In This Issue

• Welcome to SuperCamp ParentConnect
• Make it a Great Start to the School Year
• What is Fimage?
• Meet Our New COO – Mark Reardon

Welcome to SuperCamp ParentConnect

Parents, welcome to the first issue of SuperCamp ParentConnect, your yearlong resource to help support your SuperCamp graduates. ParentConnect is a monthly e-newsletter sent exclusively to parents of SuperCamp grads.

As SuperCamp president, Bobbi DePorter, says in the SuperCamp parents’ guide, “parenting may be the most rewarding and challenging job you will ever have.” It is our intention with this e-newsletter to help you meet the challenge in two ways:

• First, we will increase your understanding of the learning and life skills that your son or daughter gained at SuperCamp.
• Second, we will give you tips and techniques that you can share with your grad to help reinforce his or her SuperCamp learning.

In addition to the advice contained in each issue of ParentConnect, we will provide links to video tips from SuperCamp facilitators and we will refer you to other valuable information resources that we come across as the year progresses.

We hope you enjoy reading SuperCamp ParentConnect and find it to be a useful tool throughout the school year.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Make it a Great Start to the School Year

With a new school year upon us, one of the biggest things parents can do to help set their student up for success is to create a positive study environment at home.

An important concept that we teach at SuperCamp, and it's worth remembering when creating a positive study environment at home, is Everything Speaks. In the context of how a student studies, Everything Speaks means that everything in the environment sends a message that either enhances or detracts from learning. Think about tidy vs. cluttered chaos, light and airy vs. dim and dark, inviting and functional vs. any old place.

Location
As they say in real estate, location is everything. Find a place that’s quiet and free of distractions—so, if possible, not the family room or the dining room table! The ideal is a defined study area in the student's bedroom.

Furnishings
Make sure the home study area has good lighting (ideally, natural light and a lamp), shelves for reference books and supplies, and a computer, if needed. Obviously, your student also needs a desk or table with space for study materials, as well as a work area that's not cramped. And a comfortable "sit-upright" chair will help the student stay alert and focused.

Resources
Make sure your son or daughter doesn’t have to waste valuable study time looking for a pen! Stock up on pens, paper, and pencils, and have them all within reach, not just somewhere in the room. Also make sure your student has whatever reference material is needed before sitting down to do the work.

Music
Some classical music is “brain friendly” and enhances the study environment. Baroque music helps students to focus and to access their most resourceful learning state. The music optimizes the functions of the brain that store and retrieve information. Many kids (from elementary to high schoolers) will think that their own music is best, but try to convince your student to try baroque, such as Bach, Handel, or Vivaldi. If you meet with resistance, a first step might be to suggest music that doesn’t have words—words interfere with the part of the brain needed to study effectively, even if the student is not consciously listening to the words!

Homework Support
Your show of interest, support, and guidance in helping your child create a positive study environment at home will go a long way toward establishing great homework habits. It’s also a good idea to create and agree on homework guidelines so you can continue to work together toward success. Why not have a special lunch together and set up a plan that will work for both of you? You could also consider a reward for consistently following "the plan." Here are a few more tips regarding homework:

• Homework time: Sometimes it’s not easy because of extracurricular activities, but try to define a specific time each day that homework will be started.

• Distractions: Fewer distractions equal more productive time. Make a plan with your son or daughter about the timing for phone calls, internet “browsing”, and recreational time.

• Breaks: Breaks are important. Research shows that students remember more of the information learned at “beginnings” and “endings” of study periods. Thus, better retention is experienced when frequent breaks are taken. A ten-minute break after each hour of study time will enhance learning. (For younger children who don't have such long study periods, a five-minute break every half hour will work well.)

• Flexibility: You will both need to agree to be flexible—sometimes homework will have to start a bit later, sometimes a family commitment will mean starting a little earlier, sometimes a break may need to be slightly longer than five or ten minutes. Flexibility keeps you and your student connected!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

What is Fimage?

You may have heard your son or daughter refer to “Fimage” upon returning home from SuperCamp. Hopefully you received a clear explanation of the term. In case you didn’t, here’s a brief description of what we covered at camp.

Most people spend a lot of time creating and preserving their image. Most of us avoid doing things that may make us look un-cool. We don’t want to say the wrong thing, look different, be seen in the wrong place with the wrong people. It’s not good for the image. We call this dilemma FIMAGE: fear of image.

So, at SuperCamp, we talk about how life can pass us by if we live in constant fear of maintaining our “cool” image. We talk about how much energy we use “acting” instead of “living.”

On day two, we lead the campers in exercises to help them move outside of their personal “comfort zones” and drop their Fimage. This concept is reinforced throughout the remainder of SuperCamp so that by the end of camp, our SuperCamp graduates have shed their Fimage and are prepared to return to their worlds Fimage-less.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Meet QLN’s New Chief Operating Officer – Mark Reardon

Mark Reardon rejoined Quantum Learning Network on August 1, 2008 in the newly-created position of Chief Operating Officer. Mark has enjoyed a long and highly distinguished career in education, including seven years with us (1989-1996) as Director of Training and Program Development.

Through experiences as a teacher, trainer, administrator and author Mark’s 28-year journey in education has focused on discovering what really works in teaching and learning. In 1999, Mark co-authored Quantum Teaching – Orchestrating Student Success with SuperCamp president, Bobbi DePorter, and Sarah Singer-Nourie.

Prior to rejoining QLN, Mark became the founding principal of Classical Academy High School in Escondido, California, a school dedicated to partnering with parents in preparing a personalized learning environment for students that encourages competent, lifelong learners ready for college, career, and citizenship.

Mark has also co-authored the following books: HotTips for Teachers, HotTips for Speakers, HotTips for Facilitators, Strategies for Great Teaching, and Put Me In, Coach!

At QLN, Mark will bring his broad knowledge, boundless energy and spirited enthusiasm for improving the quality of education to SuperCamp and Quantum Learning Education. Welcome back, Mark!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••