dijadikan sebagai tingkat pencapaian tujuan tersebut. Secara statistik, berdasarkan distribusi normal, seseorang dikatakan berhasil jika siswa telah dapat menguasai sekurang-kurangnya 60% dari seluruh tujuan yang harus dicapai. Namun jika menggunakan konsep pembelajaran tuntas (mastery learning) dengan menggunakan penilaian acuan patokan, seseorang dikatakan telah berhasil dalam belajar apabila telah menguasai standar minimal ketuntasan yang telah ditentukan sebelumnya atau sekarang lazim disebut Kriteria Ketuntasan Minimal (KKM). Sebaliknya, jika penguasaan ketuntasan di bawah kriteria minimal maka siswa tersebut dikatakan mengalami kegagalan dalam belajar. Teknik yang dapat digunakan ialah dengan cara menganalisis prestasi belajar dalam bentuk nilai hasil belajar.

2. Kedudukan dalam Kelompok

Kedudukan seorang siswa dalam kelompoknya akan menjadi ukuran dalam pencapaian hasil belajarnya. Siswa dikatakan mengalami kesulitan belajar, apabila memperoleh prestasi belajar di bawah prestasi rata-rata kelompok secara keseluruhan. Misalnya, rata-rata prestasi belajar kelompok 8, siswa yang mendapat nilai di bawah angka 8, diperkirakan mengalami kesulitan belajar. Dengan demikian, nilai yang dicapai seorang akan memberikan arti yang lebih jelas setelah dibandingkan dengan prestasi yang lain dalam kelompoknya. Dengan norma ini, guru akan dapat menandai siswa-siswa yang diperkirakan mendapat kesulitan belajar, yaitu siswa yang mendapat prestasi di bawah prestasi kelompok secara keseluruhan.

Secara statistik, mereka yang diperkirakan mengalami kesulitan adalah mereka yang menduduki 25 % di bawah urutan kelompok, yang biasa disebut dengan lower group. Dengan teknik ini, kita mengurutkan siswa berdasarkan nilai nilai yang dicapainya. dari yang paling tinggi hingga yang paling rendah, sehingga siswa mendapat nomor urut prestasi (ranking). Mereka yang menduduki posisi 25 % di bawah diperkirakan mengalami kesulitan belajar. Teknik lain ialah dengan membandingkan prestasi belajar setiap siswa dengan prestasi rata-rata kelompok. Siswa yang mendapat prestasi di bawah rata – rata kelompok diperkirakan pula mengalami kesulitan belajar.

3. Perbandingan antara potensi dan prestasi

Prestasi belajar yang dicapai seorang siswa akan tergantung dari tingkat potensinya, baik yang berupa kecerdasan maupun bakat. Siswa yang berpotensi tinggi cenderung dan seyogyanya dapat memperoleh prestasi belajar yang tinggi pula. Sebaliknya, siswa yang memiliki potensi yang rendah cenderung untuk memperoleh prestasi belajar yang rendah pula. Dengan membandingkan antara potensi dengan prestasi belajar yang dicapainya kita dapat memperkirakan sampai sejauhmana dapat merealisasikan potensi yang dimikinya. Siswa dikatakan mengalami kesulitan belajar, apabila prestasi yang dicapainya tidak sesuai dengan potensi yang dimilikinya. Misalkan, seorang siswa setelah mengikuti pemeriksaan psikologis diketahui memiliki tingkat kecerdasan (IQ) sebesar 120, termasuk kategori cerdas dalam skala Simon & Binnet. Namun ternyata hasil belajarnya hanya mendapat nilai angka 6, yang seharusnya dengan tingkat kecerdasan yang dimikinya dia paling tidak dia bisa memperoleh angka 8. Contoh di atas menggambarkan adanya gejala kesulitan belajar, yang biasa disebut dengan istilah underachiever.

4. Kepribadian

Hasil belajar yang dicapai oleh seseorang akan tercerminkan dalam seluruh kepribadiannya. Setiap proses belajar akan menghasilkan perubahan-perubahan dalam aspek kepribadian. Siswa yang berhasil dalam belajar akan menunjukkan pola-pola kepribadian tertentu, sesuai dengan tujuan yang tujuan pembelajaran yang telah ditetapkan. Siswa diakatan mengalami kesulitan belajar, apabila menunjukkan pola-pola perilaku atau kepribadian yang menyimpang dari seharusnya, seperti : acuh tak acuh, melalaikan tugas, sering membolos, menentang, isolated, motivasi lemah, emosi yang tidak seimbang dan sebagainya.

B. Bimbingan Belajar

Bimbingan belajar merupakan upaya guru untuk membantu siswa yang mengalami kesulitan dalam belajarnya. Secara umum, prosedur bimbingan belajar dapat ditempuh melalui langkah-langkah sebagai berikut


1. Identifikasi kasus

Identifikasi kasus merupakan upaya untuk menemukan siswa yang diduga memerlukan layanan bimbingan belajar. Robinson dalam Abin Syamsuddin Makmun (2003) memberikan beberapa pendekatan yang dapat dilakukan untuk mendeteksi siswa yang diduga mebutuhkan layanan bimbingan belajar, yakni :
Call them approach; melakukan wawancara dengan memanggil semua siswa secara bergiliran sehingga dengan cara ini akan dapat ditemukan siswa yang benar-benar membutuhkan layanan bimbingan.
Maintain good relationship; menciptakan hubungan yang baik, penuh keakraban sehingga tidak terjadi jurang pemisah antara guru dengan siswa. Hal ini dapat dilaksanakan melalui berbagai cara yang tidak hanya terbatas pada hubungan kegiatan belajar mengajar saja, misalnya melalui kegiatan ekstra kurikuler, rekreasi dan situasi-situasi informal lainnya.
Developing a desire for counseling; menciptakan suasana yang menimbulkan ke arah penyadaran siswa akan masalah yang dihadapinya. Misalnya dengan cara mendiskusikan dengan siswa yang bersangkutan tentang hasil dari suatu tes, seperti tes inteligensi, tes bakat, dan hasil pengukuran lainnya untuk dianalisis bersama serta diupayakan berbagai tindak lanjutnya.
Melakukan analisis terhadap hasil belajar siswa, dengan cara ini bisa diketahui tingkat dan jenis kesulitan atau kegagalan belajar yang dihadapi siswa.
Melakukan analisis sosiometris, dengan cara ini dapat ditemukan siswa yang diduga mengalami kesulitan penyesuaian sosial


2. Identifikasi Masalah

Langkah ini merupakan upaya untuk memahami jenis, karakteristik kesulitan atau masalah yang dihadapi siswa. Dalam konteks Proses Belajar Mengajar, permasalahan siswa dapat berkenaan dengan aspek : (a) substansial – material; (b) struktural – fungsional; (c) behavioral; dan atau (d) personality. Untuk mengidentifikasi masalah siswa, Prayitno dkk. telah mengembangkan suatu instrumen untuk melacak masalah siswa, dengan apa yang disebut Alat Ungkap Masalah (AUM). Instrumen ini sangat membantu untuk mendeteksi lokasi kesulitan yang dihadapi siswa, seputar aspek : (a) jasmani dan kesehatan; (b) diri pribadi; (c) hubungan sosial; (d) ekonomi dan keuangan; (e) karier dan pekerjaan; (f) pendidikan dan pelajaran; (g) agama, nilai dan moral; (h) hubungan muda-mudi; (i) keadaan dan hubungan keluarga; dan (j) waktu senggang.


3. Diagnosis

Diagnosis merupakan upaya untuk menemukan faktor-faktor penyebab atau yang melatarbelakangi timbulnya masalah siswa. Dalam konteks Proses Belajar Mengajar faktor-faktor yang penyebab kegagalan belajar siswa, bisa dilihat dari segi input, proses, ataupun out put belajarnya. W.H. Burton membagi ke dalam dua bagian faktor – faktor yang mungkin dapat menimbulkan kesulitan atau kegagalan belajar siswa, yaitu : (a) faktor internal; faktor yang besumber dari dalam diri siswa itu sendiri, seperti : kondisi jasmani dan kesehatan, kecerdasan, bakat, kepribadian, emosi, sikap serta kondisi-kondisi psikis lainnya; dan (b) faktor eksternal, seperti : lingkungan rumah, lingkungan sekolah termasuk didalamnya faktor guru dan lingkungan sosial dan sejenisnya.

4. Prognosis

Langkah ini untuk memperkirakan apakah masalah yang dialami siswa masih mungkin untuk diatasi serta menentukan berbagai alternatif pemecahannya, Hal ini dilakukan dengan cara mengintegrasikan dan menginterpretasikan hasil-hasil langkah kedua dan ketiga. Proses mengambil keputusan pada tahap ini seyogyanya terlebih dahulu dilaksanakan konferensi kasus, dengan melibatkan pihak-pihak yang kompeten untuk diminta bekerja sama menangani kasus - kasus yang dihadapi.


5. Remedial atau referal (Alih Tangan Kasus)

Jika jenis dan sifat serta sumber permasalahannya masih berkaitan dengan sistem pembelajaran dan masih masih berada dalam kesanggupan dan kemampuan guru atau guru pembimbing, pemberian bantuan bimbingan dapat dilakukan oleh guru atau guru pembimbing itu sendiri. Namun, jika permasalahannya menyangkut aspek-aspek kepribadian yang lebih mendalam dan lebih luas maka selayaknya tugas guru atau guru pembimbing sebatas hanya membuat rekomendasi kepada ahli yang lebih kompeten.

6. Evaluasi dan Follow Up

Cara manapun yang ditempuh, evaluasi atas usaha pemecahan masalah seyogyanya dilakukan evaluasi dan tindak lanjut, untuk melihat seberapa pengaruh tindakan bantuan (treatment) yang telah diberikan terhadap pemecahan masalah yang dihadapi siswa.

Berkenaan dengan evaluasi bimbingan, Depdiknas telah memberikan kriteria-kriteria keberhasilan layanan bimbingan belajar, yaitu :
Berkembangnya pemahaman baru yang diperoleh siswa berkaitan dengan masalah yang dibahas;
Perasaan positif sebagai dampak dari proses dan materi yang dibawakan melalui layanan, dan
Rencana kegiatan yang akan dilaksanakan oleh siswa sesudah pelaksanaan layanan dalam rangka mewujudkan upaya lebih lanjut pengentasan masalah yang dialaminya.

Sementara itu, Robinson dalam Abin Syamsuddin Makmun (2003) mengemukakan beberapa kriteria dari keberhasilan dan efektivitas layanan yang telah diberikan, yaitu apabila:
Siswa telah menyadari (to be aware of) atas adanya masalah yang dihadapi.
Siswa telah memahami (self insight) permasalahan yang dihadapi.
Siswa telah mulai menunjukkan kesediaan untuk menerima kenyataan diri dan masalahnya secara obyektif (self acceptance).
Siswa telah menurun ketegangan emosinya (emotion stress release).
Siswa telah menurun penentangan terhadap lingkungannya
Siswa mulai menunjukkan kemampuannya dalam mempertimbangkan, mengadakan pilihan dan mengambil keputusan secara sehat dan rasional.
Siswa telah menunjukkan kemampuan melakukan usaha –usaha perbaikan dan penyesuaian diri terhadap lingkungannya, sesuai dengan dasar pertimbangan dan keputusan yang telah diambilnya

Oleh : Drs. Akhmad Sudrajat,M.Pd.
http://akhmadsudrajat.wordpress.com/2008/01/25/kesulitan-dan-bimbingan-belajar/#comment-1404

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5 Tips For How You Can Learn More

There are a number of reasons why we should be lifelong learners. Continuing education reaps us professional, personal and health benefits that are too numerous to list. However if you do not want to enter another classroom as long as you live then take heart as there are other ways you can be a lifelong learner. Here are five tips for ways to continue your education.

First and foremost is to read. Read for fun and pleasure but also read for information and research. You do not have to fear taking on heavy, dusty tomes filled with multi-syllabic boring language. There is a whole industry of writers who make history and science fun. In fact, you do not even need to read books at all. There are a lot of informative magazines that offer both general and specific information. Check them out at a large book store or your local library before selecting a few to take home. Do not overlook the wealth of information available to you on the internet. There are site and publications devoted to just about any topic you can imagine. Start with a main news site and then begin sifting and searching to find topics that interest you. The best thing about this kind of reading is that you get to pick it -- not a teacher with an agenda you don't understand.

Listening is an often overlooked skill when it comes to learning today. Sure listening in the classroom is important but there are people all around us who have a wealth of knowledge to share if we are only willing to listen. Open your ears and your mind. You might be surprised at what you can learn.

You can also learn by simply observing the life around us. What can you learn about parenting by watching the families around you? You can learn not only what to do but what not to do. What can you learn about financial planning, relationships, and just about everything else you want to know? You can learn from the mistakes of others if you only take the time to be observant.

If you are looking for answers then ask questions. Ask questions of experts as well as information brokers, such as librarians and teachers. You should also ask questions of people like you because they can share their experiences and knowledge.

Finally, the most important part of becoming a lifelong learner is simply pursuing knowledge whether it is for a specific purpose or simply knowledge for the sake of knowledge. It is not important what you decide to study and learn more about and you can change topics as often as you change your shoes if you like. The important thing is to continue opening your mind and filling your brain.

You can becoming a lifelong learner and enjoy continuing education by reading, listening, observing, questioning, and pursuing knowledge. If you take these five steps for continuing education then you will live a smarter and more fulfilling life.

By Deanna Mascle
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

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